ericleroi Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I'm so taken with Pinball FX2, I've decided to build a cabinet for it. It won't be a traditional style but will embrace the fact this is video pinball. I hope for it to be 3D compatible. I'll be starting with the controller first. I'm also posting in this forum as it will be more of an arcade machine than anything else. The basic, main design elements will be as follows: -Based off a 360 wired controller (already hacked and soldered) -Provide nudge capability -Incorporate a touchpad for menu navigation -Include a plunger Just to give an idea as to what this will look like. Rough concept: The sides and the nudge bar will be covered in black PlastiDip - a durable rubberised finish. The remainder of the case will be covered in blackboard vinyl. It has this finish: The artwork will have clear acrylic over the top The plunger will be made from a modified balltop joystick The touchpad I have bought for this project: The nudge bars will be pushed forwards to activate. Tension will be applied using secateur springs (also purchased): The mechanisms for the nudge bar and the plunger will be explained later. Hopefully my designs for these will work out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richie_jones Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Will the design not incorporate a back glass display then. What will be the shape of the cab. Monitor size? Can you play pinball fx2 in the verticle position. I'm interested in this .. Subscribed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericleroi Posted June 26, 2013 Author Share Posted June 26, 2013 No backglass display for this one Richie but I will make provision for a DMD via a small monitor. Zen say they are making the game mutiscreen compatible but that's still on the enhancements list at the moment. Still messing with the final design and going back and forth between horizontal and vertical position at the moment. Current thoughts are for vertical. I want to keep the size manageable, 3D compatible and cab-like so screen size is likely to be 27 inches. I'd love to go bigger but then I might as well make a full size table. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richie_jones Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 So fx2 has an option to rotate the display either way.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericleroi Posted June 26, 2013 Author Share Posted June 26, 2013 It does on the Steam PC version ... and the 3D, although not fully implemented, is fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richie_jones Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I have fx2 on my pc also, to be honest I find the physics a bit flunky but it's still a great sim.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitussi Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 very interesting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericleroi Posted June 27, 2013 Author Share Posted June 27, 2013 It's definitely video pinball rather than a traditional style Richie. A whole lot of fun tbh. I may add other games such as the Pro Pinball tables if it gets the Greenlight on Steam. Should be a fun build this one nitussi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richie_jones Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 It would be nice to use steams big picture mode as the opening software on startup but doubt if it can be run in the verticle plane for a pinball table, maybe on the back glass display for game selections via steam !!!!! Look forward to seeing how this pans out..good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericleroi Posted June 29, 2013 Author Share Posted June 29, 2013 Started this today. Buttons and springs have arrived. Still waiting for the touchpad ... Will post some more progress later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericleroi Posted June 29, 2013 Author Share Posted June 29, 2013 Nudge bars have been completed with a routed beveled top: Will be working on the main box section next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericleroi Posted June 29, 2013 Author Share Posted June 29, 2013 Pictures showing the position the nudge bars will be when deactivated and activated. Still need to tidy the cuts on the top panel up a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericleroi Posted June 30, 2013 Author Share Posted June 30, 2013 I though this would take a bit of engineering and it's proving to be the case. Still, I'm quite please with how it's turning out. I still need to shape and adjust things a little but it's giving me confidence that it's going to work. Progress today: Front piece cut and shaped: Frame for the spring loaded mechanism: Spring retaining hole (I'll probably make this deeper and glue a washer in it): Secateur springs in place (I had to get someone to help me with this due to the strength on them): View from the top: It's a decent fit at the moment. The nudge bars will need to be adjusted to allow a small range of movement (about 5mm). Still, it's looking good. Any expansion gaps will be filled in with expanding foam tape so it should look nicely finished when done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericleroi Posted July 2, 2013 Author Share Posted July 2, 2013 My touchpad arrived today. Looks like it's going to fit the bill perfectly. I'm not taken with the light coloured triangle in the corner so may cover the touch area in black vinyl. I tried it out to see whether it still functions and there are no issues with it. Also ordered a shooter. The Balltop joystick idea wont work out as the shaft isn't a uniform width. I need to investigate hooking the pad up to a slide potentiometer as someone else has done. I can get away with soldering but electronics isn't my strong suit. If anyone can throw in some advice, I'd really appreciate it. I only get to work on projects at the weekends unfortunately ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericleroi Posted July 6, 2013 Author Share Posted July 6, 2013 I've added a retaining plate to keep the nudge bar level and also a corner stopper. The stopper helps the nudge bar to track in the correct directions when pushed in. Now I need to do the other side .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richie_jones Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 Looks great I like this idea.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericleroi Posted July 6, 2013 Author Share Posted July 6, 2013 Thanks Richie The sides have been shaped and routed along with the back of the top panel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericleroi Posted July 7, 2013 Author Share Posted July 7, 2013 Started work on the frame. The basic shape has been cut out. Insets for the artwork and touchpad will need to be cut out. The sides will be heavily beveled to help integrate into the panel better. The buttons will be in clusters of 4 either side of the touchpad. It will be finished with black Plastidip ... eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericleroi Posted July 7, 2013 Author Share Posted July 7, 2013 Well this panel's taken most of the day to do but has turned out as well as I'd hoped: Turns out that the trackpad is exactly the same depth as the MDF. It's always great when you get a break like that. Front: Back: Close up of the beveling: And the inset for the artwork: I'll get some acrylic cut and do the artwork soon. Edit: To give an idea what this will look like in place ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connorsdad Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 After looking at your racing setup I ended up here. Did you finish this project? Another finely crafted piece Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazzardActual Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 what connorsdad said. you need to keep building cool stuff. i dig looking at your designs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericleroi Posted April 26, 2014 Author Share Posted April 26, 2014 Thanks for the interest in this. The project was put on hold waiting for plunger support for PinballFX (which hasn't happened yet unfortunately). I will be resurrecting this project anyway in the summer. It's neatly packed away at the moment ready to be progressed. Not sure I ever posted this on here but this was a desk project I completed a while back designed to fit the look of all the other projects in my games room: Excuse the mess in this one, my room always ends up chaotic during a build: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connorsdad Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 How do you get such a good paint finish on mdf? Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericleroi Posted April 26, 2014 Author Share Posted April 26, 2014 For the desk, it was quite a painstaking process which probably took about 3 weeks to complete. From recollection: Fill the rough edges in with car body filler and sand back. Seal with undercoat and sand back x2 Apply spray undercoat and sand back with a medium grit (320 or thereabouts) Apply several more coats of black spray paint and use a finer grit between coats (800). Leave the spray to dry thoroughly between coats. I didn't do anything with the final spay coat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connorsdad Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 That's a helluva lot of work, shows though Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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