|
Splizwarf posted:Rotten Red Rod, IIRC a lot of cabinets actually have a 1/4 inch thick piece of plexiglass or similar acrylic screwed onto the whole face that the buttons etc are on. It's intended to be an easily-replaced ablative armor for the most-touched/scuffed area. Also, don't forget a good meaty kickplate! Hmm, that sounds pretty good. I'll try out the contact paper first, but if it just doesn't work out I'll get that. After I'm finished with this, I'll type up a list of everything I did wrong - I made a lot of basic woodworking/painting newbie mistakes, all of which I'll use to learn for my next projects, whatever they might be. I'm already thinking about how I'd build another arcade cabinet - first thing I'd do is go with 3/4 inch MDF, that's for sure. I probably will tackle that project at some point, like 6-12 months down the road.
|
#
?
Feb 17, 2014 17:57
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 31, 2024 20:11 |
|
|
Also the clear plastic shows pizza a grease a lot better, which is pretty important for authenticity, imho.
|
|
#
?
Feb 17, 2014 18:05
|
|
|
aaaaand it's finished.     Will let it run for a week or two and deliver it on March 8.
|
|
#
?
Feb 17, 2014 23:05
|
|
|
Hypnolobster posted:Rehandling tools is a fairly significant part of tool maintenance at my job and you certainly did the thing properly. Boiled linseed is a pretty good way to go for a handle finish as well, and if you leave a thin coat on steel, it'll actually dry into a rust resistant finish. Thanks! Glad to hear validation that I did it right...this was my first restoration/rehandling and I was pretty nervous I would screw it up. I was extremely paranoid about seating the head deep enough. I probably knocked the head off six times so I could sand the handle down to a better fit. I'm still a little nervous about the axe head flying off the handle. Which is totally irrational, the wedge is extremely well seated. I think it'll take some first-hand use before I begin to trust it  I didn't know know you could leave oil on the steel, although it makes sense. Thanks for the tip! Do you know if Tung oil will work, or just boiled linseed? Either way I have some BLO, so I'll try that on my next restoration. Awesome video, wish I would have seen that before this project! polyfractal fucked around with this message at 14:52 on Feb 18, 2014 |
|
#
?
Feb 18, 2014 14:32
|
|
|
Bad Munki posted:Also the clear plastic shows pizza a grease a lot better, which is pretty important for authenticity, imho. True that. Just finished painting it - I am Not Good at painting. I'm comparing my paint job to something a blind monkey would do. Also I don't think high gloss paint was the right choice.  You can see a lot of bleed over where the painter's tape was. I should have put the paint on a lot thinner and done more coats instead of trying to cover it all the first time.  Thankfully I don't care, I'm just excited to get it working.. This is my first big project and I can't wait to see it working. I'll be putting in the monitor and hooking it up tonight!
|
|
#
?
Feb 18, 2014 17:47
|
|
|
If you decide to repaint to remove the bleed, a good trick is to put the tape on then paint again with the base colour. This fills all the gaps where the paint would bleed. Then paint again with the real colour. Great job regardless.  Cabinets always look so cool.
|
|
#
?
Feb 18, 2014 17:56
|
|
|
BUGS OF SPRING posted:If you decide to repaint to remove the bleed, a good trick is to put the tape on then paint again with the base colour. This fills all the gaps where the paint would bleed. Then paint again with the real colour. Holy poo poo how have I never realized this for my own projects?!
|
|
#
?
Feb 18, 2014 21:09
|
|
|
BUGS OF SPRING posted:If you decide to repaint to remove the bleed, a good trick is to put the tape on then paint again with the base colour. This fills all the gaps where the paint would bleed. Then paint again with the real colour. Also if anyone doesn't know ( I didn't ) if you remove the tape when the paint is still tacky, not really wet and not dry it is easier to remove, won't pull paint that overlaps the tape off, and if you catch it in time a small run or drip that makes it under can sometimes be wiped off. I learned this the hard way after painting my living room and leaving the tape on for a few days and a few coats.
|
|
#
?
Feb 18, 2014 23:57
|
|
|
kenny powerzzz posted:I learned this the hard way after painting my living room and leaving the tape on for a few days and a few coats. Ouch! How far was the tearing?
|
|
#
?
Feb 19, 2014 04:16
|
|
|
I vastly underestimated how long wiring would take... I made a big mistake by not making the control box removable or easily accessible. But I'm getting it done. Here's the finished top - the contact paper worked pretty well, and I can always replace it later:  Just the grounding wire is in at this point - going to tackle the rest tonight.  One HUGE mistake I made was putting the left joystick too close to the side of the cabinet. I had to sand away at the supporting board with a dremel and bend one of the joystick's prongs in, but I just barely got it to fit. One more thing learned.  One issue that I'm running into is that I'm not sure how to properly secure the push-on connectors. They look like this:  Try as I might, I can't get the stripped wires to stay in securely, especially when there's two. I tried putting electrical tape around them, but it doesn't seem to help a lot. Any tips? Also, a bigger problem is that the prongs on the joysticks are bigger than the ones on the buttons, so the push-on connectors that came with the kit don't work at all on those. I've just been jamming the bare wires into the hole on the prongs, but that doesn't feel like it will really hold up over time. You can tell I'm really new at this stuff. God help me if I needed a soldering iron. Rotten Red Rod fucked around with this message at 17:42 on Feb 19, 2014 |
|
#
?
Feb 19, 2014 17:36
|
|
|
Rotten Red Rod posted:Try as I might, I can't get the stripped wires to stay in securely, especially when there's two. I tried putting electrical tape around them, but it doesn't seem to help a lot. Any tips? Just to ask the two obvious questions: you're crimping those, right? And you're using the correct wire gauge for the connector in question?
|
|
#
?
Feb 19, 2014 17:40
|
|
|
If you have the wrong gauge wire and crimping alone isn't working, you could probably solder it in there pretty well.
|
|
#
?
Feb 19, 2014 17:44
|
|
|
Bad Munki posted:Just to ask the two obvious questions: you're crimping those, right? And you're using the correct wire gauge for the connector in question? I have never done any wiring before ever, so no, I guess I'm not crimping them. Time to redo it! I assume they're the right gauge, I ordered the wiring kit from Ultimarc along with the buttons/joysticks - it contained a huge bundle of wires, a wire cutting/stripping tool, and a buttload of push-on connectors. The joystick connectors having larger prongs is a bigger problem though. Maybe I should pop by Home Depot and see if they have larger connectors/crimps...
|
|
#
?
Feb 19, 2014 17:46
|
|
|
There ya go, those have to be crimped.
|
|
#
?
Feb 19, 2014 17:46
|
|
|
Rotten Red Rod posted:I have never done any wiring before ever, so no, I guess I'm not crimping them. Time to redo it! Look for a crimping tool as well, it should be right next to where they have the connectors. You can use pliers but a crimping tool will do it better.
|
|
#
?
Feb 19, 2014 18:02
|
|
|
SpartanIV posted:Look for a crimping tool as well, it should be right next to where they have the connectors. You can use pliers but a crimping tool will do it better. The wiring kit came with a crimping tool, so I'm good there.
|
|
#
?
Feb 19, 2014 18:08
|
|
|
Hahaha. You should probably use that. 
|
|
#
?
Feb 19, 2014 18:13
|
|
|
I gotta admire Rotten Red Rod's willingness to charge forward. I'd be paralyzed with indecision and confusion before I even ordered the wire.
|
|
#
?
Feb 19, 2014 18:16
|
|
|
Oh definitely, nothing wrong at all with being willing to just dive in head first. And it's looking great so far. I just have this image of opening the box, getting all these parts and laying them out on the table, the crimpers neatly arranged next to the connectors. "What are these for?" *throws crimpers out the window* 
|
|
#
?
Feb 19, 2014 18:17
|
|
|
It's something I need to work on with my own projects I think, more doing and less thinking, especially when the risk of financial loss is small.
|
|
#
?
Feb 19, 2014 18:18
|
|
|
Bad Munki posted:Hahaha. You should probably use that. I didn't know it WAS a crimping tool until now, I just thought of it as the stripping tool. Again, never done wiring before ever. FISHMANPET posted:I gotta admire Rotten Red Rod's willingness to charge forward. I'd be paralyzed with indecision and confusion before I even ordered the wire. The site I ordered the joystick and buttons from had a pre-assembled wiring key that contained all that. I wouldn't have known what to order without that. :P FISHMANPET posted:It's something I need to work on with my own projects I think, more doing and less thinking, especially when the risk of financial loss is small. Yeah like I've said before I'm thinking of this as my practice project. On my future projects I'll take my time more, but I'm really itching to get this one working even if it looks a little rough.
|
|
#
?
Feb 19, 2014 18:42
|
|
|
Rotten Red Rod posted:I didn't know it WAS a crimping tool until now, I just thought of it as the stripping tool. Again, never done wiring before ever. Just to be clear, I'm not trying to give you a hard time, I'm actually kind of jealous that you're doing this, but I have absolutely nowhere to put such a thing. But I do enjoy how the learning process plays out sometimes.
|
|
#
?
Feb 19, 2014 18:46
|
|
|
Bad Munki posted:Just to be clear, I'm not trying to give you a hard time, I'm actually kind of jealous that you're doing this, but I have absolutely nowhere to put such a thing. Oh don't worry, I have way thicker skin than that. I'm laughing at myself here mostly. Edit:  If I burn my house down I just want you all to know: it was your fault. Rotten Red Rod fucked around with this message at 22:58 on Feb 19, 2014 |
|
#
?
Feb 19, 2014 19:42
|
|
|
polyfractal posted:Thanks! Glad to hear validation that I did it right...this was my first restoration/rehandling and I was pretty nervous I would screw it up. I was extremely paranoid about seating the head deep enough. I probably knocked the head off six times so I could sand the handle down to a better fit. I'm still a little nervous about the axe head flying off the handle. Which is totally irrational, the wedge is extremely well seated. I think it'll take some first-hand use before I begin to trust it Yep, the majority of tung oil (almost all modern stuff is actually a blend of tung oil and something else that dries well) will dry on steel at least a little bit. It's not a terribly durable finish, but it definitely helps. I've seen somebody post about a lanolin/mineral spirits mix that's heated and wiped on steel and it dries to an actual finish. Keep meaning to investigate further and try it out.
|
|
#
?
Feb 20, 2014 01:49
|
|
|
Blistex posted:Ouch! How far was the tearing? It was bad. Even worse was the tape lifting because again it was left on for too long and paint seeping under it into the original 100+ year old wood trim. We just scraped and scrubbed that off and used a small brush to repaint the jagged edges. It turned out ok but if you look close you can see the touch up layer is thinner than the original coats. The good news is that was the worst room. We did 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, a dining room, a kitchen, a mud room and the hallways and we became pretty good. Next time will be much easier, and we're about due for it.
|
|
#
?
Feb 20, 2014 05:27
|
|
|
Uhh, I feel your pain. I did something similar to the ceiling in one of my rooms and tore off a strip of ceiling paint 3" long. Now what I do whenever painting, is as soon as I finish the first coat, it's usually time to go over with a second. As soon as the second is done I take the tape off. That way it hasn't been on longer than an hour, and doesn't tear. Means more taping, but I've gotten to the point where I can tape a 10x15' room with two doors, two windows, 1/4 round trim along the floor, and crown moulding in under an hour. My favourite thing I ever had to tape was a set of sliding glass paned doors. I think it took about 60 individual pieces of tape to do each side.
|
|
#
?
Feb 20, 2014 05:34
|
|
|
IT'S DONE! Still a few minor things left to do, but it's working! I didn't even need the soldering iron. I'll keep it around in case I ever need it though. Check out my wonderful (awful) wiring work...  Whew. So gratifying.
|
|
#
?
Feb 20, 2014 06:29
|
|
|
Just over two weeks, nice job.
|
|
#
?
Feb 20, 2014 06:49
|
|
|
Rotten Red Rod posted:IT'S DONE! I envy you for this. My last attempt to do anything like this was about four years ago and it didn't work out so well. It was the first time I tried to make anything bigger than a circuit board. 
UberVexer fucked around with this message at 11:56 on Feb 20, 2014 |
|
#
?
Feb 20, 2014 11:44
|
|
|
UberVexer posted:I envy you for this. My last attempt to do anything like this was about four years ago and it didn't work out so well. Were you trying to build a pinball machine or something? That looks HUGE. On that note, here's some things I learned for anyone else who wants to build one of these, so you don't make the same newbie mistakes I did: - Don't go with 1/2 inch boards. I'm not exactly sure why I did - I think I figured it would be easier to work with. It's not, you'll have a lot of trouble attaching boards together. Go with 3/4 inch. - Next time I'd go with MDF. I prefer particle board over plywood still, because I don't like how plywood tends to splinter when I cut it, but that could just be my inexperience. - BUILD YOUR CONTROL BOX FIRST. And make it removable (or at least very easily accessible). Wiring was a huge pain, and one of my joysticks barely fits - I was really lucky I didn't have to do more than dremel down a support board. - Plan plan plan. Design design design. I had a really strong design I made in google sketchup that I more or less stuck to, and it really helped. - Keep it small and simple if it's your first time. I'm glad I didn't go for perfection, or I'd be driving myself nuts - and I'm glad I decided not to go with t-molding at this point. And I'm glad I built it really small, so that it can fit in my house and move around easily (although I had to put 50 lbs of weight in the bottom to keep it from tipping over). - Don't suck at painting. I do (suck at painting). I should have done more coats and spread them thinner, instead of globbing it on. I bought wayyyyy too much paint so it looks like I have some to practice with! I'd maybe even consider building just a bartop cabinet for your first one - essentially the only major piece would be the control box. I really, really wanted a standup one though.
|
|
#
?
Feb 20, 2014 17:56
|
|
|
Rotten Red Rod posted:because I don't like how plywood tends to splinter when I cut it, but that could just be my inexperience. Likely your saw blade isn't sharp enough.
|
|
#
?
Feb 20, 2014 19:07
|
|
|
So I have been reading this thread and anxiously waiting for a break in the weather to start and post my projects. I own carnival games and aside from the usual paint everything and fix the busted stuff we booked a spring route with one of the nicest ride companies in the country and are trying to knock their socks off with our equipment. I've had some ideas for some projects bouncing around for years and now is the time. Weather permitting of course. I got some materials delivered and can't help but share. The first is stick on disco mirror sheets I'm going to attach to the pole that divides the game trailers in half. The second is a vinyl red diamond plate pattern flooring I'm going to redo the counters with. The third is a 400 watt fixture I'm going to try out. I have other things in mind but for now this is where I'm at.   
|
|
#
?
Feb 20, 2014 21:55
|
|
|
Sudden Infant Def Syndrome posted:Likely your saw blade isn't sharp enough. Hypnolobster posted:Yep, the majority of tung oil (almost all modern stuff is actually a blend of tung oil and something else that dries well) will dry on steel at least a little bit. It's not a terribly durable finish, but it definitely helps. Question for you, since you said you rehang axes/tools often: I spent a bit of time putting the axe through it's paces this morning, and I'm a bit worried. The axe head is still very firm...definitely doesn't feel loose. But at the same time, the head has moved up the handle noticeably, maybe 5mm from the little "shelf" that it was previously sitting on.  Does this mean I didn't wedge it tight enough? Should I pull it apart and re-wedge? Or is this fairly normal for newly hung tools and not a problem as long as it doesn't get loose?
|
|
#
?
Feb 22, 2014 21:35
|
|
|
Chandler?  :iamafag:
|
|
#
?
Feb 22, 2014 23:11
|
|
It's burgin' time! 
|
Crossposting from woodworking, not sure if there is much overlap between this thread and that one. Last fall I started researching levels and settled on building a plumb level as illustrated in Peter Nicholson's The Mechanics Companion, 1831.  My version replaces the string with a brass rod, attached to a wood axle press fit into a roller bearing, allowing free swing. The plumb bob and axle are turned from ebony on a 1958 Craftsman lathe. The frame is cherry, the white strip is American holly harvested from my backyard. There is no advantage to the rod and bearing, I did it simply to modernize the design and be different. I would show a picture of the bearing but after pressing in the axle I couldn't remove it. The brass rod is actually canted back toward the frame and the plumb bob is flat on the back. On a level surface the pointer will be centered on the white strip. Gravity will push the pointer toward the low side. Cherry, ebony, holly; finish is beeswax and oil.   More about it here and a picture of version 2: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?action=showpost&postid=426077160 edit; sorry about the ginormous pics, fixed. wormil fucked around with this message at 15:04 on Feb 23, 2014 |
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2014 04:04
|
|
|
You should cut your nails or at least take a long hard run on asphalt.
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2014 09:53
|
|
|
Yeah she hates me messing with her feet so cutting her nails sometimes gets put off. More shop dog...
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2014 18:05
|
|
|
polyfractal posted:A zero-clearance insert for your table saw helps with splintering too. This happens occasionally. If you didn't deepen the slot that the wedge goes into, that can definitely be an issue since it's not wedged tight enough, or wide enough. The slot should be about the same depth as the wood wedge. If you took too much off the top when you were shaving down to get the head to fit, that can cause problems (pull it apart, shave it down so the head sits even lower and leave as much meat at the top as possible). Sometimes everything is perfect and they still slip a little, in which case you can try a metal wedge or two hammered in. That's a pretty good semi-temporary measure if it's just lifting a little bit. Hammer in one or two wedges on the side of your wooden wedge. If you do end up taking the head off, the easiest way is to carefully drill some holes into the wood wedge, and hammer the head off with a plastic deadblow mallet. Still not easy, but doable.
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2014 20:33
|
|
|
Hypnolobster posted:This happens occasionally. Interesting, thanks for the advice. I did deepen the slot, but it's possible I didn't go far enough. I was a bit nervous about deepening too much. I didn't sand any off the top of the handle, just at the base where it starts to bulge. How semi-temporary are the metal wedges? I don't expect the axe to be getting a ton of action, but if the metal wedge just extends its life by a few more swings than I'll just re-wedge it. Thanks for the help!
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2014 05:15
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 31, 2024 20:11 |
|
|
The metal wedges can not-work, but in general they help a lot and can make the hang last forever.
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2014 10:13
|
|