Watchmen Pinball - 40/27/DMD - Standard Body

[mikekim]

Update

first off some photos from last weeks work, on the flipper button installation, and lockdown bar.

side (marked an arc of possible button placement, and just picked the most comfortable position.)

back - notice i had to cut down the fixing bracket as the button stems where shorter than normal.

still have to work out how I'm going to light these later

lockdown bar cutaway shot. (will probably tidy the cut later on after painting the cab)

this weeks instalment...

only a couple of hours available working on the physical cab this week, so started to cut the hole for the subwoofer in the bottom panel.

cut the 180mm hole with a router and 3mm cutting bit (measured out 9mm on a router adjustment guide pole with was attached to the center of the hole and routed round the circle.) will be looking to use the same method on the 200mm fan holes in the back of the cab.

with fan grill test fit (to protect subwoofer cone from stray fingers)

started the cutout for the connections to the back box. as i'm looking to have a removable back box i've got connections on the top of the cab body for easy connectivity. these will be all routed flush with the top of the unit when finished.

HDMI and power for tv

speaker connections

usb for DMD

5x molex connectors for flashers

spent most of my available time this week setting up the water cooled pc.

started off with a base that has 45 degree bevelled edges, that will fit in the base of the cab

added motherboard tray and slotted trunking. sprayed the tray and top of the base black, sprayed the underside white.

pc tray installed with pipework (notice the sample yellow tube of coolant to the side)

underside shots showing triple radiator and fans, also pipe route through base tray

side shot of rig, showing approximate position of pump/reservoir in relation to motherboard tray.

over the following week will be filling the unit and test running for 24 hours to remove all the air out of the system, before finishing the pc build and test running, before installing into cab.

[monkeychunkuk]

Wow your machine is turning into a very complex piece of kit! water cooled and subwoofers i cant wait untill its finished!

[Aurich]

Question: When you're using a spade bit to do the button countersinking are you just doing it by eye? Or are you marking the bit somehow or controlling the depth in some way? I've always wondered about that.

Looking good! I'm about ready to pick up my plywood to start my build, so loving watching other people's progress, and most importantly your raw build shots, they're super useful when it comes to picturing things.

[mikekim]

Question: When you're using a spade bit to do the button countersinking are you just doing it by eye? Or are you marking the bit somehow or controlling the depth in some way? I've always wondered about that.

Looking good! I'm about ready to pick up my plywood to start my build, so loving watching other people's progress, and most importantly your raw build shots, they're super useful when it comes to picturing things.

Aurich,

I'm countersinking by eye - just start drilling with the larger bit, measure the depth drilled and keep going until you reach the required depth, the finish the hole with the smaller bit.

quite simple when you get the hang of it, try it out first on a scrap pice of wood.

i'm also using forstner bits rather than spade bits for the holes, the pilot hole is smaller than a spade, so easier to line up the second bit, for finishing the hole

[monkeychunkuk]

forstner bits are great they are good at depth work and also at controled angle drilling, a little tip i use most days in my job when im drilling measure the depth you want to go and then mark your drill bit with a bit of insulation tape or a marker pen

[Aurich]

forstner bits are great they are good at depth work and also at controled angle drilling, a little tip i use most days in my job when im drilling measure the depth you want to go and then mark your drill bit with a bit of insulation tape or a marker pen

Yeah, that's what I was thinking, seems like the best way to get a roughly consistent result. Good point about the pilot hole on the forstner bits mikekim, thanks. I usually use a hole saw because I like to mount buttons in metal panels, but they're a PITA for wood, have to dig the plug out after every hole.

[monkeychunkuk]

We have hole cutters in our stores that have a spring along the pilot bit so it pops out the plug after you drilled

[richie_jones]

Quality work mike....keep the pics coming...

I plan on a pinball cab next myself, probably with a 32inch playfield, your threads giving me loads of ideas..

[mikekim]

cabinet update

spent a couple of hours today cutting out and installing the 2x 200m rear fans.

This is by far the largest woodworking project I have ever undertaken, so essentially its all trial and error, and extremely slow progress.

I never even owned a router prior to this project, let alone used one.

router setup to cut the holes - note the centre screw, which the router rotates around

two holes cut

test fit of grill and fan

installed on rear of cab - notice hole at the base of the rear for water cooling reservoir. Also notice the piece of non plywood below the hinges - thats what happens when you cut the ply too short for the base rear of the cab and can't open the rear door, due to the leg brackets

PC update

filled the pc with Mayhems Sunburst yellow coolant last night. I chose yellow coolant because it matched the Watchmen theme for the cab, and will look good on the inside when its all painted black.

for anyone looking to do this you will need to short out the green and any black on the psu connector, with a paperclip, or piece of solid core wire.

This will enable you to run the power supply to power the water cooling pump, without the motherboard, or any other pc components powered, so you can get all the air bubbles out of the system before running the pc properly.

if you don't do this then your CPU and/or GFX card would probably overheat and die before all the excess air was out of the system.

ran for a couple of hours to remove all the air bubbles and to make sure there were no leaks. the cap is off the reservoir to allow any excess air out of the system.

once the air is all out then you can fill the reservoir up to the maximum, and screw on the cap.

close up of graphics card water block - these are notorious for air bubbles, so its better to purchase a clear one, so you can easily check that all the bubbles are through.

rear shot showing reservoir that will be fitted into the rear hole below the fans, flush with the rear of the cab

[Aurich]

Yellow watercooling fluid is serious dedication to the theme.

[slydog43]

are you going to remove the case on the TV in order to fit in the cabinet?

[mikekim]

are you going to remove the case on the TV in order to fit in the cabinet?

The 40" screen has been de cased ( its only a thin plastic bezel, held on by 14 screws)

Sent from my mind, using the psychic friends network..

[monkeychunkuk]

Hey Mike When do you think it will be finished ???

[mikekim]

Hey Mike When do you think it will be finished ???

A good couple of months, I guess.

No rush, as building it, is half the fun..

Sent from my mind, using the psychic friends network..

[monkeychunkuk]

Cant wait to see it finished ! i think your new project should be a full size cabinet would be great to see what theme you come up with

[mikekim]

Cant wait to see it finished ! i think your new project should be a full size cabinet would be great to see what theme you come up with

I might do a fullsize cab at some point in the future.

The tron theme would have been nice, but I gave that one to Richie.

Sent from my mind, using the psychic friends network..

[monkeychunkuk]

Yer you need to go bigger! Btw the tron theme is amazing

[richie_jones]

Cooled with custard...I like it...

Tron artwork going on sometime next week mike,,will keep you posted...

[mikekim]

Update

finally got around to finishing the wiring on the motherboard tray. managed to hide most of the cabling in slotted trunking.

best of all.. it still works!!

[monkeychunkuk]

Freaking awesome

Just out interest what would everything you see in the picture cost?

[mikekim]

Freaking awesome

Just out interest what would everything you see in the picture cost?

price is around the £2,200 mark (including all the water cooling fixtures and fittings)

[monkeychunkuk]

Wow! Thats insane,good on ya

[rotoforever]

Great job hiding those wires, looking great!

[JogZter]

Hey there, really nice setup you got going there...Impressive cable work - everything neat and in its proper place. Congrats.

If I my ask, I was wondering where you got the motherboard tray? It is virtually impossible to get in Germany if I am not mistaken. Any kind of help would be greatly appreciated. Would not want to mount my pc stuff on plain wood...

Thanks a bunch

[mikekim]

Hey there, really nice setup you got going there...Impressive cable work - everything neat and in its proper place. Congrats.

If I my ask, I was wondering where you got the motherboard tray? It is virtually impossible to get in Germany if I am not mistaken. Any kind of help would be greatly appreciated. Would not want to mount my pc stuff on plain wood...

Thanks a bunch

thanks for the comments on the cabling JogZter. here is the link for the motherboard tray any other bits you can find linked on the first post of this thread