Author Topic: FunkyAndroid's portable arcade "Bloc-ade" (Read 4811 times)

FunkyAndroid · « **on:** July 12, 2009, 10:04:44 pm »

After being inspired by JonnyBoy's travelling arcade box (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=43529.0) I decided that this summer I'd take on the challenge. After about a month of planning and revising, I finally started getting working on it. So far, I've gotten the back, sides, shelf and base cut, and painted. The sides and shelf are glued together too. Before I tack on the base and back I want to make sure the computer parts fit inside nicely.
The box is going to be two player. No spinner or trackball on this cade (sorry guys, I grew up with no arcade

). I'm putting mame, along with a few other emulators including SNES, Sega Genesis, N64 and a couple more. Let me know if you have any suggestions!
Here are some pics so far.

The black paint is just for the interior of the box. I'll be covering the outside with formica.
Visit my website www.funky-android.org/blocade.html for more pictures. Be warned, the pictures are rather large for those w/ anything less than dsl.

FunkyAndroid · « **Reply #1 on:** July 14, 2009, 01:51:30 am »

Today I took a couple small steps in the planning of the layout of the computer components inside the box. Not entirely sure how to tie them down, I went ahead and got some brackets from a hardware store and tailored them to fit my needs. It actually ended up working rather well and I'll be doing some fitting tomorrow.
I'm a little unsure about what kind of wood to use for the control panel. I want to cover the top with a thin sheet of plexi to protect whatever art I put down. Any suggestions?

YoGaBaR · « **Reply #2 on:** July 14, 2009, 08:26:44 am »

What kind of wood are you using now? the plywood you have looks smooth so I am guessing its not a sheeting grade. I would use an A\C or finishing grade plywood that way its smooth on one side and the artwork stays flat. Are you going to top mount the joysticks or mount them underneath?

opt2not · « **Reply #3 on:** July 14, 2009, 06:04:45 pm »

Heh, you should get yourself one of these to carry around with you:
http://accessories.dell.com/sna/products/Projectors/productdetail.aspx?c=ca&l=en&s=bsd&cs=cabsdt1&sku=224-0939

The ultimate in portable arcades!!

FunkyAndroid · « **Reply #4 on:** July 15, 2009, 04:54:31 am »

@YoGaBaR: I'm not exactly sure what kind of ply I used for the case. It's very close to half inch. I just went into home depot knowing that they have ---smurfy--- lumber so I tried to pick the best looking bunch I could find close to 1/2" and run w/ it. So far it's turned out pretty well.
The Joysticks will be mounted from underneath. I was thinking a similar thickness of ply, but wasn't sure exactly how thick it should be. 1/2" again or go with something a little more hefty like 3/4"

@opt2not: That projector is sweet! Too bad my budget doesn't have room for that :\

YoGaBaR · « **Reply #5 on:** July 15, 2009, 10:36:16 pm »

1/2" should be fine. If you want strength use 3/4" and put some t-nuts on top and countersinkthem to keep top flush. But then you will have a shorter shaft sticking out the top. Especially if you put plexi on also. All depends on how high you want your joystick.

FunkyAndroid · « **Reply #6 on:** July 16, 2009, 01:05:35 pm »

Did quite a bit on the box last night. I put some felt down to line the bottom shelf so that any controllers, keyboards or whatever else finds it's way down there won't get scratched by the wood as easily. I also got the base and back panel glued and nailed in and the hinge for the bottom shelf door installed. It's finally looking like a box now!

Whats next?: finish mounting the fans, fit the front panel and door, get wood and plexi for the control panel, get the formica for the outside.

@YoGaBaR: If I decide to top mount, I'd just have to recess the bracket with a router right? I'm trying to decide if that's the way I want to do it, and if it is, I have to decide how i'm going to do the control panel art. I don't really like the idea of a CPO. Maybe I'll do it how MikeDeuce did his single player joypad.
http://www.ironvulva.com/?p=14
If you scroll down, he masked off the plexi w/ vinyl and then used RC car paint to make it look clean as hell.

Below: PICS!

IG-88 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 16, 2009, 03:13:33 pm »

You named your website Iron Vulva ??

FunkyAndroid · « **Reply #8 on:** July 17, 2009, 01:59:59 am »

That's not my website

That's user MikeDeuce's webpage.

Aceldamor · « **Reply #9 on:** July 17, 2009, 10:20:17 am »

Quote from: IG-88 on July 16, 2009, 03:13:33 pm

You named your website Iron Vulva ??

.....lol ?!?!?

FunkyAndroid · « **Reply #10 on:** July 20, 2009, 02:23:21 am »

Today was a long but very productive day. We got the laminate on the sides! Decided to go with a flat black formica and I think it turned out amazingly. I've got some pics attached here. We messed up the back a little bit, but it's fixable just by buying a new faceplate for the ethernet port and just painting it. So I'm not too worried about it. There are places where I definitely need to touch up paint (corners, shelf door, etc.) so that'll be on tomorrow's agenda, hopefully along with installing the fans and other small pieces.

severdhed · « **Reply #11 on:** July 20, 2009, 12:40:22 pm »

looks like a cool project, keep those pics coming.

i've often thought about building somethign like this, so when we take the projector out in the back yard for movies, i could hook this up and have some 10ft tall donkey kong going on the side of the house...but it probably wouldnt get used that much, so i've held off.

FunkyAndroid · « **Reply #12 on:** July 20, 2009, 01:58:19 pm »

Thanks severd, I chose this route as opposed to a full cab cause of space issues. I'm a college student and I live in an apartment on the second floor. I also move pretty much every year so it'd be a royal pain to have a full sized cab. This will make it nice to hook up in the front room and just brawl on Street Fighter.
I just got done painting and now i'm just waiting for it to dry before I install the fans. It's looking real clean w/ the touch up paint. I'll have pics up soon.

retrofuture · « **Reply #13 on:** July 20, 2009, 03:57:53 pm »

Dig the logo. The typeface is very Brody-esque. Good stuff

FunkyAndroid · « **Reply #14 on:** July 23, 2009, 02:09:34 pm »

So I finally got the fans installed and I think they look awesome. Took me a while to figure out how I was going to keep them all level. My method worked pretty well, although I did have to make some of the initial holes a little larger to allow for the bolts to go make it through the ply and the fan and fit nicely. But all in all it turned out well. I also put the on the video out plate, I still have to paint the ethernet cover and get it attached... It's going to look a little bit out of place I think, but we'll see how it turns out. Hopefully not too badly.
Here's some pictures of the new fan covers and the pinball buttons i put on the sides. (Just to make it look more finished than it is

)

FunkyAndroid · « **Reply #15 on:** July 24, 2009, 01:06:38 pm »

I'm starting to think about designing and having a CPO printed. I'm not quite sure what material people have their CPOs made out of. Can anybody tell me what it is and maybe link a site that does custom prints?

YoGaBaR · « **Reply #16 on:** July 24, 2009, 07:19:50 pm »

Take a look at my woody and look at the cp. It is made from croian. The same corian that is used on countertops. I got my piece cut finished and holes drilled in it for $50.

FunkyAndroid · « **Reply #17 on:** July 29, 2009, 10:11:14 pm »

Got a lot done since the last update. I installed the computer last weekend and got everything installed. It's up and fully functional though! I also got the control panel all mapped out and cut yesterday and all the buttons are in. I took pictures early this morning and I got the two buttons i decided to add (to make it a 7 button layout) right after I took the pictures, so they're not in them. Up next is connecting the hinge to the control panel and attaching the joysticks. Still unsure what to do w/ the control panel art, yours looks nice YoGa, but I'm looking for something a little more custom looking. Maybe I'll get starting with the graphics after i get the buttons all wired up.
Pics are attached. Enjoi

YoGaBaR · « **Reply #18 on:** July 29, 2009, 10:36:46 pm »

That is looking nice. I like how you have enough room to put a TB in later. Whats the overall dimensions of the box?

FunkyAndroid · « **Reply #19 on:** July 30, 2009, 01:22:20 am »

Thanks YoGa, dimensions for the box are 36" wide, 15" deep, and about 14" tall at the back with a 5 degree slant to the front. It's a beast! It's easily 40 pounds. Gunna need to put on some handles to make handling
TB's are expensive! I decided to keep a space for it in case I want to add one later when my budget can afford it. I attached the hinge to the box and the CP, and got the joysticks mounted. Didn't take pictures yet though, I'll probably put some up tomorrow.

FunkyAndroid · « **Reply #20 on:** July 31, 2009, 02:32:58 pm »

I'm working on the wiring of the CP right now. I have a quick question: should the switches be wired to NO or NC?

javeryh · « **Reply #21 on:** July 31, 2009, 05:20:11 pm »

NO - "Normally Open"

FunkyAndroid · « **Reply #22 on:** August 01, 2009, 01:10:38 pm »

Thanks Jav, that's how I thought it should be, but I figured i'd make sure before hooking up all 32 connections and finding out I was wrong.
The box liiiiiives! I was too busy playing it last night to post the pictures I had been taking, but I'll be sure to have them up soon!

saleem · « **Reply #23 on:** August 01, 2009, 06:02:14 pm »

i like the idea,the arcade in a box (portable) but,i cant help thinking when i look at the cp that its got a lot of area.

perhaps a trackerball or a spinner might have made the area look more (how can i say it?) engaged.

Bender · « **Reply #24 on:** August 01, 2009, 08:56:56 pm »

nice flat files and there are at least three easels in that room someone in there likes to make Art.

FunkyAndroid · « **Reply #25 on:** August 02, 2009, 08:34:49 pm »

Quote from: saleem on August 01, 2009, 06:02:14 pm

i like the idea,the arcade in a box (portable) but,i cant help thinking when i look at the cp that its got a lot of area.

perhaps a trackerball or a spinner might have made the area look more (how can i say it?) engaged.

After looking at it I agree that there is a lot of empty space. The CP ended up being so deep because of how large I wanted the box to be to easily accommodate the comp inside. It's also wide so 2 that two people could sit comfortably on a couch and play it, because that's probably how it'll be played in my apartment when it gets moved there. I also wanted to leave room in the middle for a trackball when I'm able to afford installing one.
As it is, the white is just the plexi's protection sheet. I plan on getting a CPO to lay down between the wood and plexi but as of right now I'm still in the design process of it. Thanks for the input, I'll try to think of ways to hide the emptiness of it with a temp CPO

Quote from: Bender on August 01, 2009, 08:56:56 pm

nice flat files and there are at least three easels in that room someone in there likes to make Art.

All that art equipment is my mother's. She's heavy into art and let me use her studio space in the backyard as my Frankenstein Lab.


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