The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls
Main => Woodworking => Topic started by: jonny5 on June 29, 2009, 07:52:35 am
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Hi guys, I'm in the process of designing my cab with a rotating CP (one side 2 player 6 buttons, the other side steering wheel).
My question is what's the best method for locking the rotation?
I've seen how 1UP did it but I'm concerned that spring detent thingys aren't positive enough and might unlatch under heavy game play. I was thinking of maybe using a solenoid of some sort but think this might be a bit over the top.
Anyone got any other ideas?
Thanks in advance.
J5
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If you're going for a solenoid, you might as well go the whole hog and make it automatically rotate!
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I'm using 3 of those spring loaded ball catches. When the CP is in the playing position, the coin door also helps keep it from rotating down. There's no reason it would rotate up, unless you are in the habit of pulling up on the joystick when you play.....
no dirty comments from the peanut gallery!!
I looked into one of those magnetic latches like you see on doors, but i couldn't figure out a way for the CP to have clearance between the sides without it slamming closed when the lock engages.
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Maybe I just got a weakly sprung ball catch but the one I used to latch my control panel hardly has any "latch" force at all.
I'm thinking a couple of those hi strength rare earth magnets might work, just haven't tried em yet.
I'm not sure even they'd hold strong enough for a rotating cp though.
Maybe the magnets or ball catches to properly line things up and then a simple surface bolt to slide into place to lock?
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I took the ball catches apart and added some washers to increase the pressure.
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Ahhh. That'd make sense.
I might just have to give that a try
Thanks!
I saw one of Ginsu's posts where he'd stretched out the spring under his EXIT button to make it harder to press accidentally. I like that idea as well...
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I can't get too specific without a better understanding of how your CP is designed but a couple of ideas come to mind:
1) Instead of the spring loaded ball type mechanism you could use a spring loaded rod that engages into a properly sized hole. (actually it doesn't even have to be spring loaded, it could be a locking bolt type mechanism you manually slide into place when the CP is in the proper position similar to the sliding bolt type latches you see in some bathroom stalls but a little beefier).
2) Another idea would be to use a mechanism similar to the way a fence gate latches closed. On each side of your control panel you would need a post and as the CP rotates the post would engage with the locking mechanism. The challenge with this is having a place to mount such a mechanism AND having clearance for your post to stick out underneath the panel as you rotate the panel.
Both ideas have the additional problem of requiring that you manually release the mechanism before you can rotate the panel.
I generally tackle a problem like this by going to my local hardware store and wandering the isles looking for inspiration.
Craig
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I saw one of Ginsu's posts where he'd stretched out the spring under his EXIT button to make it harder to press accidentally. I like that idea as well...
And I put a Sanwa switch in it, making it even harder to press.
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My idea is to make the cp along the same principal is 1up but with a 2 sided panel not 3. So the cp will be a fully enclosed box with no access to unclip anything which is why I need something that latches by itself such as the ball detents or something that latches electronically like a solenoid.
I don't really want to rely on the coin door as the support if I can help it. I'm sure there is a good soultion out there I was just wondering how other people tackled this issue.
Cheers
J5
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I went with the ball-catch approach myself too. The ones I used were obtained at Home Depot and have threaded mounts that allow you to adjust the tension. I used 3 of them on each side of my rotating assembly with custom crafted catch-plates.
Without any additional support, they can hold-up to pretty much any gameplay. I even placed a 50lb bag of concrete on the panel during the construction as a test and it didn't budge.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=52759.msg551417#msg551417 (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=52759.msg551417#msg551417)
(http://www.homedepot.ca/wcsstore/HomeDepotCanada/images/catalog/be0955c5-c809-4e4a-942d-5ee4fe82226d_4.jpg)
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I've test fitted these (http://www.magswitch.com.au/magsquares/70mm-magsquare.html) on a rotating CP prototype and, unless your the Hulk, they will never budge during gameplay
you do need a 1/4 steel plate on each side of the CP somewhere and a mechanism to turn the lever from the outside of the cab somewhere
there are also electromagnetic door latches but then you need electricity to hold it in place
(http://www.magswitch.com.au/images/products/70mm_mag_square/70mm-mag-square-1.jpg)
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Wow, that looks like it could screw up your monitor BIG TIME. ;D
How about something like a springloaded iron rod.. Like a Pinball plunger but smaller.
You pull it out, start turning and can let go of it. then it lock again in the next hole in the CP when it's turned completely.
Am I making sense?
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The problem I see with electromagnetic latches (and I would think any magnetic fixture) is that when engaged, it will pull the steel plate to itself. So the CP would have to rest against the latch while it spins, or have some sort of spring to keep it off the latch while it spins, but that would allow it to "mate" to the magnet when activated. Just like that door latches that snap the door closed when engaged. You don't want to get your finger caught in there!
Not that there isn't way to do it, :dunno , but this non-engineer doesn't see a simple solution. (strong emphasis on "non-engineer")
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those magnets have a very narrow field and they aren't anywhere near the monitor or HHD so there is no problem
also because the field is so narrow the width of a finger isn't close enough for the magnets to engage fully, so if a finger got in there you could get it out, without serious damage(this was a real concern for me)
In my design the metal plate is in the front of the cp and the magnet is inside the cab latched to the front of one other the cp's that is not in use, so no springs or anything fancy, accept that I need a way to turn that knob from the outside that may take a little bit of engineering
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Personally, magnets have always been a fascination, so anything that uses great big honkin' magnets is cool in my book :)
These little rare earth magnets I picked up from Rockler are just amazing. The power they have for being just .5 inch dia. Wow.
I'm going to have to pick up some of those 1-2 inch guys just to see what I could do with them.