standalone control panel.

[saleem]

because my bartop made from trash is now canned as i left it on my veranda for too long,it got too wet and expanded and shrank and it ended up a mess i have now started a new project.

its a standalone control panel (made from peoples trash) i am just using the left overs from the bartop trash project and keeping myself occupied.

steady as she gos and a little bit here and there this is where i am at the mo.

heres the base:


shot of one side to give idea of slope:


the top is just roughly cut,i got to work the edges a bit to get it to where i want it,so this just gives you rough idea at the mo:


this project will be kept inside as i now realise mdf and water dont get on very well.i just go out on the veranda from time to time weather permitting to do a bit of work.

some more info for you:
will be hinged top for access to insides,will be toggle latched to keep closed.
2 magstick+ and six button each.4 other buttons,1p/2p credit and pause (whatever)

am thinking of black plastic for the top (dont know yet) instead of overlay with clear plexi.will decide when i get to it.

sorry my bartop from trash messed up,i was messing with my fixed odds terminal that much and being lazy i messed up big time,wont happen again.

thanks.

[saleem]

its been a while,still been perusing though admiring all the new projects and such.

small update.

i have covered the panel bottom with melamine,i bought it from usa cost me small fortune £78 for 2 rolls of bandit melamine rolls.
heres a view of it from side (excuse pics as its night time here in uk) you can see slight bumps on surface,its hard to avoid but,in this case the camera actualy makes it look bad as well as the artificial light in my kitchen:


a view inside:


it has rubber feet fitted 1 on each corner:


the white you see is from sanding of the edges of the melamine,no big prob,perhaps a touch up with a brush

a view of one of rear corners:

i know,it looks like white but,that is actualy light hitting the corner where its been sanded down and the light from flash.i like the melamine,i wish i could have found it in uk (lucky americans you) it cost me well over $100 £78.i would post link to it but,their site seems to be down at mo.

i did have the panel cut,shaped and even drilled the holes but,bad luck struck me,i never checked which side was top and bottom,i drilled the stick and button holes,placed the panel ontop and it had gaps round the edges,i then flipped it over and it was nice and flush and i realised i had drilled the holes from the bottom so now i got to cut a new top panel i will do that when its daytime,then update the thread,probably with better pics.

i been spending dosh like crazy,i got my jamma done bar artwork (not too bothered) i got button templates for my fbot mame cab and will do the cp and wiring and get her ticking,thats all that project needs.but,i bought a couple of table top machines.ones a pacman and the other a moon alien so they took a little bit of cash and a bit of my time.they just need a replacement glass for each then i might post pics of them.they are uk table tops,ones a taito original and the other just a generic rip off even though its still nice machine.

will update.

[saleem]

cut another cp top and drilled the button holes out with forstner bit:


made sure it was correct way round to,nice flush fit:


am thinking of way to keep the lid closed firmly,so i am tempted to use a lock i got knocking round the place:

i actualy have two locks that take the same key,i am thinking about turning this into something bigger.i am still sticking with a standalone panel,i am thinking of putting a pc and monitor in an elaborate box so i can hook the panel up to it when i want to.so the panel can be used on the standalone mame box with integrated monitor or it can be used on a pc whatever.

the cp top is a bit rough at the mo,so theres a little bit of prep work to be done,it needs a tmolding slot cutting out,i got the bit and a router so i am cool there,i even got the tmolding.the lid needs fastening and the cosmetics sorting,then i can fit the sticks and buttons,still got 2x magstick +'s and the buttons aquired from the bartop i trashed!

[Franco B]

Lookng good Saleem.

Any reason you didn't get some laminate from a company over here? You could also have covered it in 3mm acyrlic for muuuuch cheaper. 12mm MDF and 3mm acrylic work together nicely with 5/8" t-moulding.

[evitagen]

I agree with Franco B... Either plexi or laminate would make it look great and be very durable for the top piece.  Also wouldn't be too hard to cut out with a router.

Love the box though... nice and portable!

[saleem]

basicly everywhere i seemed to look you couldnt just give paypal or card payment and have it shipped to you,basicly what i call easy buying.i got the impression you needed to ring them etc etc.

for all the messing i just went with that route,would have been nice to pay less but,i took the dive.i am happy with its progress although i rechecked the measurements today and i am like 2mm or so higher on one side (it looked like the top was slightly slanting) so when the shops open in new year i got a couple of mm to sand down on one side of the box (no big deal realy)

yes,the top is scraggy but,me i am absolutley useless with all this graphic designing unlike some,so i will have to consult someone and get them to knock me something together or get someone to do me an oversize print to cover the messy top,yes i agree plexi ontop of artwork will look nice.

plus i am gonna have a go at a bartop without cp and this can be hooked to it when needed,i think i will call it MAMEBOX.just a pc and 15" monitor.

if anyone can point me to a good laminate,melamine supplier here in uk,where i can just simply buy from the site no messing i am all ears and thanks in advance.

[saleem]

i electric planed and sanded the box so it is now same size all way round,in process i damaged the existing melamine in places,so i have now replaced the melamine where it was needed.i had filled the cp top with woodfiller and i had no sand paper so i had to wait till monday (today) to go buy sand paper and sand the top down,it looks a lot better now but,i am thinking about either more filler and sanding or perhaps a few coats of paint to fill the grain a bit more?

i also cut the t-molding slot,1/16 bit.



so i just need to do some cleaning up to get dust off it and do some painting on inside to tidy up where i had to do bit of filling,a method to open and close the top and a way to keep it shut,i got the sticks and buttons already,i will try not to recess on the rear of panel for the sticks but,if i have to i will as i have magsticks,hoping i wont have to realy.i will have to make a template if i do recess (never done one before) but,always a first time.

[saleem]

bit more progress.

covered cp top with melamine,when i put it on i saw small bump in it,so i ironed it,lifted it and found a small shard of wood,removed,ironed the melamine down again,all good.applied the tmolding,i had to use hot glue in places but,i am happy its about 90% there,not perfect but,very acceptable but,it will get used (i hope) and therfore will wear so i can live with it (like a lot)

fitted all buttons and the 2 magstick+:


man,i just dont have a top big enough to hold it,funny i always seem to take my pics at night time also.

all thats left to do is:
clean inside.
touch up paint inside.
fix the lid to bottom with piano hinge (got it coming hope it fits good and looks good)
might use magnets on the front inside to hold the front down to stop it opening.
wire the sticks and buttons up and drill hole for usb lead to come out the rear.

will hopefully finish most of the work this week.i just dont have the encoder yet,i got minipac but,thats for another project (fbot mame) i might buy a ipac 2 or 4 when i have cash.