23 replies to this topic

[melon]

Well, after so much time thinking about it, I've decided to make a pinball cabinet, in my case it'll be a mini pinball cabinet. So here's a drawing:

As you can see, its really small, it'll have a 18,5' 16:9 monitor for the playfield and a 14' 4:3 monitor for the backbox:

I've decided to use mdf (1cm thick) and I've screwed it, as you can see the backbox:

And you can see how it is attached to the playfield, like the real pinballs, but made of wood:

And here with the monitor, just to test how it fits:

And here is everything:

And checking that it closes correctly

And here is the backdoor, there will be a fan extracting the hot air, thats the hole you can see:

Well, that's all I've made this weekend, and I'm also finishing my cyclone , so I don't have so much time. I've made also a custom wooden lockdown bar, I'll show some pics tomorrow.

[KEG]

So far it looks great Melon. I like the folding backglass. Thank's for the pics, keep them comming.

[wtiger]

Looks very nice. Looking forward to watching this progress into it's final product.

[serpiko]

hello melon excellent work.
I am on that will be a beautiful machine.
i' am in a hurry d' in seeing the end .

here mine

Edited by serpiko, 08 December 2009 - 07:29 AM.

[melon]

Well, thanks everybody for your comments!

I have some updates.

The lockdown bar:

I have used 3mm thick MDF to make it:



I glued it, so it looks like this:



I sanded it to round the edges:



Well, more sanding and I can prime it:



That has been three coats sprayed.

I painted it with a black satin spray and it's ready:



And finally in its place:



From another angle:



Once finished the lockdown bar i primed the backbox:



And here a photo with my 8" tft mini galaga (yes, as you can see I love mini cabs)

[Shooby Doo]

That looks pretty cool! I'm interested in seeing the final product. I've been thinking about making about a 3/4 size pincab sometime over the next year.

[vic viper]

Melon, your pin-cabinet is going to be awsome. I can tell by the looks of your WIP pics.

I just wish I had the time and talent to do something like this, but I'm just too lazy these days.

Edited by vic viper, 09 December 2009 - 03:34 AM.

[Joe]

you may need more fan holes keep your pc in there from getting to hot.

Edited by Noah Fentz, 09 December 2009 - 04:01 PM.
Removed quote

[Practicedummy]

I would love to have the schematics and instructions on this when you have this pinball cabinet finished. Am seriously interested in doing this as well.

[melon]

Thanks for your comments!

you may need more fan holes keep your pc in there from getting to hot.

Well, I hope not! the monitors are small, so they won´t get so hot, and due to their small size I don't need high resoulutions, so I'm using only a 9500GT, wich is not very power hungry. And making a correct air flow, and with one fan extracting the hot air I think it's going to be enough.

I would love to have the schematics and instructions on this when you have this pinball cabinet finished. Am seriously interested in doing this as well.

Yes, of course. But the schematics are made according to my monitors. the first thing I did was debezel the monitors and measure them. With the measurements I began to design the cab so that the monitors are adjusted as much as possible to the cab.

[Drummy]

Melon your cabinet looks awesome!! I have a 23" and 19" monitor that I am going to use to do a very similar project. Your lockdown bar looks like the real thing, great job on that. I cant wait for some more pictures and your guide to come out. Very neat job. Cheers Drummy

[Drummy]

Hey melon, any news? Cheers Drummy

Edited by Drummy, 28 January 2010 - 12:39 PM.

[ClickerSnapper]

I really enjoy seeing ones getting into this!!
Long Live Pinball !!

[melon]

Well, this project has been stopped for more than one month. But now I have to reconsider my priority list and I think thid one will be the first (the tables I'm making will have to wait a little )
I painted the backbox and the back panels with a black satin spray paint.



And another shot...



Now I'm working on the fake coin door. Maybe it will be finished for the weekend, stay tuned...

[melon]

The plunger, part 1:

The idea behind this mini pinball is making a mini replica of a real one, so it will have all the things that a real one has, but scaled down. So it will have a mini lockdown bar (allready made) and a mini plunger.
I cut a piece of MDF and sand it until it gets the shape I want:



I also cut some pieces of a 3mm MDF to make the edges:



I glue it, apply woodfiller, sand and prime it. Also attach another piece of MDF so that it fits in the front of the mini pinball:



Now I cut out a hole in the front panel for the plunger (there is also the hole for the "coin door"):



The attachment system consists on some MDF screwed at the backside.



When I want to fasten the plunger system I only have to screw it from the backside:



Well, tomorrow the secret behind the "coin door"...
Hope you like it.

[faralos]

That looks pretty cool! I'm interested in seeing the final product. I've been thinking about making about a 3/4 size pincab sometime over the next year.

if you are looking ror a 3/4 pincab try a zizzle cabinet they are real commercial pins sold thru I think, the online Traget stores, I made two of them in VP8 and the info I had gotten was that they are 3/4 size of real pins so if you could find one maybe you could just use that. brand new they only run around 200$ USD so even a new one won't set ya' back too much for it

[melon]

The "coin door", part one.
The aim of the coin door will be to make something that looks like a coin door, but it will really be a mechanism that will have all the controls hidden (volume control, some auxiliar buttons, an USB port, etc). Let's see some images.
First I get a CD case. Its one of these that you push and opens, push back until you hear "click" and it is closed:



I dismounted to see the mechanism that leads into:



The mechanism dismounted to see it better



The black piece moves towards the small blach lane. It has a spring inside that makes the strength to move out. When reaches the bottom there is a small plastic piece that holds the mechanism. The way to get rid of the closure is pushing a little click and the black piece is released (sorry if you don't understand it well, my english level is not so good to explain this kind of things)
Well, I have to attach it to the cabinet, so I make a little support:



Now I srew the mechanism:



I also make a small MDF piece to hold the small plastic piece that holds the mechanism:



So, the result is this:



I guess you know what I want to achieve...
I cut more MDF pieces to get the front of the coin door attached to the mechanism:



And this is the thing I have at the moment. The coin door closed:



If I want to change the volume, or use some auxiliar control (exit the game, reset the game, or whatever wich doesn't mean play) i only have to push it until I hear 'click'...



... and it opens, showing what will be a complete auxiliar control panel:



Well, that's all for now. Now I want to rest a bit, I want to finish my Fish Tales table before I continue making this.
Hope you like it.

[Shooby Doo]

Brilliant. Very innovative yet practical. That thing's gonna be cool.

That looks pretty cool! I'm interested in seeing the final product. I've been thinking about making about a 3/4 size pincab sometime over the next year.

if you are looking ror a 3/4 pincab try a zizzle cabinet they are real commercial pins sold thru I think, the online Traget stores, I made two of them in VP8 and the info I had gotten was that they are 3/4 size of real pins so if you could find one maybe you could just use that. brand new they only run around 200$ USD so even a new one won't set ya' back too much for it

I have a zizzle and wouldn't trust putting an expensive TV in it. Maybe with modified legs to give it a wider stance, but I think it would be nicer to go ahead and spend $60 on some MDF and customize it.

[Drummy]

Hi Melon any progress? Cheers Drummy

[Rawd]

I am also very curious to see the finished project. Post any updated pictures if you have them please. Thanks again for The Addams Family... it gets played here daily.