Someone call the cops! I stole a Jukebox!! MAGNETS??? [03.05.2009]

[javeryh]

Back in July I started working on a new project and I wanted to make a little progress before announcing it.  Before I start documenting everything I've done so far I want to give a HUGE thanks to mountain for (1) building his awesome Jukebox which I am shamelessly ripping off and (2) his patience in answering a ton of questions that I keep asking him about parts, designs and other issues.   

Since mountain's build is way out of my league I had to modify his design a bit to suit my skills.  I am not incorporating the rotating base and instead the marquee, monitor and speakers will all be contained in one box.  The entire front will basically look like this with three openings:



The goal for the first night was simple - all I wanted to do was create a template for cutting out the front and back panels of the jukebox.  The dimensions of the template are as shown in the picture and it is made out of 3/4" thick MDF.  The only real tricky part about making the template was cutting out the curve with my router and circle cutting jig and having it transition perfectly into the straight sides.



Next up is cutting out two identical panels to be used to help form the overall shape of the jukebox.

 

[javeryh]

Now that I had a pretty good template, the next step was to use it to make two identical panels. First, I traced the template with a pencil onto 3/4" MDF and cut the panels out with my jigsaw staying about 1/8" outside the line.

Then, I clamped the template to the top of each of the panels I just cut out and used my router and a pattern bit to make two exact copies of the template. These panels will eventually be the frame for the front and back of the jukebox.

Finally, I cut out eleven (!) 2" holes close to the edge of the front and back panels (what a pain) for clamping.



Next step is making this thing 3D!   

[javeryh]

Next, I cut out the base and the interior spacers - I made each panel 9-1/2"x15-1/2" (the exact size of the base).  Then I screwed everything together to get the general shape of the jukebox. I'm using screws here because once the glue dries from attaching the curved panel I'll be removing the bottom and the interior spacers.  The only thing to note is that the front and back panels have to be EXACTLY opposite each other.







Next is gluing up the curved panel to the shell.   

[javeryh]

Next I glued a 1/8" hardboard panel to the shell and I was praying that it would bend along the curve without breaking (or putting a serious amount of tension on it). It worked even though the hardboard really wasn't made for bending. 

This forms the sides and top of the jukebox - now we are getting somewhere! I'm actually using two 1/8" sheets so the final thickness of the top and side panels will be 1/4" to give it a little more strength. In order to hold everything in place while the glue dries I used those holes I cut out in the front and back panels.







Next up once the glue dried is to use my router and flush bit to even everything out and then glue the second layer of 1/8" material giving me a 1/4" thickness on the curved panel.   

[MinerAl]

Very cool start.

Keep us updated!

[gonzo90017]

 

[DaOld Man]

Looking good, JaveryH!

[javeryh]

Thanks everyone!  I'm actually a little bit further along - I'll keep updating when I get a chance...   

[DeLuSioNal29]

Looks good!  Can't wait to see more!

~ D

[javeryh]

After letting the glue set overnight next came the moment of truth... would the curved panel spring back or would the bond from the wood glue be enough to hold it in place? The clamps are off and so far so good!

Now comes the tricky part - removing the excess material that overhangs the edges. Normally this is an easy task with a flush trim bit and a router, however, going over the curve is going to be difficult. I had to clamp the jukebox in place and then go around the curve ever so slightly. The router base was not laying flat and it was a bit scary.

Success! Check it out - it is really starting to take shape:

[ivwshane]

Since mountain's build is way out of my league I had to modify his design a bit to suit my skills.  I am not incorporating the rotating base and instead the marquee, monitor and speakers will all be contained in one box.  The entire front will basically look like this with three openings:

Omg shut up!! I think you are in the top 10 on this site easily!


lol, how many cabs/machines have you built already?




Oh, looking good so far:D

[javeryh]

Since mountain's build is way out of my league I had to modify his design a bit to suit my skills.  I am not incorporating the rotating base and instead the marquee, monitor and speakers will all be contained in one box.  The entire front will basically look like this with three openings:

Omg shut up!! I think you are in the top 10 on this site easily!


lol, how many cabs/machines have you built already?




Oh, looking good so far:D

woah, thanks for the compliment  - although I can think of at least 30 or 40 people around here off the top of my head who are miles better than me and who knows how many more if I sit down and think about it.   

I'm in the middle of my 3rd cab and my 1st jukebox.   More updates on this tonight or tomorrow. 

[Kaytrim]

Hey man don't sell yourself short.  You are easily in that 30 to 40 that you would mention.  Keep it up I'll be starting mine soon.

TTFN 
Kaytrim

[javeryh]

Hey man don't sell yourself short.  You are easily in that 30 to 40 that you would mention.  Keep it up I'll be starting mine soon.

TTFN 
Kaytrim

Thanks Kaytrim.  I cannot wait to see what you come up with.  Have you thought it out yet?  Any teasers you care to share?   

[Kaytrim]

No teasers yet.  The design is still real rough and dependent on the hardware I am putting inside.  I thought that I would use an old laptop but it is too old (a PIII).  I don't want to hijack your thread anymore so I'll post some details in my thread soon.

TTFN
Kaytrim

[javeryh]

I'll be on the look out for your thread.  

Some more of the build:

After flush cutting the curved panel it was time to add another 1/8" layer to the curve to get to the final 1/4" thickness. This process is identical to what I did for the first 1/8" panel only this time I have a lot more surface to glue to. I was also able to use my two band clamps to help keep everything nice and flat.  You can kind of see the two layers in this blurry picture:



Before starting, I roughed up the surface of the hardboard with some 100 grit sandpaper so the glue had something to grab on to. I'm hoping the glue holds over time but so far so good...



Twisted Tea for scale.   

[javeryh]

The next step was to begin making the front panel.  After thinking about it for a bit I realized this part is going to take quite a bit of time. I did manage to cut out the general shape of the front in less than an hour though.

First, I traced the shape of the front of the jukebox onto some 1/2" MDF and rough cut it out with my jigsaw staying about 1/8" wide of the line.



Next, I screwed the panel down to prepare to route the panel to size. I am not worried about leaving holes in the jukebox because the material will eventually be removed.



After the piece was secured in place I used my router and flush cutting bit to make the 1/2" MDF panel exactly the right size.



Finally, I removed the newly cut panel.



Next up is laying out the hole openings for the marquee, monitor and speakers.

[mountain]

The cops have been notified! 

Looking great javeryh! You are documenting some steps that I left out due to the tight schedule I was on. What do you plan to use for the face and sides?

[javeryh]

The cops have been notified! 

Looking great javeryh! You are documenting some steps that I left out due to the tight schedule I was on. What do you plan to use for the face and sides?

Thanks mountain!  I have been looking for some laminate for the back panel and sides/curve but I haven't found any so far.  I have seen a sample of Wilsonart Black 1595-60 but it seems fairly rigid.  I'm not convinced it will bend like I want it to.  I was thinking it would come rolled in a tube but it just doesn't seem possible unless it comes in something 1/2 as thick.

I've struck out at 3 different Home Depots so far and the local lumber yard has to special order it ($45/sheet).  I have a few calls to countertop companies but they all have to place special orders. 

As for the front face, I'm already in the process of cutting this out of 1/8" black plexiglass.  I have easily put in about 20 hours now working on that front panel and I don't even have the monitor mounted.  It is an unbelievable amount of work.   The further I get into this project the more I am amazed at what you did in such a short period of time.  I was thinking this would be a quick little project to bang out in between arcade cabinets!  Boy was I wrong... 

[Kaytrim]

Laminate can be bent.  You just have to apply a little heat.  I used to work in a cabinet shop an whenever they had to bend the laminate around a curve they used a heat gun.  The key is to distribute the heat evenly across the width.  Keep the heat gun moving across the width while pressure is being applied for the bend.  When the laminate gets warm enough it will bend and not scorch.  You will scorch the laminate if you leave the heat gun on a single spot though.  This is a two person job, one to use the heat gun and the other to bend the laminate.

TTFN and Good Luck,
Kaytrim

[mountain]

I used the vertical grade stuff which is much thinner and bends really easily.

[javeryh]

I used the vertical grade stuff which is much thinner and bends really easily.

Thanks.  I looked up some Formica Laminate online and they say Home Depot is a distributor.  I am going to order a sheet of Formica® Brand Laminate >  Series >  Solid Colors > 909 Black (Matte).  I'm probably going to get 20 Grade.  Here is the description from their site:

Grade 20 Vertical Postforming Grade (VGP, Nominal Thickness .028" (0.7mm))
Outside and inside radii to 3/8" (9.5mm). A forming grade designed for vertical or light duty horizontal interior applications requiring radiused edges. Thinner than Grade 12; excellent for postformed radii. Installed panel width not to exceed 24" (609.6mm) maximum.

Unfortunately, it only comes in a 4'x8' sheet but at least I'll have a bunch left over for the next project!  They do make a 12 Grade which I could order a bit less of but it doesn't sound like it will bend as easy even though it is only .011" (0.3mm) thicker!

Grade 12 Horizontal Postforming Grade (HGP, Nominal Thickness .039" (1.0mm))
Postformable to permit bending on suitable commercial postforming equipment. Use whenever forming is desired for decorative or functional purposes in interior applications. Optimum postforming temperature is 325°F (163°C). Note: When used with a polished finish, Grade 12 is recommended only for light duty horizontal applications.

[Neilyboy]

lookin real good man.. I am jealous!!! keep up the good work and keep the pictures coming.

neil

[javeryh]

lookin real good man.. I am jealous!!! keep up the good work and keep the pictures coming.

neil

Thanks neil!  I was JUST looking at your DK restore (again - awesome job) and I'm 99.9% positive that will be my next project after the jukebox.   

[Nvts]

Keep the pictures coming.    I have a fairly good idea of how I wanted to make my version of Mountains box, and looking at this, your version and mine might just be identical.    I'm not woodworking-ly inclined, so all of your extra pictures are helping immensely.

[javeryh]

Keep the pictures coming.    I have a fairly good idea of how I wanted to make my version of Mountains box, and looking at this, your version and mine might just be identical.    I'm not woodworking-ly inclined, so all of your extra pictures are helping immensely.

Awesome - the more people building these things the better so we can help each other out.


OK - this is kind of what I've got going on right now.  It is an EXTREMELY tight fit to get everything in behind the panel.  The semi-circle in the middle of the marquee area that is not getting cut out is where the volume knob will go - just like mountain's.  I don't have exact dimensions written down anywhere - I'm just sort of eyeballing it - but this gives you an idea of the general layout.



The usable touchscreen area of the monitor is 11-15/16" wide by 8-15/16" tall. The 11-15/16" dimension will define the width of the side borders which will be 2-1/32" wide each (the width of the panel is 16"). After laying out the side borders I had to decide how thick I want the borders to be on top of the curve, between the marquee and monitor, between the monitor and speakers and between the speakers and the bottom edge to make the overall layout pleasing to the eye.  I also wanted to make sure that the ends of the marquee were in line with the sides of the monitor and speakers.

Stay tuned...   

[DaOld Man]

Looking good JH!
Your outline looks remarkably like my Stevies Jukebox, but I used a much bigger speaker area, plus I designed it so it would be wheel chair accessible, so it is taller than yours.

I appreciate you supplying all the measurements.
I now have a juke for the wife on the front burner and your measurements may save me loads of time.
But I think mine will have the rotating base, so it will be more a rip off of Mountains.
I think it would be very hard to top his design, so imitating it will be good enough for me.
And I showed my wife a picture of mountains juke and she fell in love with it.
(Maybe I shouldn't have done that???)

[javeryh]

Thanks DaOldMan!  Oh yeah - I'd be happy to try out your remote management software but I won't be able to until I buy a wireless card and install it into Bella's Arcade.... which probably won't happen for a while.  You can send it to me at javeryh@yahoo.com if you want.  It is something I really want to do because after a few months of play the gamelists definitely need some management but it is a huge pain to drag out the keyboard and mouse - plus it's uncomfortable.   

[javeryh]

Now we are getting somewhere!



The next thing I decided to do while thinking about the final layout of the front panel was to remove most of the material in the jukebox leaving only the shell. I used my circle cutting jig to cut out the arcs on the top of both the front and back panels. I also unscrewed the bottom panel and the interior spacers. It probably weighs less than a quarter of what it did before (it's light!). These pictures just show the rough cuts with the jigsaw - I will post "clean" pics when I get a chance. 

Here are a ton of pictures for no good reason:













I did have a concern about whether the shape would hold once all of the material was removed but it does not seem to be an issue.   

[javeryh]

Nothing major to report - Here are some shots of the cleaned up shell.  I used my router, a straight edge and a pattern bit to make the edges straight. I used a Japanese hand saw to square up the corners. The whole process took less than an hour.







Now the shell is complete the next step was cutting that front panel out - which is a HUGE PAIN - and squeezing everything inside.  I'm about 75% done with it right now and it has taken at least 20 hours for just the one panel.  I work slow though.

I still haven't ordered the computer parts yet mainly because I don't know what will be adequate.  I want to have between a 300GB and 500GB hard drive in there but other than that I have no idea what to get.  Since it will only play music and a few casual games it doesn't have to be powerful and I'd like to keep it on the cheap side.  I need a motherboard, some RAM, a power supply, a HDD and probably an internet card.  Any suggestions would be very helpful.   

[Nvts]

I checked Craigslist every day for a couple weeks watching prices, then picked up a 2Ghz machine for under $100.  I will throw a 640G drive in it, and I should be set.  I would expect a Mac Mini would work great.

[DaOld Man]

I found this deal on ebay:

Click

It is a complete dell optiplex, just strip what you need.

Im going to use a dell optiplex 260 for my upcoming juke. Ive got it laid out on the mad scientist slab right now. I think it is 2.4 gig P4 and it came with 512 meg DDR ram.
It is working very sweetly, running Xlobby like a champ.
I had to buy a power supply, cpu fan, and hard drive though. The above deal will already have all that, except you may want to add more ram.
If you are constrained on the room, you may want to go with a mini itx board (not real cheap).
If you want the measurements of the optiplex board just let me know.

[javeryh]

Thanks for the suggestions.  It is kind of tight in there so I was thinking of getting a mini-itx board.  I am getting frustrated with the amount of time it is taking me to manufacture the front panel.  I can't believe how fast mountain cranked his out.  I only get about an hour a night to work on it though so it's hard to make any real progress and now that the new TV season is starting the wife is going to want to actually spend time together so there will be even less time out in the garage.

My goal this week was to have the front panel completely finished and glued to the shell but I still have a lot to do.
- remove material behind monitor opening to mount monitor flush
- remove material behind volume knob
- remove material around top of volume knob
- cut speaker grill and install
- cut speaker fabric/material and install behind grill.  I still have to buy the speaker fabric/material - anyone know of a place?  I only need a tiny bit.
- cut marquee pattern out of 1/4" MDF

I'm a bit nervous to use my foerstner bit to remove the material behind volume knob so the guts of the powermate has a place to sit.  I don't want to go through the Plexiglas on the front side!  I also have no idea how to drill a hole through the Plexiglas for the volume knob.  Every time I've tried drilling through the Plexiglas it chips - the only router bit I have for the job is a 1/4" bit which isn't quite big enough... I'm sure I'll think of something...   

[ratzz]

Looks great so far Javeryh, what speakers are you putting in? Would be nice to stick a couple of Bose speakers in there!! 

[javeryh]

Looks great so far Javeryh, what speakers are you putting in? Would be nice to stick a couple of Bose speakers in there!! 

Thanks ratzz.  I'm not 100% sure about the speakers yet but I am leaning towards the Dell speaker bar that mountain used on his.  Do they make Bose speakers that small?  I've got about 2.5" of height to play with...   

[Kaytrim]

For drilling out the plexi I have used forstner bits and spade bits with hardly any problems.  On the spade bits make sure you get the ones with teeth on the ends.  Use a piece of scrap wood behind the plexi, don't use any pressure on the drill and let the bit sorta melt it's way through.  You can then clean up the edge with a small round file cutting at about 45*.

[javeryh]

For drilling out the plexi I have used forstner bits and spade bits with hardly any problems.  On the spade bits make sure you get the ones with teeth on the ends.  Use a piece of scrap wood behind the plexi, don't use any pressure on the drill and let the bit sorta melt it's way through.  You can then clean up the edge with a small round file cutting at about 45*.

Hmm... maybe I'm just applying too much pressure.  There was definitely no melting involved the last time I tried!   Tonight I'm going to try and knock off the first three things on the list above even if it kills me... or rather even if my neighbors want to kill me for using the power tools past 10PM. 

[ratzz]

Looks great so far Javeryh, what speakers are you putting in? Would be nice to stick a couple of Bose speakers in there!! 

Thanks ratzz.  I'm not 100% sure about the speakers yet but I am leaning towards the Dell speaker bar that mountain used on his.  Do they make Bose speakers that small?  I've got about 2.5" of height to play with...   

They have some here: http://www.bose.co.uk/GB/en/home-entertainment/personal-audio/computer-speakers/index.jsp but boy are those things expensive -- they sound unbelievable though!

Good luck with the rest of the build, I'll be following this one! 

[Kaytrim]

Hmm... maybe I'm just applying too much pressure.  There was definitely no melting involved the last time I tried! 

Applying too much pressure will crack the plexi every time.  Practice on some scrap plexi before you commit to the actual piece.

[mountain]

When I need a hole in plexi that is under 1/2" I always use my unibit. It is single fluted so it basically shaves the material from the inside of the existing hole. I have never had plexi crack using this method.

Here is a picture

[javeryh]

Wow - cool.  I've never seen one of those things before.  I assume it's a drill bit and not a router bit, right?  I'm going to see if I can pick one of those things up...   

[mountain]

Yes, it's a drill bit

[javeryh]

Here's where it starts to get fun (sort of - more on that in a bit).  Once the Griffin Powermate arrived I was able to take the measurement of the diameter of the knob [1-11/16"] and make sure the openings for the marquee, monitor and speakers were laid out properly.

This part of the project is very very complicated. Not only do I have to cut out the openings but after I use the template to cut the 1/8" black plexiglass (which will be the front face of the jukebox), I have to remove additional material behind the openings in order for the monitor, marquee and speakers to fit. This is going to be especially tricky for the monitor because the mounting brackets are at a different height so I'll have to set the depth of my router to be as precise as possible.

The first section to cut out must be the curved marquee opening. In order to cut out the curves perfectly you need a pivot point for the circle cutting jig to turn on. If you cut out the monitor opening first there won't be any place for the pivot point!

In order to cut this opening accurately, I used my router, a 1/2" dado bit, a straight edge and my circle jig. It was quite complicated to set everything up and I had to make 4 passes with the dado bit removing about 1/8" at a time to cut through the 1/2" MDF.



I really like working out in the garage with the radio on or whatever (although the Mets bullpen makes me mental) but I was at the end of my rope when I was cutting this out.  I messed this up on my first try - I couldn't seem to control the router properly. I lost about 4 hours worth of work that I had to make up just to get it to this point.
 
Here is what the panel looks like attached to shell. Pretty cool!





Next up is the other openings and cutting everything to size.   

[mountain]

Looking real good javeryh.

Make sure that you write down the distance between your two center points as well as each radius. It will come in handy when you go to make the jig for the marquee plexiglass as well as the artwork. 

[DaOld Man]

Great job so far Javeryh!
Only problem I see is that there are no pictures with Bella's Arcade in the background!

[javeryh]

Looking real good javeryh.

Make sure that you write down the distance between your two center points as well as each radius. It will come in handy when you go to make the jig for the marquee plexiglass as well as the artwork. 

That's a great idea.  I've already had to remeasure those distances for various reasons.  I'm a little nervous about the marquee art lining up perfectly but I think I'll be OK as long as I don't have a background that follows the curves exactly.  I have NO IDEA what I'm going to do for artwork or a name.   I've been kicking around a few ideas but nothing has stuck so far.  My favorite band is Pearl Jam so I was thinking about a subtle reference:

- Brain of J (this is the name of a Pearl Jam song and since my name is James and this thing will be a brain of sorts it kind of works)

- Play C3 (another Pearl Jam reference from the song 'Insignificance')

- Jack's Jukebox (my son's name)

- Partially Automated Music Playing Device (from the definition of 'Jukebox')

- Dancing Days (I love Zeppelin too )

Or I may just do the neon like you did since it looks great and I'm incapable of independent thought... HELP!!! 

Great job so far Javeryh!
Only problem I see is that there are no pictures with Bella's Arcade in the background!

heh, yeah - I'm still working on convincing the wife to bring it up from the basement.    I think it would look great in the TV room (or her bedroom which is where I initially envisioned it) but our house is small and space is tight.  One of these days!   

[Franco B]

Good work buddy, looking great!

I'm kinda in a similar boat to you as regards to covering the juke in laminate etc. I haven't found anywhere that will sell me a small piece of pink laminate which isn't suprising really. I also have some tight curves on my juke and I think I would struggle to bend and bond the laminate. I did think about painting the juke (and there is only one method I would follow ) but I have decided that I am going to use some polycarb laminate (like a CP overlay). It should be tough enough to protect the juke whilst being pliable enough to go round the tight radii. Also as its, in effect, a CPO I will be able to get it printed in any pink/design I want

Do you know what juke software you are going to use?

[javeryh]

Good work buddy, looking great!

I'm kinda in a similar boat to you as regards to covering the juke in laminate etc. I haven't found anywhere that will sell me a small piece of pink laminate which isn't suprising really. I also have some tight curves on my juke and I think I would struggle to bend and bond the laminate. I did think about painting the juke (and there is only one method I would follow ) but I have decided that I am going to use some polycarb laminate (like a CP overlay). It should be tough enough to protect the juke whilst being pliable enough to go round the tight radii. Also as its, in effect, a CPO I will be able to get it printed in any pink/design I want

Do you know what juke software you are going to use?

Thanks Franco!  Sourcing the laminate has been tough.  I can place an order at Home Depot but it is going to be expensive.  I don't know what they have available over in the UK.  I thought about using some CPO overlay material too but I also need a fairly rigid piece for the back panel.  I think you can use a heat gun on the regular laminate to go around a tight curve.  I have to order a 4'x8' sheet since the piece I need is just shy of 5'.

As for juke software, I'm going to try Xlobby.  I really like the look of it.  I'm open to anything though I suppose.  I still have to buy the computer and set everything up but there's no rush since the front panel/screen mount and the back panel/port mount are taking FOREVER.

[DaOld Man]

I looked at some laminate at lowes last night. They will have to order the black. And it is expensive. Now I know why counter tops are so high.
I got a small rectangle sample. Wilsonart 1595-60 Black. It feels very stiff, and Im worried about making the bend around the top. The lady at Lowes said she didnt think it would be a problem, but I dont put a lot of faith in the workers there. (My apologies to anyone on here who works there.)
I sent mountain a PM for his advice.
On Stevie's Jukebox, I just painted the hardwood "skin". But I think the laminate will be much cooler.

[javeryh]

DaOld Man - You have to make sure you get VERTICAL grade laminate.  Try looking at Formica.com - Home Depot is a distributor.  I am going to order a sheet of 20 grade "909 Black" with a Matte finish.  I don't know the cost yet but I might tonight - I'm going to stop at Home Depot on the way home from work.  The sample you most likely got was the horizontal grade stuff which probably won't bend like you want it to.

[DaOld Man]

Hmm, ok, I didnt see any reference at Lowes to vertical or horizontal. I will check Home Depot.
Thanks Javeryh.

[mountain]

You guys will have more luck calling local distributors, cabinet makers, kitchen remodelers etc. when it comes to finding the vertical grade stuff.

The coin door panel on my first cabinet was wrapped with the thicker horizontal grade. The radius was around 3 1/2". If all you can find is the horizontal stuff, it will bend. Hell, it's more flexible than the 1/8" MDF

[javeryh]

Thanks - that's good to know.  I inspected a sheet of the horizontal laminate at Home Depot last week but I wasn't 100% convinced it would bend (they didn't carry black though so I would still have to place a special order).  It seemed like it would but I won't know unless I try.  I'm debating now whether to get the horizontal stuff since the difference in thickness is 0.3mm - that's practically nothing!  I also need some for the back panel and the thicker stuff would work nicer there I think.  Decisions decisions....   

[leapinlew]

Thanks - that's good to know.  I inspected a sheet of the horizontal laminate at Home Depot last week but I wasn't 100% convinced it would bend (they didn't carry black though so I would still have to place a special order).  It seemed like it would but I won't know unless I try.  I'm debating now whether to get the horizontal stuff since the difference in thickness is 0.3mm - that's practically nothing!  I also need some for the back panel and the thicker stuff would work nicer there I think.  Decisions decisions....   

How much are they charging for the vertical stuff? I have 1/16th, and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't use it to bend around that juke. I'd probably use the parts express stuff. Did Mountain say it would work? I read through here, but I don't remember him saying anything about it.

[mountain]

Thanks - that's good to know.  I inspected a sheet of the horizontal laminate at Home Depot last week but I wasn't 100% convinced it would bend (they didn't carry black though so I would still have to place a special order).  It seemed like it would but I won't know unless I try.  I'm debating now whether to get the horizontal stuff since the difference in thickness is 0.3mm - that's practically nothing!  I also need some for the back panel and the thicker stuff would work nicer there I think.  Decisions decisions....  

How much are they charging for the vertical stuff? I have 1/16th, and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't use it to bend around that juke. I'd probably use the parts express stuff. Did Mountain say it would work? I read through here, but I don't remember him saying anything about it.

Lew,
1/16" seams a bit thick, even for horizontal grade.  I think it is less than that. The point I was trying to make in my last post is that I was able to bend horizontal grade laminate around a 3.5" radius on my coin door panel. Considering that the coin door panel was about 35" in length, bending it around an 8" radius that is only 12" in length shouldn't be a problem. I know for a fact that horizontal grade laminate is more plyable than 1/8" MDF, it will work.

[leapinlew]

Thanks - that's good to know.  I inspected a sheet of the horizontal laminate at Home Depot last week but I wasn't 100% convinced it would bend (they didn't carry black though so I would still have to place a special order).  It seemed like it would but I won't know unless I try.  I'm debating now whether to get the horizontal stuff since the difference in thickness is 0.3mm - that's practically nothing!  I also need some for the back panel and the thicker stuff would work nicer there I think.  Decisions decisions....   

How much are they charging for the vertical stuff? I have 1/16th, and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't use it to bend around that juke. I'd probably use the parts express stuff. Did Mountain say it would work? I read through here, but I don't remember him saying anything about it.

Lew,
1/16" seams a bit thick, even for horizontal grade.  I think it is less than that. The point I was trying to make in my last post is that I was able to bend horizontal grade laminate around a 3.5" radius on my coin door panel. Considering that the coin door panel was about 35" in length, bending it around an 8" radius that is only 12" in length shouldn't be a problem. I know for a fact that horizontal grade laminate is more plyable than 1/8" MDF, it will work.

NO! DON'T CALL ME THICK! YOUR THICK! 

You are correct - vertical grade is 1/32" or so (at least mine was). As a matter of fact, I don't know why I said that cause I received my vertical grade laminate rolled up in a cylinder about 18" around. It can wrap this with no problems.

[javeryh]

If the horizontal stuff will bend around an 8" radius WITHOUT HEAT or anything else then I'm going to get that.  I need something a little stiff for the back panel and the horizontal stuff (1.0mm) will do a better job, I think.  I'm going to place the order today!   

[javeryh]

OK, the next thing I did was rough cut the remaining openings for the monitor and the speakers. With the tools I have it took me a while to figure out how to cut each of these openings with 1/4" radius corners.





At this point it is starting to take shape...

[DaOld Man]

Looking good JH!!
Now back up a few steps to what you are going to use for a back..
I thought about using the 1/8" acrylic sheet that Im going to use for the front.
That stuff is pretty stiff, and I think it would make an excellent back piece. Your thoughts?

[javeryh]

Thanks DaOld Man!

I think the 1/8" acrylic would work just fine for the back panel.  The piece I initially ordered is mostly used up from making the front panel so even if I wanted to I don't have enough left.  Also, for personal aesthetic reasons I think I like the laminate look for the back panel.  Plus, in my particular design I am going to be cutting out quite a few holes for usb ports, etc. and I think the laminate will be a little easier (not much) to work with.  Depending on the sturdiness of the laminate I might glue it to a 1/8" piece of hardwood. 

The real question I'm struggling with is how to attach it yet make it easily removable.  There will be t-molding around the edge to consider.  I'm leaning towards magnets so it will kind of just pop off but I'm open to all suggestions.   

[Kaytrim]

I would highly recommend using some kind of backer for the laminate back panel, 1/4" at least in thickness.  You need something a little more substantial to attach your ports.  This will also give some strength to the laminate so it will not flex and end up cracking as you plug in or pull out the cords.  Magnets would be a good solution.   I would suggest the rare earth magnets that are sold here.  http://www.hartvilletool.com/category/524  Mount several around the edge of the case using the metal cups that are also sold at the above link and mount some iron on the back panel for the magnets to grab a hold of.

Looking Good so far, 
Kaytrim

[leapinlew]

Heres a dumb question, but if your going to be laminating it - couldn't you have just used screws to fasten it?

[mountain]

javeryh,
I used 1/8" MDF covered with laminate as my back piece. If you go any thicker you wont be able to cut the slot for the chrome T-molding. This is assuming that you want the back panel to tuck inside of the T-molding.

[mountain]

Heres a dumb question, but if your going to be laminating it - couldn't you have just used screws to fasten it?

Yup 

[javeryh]

javeryh,
I used 1/8" MDF covered with laminate as my back piece. If you go any thicker you wont be able to cut the slot for the chrome T-molding. This is assuming that you want the back panel to tuck inside of the T-molding.

This is exactly my concern.  I'm glad that I can squeeze a 1/8" piece of MDF or whatever in there and still be able to route the slot.  Did you let the t-molding cover the exposed edge of the back panel or did you laminate the edge of the 1/8" back panel so it would match the top?  Or, did you cut the back panel to the size of the shell plus the laminate?  Hmmm... maybe that's the way to go...

[DaOld Man]

Looks to me like the T-molding is covering the edge of the back panel.
Im thinking about using the same acrylic as teh front for the panel, and using screws to fasten, but maybe using laminate on the 1/8" "skin" material might be better.

I couldnt find 1/8" mdf anywhere near me (heck they dont even have 5/8" MDF), so Im going to use the same stuff I used on Stevies Jukebox. I think it is some type of hardwood, its 1/8" thick, and pretty cheap. It bends easy, and if you double it, it is pretty strong.

[mountain]

javeryh,
I cut the back panel before laminating the top/sides. Doesn't really matter because the t-molding is going to want to bend down tight onto the back panel. I had the back on the unit when I installed the t-molding, but after removing the back panel for the first time it was impossible to reinstall. I had to trim the back panel 1/16" all the way around as well hold my tongue just the right way to get it back on.

[javeryh]

javeryh,
I cut the back panel before laminating the top/sides. Doesn't really matter because the t-molding is going to want to bend down tight onto the back panel. I had the back on the unit when I installed the t-molding, but after removing the back panel for the first time it was impossible to reinstall. I had to trim the back panel 1/16" all the way around as well hold my tongue just the right way to get it back on.

   Good to know!  I'll hopefully have a slightly easier time with it because my t-molding won't be on the bottom so the panel might have a little wiggle room to slide down before removing.  I'm not sure how I'm going to handle the main power plug though - your design allowed for you to make certain things stationary in the base.  I have some ideas though...

[javeryh]

No progress yet this weekend.   

I did pick this up this morning though!!!   

[ratzz]

WOW! Fantastic grab!

Cant wait for that one to start!

[javeryh]

Heh, me neither.  I'm hoping I can start once the juke is done but it might have to wait until the spring because the cold weather is coming... unless I paint in the basement or something.  I'm pretty sure bondo and sanding will be OK out in the cold but I haven't given it much thought.  I know "everyone" restores a DK around here but one more can't hurt...

[leapinlew]

I know "everyone" restores a DK around here but one more can't hurt...

You'll love it. I was surprised how much I enjoyed mine. It'll be the easiest thing you've built yet.

[javeryh]

I know "everyone" restores a DK around here but one more can't hurt...

You'll love it. I was surprised how much I enjoyed mine. It'll be the easiest thing you've built yet.

I hope so.  I could use an "easy" project.  I was surprised at how small and light the thing was too.  It fit in the back of my SUV no problem.  Also, I only paid $36 and it came with the coin door, coin box and both mechs - no dents either so it can be restored completely.  There's also almost zero damage to it - only one section near the back that I'll have to reform with bondo.  I thought it was a steal.

[leapinlew]

I know "everyone" restores a DK around here but one more can't hurt...

You'll love it. I was surprised how much I enjoyed mine. It'll be the easiest thing you've built yet.

I hope so.  I could use an "easy" project.  I was surprised at how small and light the thing was too.  It fit in the back of my SUV no problem.  Also, I only paid $36 and it came with the coin door, coin box and both mechs - no dents either so it can be restored completely.  There's also almost zero damage to it - only one section near the back that I'll have to reform with bondo.  I thought it was a steal.

That is a steal. One other bonus.... this cabinet is 20+ years old. You're allowed to be less anal about it since a small amount of imperfection is character. You didn't build it after all.

2 questions:
How'd you end up at $36?
You divorced or something? 

[ratzz]

Time to move the wife and kids out ! 

[javeryh]

I know "everyone" restores a DK around here but one more can't hurt...

You'll love it. I was surprised how much I enjoyed mine. It'll be the easiest thing you've built yet.

I hope so.  I could use an "easy" project.  I was surprised at how small and light the thing was too.  It fit in the back of my SUV no problem.  Also, I only paid $36 and it came with the coin door, coin box and both mechs - no dents either so it can be restored completely.  There's also almost zero damage to it - only one section near the back that I'll have to reform with bondo.  I thought it was a steal.

That is a steal. One other bonus.... this cabinet is 20+ years old. You're allowed to be less anal about it since a small amount of imperfection is character. You didn't build it after all.

2 questions:
How'd you end up at $36?
You divorced or something? 

I'm hoping I can be less anal with this one.  It will be a good test for me.  $36 was the price I won it on eBay for - the guy had an empty Taito I could have had for $30 too but I couldn't fit it in my SUV so I passed.  It was a pick-up only auction and it was close (1:40 one-way) so I bit.  I put in a final bid price of $100 and just got very very lucky.  The seller was a real nice guy - he told me he restored two other DKs and he showed me pics of one - came out great. 

I'm not divorced but I'm sure she thinks about it every time I add another cab to the collection.   

Time to move the wife and kids out ! 

If they don't throw me out first!   

[DaOld Man]

I would love to find a DK cab..
Good luck with yours JH, but lets not forget about that juke!

[javeryh]

I would love to find a DK cab..
Good luck with yours JH, but lets not forget about that juke!

I am not starting the DK until the juke is 100% finished.  It is already underneath a tarp in my garage.  Out of sight out of mind...

Back to the Jukebox...  let me just say that mountain is one bad mofo and we should all take a minute to pause and bow down to his skillz.  Take a look at his project thread - he goes from "Here is part of the jig I made to hold the piece in place [to work on the screen mount]." to "The screen mounting is done!" in only 7 days after STARTING the project.  I finally finished the screen mount last night and it seriously took me a month and a half and about 30-35 hours working on the one piece - and I still have to polish the edges of the beveled Plexiglas.  It came out nice though (I think).

I'll catch this thread up to where I actually am eventually... I took A LOT of pictures and I'm kind of taking my time with the explanations and everything...   

[javeryh]

Here are a few shots after I cut the openings for the monitor and the speakers to final dimensions. I used a 3/4" pattern bit (for most of it) with the router and ran the ball bearing along a straightedge.

This was quite tricky to accomplish. There wasn't much room to clamp down the straight edge so I had to get creative. Check out this clamping nightmare:



After I finished the edges, I cleaned up the corners using a Japanese hand saw and some sandpaper. Finally, I went over the interior edges of the entire panel with some sandpaper to make sure everything was exactly flat with no noticeable bumps in the corners or anything. This panel will be exactly what the black plexiglass looks like when it is cut so everything has to be as perfect as possible.





More later.   

[leapinlew]

 

Quality work.

[mountain]

That looks great! 

This was quite tricky to accomplish. There wasn't much room to clamp down the straight edge so I had to get creative.

I actually used a brad nailer to tack a straight edge to the piece. Since it was being covered with Plexiglas, I sanded the face down smooth before gluing.

[Kaytrim]

One of the rules of woodworking is you can never have enough clamps.   This is looking real good keep it up.  You want to get to that DK cab I know it.

TTFN
Kaytrim

[Franco B]

Your really motoring now!

Did you get one of the Dell speaker bars in the end? The reason I ask is that mine arrived this morning and ive tried to disassemble the damn thing but its solid! I was just wondering if had tried to get yours apart.

They do sound great though for a small unit, I can definitely recommend them. As mountain said they are great for casual listening.

[javeryh]

Thanks everyone!  I'm quite motivated to finish now that I have the DK just sitting there.

Franco - I did purchase one of the Dell Speaker Bars (with the power cord) but I haven't hooked it up yet or tried taking it apart.  I'll let you know how I get it open if I decide to open it up - shouldn't I just install it on the bottom facing out?  Is there a reason to take it apart?

mountain - I'm seriously "not allowed" to buy a brad nailer per the wife's paranoia which I guess is OK since you never know with kids around.  It sure would make life easier!

 

[Franco B]

Yeah you can just install it with the bottom facing out, I wanted to take it apart to try to hack the volume control. There is also a nice blue LED inside the speaker grill that lights up when you power on, I was going to change it for a pink LED but its solid. I spoke to mountain and he wasn't able to get his apart either, he seems to think they may have glued it on assembley. I dont know why they would but there is no way its coming apart easily. I may have to get the dremel out   

[javeryh]

Yeah you can just install it with the bottom facing out, I wanted to take it apart to try to hack the volume control. There is also a nice blue LED inside the speaker grill that lights up when you power on, I was going to change it for a pink LED but its solid. I spoke to mountain and he wasn't able to get his apart either, he seems to think they may have glued it on assembley. I dont know why they would but there is no way its coming apart easily. I may have to get the dremel out   

Hmmm... you just reminded me of something - I was thinking about relocating the volume knob on the speaker bar to the back panel where the rest of the ports are going.  Do you think it's worth the trouble?  I assume mountain just turned his all the way up when he installed it and then just modifies the volume with the Griffin PowerMate.  Actually, I'm not sure there is a reason to relocate the knob on the speaker bar... I might have just talked myself out of it... 

Definitely take pics if you start tearing it up with the dremel!   

[mountain]

You are correct! That is what I did. It worked out well since the volume knob is on the side.

[javeryh]

Alright, some more progress and some more pics:

Here's where it started to get fun - I actually got to work with a material other than MDF! I glued the black Plexiglas (using contact cement) to the front panel. I ordered it from US Plastics and it arrived in the mail 2 days later well packaged and in great condition. It was $21.00 shipped for the sheet. It comes with a protective layer of paper on both sides. The first thing I did was trace the shape of the panel onto the Plexiglas.



Next, I used a razor to score just outside of the lines and then I removed the paper covering to exposed the Plexiglas. Before applying any glue I made sure to rough up the surface of the Plexiglas with some 100 grit sandpaper to give the glue something to hold on to.



The directions on the can of contact cement said to wait 15-20 minutes after applying the glue before sticking it together but that seemed WAY too long of a time (it dried pretty quick). I ended up applying a second coat of glue. I put two sheets of MDF on top and then two cinder blocks on top of that for some downward pressure.



It appears to have dried OK but after doing a bit more research I should have waited the 15 minutes. Apparently, the glue actually does dry and then bonds to the other surface when they are attached since you coat both surfaces. This info will come in handy when I laminate the outer shell.



The next step was trimming the Plexiglas to the exact size of the MDF template using a 1/2" flush trimming bit. Because the bit has a 1/2" diameter ball bearing it left a rounded corner in all of the openings which is exactly what I wanted.

More later.   

[DaOld Man]

Looks good!
How did you line up the front panel on the acrylic so good?
I know that as soon as the two glued pieces touch thats it. It doesnt allow any time to adjust the two pieces.
I like the idea of only cutting the paper where it needs to glue. If I had done that on my last juke I would have had some pieces of acrylic left that I could use on other projects. 

[javeryh]

Looks good!
How did you line up the front panel on the acrylic so good?
I know that as soon as the two glued pieces touch thats it. It doesnt allow any time to adjust the two pieces.
I like the idea of only cutting the paper where it needs to glue. If I had done that on my last juke I would have had some pieces of acrylic left that I could use on other projects. 

I just eyeballed it and got lucky I guess.  On the right side of the last pic you can't see it but there is a 1/2" overhang of the Plexiglas - I certainly didn't try to line it up with the edge!   Cutting it to size was ... not hard but different than I had expected. 

[mountain]

Come on man! You skipped a day on us. I can't wait to see this thing through completion.

Any updates?

[javeryh]

Come on man! You skipped a day on us. I can't wait to see this thing through completion.

Any updates?

hahaha, yeah I've got some updates but I'm getting killed at work.  I'll update as soon as I get the chance...   We are almost caught up to real time though and that's when things will start to drag... 

[javeryh]

OK here's where I'm going to have to ask for some help.... selecting the computer and parts...  I'm terrible at this.  Anyway, I know I want to get a mini-itx board so it will fit inside the juke.  I found this one for $70 on newegg which had 70+ reviews and an average of 5 stars so it should be OK:



Intel BOXD945GCLF Intel Atom processor 230 Intel 945GC Mini ITX Motherboard/CPU Combo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121342

What I guess I'm asking for is a list of compatible parts that will go with this motherboard.  I know not all parts talk to each other (SATA? Intel vs. AMD, etc.).  I'm thinking I need:

1GB RAM
Power Supply
Hard Drive (320GB-500GB)
Wireless Internet Card

Any recommendations from newegg would be great.  Also, let me know if I left anything out.  I am planning on using the jukebox for music primarily but also for browsing the internet, and playing some games that will work with a touch screen like Poker, Zuma, Bejeweled, etc.  I don't need top of the line anything but just something that will do what I want it to do. 

[Kaytrim]

Well looking at the specs on this motherboard there is only one memory slot.  It accepts DDR2 SDRAM DIMM at 533 or 667 Mhz speed.  You will need either a 1 or 2 GB memory DIMM.  I always recommend getting as much RAM as you can afford.  Here is a 2MB DIMM for $30

Back to the specs you have two SATA ports.  With that you should be able to use any SATA hard drive you choose.  Here is one that is 650GB for $80

For the power supply looks like you will have to get one of the cases that NewEgg has for sale.  This one is for sale at $45.

Total is $226 plus shipping.  Nice price, darn I might have to get that myself.

Hope this helps.  TTFN
Kaytrim

[javeryh]

Wow thanks Kaytrim - this is exactly the info I was looking for.  Also, a 640GB hard drive for $70?!?!?  Unreal.  Should I get an internet card too?  The internet seemed fairly easy to navigate with the touch screen so I thought it might be a bonus to hook it up to my wireless router.  Also, I don't need a case but is that the only way to get a power supply for one of these mini itx boards?  I assume it is removable...   

[Kaytrim]

There is a network card built into the motherboard.  Unless you want a wireless card then look for a USB model.  Make sure that you get a WiFi adapter instead of a BlueTooth adapter.  Here is a list at NewEgg.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=4803&Description=wireless%20usb%20adapter&name=Discount%20Item

TTFN
Kaytrim

[Martijn]

I love this juke, maybe ill build one for in my moms new house.

Keep it up, the hardest work has been done now i think and the fun stuff comes 

[javeryh]

Thanks!  Though I can assure you that the hardest part is not over with (well it might be but not based on what I posted so far  ).  Mounting the monitor behind the screen was 

Kaytrim - thanks again for the link.  Unless someone chimes in by Sunday night I think I'm going to pull the trigger.  I really need to start gathering the remaining parts...   

[leapinlew]

Unless someone chimes in by Sunday night I think I'm going to pull the trigger.  I really need to start gathering the remaining parts...   

I can verify it's a good board...

Lets see some pics of how you mounted it!

[richms]

They are good boards, great price and quite fast for the power and money spent. When I last looked at it intel had one that was let down by a craptastic sis chipset but they have sorted that this time on the intel board. Dont let anyone sell you a D201GLY2 - they are total crap and not a lot cheaper.

I have 2 projects waiting on me getting the cash together for one of the atom boards, I was initially wanting to get a socket AM2+ board in ITX but really that's overkill and the atom boards are just so much cheaper. Its quite ironic that they need more cooling on the chipset then the CPU.

[Franco B]

Unless someone chimes in by Sunday night I think I'm going to pull the trigger.  I really need to start gathering the remaining parts...  

I can verify it's a good board...

Lets see some pics of how you mounted it!

If it helps im thinking of mounting my Mini ITX directly to the inside of the access door on the back of Pinky as im limited on space and it should also save mounting another piece of material inside the juke.

[Kaytrim]

Also, I don't need a case but is that the only way to get a power supply for one of these mini itx boards?  I assume it is removable...   

I know that this may be a bit late but the power supply in that case is removable.  There are 4 screws on the back panel that hold the PS in place.  I can't tell by the pics if there are any on the bottom but probably not.  I did some comparison and found a power supply that should meet the needs for $17

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817104118

TTFN
Kaytrim

[javeryh]

Thanks for the computer help everyone.  I'm going to go with exactly what Kaytrim picked out except I'm going to upgrade the power supply to something that is hopefully a little more efficient and quieter.  The bad part is that I have to have it shipped to my in-laws in MA to avoid $20 in taxes.  Hopefully they will come and visit soon! 

Anyway, here's another update!



Since the plexiglass was now glued to the front of the MDF template I was able to cut it to final size using my flush cutting bit and my router. The ball bearing on the bottom rides along the edges of the panel and the bit cuts through the plexiglass like butter. Here is a shot of how it works:



I had a harder time than I thought I would setting everything up and I had to switch bits in my router to cut out the interior areas (I tried starting with a drill bit and I chipped the plexi and almost had a heart attack!).

The front panel is looking pretty good now - the lines are clean and everything is symmetrical. The rounded corners are a nice touch too, IMO.





Next I'll show the always-exciting process of putting a 45 degree bevel on the edge. Too bad I can't remove the protective sticker until construction is finished - I'm anxious to see what it looks like!

More later.   

[DaOld Man]

Looking real good JH!!
How are you going to get the acrylic off the template?
(I think you said you glued it?)

I drilled starter holes on my acrylic with a 1/2" paddle bit. I used a piece of scrap under it, ran drill fast and pushed on drill slowly.

[Franco B]

Good work buddy, gotta love those flush trim bits!! 

[javeryh]

Thanks guys!  Trimming the Plexiglas was definitely fun.  I'm not going to be removing it from the MDF template - I will flip the thing over and rout away material from the back so everything will sit flush with the Plexiglas.  Then I'll just glue what's left of it along with the Plexiglas to the shell.   

[javeryh]

The next thing I did was put a 45 degree bevel on the edges of the black Plexiglas. I used my router again and a chamfering bit and just ran the ball bearing around the interior openings. This is purely for decorative purposes. Eventually, I will have to sand and polish the beveled edge using some high grit sandpaper and the Novus 3 step polishing system to get rid of all the scuff marks left by the router bit.  I hope I can get it looking as nice as mountain does.







I really like how it came out and I'm starting to see what the finished product will look like even though I have a ton left to do.



Next up is the screen mount!  More later.   

[javeryh]

This is the part where things got interesting.... and tedious.  Since the front of the, um... front panel was more or less complete, I turned my attention to mounting everything to it from behind. This required a bit of routing on the back of the panel to allow everything to sit flush with the Plexiglas. 

The first thing I did was build a jig to hold the panel in place and also give me more surface area to rest the base of the router on. I need to have a steady hand for this part because the cuts must be precise.



Once everything was set up I laid out the areas where I would be removing material. I want to be accurate but it is more important that the final depth of my router bit is set at exactly the thickness of the MDF (1/2"). I wanted to remove all of the material on top of the plexiglass but I do not want to chip it. The first area I decided to finish was the marquee opening. I busted out my trusty circle jig and carefully removed 1/8" of material around the top edge. The only thing I didn't get to right away was the area around the volume knob.



If you look close you can see the exposed Plexiglas area. I had to use a razor blade to scrape away a paper-thin layer of MDF and contact cement on top of the Plexiglas which took quite some time.



This was just the first of many steps to get this panel ready to be attached to the jukebox shell... stay tuned.   

[javeryh]

I started polishing the beveled edge on the Plexiglas last night and I'm really having a hard time with it.  I started with 600 grit sandpaper, moved to 1000 grit and then 1500 grit.  Then I tried the novus polish.  The polish works GREAT on the sections I was able to get very very smooth with the sandpaper but there are still small nicks/craters along the center of the bevel. 

I think I need to go back over everything again - I might try starting with 400 or even 220 grit sandpaper and go from there.  Does anyone see a problem with this or should 600 grit be the roughest paper I use?  I spent about 4 hours on it last night - does it usually take this long?

[Kaytrim]

To polish plexiglas after a scratch I will use MicroMesh followed with the Novus.  MicroMesh is a washable/reuseable sanding cloth/pad that runs from 1500 all the way up to 12,000 grit.  If the scratch is bad or deep I'll start with a coarser grit paper 220 - 600 then go to the MicroMesh.  For what you are working on use this set.  The real nice thing about these is that you can use them wet or dry and even wash them with a little dish soap in the sink.  If you take care of them and don't force things then these will last a long time so worth the $20 the set costs.

After I go through the grits there is still a haze in the plexi so following up with the novus or other polish gets that last bit taken care of.  One things to keep in mind is the the next higher grit is removing the scratches of the previous grit.  If you leave a few scratches from the previous grit you will more than likely not remove them on the finer grits.  I know that you are a perfectionist so expect this to take some time.  Don't try to rush it or push too hard as it will make matters worse instead of better.

TTFN
Kaytrim

[mountain]

You can use 400 grit, just be careful. The 400 grit will round over your hard edges really easy and turn your 45 degree bevel into a 1/8" round over 

If the pits aren't too deep, the 600 grit will do the job if you stay with it.

[javeryh]

Thanks guys.  I guess I'll just stick with the 600 grit and go over everything again until I smooth it out.  I'm pretty patient when it comes to getting it right but it seems like it is taking longer than it should.  I want to finish this tonight or tomorrow at the latest so I'm going to try and make due with the supplies I already have.  I'll try and take a picture tonight so you can see what I'm talking about.  I think part of the problem lies in the crappy chamfer bit I used - I borrowed it from a friend and I don't think it was sharp enough or something.  Plus, it was quite a large bit and made for putting a 45 degree bevel on a piece of 3/4" plywood.  I'm mad at myself for not springing for the smaller $20 bit.

 

[Franco B]

Looking good buddy. I just wanted to echo what Kaytrim said.

One things to keep in mind is the the next higher grit is removing the scratches of the previous grit.  If you leave a few scratches from the previous grit you will more than likely not remove them on the finer grits.  I know that you are a perfectionist so expect this to take some time.  Don't try to rush it or push too hard as it will make matters worse instead of better.

[javeryh]

Looking good buddy. I just wanted to echo what Kaytrim said.

One things to keep in mind is the the next higher grit is removing the scratches of the previous grit.  If you leave a few scratches from the previous grit you will more than likely not remove them on the finer grits.  I know that you are a perfectionist so expect this to take some time.  Don't try to rush it or push too hard as it will make matters worse instead of better.

That is excellent advice.  I was definitely moving to a higher grit before removing ALL of the pits - I'm not sure what I was thinking.  *sigh*  I will start over tonight...  Also, mountain is right - it is starting to round over a little bit (the top and bottom edges look great).  I have to concentrate on applying pressure in the middle of the bevel.  It is pretty tiring though!  Maybe I'll wrap the sandpaper around a small block of wood to get a flat surface instead of using my fingers...

[mountain]

I posted this in my MAME cabinet thread. It looks like I may have left out the 1000/1500 grit steps but the basic idea is there; take your time and don't rush it.

[javeryh]

I posted this in my MAME cabinet thread. It looks like I may have left out the 1000/1500 grit steps but the basic idea is there; take your time and don't rush it.

Thanks for that.  I think I'm going to go down to 400 grit - carefully - and work up from there.  I have a lot of surface to cover since there are three openings.  Maybe I'll do one a night for the next 3 nights or something to have it finished by the end of the week.  At least I can do this in the TV room with the wife so we can spend time together.

[Martijn]

is it more work to start that piece over with all the experience you made?

then to scrub all evening and night

 

[javeryh]

is it more work to start that piece over with all the experience you made?

then to scrub all evening and night

 

Lets just say that I could sand all day and night for the next 2 days and I'd still come out ahead.  I have spent an UNBELIEVABLE amount of time on this panel - close to 50 hours easy.  Plus, I don't have enough Plexiglas to start over and it's not like I've made any mistakes or anything - it looks great.   

[javeryh]

OK computer people *cough* Kaytrim *cough* - I went to place my newegg order a few days ago and the motherboard was no longer available so I never pulled the trigger.  Will THIS MOTHERBOARD do the trick?  I am still planning to buy the same RAM and same hard drive.  For a power supply I'm looking at THIS.

There is only one motherboard in stock so I need to place my order fast.  THANKS!!!   

[Kaytrim]

Go ahead and pull the trigger javeryh.  The specs are the same.

[javeryh]

Go ahead and pull the trigger javeryh.  The specs are the same.

Thanks for the quick response!  It has something called HD Audio - does that matter?  I want to be able to connect to the Dell speaker bar and toggle to audio out to a home theater (same as mountain).   

[Kaytrim]

You're good to go.  There is still a standard speaker out connection.  The motherboard has the ability to put out high definition sound but it is optional to use.

[javeryh]

You're good to go.  There is still a standard speaker out connection.  The motherboard has the ability to put out high definition sound but it is optional to use.

Awesome.  I just ordered everything.  It was about $230 shipped for everything.  I just thought of something though - without a CD-ROM drive, how do I install windows and everything?  Can I copy the contents of my XP installation disc to a USB drive or something and run the install off of that?   

[DaOld Man]

You're good to go.  There is still a standard speaker out connection.  The motherboard has the ability to put out high definition sound but it is optional to use.

Awesome.  I just ordered everything.  It was about $230 shipped for everything.  I just thought of something though - without a CD-ROM drive, how do I install windows and everything?  Can I copy the contents of my XP installation disc to a USB drive or something and run the install off of that?   

I would hook up a cdrom, install XP and XLobby, then remove the cdrom. Of course you may want to rip your cds to the hard drive, if so you will need the cdrom for that.

[mountain]

Yeah, that's what I did. I hooked up an old CD-rom for instalation of windows and then left it out.

Hang in there buddy! You will be heading down the home stretch soon! 

[javeryh]

OK, it was DEFINITELY the 400 grit sandpaper that did the trick.  There are absolutely no pits and the bevel really shines!  I did the monitor opening tonight in about an hour and a half.   I think I can do both the marquee and speaker openings tomorrow night.  It's amazing - I sanded like a mad man the other night and the sandpaper just wasn't rough enough to do the job.  Anyway, I'm really happy about the way it turned out.   

[leapinlew]

OK here's where I'm going to have to ask for some help.... selecting the computer and parts...  I'm terrible at this.  Anyway, I know I want to get a mini-itx board so it will fit inside the juke.  I found this one for $70 on newegg which had 70+ reviews and an average of 5 stars so it should be OK:



Intel BOXD945GCLF Intel Atom processor 230 Intel 945GC Mini ITX Motherboard/CPU Combo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121342

Did you order this mobo yet? I hope so...

[javeryh]

Yup.  I ordered it yesterday.  It was hard to find - I guess they aren't making them anymore or something...

[leapinlew]

Yup.  I ordered it yesterday.  It was hard to find - I guess they aren't making them anymore or something...

Something... I went to order a few of them and now they are gone? 

---daisies---!

[javeryh]

Yup.  I ordered it yesterday.  It was hard to find - I guess they aren't making them anymore or something...

Something... I went to order a few of them and now they are gone? 

---daisies---!

yeah, I had it in my newegg cart and it disappeared.  I had to get mine through PC universe.  They said there was only one in stock though so who knows if they will even ship it out.  I got the confirmation email that they received my order and it did say "in stock" at the time I ordered so hopefully it will arrive without any problems.

[Kaytrim]

There is quite a bit of change going on in the Mini-ITX standard.  A new 2.0 standard was released in June.  A slew of new boards are being released now or in the near future.  These new boards and standard will allow the dual core centrino and soon quad core centrinos to run in this small form factor.  Everyone is probably selling out of their current stock in preparation to stock up on the new boards.  There is more information on this site.

[Blanka]

That mobo is amazing! It's having the super-duper-ultra-deluxe-super-small-powerfull Atom processor and then someone decided it needed a power outlet to charge the Flinstonesmobile! What is that Gigantic Purple PLUG doing there? Don't even know what it is anymore (was on my C64 I guess talking 8kaud or something to some radio amateur MORSE antenna?). And where is that supersmall HDMI plug to connect it to that tiny flatscreen? We did not vote for another round of ANALOG CGA plugs!

Pleaze make an atom board like this:
4-6 USB 2 plugs,
line in/out with optical
FW 800
2x Gigabit
HDMI
On board BT/Wifi-N
Thats ALL folks!
And include a 45nm version of the GT 7600 or so for some decent graphics power.

[javeryh]

The monitor mount continues!  Here are some more riveting shots after a few more hours of work.  I used my razor to clean up the contact cement and the thin layer of MDF that was left on the Plexiglas after routing around the monitor opening. It is obviously quite time consuming. The contact cement is kind of rubbery and didn't want to come off unless I painstakingly picked at it with the razor.







This barely scratches the surface of what it took to mount the monitor in place - it looks all nice and neat for now but I can assure you it turns into a gigantic mess back there once I start freehanding with the router.   

More later.   

[javeryh]

Well, I'm getting there. I removed the MDF around the speaker opening and scraped down to the Plexiglas.  The next thing I did was remove quite a bit of material from the back of the front panel. This was done so the monitor will be able to sit almost flush with the Plexiglas. I say almost because of the 1/8" space needed for the "Transducer Wedge" on the front of the monitor.

This process was really no different than what I have been doing to remove the material behind the Plexiglas. I measured the distance from the edge of the monitor picture to the edge of the glass on all 4 sides (with the monitor on, of course). Then I laid out the lines, set up my router and a straight edge and cut out the rectangle so the glass would sit in the routed area.

Check it out - I am getting tired of photographing this thing!





These close-ups give you an idea of how I am setting the router at different depths to get the screen positioned as close to perfect as I can. I should also note that the cutouts here are not symmetrical. As you can see, I left 1/8" of material for the screen (glass) to rest on because I have to compensate for the "Transducer Wedge" located on the bottom left side of the monitor.





The red area I circled shows the Transducer Wedge - as many of you know, it sticks up approximately 1/8" from the glass. I had to route down to the Plexiglas in this corner in order for the monitor to sit as close to flush as possible. The wedge is against the Plexiglas and the 1/8" of MDF remaining provides support.



Finally, even though at this point the monitor is not completely mounted in place, I couldn't resist placing the screen behind the front panel and putting the volume knob in place for a quick picture.



I think I need to start thinking about artwork for the marquee area above the volume knob... and start trying to find a Photoshop expert to help me out!  I really like the "Rock Band" tribal art that Harmonix uses in the game on loading screens and stuff.  I think it would look cool as a background with some font laid out on top - the problem is finding suitable hi-res pics of the stuff and getting everything to look just right...  Oh yeah, I also have to pick out a name!   

[Franco B]

Its really coming on now!

Its a good feeling when you get the monitor in and turned on isn't it

[javeryh]

Its really coming on now!

Its a good feeling when you get the monitor in and turned on isn't it

It sure is.  As of my last post the monitor wasn't fit properly (I was almost there though).  If you look closely you can see the thickness of the MDF (1/2") between the Plexiglas and the screen.  I've got it sorted out now though.  I'm in the process of sanding the beveled edge (I should finish tonight) and then probably tomorrow night I'll glue the front panel to the jukebox shell - I'm nervous about that part!

The laminate I ordered last week should be arriving early next week and I hope to sort out the volume knob placement this weekend so I'll be ready for it.  I think I need to get it laminated before gluing the volume knob spacer in place otherwise it will be very difficult to cut the t-molding slot.  I'm hopeful that by the end of next week I'll actually be wiring and installing the various components...   

[mountain]

I think I need to get it laminated before gluing the volume knob spacer in place otherwise it will be very difficult to cut the t-molding slot.

Check out this post I made in my thread. You can see in the 3rd picture down that I glued a temporary spacer around the face to keep it level when routing the t-mold slots.

Lookin great by the way! 

[polaris]

is that top bit for a marquee, this thing is screaming art deco at me. you should put sunburst in there and backlight it. ill try and find some pics.

[javeryh]

I think I need to get it laminated before gluing the volume knob spacer in place otherwise it will be very difficult to cut the t-molding slot.

Check out this post I made in my thread. You can see in the 3rd picture down that I glued a temporary spacer around the face to keep it level when routing the t-mold slots.

Lookin great by the way! 

Thanks!  There is so much left to do I still can't believe how fast you built yours.  

That's what I thought those things were (after the billionth time I've read through your thread).  To make it a little easier on myself I'm going to route the slot before attaching the spacer.  I'm a bit nervous about routing the slot in the back because of the removable panel.  I'm keeping it at 1/8" thick + 1mm for the laminate.  This should give me enough room but I won't know until I try...  

[polaris]

the bottom bit of this, i think it could really suit the juke and i reckon its more wife friendly artwork, would make it more like furniture than a cab. with a nice glow behind it maybe even softly pulsing to the music, ooh i want one
im thinking a new take on those pre war radios

[javeryh]

I thought about something like that but I'm not sure...  I honestly have no idea what to do... I'm not sure I want something to "fit" the space like rays coming out of the center... I was thinking more along the lines of using something like this for a background somehow with font laid on top of it:




These are just examples and not the design I'd necessarily want but just something floating around in my head...

[mountain]

I originally planned on using real wood laminate for my Dad's juke. I wanted it to look like an old radio. This is the vision I had for the marquee area in the beginning which where the centered volume knob placement came from. The time frame I had to work with changed all that though.

[javeryh]

That is awesome.  I was thinking about adding something similar to the black font/dial part over top of whatever I came up with to give it a radio type feel to it.  I wish I knew how to use photoshop.

[DaOld Man]

I originally planned on using real wood laminate for my Dad's juke. I wanted it to look like an old radio. This is the vision I had for the marquee area in the beginning which where the centered volume knob placement came from. The time frame I had to work with changed all that though.

That would have been really cool.
I would love to get my hands on one of those (real) old radios and convert it to a juke (providing of course that there was no way to fix it to work originally.)

[javeryh]

I finally finished polishing the bevel last night and I don't have time right now to do a proper write-up but here is a "before" and "after" comparison to show the results.

I'll probably go over it once more prior to securing the monitor in place just to get it perfect but it is looking pretty freaking sweet!   

[Martijn]

good job, shiny 

what material is it?

[javeryh]

good job, shiny 

what material is it?

Thanks!  It's Plexiglas - 1/8" thick - solid black. 

[jthompson]

Man this thing is going to be sweet. I know Mountain started the trend, I might have to build myself one.

[javeryh]

Man this thing is going to be sweet. I know Mountain started the trend, I might have to build myself one.

Thanks!  The more people that build these things the better... 

[javeryh]

After countless hours of tedious work I finally finished the monitor mount! I was able to remove the remaining material behind the Plexiglas so the monitor would lie flush (well, offset by 1/8"). It is now ready to be installed!

This was by far the most complicated thing I've ever had to figure out on any project. After I finished routing out the material so the touchscreen glass would fit into the rectangular hole, I traced the irregular shape of the outside of the touchscreen. Then I had to freehand with the router to remove more material (leaving the 1/8" for the glass to sit on). Once that was done I had to roughly figure out where the Transducer Wedge would sit and remove additional material down to the Plexiglas.

Check it out:











The strip of exposed Plexiglas you can see on the side and bottom is where the Transducer Wedge will sit. Here are some rear shots of the monitor mounted into place. I had to remove 1/16" of additional material along the top and bottom for the mounting brackets to sit properly.











Yeah - it's kind of overkill but the more pictures the better I guess. It helps me to see things from all angles. Here is a closeup of the side with the wire sticking out. My wife thought I messed up the cut when I showed her the back panel without the monitor in there!



Here is a good shot so you can see just how thin the monitor is. There should be plenty of room in the jukebox shell for the computer components and adequate airflow/ventilation.



Finally, here are some shots of the screen installed! There is a 1/8" gap between the monitor glass and the Plexiglas which will be filled with some black foam weatherstripping when it comes time to install the monitor permanently.







I'm almost ready to glue the front panel to the shell!   

[Martijn]

Good Job !  Kudos to you on the lcd mount 

[Nvts]

That front panel is 1/2 MDF, right?

Is there anymore work needed to the shell to make the sides of the monitor fit inside the opening you have?  It would appear that the edges are closer to the sides then the opening would allow.  It looks like Mountain had to trim some of the sides out, was wondering if you planned for that.

[javeryh]

That front panel is 1/2 MDF, right?

Is there anymore work needed to the shell to make the sides of the monitor fit inside the opening you have?  It would appear that the edges are closer to the sides then the opening would allow.  It looks like Mountain had to trim some of the sides out, was wondering if you planned for that.

Yes!  Good eyes.  I have already put the panel in place temporarily and then tried tracing an outline of the extra material that I will have to remove in order for there to be enough room in there for the monitor.  I'm a little nervous that removing this material will somehow disrupt the structural integrity of the shell causing it to not line up perfectly with the front panel.  I will know for sure tonight when I actually make the cuts!   

[DaOld Man]

Looking good JH!
Is that a powermate I see in the last pic? Are you having any problems getting it to boot up right?

[javeryh]

Looking good JH!
Is that a powermate I see in the last pic? Are you having any problems getting it to boot up right?

I haven't really tried it yet but I am quite worried about getting it to work properly...

[mountain]

I'm a little nervous that removing this material will somehow disrupt the structural integrity of the shell causing it to not line up perfectly with the front panel. 

Don't be, the laminated top along with the 3/4" frame will keep it from springing.

[javeryh]

I'm a little nervous that removing this material will somehow disrupt the structural integrity of the shell causing it to not line up perfectly with the front panel. 

Don't be, the laminated top along with the 3/4" frame will keep it from springing.

Well, I did it.  I'll take some pictures tomorrow when there is adequate light.  I just got finished removing the extra material on the shell and I glued the front panel in place.  To give you an idea of how slow I work, I spent about 3 hours doing this tonight.  Whew!

It was tough to line everything up - I think it will end up being OK but I might have to smooth the edges with some sandpaper or something.  I think over time there was a little spring back since I cut the shape of the front panel about 3 months ago(!).  I'm being anal though - you can really only tell if you rub your finger over the edge.  Now I'm worried about the laminate sticking to the edge of the front panel properly.  I have 2 band clamps... I may have to buy one more for the laminate glue up (now I REALLY want the laminate I ordered to come in). 

I'm not sure why but my heart is racing right now like I just hope the glue dries OK and everything stays together.  I'm probably crazy... no, I definitely am.   

[mountain]

If mine sprung a little, I didn't notice. I pre-drilled pilot holes before I even trimmed out the face to ensure that it all lined up at the end. A little late to be telling you that I guess 

You won't need band clamps to secure the laminate. If you follow the directions on the contact cement, the laminate stay put. Invest in a j-roller to apply it.

[Santoro]

Looking really good - nice and clean. Can't wait to see the finished product!

[leapinlew]

Invest in a j-roller to apply it.

He said 2 things here that are true.

1. A j-roller does an awesome job at applying a lot of pressure evenly and quickly.
2. "invest" it'll set you back $10-$15 for the J-roller (more if you buy the shears). If you plan on using much more laminate you'll wish you had this tool. Also, I picked up some laminate shears


J-roller: $10-$15


Laminate Shears: $30-$50

At first I was hesitant to spend so much on the tools, but I'm glad I did.

[javeryh]

I went to Home Depot a few weeks back and asked for a j-roller and the clerk told me there was no such thing and I made it up in my head.  "If it is not in aisle 10 with the paint rollers then it doesn't exist."  I was told the same thing about the knob I was looking for to make my circle cutting jig - it must be how they train their employees if they don't know where soemthing is located.  Anyway, I'm on the lookout for one.

Let's talk about the lamination process.  How do you guys think I should go about this?  I plan to cut the sheet of laminate a few inches oversize, apply glue to the mating surfaces, wait the 20 minutes for the glue to dry and then with the jukebox standing straight up I plan to apply the laminate in the center and work my way down both sides.  I will be adding a minimum of 2 band clamps around the thing because I'm paranoid.

Alternatively, I could try to apply the laminate on the bottom of one side and then come over the top and down the other side.  I would have to tip the jukebox shell on its side to do it this way, I think. 

Thoughts?   

[leapinlew]

wait the 20 minutes for the glue to dry

I use non-flammable contact cement from DAP (see pic). Wait till both sides are clear and non-tacky. 20 minutes may not be too enough, or it could be too much. I've had it take up to 3 hours(!) on cool humid days.

[mountain]

I went to Home Depot a few weeks back and asked for a j-roller and the clerk told me there was no such thing and I made it up in my head.

IMO, never ask for help from these guys unless it is absolutely neccessary. I think I found mine at Lowes BTW

Alternatively, I could try to apply the laminate on the bottom of one side and then come over the top and down the other side.  I would have to tip the jukebox shell on its side to do it this way, I think. 

I started on one side and rolled the entire juke over the cut piece of laminate. I then stood it up and rolled it out starting from the center, working my way down the sides.

wait the 20 minutes for the glue to dry

I use non-flammable contact cement from DAP (see pic). Wait till both sides are clear and non-tacky. 20 minutes may not be too enough, or it could be too much. I've had it take up to 3 hours(!) on cool humid days.

That must have been the problem when I tried that stuff. I didn't have any luck and took it back half empty and got my money back  I always use Weldwood original. I like the smell 

[javeryh]

Alternatively, I could try to apply the laminate on the bottom of one side and then come over the top and down the other side.  I would have to tip the jukebox shell on its side to do it this way, I think. 

I started on one side and rolled the entire juke over the cut piece of laminate. I then stood it up and rolled it out starting from the center, working my way down the sides.

Thanks.  I'll probably try it like that then.  I think it will be easier to apply it nice and flat if I do it that way.

wait the 20 minutes for the glue to dry

I use non-flammable contact cement from DAP (see pic). Wait till both sides are clear and non-tacky. 20 minutes may not be too enough, or it could be too much. I've had it take up to 3 hours(!) on cool humid days.

That must have been the problem when I tried that stuff. I didn't have any luck and took it back half empty and got my money back  I always use Weldwood original. I like the smell 

I have the original -



I didn't have time before work this morning to check out my glue-up since I had to go to the city.  I'm probably not going to get home in time tonight to do any more work on it but I'll at least see how it dried and hopefully snap a few pics.

[javeryh]

Some more super exciting progress...



After finishing the monitor mount the last thing left to do on the front panel was to take care of the volume knob area. I cut the circle out behind the volume knob where the circuit board of the Griffin PowerMate will be installed using my drill and a foerstner bit. I also managed to remove 1/8" of material around the top of volume knob using my circle cutting jig.

I'm a little nervous about how everything is going to fit together. The cutout for the circuit board intrudes on where the monitor will sit as you can see. I cut the hole 1/8" oversized and the area for the monitor may be a bit oversized too so hopefully there is room for everything but it is going to be tight. I guess I'll know more when I actually try to stuff everything in there.





Next up is starting construction of the back panel. I've got a couple of cool ideas for it but it shouldn't take nearly as long as the front panel did (I hope)... The plan is to put a vent on the top with the power button placed just like mountain did.  I bought a stainless steel Belkin power button for $10 - it's pretty neat.  There are several ports I want on the bottom though and I'm not sure how to go about mounting them while allowing for the panel to be removed if I need to do some maintenance.  I want the plug to be in the bottom corner (and removable like the one on Bella's Arcade) and I've been thinking about incorporating some of the frontx ports along the bottom too - I just want it to look clean back there. 

Finally, I think I'm going to try and use magnets to hold the panel in place... maybe some of those catches that cabinets use where you press down and the panel pops off... I don't know yet... I have to factor in the slot for the t-molding and the panel needs to be thin.  I'm planning on using 1/8" thick hardboard + 1mm for the laminate.  I'll know more once the laminate arrives and I can actually make the panel and go from there...   

[Franco B]

Awesome work buddy!

That looks like some real intricate work going on, I can imagine some of it took ages.

Im making a I/O panel for the back of mine at the moment which is holding me up for the rest of the build. I should hopefully get it done over the next couple of days.

Keep it up buddy, its really looking good

[javeryh]

Awesome work buddy!

That looks like some real intricate work going on, I can imagine some of it took ages.

Im making a I/O panel for the back of mine at the moment which is holding me up for the rest of the build. I should hopefully get it done over the next couple of days.

Keep it up buddy, its really looking good

Ooohh I can't wait to see your I/O panel.  I think I want to incorporate a power plug, 2 or 3 USB ports, an ethernet port, headphone port, the red/white audio ports and a toggle switch for interior speakers vs. external ones.  Frontx has most of this stuff but it is expensive and I'm not sure how well I'll be able to integrate it into the back panel so it doesn't look tacked on.

[Franco B]

Im going for two USBs, RCAs (audio L/R), two female 15 pin d subs (to connect two CPs) and a modified start button in a CNC milled ally plate. Im going to have a power plug some where else on the juke.

Im not going to go for an ethernet port as ill mass transfer MP3s by a external HDD and im going to have a wireless card for network connection. I was going to add a headphone socket but I can always use a RCA>3.5mm adapter for that, I thought I would keep it (fairly) simple.

I would show you a sneaky peak but I don't want to clutter up your thread (and I want to make sure it turns out ok first! ) 

[javeryh]

Now I'm obsessed with getting an I/O panel made for this thing!   

Here is a little more detail on the bevel polishing process even though everyone has seen the results already.  The goal was to get it to match the front surface once the protective paper was removed.  I think I got pretty close:



The first thing I did was cut all of the sandpaper into 1"x2" rectangles and put them in separate ziplock bags to keep things organized. I used 400 grit, 600 grit, 1000 grit and 1500 grit sandpaper for this process. Using the smaller pieces gives me better control and allows me to go slowly (thanks for the tip mountain!).

I started off with 400 grit sandpaper to smooth out the pits left behind by the chamfer bit (at first I tried 600 grit but it wasn't rough enough and I thought I'd never get it looking good).  I sanded pretty slowly and I tried the best could to keep the sandpaper flat against the beveled edge of the Plexiglas.  It was tricky but managable. Once I got it smooth and there were no visible pits left behind, I switched to the 600 grit sandpaper followed by the 1000 grit sandpaper and finally the 1500 grit sandpaper repeating the process each time. After the sanding was finished, I used the Novus 3-step polish system to really make it shine.

Here is an odd shot of the bottom of the monitor opening as well as the speaker opening:



Here again is the "before" and "after" shot of the bevel around the volume knob. You can really see here how much better it looks after sanding and polishing it:



This whole process was very time consuming but at least I was able to do it with the TV on in the background and not outside in the garage. 

More later.   

[Franco B]

Oh the joys of polishing 

Ive worn the skin away from my fingers and drew blood quite a few times whilst polishing bits for my cocktail. You want to try the same process with stainless. 

Franco's Top Tip of the Day™ (for one day only!): It doesn't really apply in your situation as your only polishing a lip but if you are ever polishing a larger area it is a good idea to change the direction of polishing 90 degrees in between grades of grit.  Using that method it is much easier to see if you have removed the grooves from the previous grade and can save time rather than back tracking down the grades. It also helps to make sure you are polishing the item evenly.

[javeryh]

That is a great tip.  As I was polishing I kept wanting to not go along the edge but there was really no other way to do it and keep everything even.  I had to go back to the 400 grit multiple times in different spots to get it just right...

[javeryh]

OK, I asked in the main forum but I thought I'd ask here too...

Does anyone know where I can get one of these:



but with an end like this that is meant to be mounted on a panel or something:



I'd really love to see one with a switch on there too... I'm trying to extend the plug from a power supply to an exterior panel.

Thanks!!!

[mountain]

Why not just chop a cord and wire it to a power inlet module?

[javeryh]

Why not just chop a cord and wire it to a power inlet module?

I did that on Bella's Arcade but I didn't know what it was called!  I'm trying to do whatever is easiest (and safest).  Do you have a link or something where I could buy this thing?  It worked great last time:

[mountain]

Scroll down to the middle of the page,

 

[Franco B]

Good work mountain.

You can also buy the male plugs on there own like [these] and then add your own cable to suit. I found some nice stainless armoured cable for my cocktail but unsurprising I have struggled to find any pink 3 core. I do have a load of blue 3 core cable if thats of any use to you.

[leapinlew]

I like power entry modules, but I've pretty much ditched them and started running the cord out through a hole and cover it with a washer like I did on the tempest cabinet. Quick, easy and cheap.

[richms]

Ooohh I can't wait to see your I/O panel.  I think I want to incorporate a power plug, 2 or 3 USB ports, an ethernet port, headphone port, the red/white audio ports and a toggle switch for interior speakers vs. external ones.  Frontx has most of this stuff but it is expensive and I'm not sure how well I'll be able to integrate it into the back panel so it doesn't look tacked on.

Since the intel board has HD audio, you need to get a HD audio capable jack if you want the headphone swithcing to work. Older AC97 wiring will not allow the "front" header to switch off the output from the rear jack when you plug headphones into it.

I had enough trouble finding a case with a proper front jack on it when building my last PC, they are all still AC97 wiring

[javeryh]

Ooohh I can't wait to see your I/O panel.  I think I want to incorporate a power plug, 2 or 3 USB ports, an ethernet port, headphone port, the red/white audio ports and a toggle switch for interior speakers vs. external ones.  Frontx has most of this stuff but it is expensive and I'm not sure how well I'll be able to integrate it into the back panel so it doesn't look tacked on.

Since the intel board has HD audio, you need to get a HD audio capable jack if you want the headphone swithcing to work. Older AC97 wiring will not allow the "front" header to switch off the output from the rear jack when you plug headphones into it.

I had enough trouble finding a case with a proper front jack on it when building my last PC, they are all still AC97 wiring

Got any idea where I can find the right jack?

lew:  I'm guessing you had to splice the wire behind the panel to get it in there, right?  That it a nice and clean solution.

[leapinlew]

lew:  I'm guessing you had to splice the wire behind the panel to get it in there, right?  That it a nice and clean solution.

Yes. I used some shrink tubing to clean it up.

[richms]

I had enough trouble finding a case with a proper front jack on it when building my last PC, they are all still AC97 wiring

Got any idea where I can find the right jack?

No idea sorry. There are

If you use a AC97 frontpanel jack, you will not get it cutting off the rear jack when you plug something into it. I guess you could just wire the amplifier into the front panel jack directly and forget about the rear ones on the motherboard, or just put a switch to turn the amp off that you use when using headphones.

I havent seen bare jacks available with the isolated sense switch on them to let you roll your own either which is a shame.

[javeryh]

Couldn't I run the headphone jack from the jack on the speaker bar (or will having something plugged in there mute the speakers)?  I'm going to plan for the headphone jack but maybe I'll have to solve the problem at a later date or something...

I've almost finalized the I/O panel that I'm thinking about.  If I can get it made it should look pretty nice.  We shall see...

[richms]

It will be a mechanical switch, so the presense of a plug in the jack on the speakerbar will mute it, so you could use it if its accessable, but chances are it wont be.

The good thing with HD audio is that you can set it so the second output is independant of the rear output, that way you could just put a toggle in whatever software to change the output device to switch between headphones and the speakers if you cant get jack switching to work. That also gives you independant volume controls over the 2 devices as well.

[DaOld Man]

Hey there JH..
Maybe Im missing something on this headphone jack thing, but I intend to use one similar to what mountain used. It is a 1/8" jack that has switches in it that cut out the speaker bar when you plug in headphones, or a 1/8" to RCA jacks adapter (to plug in a stereo).

Check this out


EDIT: PS... Your work is outstanding!

[javeryh]

Thanks guys.  I'm not sure what audio/headphone issues I'm going to have with this motherboard, if any, because I haven't hooked anything up yet.  I am not that computer literate so I'm not even sure I can follow what richms is trying to tell me other than the headphone jack I want to extend from the motherboard to the back panel of my jukebox might not work.  Maybe this will help - I'm planning to run one of THESE from the motherboard to the rear panel of my jukebox.  I will definitely be asking about it once I get a little further along!   

[mountain]

James,
You shouldn't have any issues with the audio if you plan on installing a switch between internal and external audio like I did on my dad's juke. I think the issue that richms raised addresses a potential issue with the headphone jacks that are built into speakers. They are designed to cut the audio so it only plays through the headphones when plugged in. The way I did it, the switch directs the audio signal to either the internal speakers or the RCAs/headphone jack (which are wired in parallel). So, when the switch is flipped to the headphones the audio is "muted" at the internal speakers and only the headphones work.

[javeryh]

James,
You shouldn't have any issues with the audio if you plan on installing a switch between internal and external audio like I did on my dad's juke. I think the issue that richms raised addresses a potential issue with the headphone jacks that are built into speakers. They are designed to cut the audio so it only plays through the headphones when plugged in. The way I did it, the switch directs the audio signal to either the internal speakers or the RCAs/headphone jack (which are wired in parallel). So, when the switch is flipped to the headphones the audio is "muted" at the internal speakers and only the headphones work.

I see... so you have the RCA connectors and speaker bar wired in parallel to the same audio port on the back of your motherboard and you switch between the two using the DPDT switch, correct?  If I wanted to wire them in parallel but without the switch I presume it would still work except when I plug it into an external receiver or something sound would still come out of the speaker bar as well as the RCA cables, right?

Also, how does this affect headphone use?  I think the headphones are a separate port on the back of the motherboard.  I guess the concern is that by installing the extender cable from frontx (linked in a previous post) it would somehow mute the audio out port (to the RCA ports and speaker bar) at all times?  Could I wire all three in parallel to the same audio out port on the motherboard?

I've attached a pic to show the two scenarios I'm considering.  In each one I could set up a switch to toggle between everything circled in red or leave the switch out and just have them all working at once, I guess.  Any thoughts?   

[Martijn]

James,
You shouldn't have any issues with the audio if you plan on installing a switch between internal and external audio like I did on my dad's juke. I think the issue that richms raised addresses a potential issue with the headphone jacks that are built into speakers. They are designed to cut the audio so it only plays through the headphones when plugged in. The way I did it, the switch directs the audio signal to either the internal speakers or the RCAs/headphone jack (which are wired in parallel). So, when the switch is flipped to the headphones the audio is "muted" at the internal speakers and only the headphones work.

How does this cutting out audio work? Is there another pin on the ground line pin that, when connected to ground cuts out audio?

[mountain]

Not sure what you are asking. Are you refering to the way I wired mine up or the way the headphone jacks that mute the speakers work?

[richms]

How does this cutting out audio work? Is there another pin on the ground line pin that, when connected to ground cuts out audio?

On AC97 motherboards the audio runs thru the front jack, which then passes it back down 2 more wires back to the motherboard and to the back jack, so the front jack mechanically interuppts the signal to the rear one.

The problem with that is that only the front main channels are interupted, and the cables on most cases are unshielded crap so they pick up loads of noise to the rear jack so it sounds really bad. The software doesnt know that the jack is in use to mute the rear and center speakers on a 5.1 or to change to a stereo output so you have to do that yourself.

HD audio has a jack sense line that an isolated switch on the jack closes when a plug is in, that then pops up an alert to ask what you plugged in and the rear jack is muted (or not as the case may be) via software, so you can still run the front and rear independant so like with a game running you have the gamesounds/music on your big-ass 5.1 speakers, and teamspeak on the headset plugged into the front.

Any mechanical or simple switch in the audio path needs to be carefully done so you dont introduce a crapload of noise to the signal, you are putting it really close to power cables and also there is a lot of RF noise inside a computer. Not a problem going to headphones since they are low impedance, but to the amp in the soundbar it will be since that will amplify all the noise it gets.

If I was doing this I would leave the soundbar connected to the rear and excend the front jack to the case for headphones and just disable jack detection and toggle it myself, or power off the soundbar when not wanting it.

[Martijn]

Not sure what you are asking. Are you refering to the way I wired mine up or the way the headphone jacks that mute the speakers work?

the way the headphone jack mutes. i have made an externa headphone jack connecting to the logitech set, but this way it would always mute, so i wanted to remove the switching from the logitech set and somehow build in into the external jack.

other option would be just to connect the external jack to the tv set and mute the logotech set with the volume
but then i cant control the tv headphone jack level ( only with remote, i have build the remote sensor eye outside of the cab)

[richms]

Or build a headphone amplifier for the headphone jack, which has a volume control on it.

There are heaps if you google for cmoy headphone amp, and it will have the power to drive headphones properly which is sometimes lacking on motherboards outputs.

[javeryh]

I hope I can figure this all out.  Can I assume the diagrams I posted earlier are completely wrong?  I never would have thought that installing a headphone jack would be so complicated.

   

Anyway, some more minor progress but hey at least it's something.  I'm a bit stuck until the laminate arrives but there are a few little things I can do in the meantime...

Before gluing the front panel to the shell I made the template for the marquee.  It wasn't too bad but it definitely didn't come out perfect - good thing it doesn't have to be.



I measured the opening behind the black Plexiglas the best I could and cut out the shape with my router and circle cutting jig. I had to do quite a bit of sanding to get it to fit properly which is why I said it's not perfect.



I added the pencil line after putting the template in place and tracing around the opening. This is the outline of the visible part of the artwork - the only concern is making sure that the artwork is lined up before installing it.



More later.   

[javeryh]

Update! 

I am going to be using a Griffin PowerMate USB knob to control the volume on the jukebox (I know people have been having lots of problems from what I read).   I hope I can get it to work every time on bootup otherwise my wife will never use this thing.  I plan to mount it on the center of the front face in between the touchscreen and the marquee - shocker!

I am really only interested in the aluminum knob (and not the base where the blue LED is located) as well as the circuit board on the inside. As you can see from this picture, there is not much to the volume knob and it is actually quite small without the casing:



In order to remove the guts I had to kind of rip apart the knob and I'm going to have to solder a new USB cable to the 4 connector points on the circuit board. I've never soldered anything in my life but I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

The circuit board is going to fit in the hole I drilled out behind the Plexiglas (as shown in a previous post). I am going to have to drill out the Plexiglas a little more for the axle to fit through. In addition, in order to get the knob to lay properly I had to create a 1/8" spacer which I made out of some scrap black Plexiglas.

The first thing I did was find a spare washer that was slightly smaller than the diameter of the volume knob and glue it to some scrap Plexiglas (with the protective paper still on) using some contact cement. Next, I used a saw to cut the Plexiglas as close to the washer as I could and then I sanded it down with some 100 grit sandpaper until the Plexiglas was the same size as the washer.  I'm just following mountain's lead here.





Once I was finished sanding, I was able to remove the washer from the Plexiglas with a utility knife. The protective paper came right off. Before calling the spacer "finished" I had to drill a small hole for the volume knob's keyway to fit in otherwise the bottom of the spacer would not be able to lie flush with the top of the circuit board.





You can see why I had to drill the second hole in the next shot. It was easy to lay out following mountain's instructions - I put the spacer in place before drilling the second hole and then rubbed it back and forth against the keyway - then I just centered my drill bit where the scratch was made and the hole came out perfect.





The next step will be drilling out the Plexiglas on the front panel and using some acrylic glue to bond the spacer to the front. I am going to do a few other things in the mean time though - I need the front of the jukebox to remain flat in order to cut the t-molding slots (among other things). This is what is will look like once it is installed though:



As you can see in the final shot below, once the volume knob is in place, it will be raised by about 1/16" off of the Plexiglas on the front panel which will allow it to turn without rubbing. Perfect!



I don't know what I'm going to do if I can't get the powermate to operate properly.  Maybe the solution is to put the computer to sleep instead of turning it off when it isn't in use.  I really don't know.  The whole design is based on being able to use this knob.  I'm also a bit nervous that I left enough room for the circuit board and the monitor to sit in place properly.  It is a tight fit in there!

More later!

[Martijn]

i can see you are still wearing the ring , so things are still at piece at home with the project 

Was it not possible to extend the volume knob of the speaker set you intergrate into the juke? then you would not have the volume problem and no problem with the print circuit

[javeryh]

i can see you are still wearing the ring , so things are still at piece at home with the project 

Was it not possible to extend the volume knob of the speaker set you intergrate into the juke? then you would not have the volume problem and no problem with the print circuit

You know, I was wondering if that was a possibility.  I don't know much about wiring/electronics.  I'm still up in the air but I am committed to using the knob of the powermate and anything I end up using has to fit in the area I've cut out.

Things are good with this project - I think the wife has an actual interest in this one!

[Martijn]

look @ my last update, its simpel to extend the knob

and 100% always working result..

and makes your design a little different then mountains 

the knob of the powermate can be easy adjusted to fit it 

[DaOld Man]

Hey martijn, I cant find the update you are talking about, how about a quick link? (I dont want to hijack this thread.)
Thanks!

[Martijn]

me neither, but maybe he cant find it also

its not the same device, but maybe he can see its not that hard

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=84649.msg898722#msg898722

[javeryh]

I posted this in the Artwork forum but it couldn't hurt to post here I guess...  The time has come to add some artwork for the marquee but I have no idea how to use Photoshop and I am not really artistic in general. I need help!

The only requirement is that the image be 300 DPI and fill the entire space. Also, do not put a border around the edge because lining it up exactly will be difficult.

Anyway, here is the layout for the artwork:



And here is a shot of where it will go (the front of the jukebox will be solid black Plexiglas when it is finished and there will be sliver accents like the volume knob and speaker grill):



I actually don't have any ideas other than I generally like the Rock Band 2 tribal artwork (similar to this but not looking like a skull - just random fractals/swirls):



I also like the idea of making it look like the top half of an old time radio dial. Something like this maybe:



I think it might actually look really cool to do the dial thing but only the black lines and replace the yellowish background with something else like the tribal art... or maybe something completely different. I don't know.

It would be a HUGE help if some of the more experienced graphic artists took a stab at this for me. If I end up using your design I can send Microsoft or Wii points (or $20) or something else for your trouble... or you could do it for the satisfaction of helping me out!   

Thanks!!!   

[javeryh]

Today I am trying to make the back panel and I laminated some 1/8" MDF.  What a pain.  I'm not sure how it is going to turn out (it's drying) but I have a few questions:

1.  Can I remove contact cement from the laminate?  I accidentally got some on the panel after glue-up.
2.  Will a flush cutting bit and my router make a clean edge?  When rough cutting the laminate it chipped apart like crazy (I was using a jigsaw though).

Spreading the glue was very difficult.  I tried using plastic and then a foam brush - I couldn't get it evenly spread out.  I'll know more tonight when I go to cut the panel to size with the router and jukebox shell as the template...  I'm REALLY not feeling good about laminating the curve/shell.   

[mountain]

To clean off the glue, use "Goof-Off". Goo Gone will not work because it doesn't have Xylene in it.

Use a roller to apply the glue. It will give you a more even spread of glue.

I always use a pair of tin snips to rough cut laminate. It is not as good as laminate shears, but it does work well.

The flush cutting bit is how cabinet makers do it. Trust me, I have worked with laminate alot. Go out and invest in a nice large metal file like this one.


You will need it to clean up the edges after routing. It will give the edges a nice smooth black finish.

[javeryh]

Thanks for the info.  I didn't think I'd have to file the edges smooth after using the router and flush bit.  I'm really really hoping to do some more work tonight - there's just not enough time on the weekends and now the weather is getting cold.  I need to just suck it up out there after work and get this thing finished - or at least to the point where I can work inside in front of the TV/in the same room as the wife. 

It might help to make a punch list here:

Back Panel:
- trim back panel to size (I laminated it already)
- remove glue spots from back panel (I spilled some glue during glue-up)
- cut holes for top vent, I/O panel and power button
- glue magnets in place around edge

Exterior:
- laminate shell and trim to size
- cut slots for t-molding
- cut larger hole in the front panel for volume knob
- bond spacer to front panel and install knob

Interior:
- cut out and install shelf panel for computer parts
- add weatherstripping around monitor opening
- secure monitor in place
- secure speaker grill in place
- install marquee/build light enclosure
- wire everything (kind of a big step I'm glossing over)

Other:
- I NEED HELP WITH THE MARQUEE!!!

[javeryh]

So can I remove scratches from laminate?  My router base created a few lines in the back panel as I was routing it to size... I put some painter's tape on the base and that fixed the problem but not before I put a few scratches in the right side.  Otherwise it came out great - I might redo it if I have some more laminate after covering the sides/top but I won't know until I get there.

[javeryh]

***Marquee Art - HELP STILL WANTED!!***

OK, a bit more progress... after about 3 months of working on the front panel off an on it was finally time to glue it to the shell. This took much longer than I thought it would since I had to remove some extra material around where the monitor opening was so that the monitor would be able to fit in there.

I placed the panel on top and then just used a pencil to outline where I needed to cut. You can see the pencil marks in the next two pictures. I wasn't too worried about making a nice straight line or the cleanest cut since it will all be hidden.





Once I had everything laid out I just used my jigsaw and router (freehand!) to cut as close to the line as possible. The one thing I definitely didn't want to do was cut through the side or something and ruin the shell!

Once the shell was cut properly, I carefully lined everything up and then actually tried installing the monitor. It was a good thing that I did. There were two metal brackets which did not affect the installation into the front panel (I didn't have to account for them) but they would definitely be in the way once the front panel was glued to the shell. I measured the brackets and removed a little bit more material.

Finally, using some wood glue, some clamps and a cinder block I attached the front panel to the shell and let it dry overnight. There's no turning back now!







Lining everything up was tricky. Since there was about 3(!) months between making the shell and cutting the front panel to actually gluing the front panel in place it didn't line up perfect. I think I am splitting hairs though because you can only notice when you rub your finger over the edge. The laminate should go on evenly though (I hope!).

Here are a couple of interior shots so you can see what a mess it is in there. In the bottom left hand corner of the second picture you can see the additional notch I had to cut for the monitor's mounting bracket. I'm really glad I checked before gluing!







Finally, here are some shots of the front panel glued to the shell. It's funny - this thing looks almost exactly like it did 2 months ago!





I picked up the laminate from Home Depot and I am planning to glue it to the top/sides this week/weekend.  In the mean time I am going to start setting up the computer and configuring the software.

More later.   

***Marquee Art - HELP STILL WANTED!!***

[Kaytrim]

I would sand that edge javeryh.  It may translate through the laminate or make it stick up at the edge.  I don't know if it will even be an issue but from what I know of you it'll bother you to no end.  Maybe mountian can chime in here on the issue as he works with laminate for a living.

TTFN
Kaytrim

[mountain]

Maybe mountian can chime in here on the issue as he works with laminate for a living.

No, not for a living. I have worked with it a lot though. I used to build homebrew speaker enclosures back in the day plus my three projects listed on this site.

You definitely want the surface to be totally flat. I used a palm sander to remove any high spots including excess glue.

[javeryh]

Maybe mountian can chime in here on the issue as he works with laminate for a living.

No, not for a living. I have worked with it a lot though. I used to build homebrew speaker enclosures back in the day plus my three projects listed on this site.

You definitely want the surface to be totally flat. I used a palm sander to remove any high spots including excess glue.

Thanks guys - I was debating whether to sand but now I definitely will.  I think I'll be OK even if there is a rough spot or two that doesn't line up *perfectly* (it's really really close now even before sanding) because the lip of the t-molding will cover the edge of the laminate even if it is raised a hair at the edge... I think.

Any tips for removing scratches in the laminate or do I need to make another back panel?  It was simple to make since I have a template but I might not have enough laminate left after I laminate the curved sides/top...  I might go with what I have for now and then if it annoys me as the project gets closer to completion I can order some more laminate and make another panel...   THe scratches aren't deep but they are long. 

[mountain]

I would remake the panel. I imagine trying to buff the scratch out would make it glossy.

How much laminate did you buy? Seams like you should have plenty to spare unless to bought less than 1/2 sheet.

[javeryh]

I would remake the panel. I imagine trying to buff the scratch out would make it glossy.

How much laminate did you buy? Seams like you should have plenty to spare unless to bought less than 1/2 sheet.

I bought a 1/2 sheet (2' x 8').  I need 57" for the curved panel (so ~60" to be safe) which leaves 3' for the back panel which I've already wasted about 18".  I need to measure everything out and try to get as close as possible so I don't waste anything else.  My fear is that I end up a couple of inches short...     

You can see the scratch on the right in the pic (there are several more down the right side of the panel).

 

EDIT: I just did some quick math (with pi and everything!) and I think the laminate needs to be approximately 51" which SHOULD leave enough to make one more back panel!  I'll know more tonight when I get home and actually make the measurements...

[mountain]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. You should have enough left over. Worst case, you could get out your sandpaper and polishing supplies left over from Bella's Arcade and buff away. You would have the shinnyest laminate in town. Seriously, what do you have to loose?

BTW, all this jukebox talk has me wanting to make another one!

[javeryh]

BTW, all this jukebox talk has me wanting to make another one!

Uh-oh - do you really want to start this vicious cycle all over again?   

[Franco B]

Looking good buddy.

If you do have enough laminate left over I would redo the panel if you are not happy with it. You will only regret it in the long run when you look back at it. Like you said you have the template so It would take long to cut another.

Im looking forward to getting on with Pinky. Ive just finished making a couple of templates to route the speaker relief tomorrow morning. Ive checked the weather and its going to be fine but its going to be a maximun of 6 degress C (43F) Oh well, at least if the router bites into my fingers I wont feel it! 

Like you Ill be glad when I can get it inside to work on it. Time really is ticking now so I really do need to get cracking.

Anywho's, keep up the stellar work

[DaOld Man]

I like the back panel JH.
I will probably do mine like that.

Franco, I know what you mean bu the cold. My workshop/toolshed is not heated, and its cold out there.
Ive got one of those kerosene space heaters Im thinking of firing up out there, but Im kinda worried about the MDF dust catching fire.
Ive still got a ton of cutting and routing to do.

[javeryh]

Thanks guys!  The weather really is making things tough - I wanted to work outside last night but it was pouring out.  My garage is detached from my house so I wasn't that motivated to go outside and work (I'm always running back and forth to the basement for stuff since I keep everyday tools there for easy access... well, except when I'm working in the garage).

I've also thought about a space heater but I have the exact same concerns with the MDF dust catching fire.   

Tonight I'm determined to remake the back panel AND laminate the shell... it's the last piece of construction other than really minor stuff, I think.  We shall see...   

[mountain]

I use a Ready Heater like this one.



I have had it for 12 years without an issue, and I have cut (and breathed) my share of MDF over the years.

Stop it with the exuses and get out there! 

[javeryh]

I remade the back panel with no trouble.  I also laminated the shell - I might have ruined the whole thing. I'll know more tomorrow when the glue is fully dried. I had to add some weights to the thing as it lays on it's side but I could not get everything to lie perfectly flat.  I'm bummed to say the least...

[Franco B]

Eeeek....

You can't have ruinned the whole thing? How? Did something go wrong laminating the shell? It won't be ruined, there wil be a fix. Dont worry. 

[leapinlew]

BTW, all this jukebox talk has me wanting to make another one!

Really? Ok, reading from my "Motivating Mountain for Dummies" book, I see you work best when given an extremely short deadline.

Is it done yet?

[leapinlew]

I remade the back panel with no trouble.  I also laminated the shell - I might have ruined the whole thing. I'll know more tomorrow when the glue is fully dried. I had to add some weights to the thing as it lays on it's side but I could not get everything to lie perfectly flat.  I'm bummed to say the least...

I'll keep my fingers crossed. Just remember, there isn't anything you can do that you can't fix. Either by mitigation or rebuilding. When I'm pissed after I screw something up, I play a game of Galaga, Mr. Do, or something and then get back at it. Just a matter of time and money.

Laminate has caused me some of my biggest issues. Recently, I put a screw through my freshly installed laminate when I was screwing from the inside. Somehow a 1.75" Drywall screw ended up in my 1.25" drywall screw bin and I didn't notice. I would've preferred it didn't happen, but it did and it's not the end of the world.

Another time, I applied the laminate and it was crooked. Had about 1/2" wood exposed. Trying to pull the laminate off... that wasn't fun.

[mountain]

It sounds to me by reading your post that you may not have let the glue dry enough before joining the laminate to the wood. You don't need weights or straps, just pressure from a j-roller and you're done. I typically used my laminate bit immediately after gluing it down.

If you messed up the laminate, it can be fixed by removing the bad, cleaning off the glue and starting over. Hang in there Bud, you will chuckle about this later. You will also learn from it.

[leapinlew]

it can be fixed by removing the bad, cleaning off the glue and starting over.

You said a mouthful there. As someone who's had to remove glue, I can tell you it's not a fun task. Is there a shortcut beyond friction, elbow grease and a palm sander?

Mountains right though. I didn't notice the glue drying/weights part of your post Javery. When I laminate, it's a quick process.

• Apply glue to cut laminate piece and wood
• Once ready, apply laminate to wood. Use J-roller.
• Trim

That all happens in a span of 30minutes (sometimes more depending on the cure time of the glue). As soon as the 2 pieces touch each other... their stuck. What happened over there?

[javeryh]

I guess I'm just really inexperienced with laminate.  I used a roller to apply the glue and it seemed to go on nice and even.  I thought I let it dry enough (30 minutes) - it was barely tacky to the touch.  I started on one end (not in the middle) and as I rolled the shell over the laminate stuck with no trouble so I thought I was OK.  I applied pressure as I went from the inside and then with the j roller from the outside once I made my way around.  After that, I noticed the laminate wanting to separate at the edges so I tipped the thing on its side, put an MDF panel on top and then 2 cinder blocks for pressure.  Everything looks OK right now but I'm afraid when I remove the cinder blocks it will want to spring back into place (away from the shell).  I'm going to let it dry until at least tomorrow night and then see where I'm at.  It is encouraging to know there may be a way to remove the laminate and try again.

 

[mountain]

You said a mouthful there. As someone who's had to remove glue, I can tell you it's not a fun task. Is there a shortcut beyond friction, elbow grease and a palm sander?

Xylene. You can buy it in it by itself in a can (Lowes/Home Depot) It is also the active ingredient in Goof-Off (not Goo-Gone) On my first build, I had to rework the laminate on the coin door 3 times before I got it right. All you do is brush it on, let it sit, and scrape it of with a putty knife. Do that twice. Then soak a rag and wipe off any residue that may still be there.

javeryh,
Chances are that the surface is slightly bowed up in the center (from from to back) where the laminate appeared to be pulling up at the edges. On mine, I saw this a little in a few spots. I think it is from gluing the two 1/8" pieces together. The glue between these two 1/8" MDF pieces gets trapped towards the center creating a slight hump. The good news is that since you will be applying the t-molding in this area, it will hide it.

If I were you, I would wait until you install the t-molding to before you decide it was a failure. Chance are, if you are like me, you are being a little too anal. I am sure it will be fine.

Go grab a cold beer, always helps me in these situations. 

[Franco B]

Go grab a cold beer, always helps me in these situations. 

Maybe that was the problem  

[javeryh]

I sure hope that is it.  I'm also really really hoping the t-molding hides the edge.  I definitely think you are right about the shell being a little deformed - the front and back templates I made do not line up at all.  They are off by as much as 1/16" in some spots even though the panels I used to initially form the shell were identical.  You obviously can't tell with the naked eye.

Tomorrow assuming the glue dries fully I'm going to route the laminate to final size, cut the slots and install the t-molding.

[javeryh]

OK, I just pulled these from my camera... You can't really tell anything but the reason for the clamps in the back is because that is where the separation was occurring. 

[javeryh]

OK, I managed to finish the lamination process today (trimming it to size) and it dried pretty nice.  There is only one spot on the right side that separated from the shell.  I'm going to use a razor to get some glue in there and clamp it overnight.  I was quite relieved. 

Unfortunately, during the trimming process I nicked the front panel with the flush bit.   

I shaved off the protective paper and the thin layer of shiny on the Plexiglas - the scrape is about an inch long so I am definitely going to have to try and sand and polish that area and blend it in to the rest of the front panel.  It sucks.  I was being careful with the router but I guess I tipped it into the piece instead of away from it and I effed it up. If anyone has any other suggestions on a fix I'd love to hear it.  I'm going to start with the Novus 2 and work backwards to the Novus 3 and then 1500 grit sandpaper until I feel like it is blending in and then move forward from there until I finish it with the Novus 1... oh well, nothing I can do but try and fix it.  You can see it in the attached picture... which actually makes it look horribly bad.   

Tomorrow I'll route the slots for the t-molding and then it's just a matter of installing everything... easier said than done, I'm sure.

[mountain]

That sucks. It happened on mine also, at the very bottom. I had to carefully cut the film off the entire width of the face about 1/4" up and polish it all. I figured it would blend better. I started with 600 grit, went to 1000, 1500, and then 2000 (wet) I finished it off with the Novus system and you can't even tell.

Why are you going to polish it out of sequence?

Tomorrow I'll route the slots for the t-molding and then it's just a matter of installing everything... easier said than done, I'm sure.

"The only thing left to do is finish up" 

[javeryh]

It's is a huge relief knowing that it can be fixed.  I haven't even been able to enjoy the Giants win since it's all I can think about.  This is definitely a learning experience.

I was going to sand and polish out of order because I don't want to go down too far grit-wise and scuff it up further unnecessarily - my thinking is that I'll hope the Novus 2 can polish it out and if not I''l try the Novus 3 and then the 1500 grit sandpaper, etc.  I don't know... maybe I'll just start at 600...

I'm already trying to plan out the interior and it's making my head spin!  I also just remembered I need to finish up the rear panel and figure out a way to secure it in place - I want to use magnets.  I also need to get the I/O panel finalized and then cut.

[Franco B]

Ouch! That's the problem about this kinda work, you can so easily make a mistake and ruin hours of work. I'm glad to here it can be fixed though

As regards to your I/O panel I'm picking up another copy of AutoCAD this afternoon so Ill get on it ASAP, It wont be today though as I need to work on Pinky whilst the GF is out. Ill definitely have it done in a day or two (your job too mountain if you are reading)

[javeryh]

I think I need to start working on the fix tonight after work.  I can't stop thinking about it and I'm getting that sinking feeling like I forgot to study for finals or something.  I really really hope I get it looking shiny again...

You definitely need to take advantage of the time when the GF is not around.  My family might go away next week to my inlaws so I am planning everything out right now to maximize my project time.

Thanks for the help with the I/O panel! 

[drawfull]

Looking at the pic, would it not be possible (if you can't remove the scratch) to bevel the external edge too? Then normal polishing procedure would apply.

I luckily don't have this issue as the front of mine is wood - and my dad keeps telling me that the odd ding or knock = character. I would be gutted if it was acrylic. Good luck 

[javeryh]

Looking at the pic, would it not be possible (if you can't remove the scratch) to bevel the external edge too? Then normal polishing procedure would apply.

I luckily don't have this issue as the front of mine is wood - and my dad keeps telling me that the odd ding or knock = character. I would be gutted if it was acrylic. Good luck 

Thanks.  The more I think about it (which is all the time) I think I'll be able to fix it.  It is just a paper-thin scratch so not deep at all - the trick will be getting it to blend in with the surrounding area.  Hopefully when I'm finished I'll be the only one who notices.

As for beveling the edge, it is an interesting idea for sure but I only have 1/8" to work with if I went that route (the thickness of the acrylic) and the scratch is thicker than that.  I'm also hoping to cover some of it with the lip of the t-molding but that's probably wishful thinking on my part - at best I'm hoping to cover the thickness of the laminate with it.

I placed the last order today for parts (other than any printing costs) to try and cheer myself up.  I picked up:

- cables from frontx for the I/O panel
- power module from mouser for the I/O panel
- rare earth magnets from hartvilletool to fasten the back panel to the shell (1/4" diameter)

This will be everything I need in order to finish.   

[javeryh]

OK here's a bit of an update not related to the acrylic - I figured how I am going to cover the speaker opening. I didn't take any specific set of speakers into consideration when I was laying out the front panel - I was more concerned with aesthetics and an overall uniform look.  I just thought I'd figure it out when I got that far....

I decided to use some speaker cloth (available at partsexpress) and some perforated aluminum (available at mcmastercarr - thanks mountain!) to hide the speaker. The aluminum should tie in nicely to the volume knob and the chrome t-molding I will be wrapping the edges of the case with.

The first thing I did was buy some 1/4" square dowels from Home Depot - I wanted 1/8" but this was the smallest they had. I used the dowels to make a frame slightly smaller than the area routed out behind the speaker opening.



I clamped the cut pieces for about an hour until the glue felt like it would hold.



Once that was finished I sprayed it black just to make sure it wouldn't show at all through the speaker cloth and perforated metal.



Next, I cut out a piece of perforated aluminum to cover the frame.



Finally, I cut out a piece of speaker cloth a bit oversized to wrap the frame. This was a bit tough to figure out but maybe I'm slow. I got some white Elmer's Glue and put a bead around the frame. Then I laid the frame on top of the cloth on a flat surface with a piece of saran wrap underneath so the glue wouldn't stick to the table.



After the glue dried I used a razor to remove the excess material around the edges and I ended up with something like this:





The final step is going to be securing everything behind the Plexiglas in the cabinet. I have a bit more to do before I'm ready to permanently install it but here are a few pictures of what it is going to look like:









I am pretty happy with how this part came out. This was kind of a pain to do - I was expecting it to be an hour tops but I had trouble cutting the perforated metal accurately (third time was a charm).

 

[javeryh]

OK, I'm taking a break from this project for at least a week.  I tried cutting the slots for the t-molding tonight and my slot cutter broke in the middle of the cut.  All three tips came off and it took me a while to realize it.  The slot was two different thicknesses and I couldn't figure out why.  It also started smoking towards the end of the cut which I knew was bad since it usually cuts through like butter.  It feels like everything is going wrong this week and I've been so careful. 

I think I need to get away from this thing for a few days before I mess anything else up so I'm on hold until the new slot cutter arrives at least.   

[DaOld Man]

Man, that sucks about your router bit.
Maybe a few days break will do you good, give you a little time to think about things.
I was on a very tight schedule when I built my first juke, and that is not a good thing (for me anyway).
This time Im taking it a lot slower, but cold weather is just around the corner.

That dell speaker bar is an odd thing to work with.
I like the grill that is on the bar, so I am planning to have it show, but the dang bar is angled, and it has that crazy piece on the top that gets in the way of everything.
I may give up and go the same route that you and "the man" mountain did.
I tried to dissect the bar, but I cant figure out how it comes apart. It must have been created with magic. 

[Franco B]

Dude, that sucks 

Did you have the slot cutter on the right way around? I've put mine on the wrong way before and it does (kinda) cut but it smokes too. I was only cutting plain MDF and mine didn't break but if you did have yours on the wrong way around I guess the toughness of the laminate may have caused the tips to come off.

I don't blame you for standing back for a bit. Its soo annoying when things go wrong, especially when you have been carefull.

At least its nothing terminal and you will be able to salvage it. Chin up buddy 

DaOld Man, I know what you mean about the speaker bar. I think they must have glued the seams upon assembly, there was no way mine was coming open. The mounting piece on top comes off nice and easy if you have a Dremel with a cut off disc, I just whizzed that round the top of mine. 

[javeryh]

I think I had it on the right way (I should know since I've done this a bunch) and it cut just fine on the test run through some scrap MDF when I was setting the depth.  The the three "wings" spin counterclockwise into what I am cutting.  It was a very old bit (4 years) and I store it in my garage which has some pretty wild temperature swings... maybe the bit had just had enough.  I ordered another one and it should be here soon.  At least all of this mess will get covered by the t-molding - the laminate chipped along the groove pretty good.

It has been a rough week with this project.  I'm trying to finish by Christmas just so I have an end date in mind to work towards.  Next week the wife and kids are going to be away so I'm hoping to get the majority of the thing finished then.

DaOld Man - I haven't really thought about securing the speaker bar in place yet but I do know it has an odd shape.  For the interior, I am planning on installing a shelf that will sit above the speaker bar.  The computer will be installed on this shelf and the speaker bar and case fan will be installed below this shelf (there will be a 120mm hole in the center of the shelf and the case fan mounted directly underneath blowing air upward).  The I/O extensions will also run from the motherboard above the shelf to the I/O panel below the shelf... if that makes any sense.  Basically, I am not going to be adding a "bottom panel" that will cover everything - I want there to be adequate ventilation underneath flowing up through the body and out the vent on top.

EDIT: I snapped a few pics of the router and t-molding on a piece of scrap MDF.  I only cut the slot around the back and I made the cut with the back panel secured in place (so the t-molding will cover it).   

[javeryh]

OK, I've been messing around with the design of the marquee and I've come up with this (as posted in the artwork forum and NOT to scale).

It needs some work but it's a start:

• I think I'd like the lines for the dial to look more professional (crisper).  I'd like to redraw the entire dial with all the numbers (since the pic I snagged off of the internet isn't a perfect circle). 
  

• Instead of the random (blurry) text that you can barely read, I'd like to add a personal touch similar to mountain's jukebox marquee like maybe "Mfg. by 'my name' 2008" or something.

Thoughts? 

[javeryh]

OK, I'm not sure how many people have seen the thread I posted over in the Artwork forum so I thought I'd repost here. 

cool69rtcharger has been messing around and he has posted the following designs (each new one is after comments by me) - awesome work.

Any thoughts?  I'd love to get some feedback/input.  I'm not 100% sold yet but I think I am headed in the right direction...

Thanks!!   

[jthompson]

Nice, I like the first one the best but I wonder if it would go well with the color of the juke. in that case I would probably go with the second. This thing is really going to look sharp!

[Franco B]

I like the colours of the 2nd one but I like the line thickness and dial size of the 1st one. 

[javeryh]

Thanks guys!  Funny how people like the first and second versions but my comments led to the third and most recent version!     I like the colors in the first one but I don't think the brown will look good with the surrounding black acrylic.  I also thought the dial was a little big in that one...

I ran the third one through a "vectorization" program because the background jpg is only 72DPI and gets pixelated when blown up to the actual size I need.  I attached the results - it's kind of funky and might look cool now that the image is less defined... I don't know - I'm just messing around...

Keep the comments coming!   

[cool69rtcharger]

well i like the look of the vector background but i am working on it at 300 dpi and only putting the 72 one up

www.charger.brainmix.net/dial5f.jpg

and yes i know it needs some work still

[javeryh]

well i like the look of the vector background but i am working on it at 300 dpi and only putting the 72 one up

www.charger.brainmix.net/dial5f.jpg

and yes i know it needs some work still

heh, I thought since the original image was 72 DPI there was nothing you could do about it other than vectorize it.  yeah, I don't know what I'm talking about... 

Thanks again for all of your help!   

[Barry Barcrest]

IMHO It would be cool if the needles were actually needles that moved rather than being printed onto the backdrop. The image looks sweet anyway.

[javeryh]

IMHO It would be cool if the needles were actually needles that moved rather than being printed onto the backdrop. The image looks sweet anyway.

That would be awesome.  I wonder if there is a way to do it so they would move with the bass or something like you see in those dancing flowers or soda cans or whatever... 

[Nvts]

Would be neat to find a clock that used the top half only and wedge it in there in front of the back drop.

Perhaps a thermometer? Hook it up to an outside monitor...

[drawfull]

IMHO It would be cool if the needles were actually needles that moved rather than being printed onto the backdrop. The image looks sweet anyway.

That would be awesome.  I wonder if there is a way to do it so they would move with the bass or something like you see in those dancing flowers or soda cans or whatever... 

I thought of making a VU meter for the display on mine, but we decided that there was no way we could make a long enough needle that was light enough to actually work - what would you make it out of?! - I would be very interested to see how you approach that bit if you go down that route.

FWIW I think the third of the artwork ideas fit best the theme of the juke - way better than anything I could have come up with!

Looks excelent as always 

[javeryh]

Thanks everyone!

[DaOld Man]

As always, looking good JH!

[javeryh]

The Back Panel

The back panel of the jukebox will incorporate the following:

    * Power button (Vandal)
    * Ventilation
    * 4 USB ports
    * Power cord for power supply
    * Ethernet port (for going online)
    * Headphone jack
    * Audio out ports (for connecting to home theater)

The trickiest part about this panel is that it has to be removable... or at least I need to be able to access the inside for maintenance. I do not want there to be any visible screws on the back panel so I am planning on using some rare earth magnets to hold the panel in place. 

The panel is made out of 1/8" hardboard and covered with Formica laminate. The back panel cannot be any thicker than this or else I will not be able to add t-molding around the top edge while still allowing for the panel to be removed. The layout will mirror the front panel with the power button going where the volume knob is and the vent being where the marquee is. This should give you an idea of how it will look (not even close to scale):



Franco graciously agreed to layout the I/O panel in CAD and I'm really hoping I can have it laser cut out of some 1mm thick metal.  This is what I've come up with (again, not to scale):



The ports on the motherboard are going to be extended to these holes using some cables from frontx.com.

I will start explaining the construction in the next post.

[javeryh]

Now that I had a good idea of what I want the back panel to look like, it was time to start construction. I picked up the laminate from Home Depot (Formica brand) and was happy to see it rolled up in a tube. It shouldn't be a problem to laminate the curved panel! Check it out:





The first thing I did was trace the back of the jukebox shell on to some 1/8" thick MDF and cut out the rough shape. Then, using the rough shape as a template I traced it out on to the laminate and cut it out. Initially, I used my jigsaw and it was a mistake - it chipped the laminate like crazy - I probably should have tried scoring it with a utility knife or using some tin snips or something else. After cutting it out I wasn't sure if I left enough overhang around the edges because it was so badly chipped.

Here are the rough panels I cut (MDF and laminate):





I applied a thin coat of contact cement to the MDF and the back of the laminate panel, waited 30 minutes for the glue to dry and then bonded the two surfaces together.

I actually let this cure over night underneath a 3/4" MDF panel and a cinder block.





You can see how imprecise and rough everything is. I also got some contact cement on the good side of the laminate and I was a little worried about getting it off.



What a mess!!! You can see the chipped laminate, the spilled glue and even the permanent marker I used to trace out the shape! Is this going to work out?

Stay tuned!   

[javeryh]

More progress! After getting the 1/8" MDF laminated and rough cut to size I didn't think there was any way that it would turn out nice considering it was chipped and there was glue everywhere. The next step was cutting the panel to its proper size with my router and flush cutting bit.

First, I put some double sided tape around the perimeter of the jukebox shell:



Then, I carefully placed the rough panel on top of the tape making sure that when the overhanging material was removed that there wouldn't be any chip marks showing. The clamps were for added support although they definitely weren't needed - the double stick tape is pretty strong:



Next, I just went around the outside with the router and ended up with the exact shape I wanted! After I had the proper shape, I used a template I had made way back in the beginning of the project for the front panel to cut out the opening for the vent on the top of the back panel (I used double stick tape again). It was easy - the router cuts through the laminate like butter!





You can still see the glob of glue on top that would have to be removed. After that was finished the last thing I did for the night was drill out the hole for the power button in the center of the small semi-circle. I used my step drill bit and widened the hole to 3/4" diameter.





The button looks great and should match the other aluminum accents on the jukebox (speaker grill, t-molding, etc.). Oh, yeah - I was able to remove the glue using my fingers quite easily. I just rubbed it until it came off from the friction. Check it out (don't mind the dust):



I still need to cut the hole for the I/O panel along the bottom which will mirror the speaker grill on the front panel and install the washers for the magnets on the inside so the panel will stay in place but remain removable in case I need to get in there for maintenance.

More later!   

[Martijn]

brilliant ! i love the laminate Reminds me so much for my cab the color , the glow, the effect   

[richms]

I thought of making a VU meter for the display on mine, but we decided that there was no way we could make a long enough needle that was light enough to actually work - what would you make it out of?! - I would be very interested to see how you approach that bit if you go down that route.

There are large panel meters, you could get one and gut its surrounds so the needle was infront of the artwork.

VU meters actually move pretty slowly, what most people call a vu meter isnt, its closer to a peak meter.

[DaOld Man]

Sweeet!

I like the way this is turning out..

[Nvts]

Get to work, its been a couple weeks.  You need to get more done so I can figure out how to finish mine  

[DaOld Man]

Get to work, its been a couple weeks.  You need to get more done so I can figure out how to finish mine  

You talking to me??
If so you got to be kidding. You are way ahead of me..
But I do need to get off my lazy rear-o and get to work..
 

EDIT: Never mind, I just figured out you were talking to Jav.
I must be working too hard..

[javeryh]

I'm totally unmotivated right now.  I'm still pissed about the scratch.  It is up and running though.  Here's a shot of the guts being put together.  I'll get around to an update one of these days...

[Kaytrim]

Forget that darn scratch javeryh.  It is on the back and it will not be seen.  I haven't started yet and I'll end up beating you to the finish line.

[javeryh]

Forget that darn scratch javeryh.  It is on the back and it will not be seen.  I haven't started yet and I'll end up beating you to the finish line.

I wish it was on the back!  It is on the top of the front panel and is going to require some serious sandpaper kung-fu to blend that area into the rest of the black plexi.   



I'm going to try and make some progress this weekend...

[Kaytrim]

Then let me put it this way.  Over time there will be more scratches I can almost guarantee it.  btw This is why I am going with veneer.

[DaOld Man]

Hang in there Jav!
Hey, is there anyway you can cover the scratch? Like maybe some edge trim?
Or cut another piece of trim laminate to go around the perimeter?
That would be pretty cool, if you havent cut your T-molding slot yet.
It would be like a frame around the face of the juke.

[drawfull]

The scratch pic isn't showing for me, so I can't see how bad it is but I'm sure you'll work something out. The laminated pieces look great, don't lose motivation!!

edited as I think I am being stupid, but I still can't find a pic with a scratch

[javeryh]

The scratch pic isn't showing for me, so I can't see how bad it is but I'm sure you'll work something out. The laminated pieces look great, don't lose motivation!!

edited as I think I am being stupid, but I still can't find a pic with a scratch

Thanks!  I've been ripping my CD collection over the past few weeks (I'm up to the letter "e" - at the pace I'm going it will take months before I rip them all!).  I'm also trying to sort out a few things I need to finish that are out of my hands.

Check out pic #227 for the horrible horrible scratch.   

[javeryh]

Alright... it's been about 2 months and I'm just about getting over the fact that I scratched the front to hell - time to finish this thing for real.  The wife just started working weekends (tax season) so I'm going to be watching the kids.  I can get a lot done while they nap.  Here goes - these are some left over things I did before I took a break:

Computer Installation

The first thing I did was build a "shelf" above where the speaker bar will go as a starting point for the installation. The plan was to cut a 120mm hole in the middle and mount a computer fan underneath to push air up through the shell and eventually out the vent on top of the back panel. I also wanted to build a vertical shelf to mount the motherboard and hard drive to which will straddle the fan (exactly like mountain did).

This is the vertical shelf - really simple. It is made up of three MDF panels and I cut a semicircle cut out of the bottom:





The next thing I did was install the monitor in place. I used a few screws to secure it to the frame. Space was VERY tight here and I noticed the MDF pulling apart where the screws are so I added a few extra screws for added support (more than shown in the picture).  I also have to keep in mind that I'll be removing everything when it comes time to work on the volume knob.  For now I just wanted to be sure everything fits.



Also, before attaching the monitor, I installed the black weatherstripping around the monitor opening. This was tricky and ultimately didn't come out as precise as I wanted it to but it is barely noticeable. If I ever build something like this again I'm definitely going to use 1/4" Plexiglas for the front panel so I can route out the channel for the transducer wedge and everything will sit nice and flush. No big deal but since I'm mostly building this on the fly there are a few things I would do differently next time...



The shelf is secured to two 3/4" dowels I glued to the inside of the shell. The vertical shelf will be positioned directly above the fan so the hard drive and motherboard will remain cool while the jukebox is on. Everything else I cram in there will be based off of the placement of these major components.

More later.

[jthompson]

Awesome! I can't wait to see this thing finished!

[javeryh]

Well, I spent about an hour today trying to figure out exactly what I need to do in order to finish (besides configuring software).  The list isn't long at all so I'm thinking I can knock this out in a day - the trick is finding the time.  Here goes:

Front panel:

    * drill out plexiglass in volume knob area
    * bond spacer to front panel and install knob
    * polish scratch with sandpaper and Novus polish

Back Panel:

    * install magnets
    * Cut hole for I/O panel on bottom

Case:

    * install feet
    * glue t-molding in place

Marquee:

    * finalize design (almost there)
    * send to mamemarquees.com to print
    * cut to final size and install

Inside:

    * install computer
    * wire monitor, power supply and speakers to one port for power

I also need to finalize my I/O panel and get someone to cut it for me out of 1mm aluminum or something silver to match the grills and t-molding.

It's a lot of little things which is always a pain to finish but I think that's it.

Does anyone know if I can bond metal to MDF?  I bought some magnets to attach the back panel but the only way to attach the round catches is to use glue (it is 1/16" so way too thin to screw into).  Will this work or will this fail over time (asuming I remove the back panel to work on the guts from time to time)?

[javeryh]

OK, it's not much but I tried printing the marquee and putting it in place.  It took me about an hour to unscrew everything from the inside so I can resume working on the shell which is now empty again.  I need to get the art tweaked just a little bit otherwise it is final (the black line along the bottom and around the volume knob area needs to be removed and the semi-circles then need to be extended to meet the bottom edge of the marquee cutout).  It should look much nicer with the backlight and these are crappy pics from my wife's iPhone but you get the idea.

Does anyone know if I can bond metal to MDF?  I bought some magnets to attach the back panel but the only way to attach the round catches is to use glue (the back panel is 1/16" thick so way too thin to screw into).  Will this work or will this fail over time (assuming I remove the back panel to work on the guts from time to time)?

[Kaytrim]

Good to see you back at it buddy.  I would suggest using epoxy to glue the catches.  Take a file and score some groves into the back of the catches to give a tooth for the epoxy to grab onto.

TTFN
Michael

[DaOld Man]

Looking real good JH!
After seeing how yours is turning out, I kinda wished I didnt go with the rotating base on mine.

[javeryh]

Good to see you back at it buddy.  I would suggest using epoxy to glue the catches.  Take a file and score some groves into the back of the catches to give a tooth for the epoxy to grab onto.

TTFN
Michael

Thanks Michael - that's a good idea about scuffing the back of the catches.  I did a little measuring and they are exactly 1/16" thick which is the same thickness of the back panel (which is then covered in 1mm laminate).  I'm now thinking I could use a razor or something and pick at the back panel and get it down to the laminate and install the catches flush.  This would eliminate the 10 catches sticking up on the inside of the back panel and I'd be bonding the metal catch to the plastic laminate... I don't know.  I'm overthinking it for sure.

Looking real good JH!
After seeing how yours is turning out, I kinda wished I didnt go with the rotating base on mine.

Heh, the grass is always greener.  I've been thinking I kind of wish mine had the base!   

[Martijn]

i also got the back removable without bolts or screws

i placed the backside in the correct position, the mdf back moves into the laminate of the outside and i removed the t-molding mid section material and just glued it onto the side and held it down with stickytape

now i can just pull out the back and insert it again without screwing and its very tight

[javeryh]

Here's one more pic of the marquee.  No big deal but I thought I'd post it here before deleting it from the camera...

[Martijn]

it looks great javery

don't you or other mountain juke builders have the problem from mdf bending itself if you wait to many weeks to use the piece?

[reko19]

Javery,
My preference would be the first one. I think it'll look the best when illuminated. I would be concerned with the other two being too dark to allow light to get through.  Great marquee,  would you mind sharing it? I will be taking a plunge soon.

DaOld Man,
I went back and forth few times with the rotating base. I think it is pretty cool although adds a complexity to the project. Planning to go with the rotating base, all parts are already in. Waiting for the weather to warm up.

[javeryh]

it looks great javery

don't you or other mountain juke builders have the problem from mdf bending itself if you wait to many weeks to use the piece?

Thanks Martjin - I'm not sure what you mean by the MDF bending - it doesn't shrink/expand with different temperatures so it always remains the exact shape that I cut it.  This never even crossed my mind!

Javery,
My preference would be the first one. I think it'll look the best when illuminated. I would be concerned with the other two being too dark to allow light to get through.  Great marquee,  would you mind sharing it? I will be taking a plunge soon.

I'd be happy to share it once it is finished (I've asked the artist to make one last tweak).  I can put the file up for download.  I think I like the dark area of the marquee - the idea is for just the orange/yellow dial to show up but then have a slight glow surrounding it from the pattern in the background.  I'm hoping it looks cool in the dark with the black plexiglas... I guess I'll find out soon enough!

[DaOld Man]

I used my sheet of mdf as a table and I noticed some bending in the center.
I would turn it over a day or two before cutting a new piece out.
The stuff does bend when pressure is applied to the sides.
But if you stand the sheet on one edge, it doesnt seem to bend. (The strength is in the edge run, same as a 2 X 4).

[Martijn]

your right oldman

i found out only the mdf pieces i glued with contact cement and plexi bended

all other parts are fine

must be a reaction

[DaOld Man]

Or it could be temperature changes.
One material expands faster than the one it is bonded to, warping both materials.
Same way a thermostat works.
But I have not seen this problem in my two projects yet.

[javeryh]

Well, I shouldn't have opened my mouth.  The laminated back panel that I made ages ago has now warped (probably due to temperature changes).  I don't have any laminate leftover to make another one so I'm just trying to flatten it out.  Hopefully the 10 rare earth magnets that I am planning to use to secure it in place will work, otherwise I'll just have to screw it in place.

Anyway, tomorrow (for the first time since November) I'll be without the wife and kids for the morning into the early afternoon so I hope to get the majority of the remaining work completed on this thing...

[Martijn]

same thing happened to me, i think the glue and laminate warp the mdf

ill just insert 2 screws and it will be fine

hope to see your progress this weekend

[Martijn]

how did the building go 

[javeryh]

eh, I got a little bit done.  Everything takes so freaking long!  I managed to install the magnets in in the frame on the back of the juke which will (hopefully) hold the back panel in place.  I had to drill 10 evenly spaced 1/2" holes 1/4" deep.  There's no turning back now either because the magnets are in place and there is no way I can tell to remove them without doing some serious damage.  Just that took about 2 hours and then the kids were home!  I'll post some pics later.   

I did manage to get my dad to help me move Bella's Arcade to her bedroom (the wife finally caved after like 2 years!) so that took some time too - it looks great and matches the room perfectly - even my wife said so when she got home. 

[Kaytrim]

I did manage to get my dad to help me move Bella's Arcade to her bedroom (the wife finally caved after like 2 years!) so that took some time too - it looks great and matches the room perfectly - even my wife said so when she got home. 

Sweet 

[javeryh]

I did manage to get my dad to help me move Bella's Arcade to her bedroom (the wife finally caved after like 2 years!) so that took some time too - it looks great and matches the room perfectly - even my wife said so when she got home. 

Sweet 

yeah, and most importantly, my daughter loves it.  She was so excited to see it up in her room next to her bed.  All she wants to do is play it - she even asked me when am I going to start building a blue one for her little brother! 

For some reason she wants to play nothing but Strikers 1945III.  She has finished it twice now and we must have put in $100 of fake money!  It's so funny.

[DaOld Man]

 

[javeryh]

OK, I'm back at work on this thing right now.  I just installed the volume knob spacer - it took me like an hour to drill out the hole, test fit and bond with epoxy.  Why does everything take forever?!?!?!?

Anyway, I am having a bit of a problem with the t-molding on the back.  The slot is a little messed up and the t-molding doesn't want to stay in place.  Any ideas?  I have a band clamp and I was thinking of putting some glue in the slot and then clamping it up but I don't know if this will work - what type of glue should I use? 

I'm nearing the finish line.  I need to install 10 metal washers on the inside of the back panel for the magnets.  I might be stuck using a utility knife here because the panel is ~1/8" thick (1/16" for the hard board and 1 mm for the laminate) so I have to cut away the hard board down to the laminate (but not go through) and then I need to glue the washers in place (epoxy, right - I'm going for it).  What a pain!!!

After this is finished I have to cut a hole in the bottom for the admin panel and then I can permanently install the components.  The only things I can't finish right now are the artwork and the admin panel but I should be in good shape by this afternoon.

[Kaytrim]

OK, I'm back at work on this thing right now.  I just installed the volume knob spacer - it took me like an hour to drill out the hole, test fit and bond with epoxy. 

Yea progress 

Why does everything take forever?!?!?!?

Because you are a perfectionist buddy.

Anyway, I am having a bit of a problem with the t-molding on the back.  The slot is a little messed up and the t-molding doesn't want to stay in place.  Any ideas?  I have a band clamp and I was thinking of putting some glue in the slot and then clamping it up but I don't know if this will work - what type of glue should I use? 

Good 'ole hot glue.  Nice thing about that is it can be undone easier then any other glue.

I'm nearing the finish line.  I need to install 10 metal washers on the inside of the back panel for the magnets.  I might be stuck using a utility knife here because the panel is ~1/8" thick (1/16" for the hard board and 1 mm for the laminate) so I have to cut away the hard board down to the laminate (but not go through) and then I need to glue the washers in place (epoxy, right - I'm going for it).  What a pain!!!

A small razor sharp chisel would work well here.

After this is finished I have to cut a hole in the bottom for the admin panel and then I can permanently install the components.  The only things I can't finish right now are the artwork and the admin panel but I should be in good shape by this afternoon.

Don't forget to post 

[javeryh]

Thanks Kaytrim.  Good advice on the hot glue.  I tried using the chisel for the magnets but one of them took a while and I was getting impatient so I decided to set up the router and freehand it - it was a little sloppy but it worked!  I still don't know if the panel will stay tight to the back though since it is warped a bit.  I'm tying to reshape it with some weights right now and I'll probably test it out this week sometime.

[javeryh]

More progress... I've done quite a bit but I don't know how much time I'll have today to organize my thoughts and pictures - here's some kind of old news:

After installing the monitor and shelf in place, I made sure to get the computer up and running before putting the rest of the components inside.



After that was finished (and I played around for a while), the next step was making sure the motherboard and power supply fit properly. I placed the motherboard on one side (using PCB feet) and the hard drive on the other (using velcro) and tried installing the vertical shelf.





I was worried initially that since the ports were facing down and the whole thing was off-center that the fan underneath wouldn't keep things cool but boy was I wrong. After leaving it on for at least 6 hours it was cool as the other side of the pillow in there.

Here is the power supply in place:



More later!

[javeryh]

After getting the motherboard and power supply in place, the rest of the components just kind of worked themselves out. This is just a test run (since at this point I still had to cut the hole for the volume knob) but I will use some velcro to secure the speakers in place behind the speaker grill and I wired the power button to the pins on the motherboard (temporarily since it will ultimately be installed in the back panel).

This is a shot of the speaker bar in place from the bottom. You can get a good look here at the support for the shelf as well as the computer fan mounted underneath.



This last shot basically shows what the thing will look like from the front (if you can imagine the protective paper on the Plexiglas peeled off and the marquee in place). The speaker grill is installed and matches the vent on the back as well as the chrome colored t-molding and volume knob.



It looks pretty good!

More later.

[deoblo85]

 almost done looks real nice but isnt there supposed to be a beer thier 

[mountain]

Yes James....make sure to include a photo of your juke with a beer, for scale of course! 

[javeryh]

There will be plenty of time for beer when the power tools are put away!  I FINALLY cut the hole for the volume knob and got everything installed.

I used a step drill bit and cut out a 7/8" hole where the volume knob goes. All that I had to do was drill a hole big enough so the guts of the knob would fit through but I had to be sure it was smaller than the spacer I created. I also had to worry about the knob being dead center (which is harder than it sounds) because this would be the focal point of the entire juke.

Here is a shot of the hole completely drilled out:



After drilling out the hole I had to use a file to remove a little more material to get the guts of the knob to fit properly - ideally my step drill bit would have been able to cut a 1" hole but oh well. The next step was to put the spacer in place and trace it with a pencil so I would know how much of the protective paper I could remove. Once that was done, I used a two part epoxy for plastic to bond the spacer to the front panel.



The epoxy I used set in 6 minutes (less actually) and I was able to remove the clamp fairly quick and install everything. here are some shots without the knob in place:





This is what it looks like with the knob installed.





This last shot I tried to get head on so you could see how I managed to get the knob dead center but the flash was messing everything up. Oh well.



I can't wait to remove the brown protective paper but you should be able to tell what it will look like when I finally do. 

More later.

[mountain]

Looking real good. Another way to do it would be to use a forstner bit from the back side using the original pilot hole as a guide. Then, I whip out the router and flush trim bit to cut the accrylic from the front.

I can't wait to remove the brown protective paper but you should be able to tell what it will look like when I finally do. 

I have an idea what it may look like 

[javeryh]

Looking real good. Another way to do it would be to use a forstner bit from the back side using the original pilot hole as a guide. Then, I whip out the router and flush trim bit to cut the accrylic from the front.

I can't wait to remove the brown protective paper but you should be able to tell what it will look like when I finally do. 

I have an idea what it may look like 

I thought of that but the original hole in the MDF was the same size as the spacer so I wasn't able to use it as a guide with the router - of course I had to do it the hard way - I ended up stacking three 3/4" sheets of MDF to drill through for the step bit.  I had to stop every time I went to a new diameter to vacuum out the dust and scrap - it took forever!

I forgot to mention a huge thanks to you Mike for soldering the volume knob for me.  I am not sure how to get it working though - I plugged it to the USB pins on my motherboard (assuming that the red wire was for the +5V (does it matter?).  The computer didn't recognize that a USB device had been plugged in (it typically makes a noise when I plug in a mouse or external hard drive or whatever).  Is there something I need to activate to get the motherboard to recognize it?  I haven't installed the Griffin drivers yet (that hopefully would take care of it) but I thought the computer would at least tell me something was plugged in.   

Oh yeah, there are lots of people here who can tell what it looks like - we are building an army! 

[Martijn]

looks good !

why do you people make a spacer? i just drilled a hole the size of the pin+screw part to go throught the plexi and placed the bolt on it

i think you soldered wrong because it should  be detected

make a pic of the soldering then i can compare

[javeryh]

The spacer allows the knob to sit about 1/32" off of the front panel.  Without it the knob would press too hard against the front (I think). 

I doubt the soldering is wrong - mountain did it himself.  I'm sure I'm not installing it properly or maybe the drivers need to be installed to be recognized.  I'm going to get it working over the weekend.  I'll snap a few pics.

[javeryh]

The Feet!!   

Here is some exciting news - I finally installed the rubber feet! I bought them at Home Depot for a few dollars and they came with the screws.

Since I do not have a bottom panel the first thing I did was cut out some small triangles out of MDF and glued them in place in the back. I did not have to do this in the front because the panel here is actually 1.5" thick (2 MDF panels).

I just eyeballed the locations, drilled the holes and fastened the feet to the bottom. This may not seem like a big deal but it makes it so much easier to place on the table or wherever to continue working on it.

I also trimmed the t-molding to final length and fixed the slot in the back - it had broken off a little since the slot is so close to the edge (to compensate for the thickness of the back panel). It is solid now and looks great.

More later!   

[Martijn]

nice nice

my bottom is closed for the sub to work so i just stickied 4 of these units



also nice to see how you unit didnt warp in any way, my sides where way off after time i had to glue the bottom plate and use strap bands to hold him tight

[javeryh]

My back panel is warped to hell.  I'm hoping 10 rare earth magnets is enough to hold it in place.  The magnets are really strong.  I'll know for sure this weekend.

[Martijn]

i am flattening my backpanel with a solid piece of flat metal what i will glue to the inside back

[javeryh]

i am flattening my backpanel with a solid piece of flat metal what i will glue to the inside back

Wow - really great idea!  I might have to give that a shot if the magnets aren't enough to hold it in place...

[javeryh]

This next part is kind of tricky and I don't even know if it worked yet. I wanted to connect the back panel to the jukebox shell without any visible screws. I'm not even exactly sure why since screws would have made everything much easier. Anyway, I ordered some rare earth magnets from Rockler. They are strong!

I measured around the outside frame of the back of the jukebox shell and laid out 10 points where I would install magnets. Here is a shot sort of showing how I laid them out:



Here's a close-up of the magnet casing:



I needed to use a 1/2" forstner bit and drill down to precisely the depth of the magnets in order to make them flush. Easier said than done - once you put the magnet in place there is virtually no way to remove it. I ended up drilling down a little too far in some spots - hopefully the magnets will be strong enough anyway.

Each magnet cup (holder?) has a hole in the bottom so it can be screwed into place.



Here is what one of them looks like:



Here is what all of them look like when put in place:



Finally, I put the magnets in there. I cannot get them out so there is no turning back now.



The magnets are a cool idea (at least I think so) but I just hope they end up working like I think they will. It should be easy to remove the back panel by tipping the jukebox forward and going up from underneath assuming the panel locks into place. We shall see...

More later.   

[mountain]

Those magnets are strong as hell! 

I think your setup will work great...and look great   

[Martijn]

i spy with my little eye no t-molding at the bottom back 

taking the easy way out  ??

[javeryh]

Those magnets are strong as hell! 

I think your setup will work great...and look great   

I hope so!  The back panel is a little warped but I am in the process of trying to flatten it out with some weights.  On a side note, any ideas about what could be going on with the volume knob I mentioned up a few posts?  The computer is not recognizing it as plugged in...

i spy with my little eye no t-molding at the bottom back 

taking the easy way out  ??

Heh, there is no t-molding on the bottom of this thing at all!  I never planned on it - I used mountain's as a guide (obviously) and he didn't put any on the bottom either from what I can tell...   

[Martijn]

wow your right, never saw that.

i did mine.

 

[reko19]

What kind of material are you using around the monitor opening? I assume this is to close the 1/8" gap between the monitor and the plexi?

[javeryh]

What kind of material are you using around the monitor opening? I assume this is to close the 1/8" gap between the monitor and the plexi?

Black foam weatherstripping.  The pics show the protective paper still on the back.  It's not a *perfect* solution since I'm so anal but it does the job I guess.  If I had to do this all over again I would make the front out of 1/4" acrylic and then route a 1/8" channel for the wires on the front of the monitor so everything would be nice and flush.

[Martijn]

i also tried this weatherstripping but the touchscreen part became unstable

[DaOld Man]

Your right marti..

The foam weatherstripping on my juke has made the lower right corner of the screen unstable. For some reason the foam in that area appears to have grown, it is much tighter against the screen in that corner than elsewhere. Or maybe the plastic front has warped??
You have to "touch" that part pretty hard to get a response.
I plan to fix that by shimming the monitor a little farther away from the front.
If I could only find the time.

Edit: BTW james, great work !!!

[reko19]

Interesting idea with 1/4" plexi. Keep in mind, 45 degree bevel would be around 0.7" long on a 1/4".  I thought about it, but will probably stick with 1/8" especially since it is already ordered and received. Perhaps foam is not the best material. If not for anything else, I would expect it to change thickness with age and humidity variation.  Anybody has a close up of how the gap between the mon and the plexi looks? Regards.

[javeryh]

Edit: BTW james, great work !!!

Thanks!

Interesting idea with 1/4" plexi. Keep in mind, 45 degree bevel would be around 0.7" long on a 1/4".  I thought about it, but will probably stick with 1/8" especially since it is already ordered and received. Perhaps foam is not the best material. If not for anything else, I would expect it to change thickness with age and humidity variation.  Anybody has a close up of how the gap between the mon and the plexi looks? Regards.

I wouldn't do a full bevel.  I didn't even do one on the 1/8" plexi I used.  It looks more like this"

    /
   |

if that makes any sense.  Also, the foam I'm using does not appear to have moved in the 4 months since I installed it nor does it have any effect (as far as I can tell) on the usability of the touch screen.  I'd love to hear some other ideas though... 

I do have a tough time getting touching the edge of the screen all the way around but that is due to the thickness of my finger and not any malfunction.   

[mountain]

I posted a nice illustration from ELO a while back, here. It gives a good visual of the many ways to approach the problem of the transducers.

Jav,
Not sure what's up with the Powermate. These thing are a little flakey. I think the key to getting a good one is to buy the original (rev. 1?) My Dad's juke has not had one issue with the Powermate. I know Knievel used one on his Metal Station and reported that he never had any issues either. Weird. I would be more than happy to look at it again if you like.

[reko19]

interesting, so they have no problem with the foam being pressed to the screen (last illustration on the right). if this is the case weather stripping should work fine

[javeryh]

I posted a nice illustration from ELO a while back, here. It gives a good visual of the many ways to approach the problem of the transducers.

Jav,
Not sure what's up with the Powermate. These thing are a little flakey. I think the key to getting a good one is to buy the original (rev. 1?) My Dad's juke has not had one issue with the Powermate. I know Knievel used one on his Metal Station and reported that he never had any issues either. Weird. I would be more than happy to look at it again if you like.

I'm going to play with the Powermate this weekend - if I have any troubles I'll let you know.  I've honestly only spent 10 minutes with it (I just tried plugging it in and when it didn't get recognized by the computer I moved on to something else).  Worst case scenario is I'll actually buy one from the manufacturer instead of eBay so I know what I'm getting.

What I am going to definitely need help with is wiring the power.  I have three plugs (as shown in the attached picture) that I want to wire to this thing:



Is it as simple as splicing all of the wires together or do I need to worry about voltage and other issues?  The power brick can be disconnected from the Dell speaker bar (as you know) but I'm guessing I still have to crack the brick open like you did.  Is this doable for someone who has very little experience with this stuff?  Any help would be great.  

[reko19]

in US wiring is color coded: white is neutral, black is phase (hot), green is ground. On the cord there are two flat prongs one is larger and one is smaller and a semi-round prong. Cut the plug off the cord, note which wire is connected to which prong.  Larger flat prong is neutral, smaller is phase, semi-round is ground. Connect accordingly to your power entry module. When the switch is off you want the hot wire to be interrupted, this is why it is important to notice how it is connected before cutting it off. Hope this helps.

[javeryh]

in US wiring is color coded: white is neutral, black is phase (hot), green is ground. On the cord there are two flat prongs one is larger and one is smaller and a semi-round prong. Cut the plug off the cord, note which wire is connected to which prong.  Larger flat prong is neutral, smaller is phase, semi-round is ground. Connect accordingly to your power entry module. When the switch is off you want the hot wire to be interrupted, this is why it is important to notice how it is connected before cutting it off. Hope this helps.

Excellent.  Thanks.  Do I need to worry about voltage or anything or does splicing everything together have the same effect as using a power strip or plugging multiple plugs into one outlet?

Also, is twisting the wires and covering with electrical tape OK or is there a more secure solution that I should try?

[reko19]

pretty much same effect as using a plug strip. I would recommend using a wirenut or a terminal block for splicing

[javeryh]

pretty much same effect as using a plug strip. I would recommend using a wirenut or a terminal block for splicing

OK another good idea.  I will use a terminal block assuming I can get one from Home Depot.  Can I wire all three devices to the same screws on one side (like wiring 2 buttons to the same place on an iPac)?  I assume so since I don't see how it would work otherwise...

Thanks!   

[reko19]

one for line, one for neutral, possibly one for ground

[javeryh]

The next thing I had to do was attach the metal to the inside of the back panel for the magnets to catch on to. This was fairly easy - I laid out corresponding holes to the magnets I installed on the back of the jukebox shell and then used my plunge router to remove some material in the back panel so the metal catches could sit flush. Then I used some two-part epoxy to glue the metal catches in place.



This is what it looked like all clamped up:



I still haven't tested it yet to see if the panel stays in place like I'm hoping but I will this weekend.  I've been working like CRAZY for about 2 months straight (I'm posting from work).  I really want to finish this thing...

More later.

[javeryh]

Here's an updated "punch list" for this project:

Front Panel:

    * polish out scratch (I'm saving this for last)

Back Panel:

    * Cut hole for I/O panel on bottom
    * Laminate inside of panel to try and fix warping

Case:

    * block out marquee area with black posterboard or matteboard so light won't escape
    * figure out volume knob (I'll probably order a new one directly from Griffin)

I/O Panel:

    * Finalize design
    * Cut I/O Panel out of 1mm thick metal

Computer:

    * rip all CDs to hard drive (I'm up to the Ls with 407 CDs ripped)
    * tag all music using mp3tag (I'm up to the Ls)
    * normalize volume across all files
    * install freebox or xlobby (I wish they had iPod Touch software available for the computer)
    * wire computer, speakers and monitor to external plug (will need help)

Marquee:

    * send file to mamemarquees.com to print
    * cut to final size and install

That's about it - not much but a lot of little things.  I'm also going to install a few touchscreen games.  I attached a pic of one up and running to motivate me...

[Martijn]

good job, i got my backplate straight with metal pieces
i took out at least 95% of the problem. at one corner you can still see a little offbend, but i think its acceptable

ill post pics in my topic next week

[Benevolance]

Javeryh, you used the 1/8" hard board for the frame: since my local lumber store doesn't have the 1/8" MDF, I'm considering using the 1/8" hardboard as well. How did you find the bending/shaping process? Was there any special technique to getting the hardboard to bend without breaking? It didn't seem that flexible when I was playing with it at the store.

[javeryh]

Javeryh, you used the 1/8" hard board for the frame: since my local lumber store doesn't have the 1/8" MDF, I'm considering using the 1/8" hardboard as well. How did you find the bending/shaping process? Was there any special technique to getting the hardboard to bend without breaking? It didn't seem that flexible when I was playing with it at the store.

It actually bent no problem.  I had similar concerns in the store but when I got home and clamped it up (without glue) everything held in place real nice.  I went overboard on clamps though:



I started at one end and then worked the clamps around the frame.  I also used two band clamps in the middle during the glue-up but I'm not convinced they really did anything...   

[Benevolance]

Was the double-layer was necessary? The bottom layer wasn't splitting or ugly or anything? I'm not looking to build a jukebox, but something cosmetic to resemble a jet turbine. I wonder if I can get away with just one panel over the curvature?

Your juke box is looking awesome. I can't wait to see it finished.

[javeryh]

The double layer was NOT necessary - I just wanted to give it some thickness.  Also, I wouldn't try bending this stuff around something much smaller than an 8" radius.  I probably could have wrapped it tighter if I needed to but it would be pushing it.

Thanks for the compliment - I also can't wait to see it finished!  I have to remake the back panel and I've been lazy.  It works pretty good right now though...   

[orion]

I wouldn't stress to much about the scratch in the plexi glass, it polishes up easier than you think it does, it just takes some time and patience. I have shaved the lenses on half the cars I have owned and I always start by removing the raised lettering with 80 grit sandpaper... which as you can imagine puts some serious scratches in the plastic. I generally start polishing with the wet and dry 1500 grit sandpaper (depending on how deep the scratches are) The trick (and I can't stress this enough) is to use plenty of water, keeping the plastic and sandpaper wet at all times and just keep sanding with the 1500 grit wet and dry paper. I usually just sand under running water at the kitchen sink. It takes some doing (a few hours sometimes). I always finish things off by applying some 3M scratch remover compound (instead of the nuvous only because its available almost anywhere) Using this method I have restored the finish on everything from Ipod's (taken apart so as not to soak them in the sink) to sunglasses.  It's not bad at all, once you get the hang of it, its quite easy really. Oh and your jukebox is looking really good!

http://www.shop3m.com/60455033070.html?utm_term=3m+scratch+remover&WT.medium=cpc&utm_campaign=1272&WT.term=3m+scratch+remover&utm_content=504593139&utm_source=google&WT.mc_id=shop3m-ppc-google-1272-Cleaners&WT.campaign=1272&utm_medium=cpc&WT.content=text&WT.source=google&cshift_ck=1323092386cs504593139&WT.srch=1

[Benevolance]

I looked through all the pictures and read the whole thread, and I couldn't find the scratch he was talking about, so I figured it was builder's anguish. I am fully expecting this project to come out as kick ass as Bella's Arcade; that one is still bookmarked as one of my favorite all time projects.

[system01]

I really like that marquee.  I really dig olde tyme clocke and geare stuffe.

Didn't see you mention it, but what's with all the chunk around the outer perimeter of the front face?  And are you planning on 38 coats of hand-rubbed lacquer this time?

[javeryh]

Thanks guys.  I really need to get motivated and finish this up.  The problem is that I need another sheet of black laminate to remake the back panel and it is expensive and I haven't gotten around to ordering some more.

Didn't see you mention it, but what's with all the chunk around the outer perimeter of the front face?  And are you planning on 38 coats of hand-rubbed lacquer this time?

Are you talking about the black spots around the edge?  That is just where the protective paper has peeled away - the entire front will be black plexiglas when it is finished.  I'm trying to wait until I am completely finished with the construction before peeling it off... also, no hand-rubbed lacquer - probably ever.  I still have nightmares!   

[system01]

Ah ha.  I kept looking at it and it looked like it was a piece MDF that fell out of the back of your truck.   Now that you mention paper I totally see it.

Keep it up!

<edit>  I've got a ton of Formica left over from the cocktail.  Actually it's Wilsonart flat black.  I'm pretty sure it's 1595-60, but I'll have to pull it out of the attic to make sure.  I'll give a square to you for the price of postage.  PM if interested.