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Giga's pre cocktails Q&A


gigapig

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Hello Gentlemen

 

After putting this dream off for many years I am finally going to put together a cocktail table which I've always wanted. Why a cocktail table? Well that's just a question of space and I've always loved them even though some are ugly and mine may turn out ugly going by what I have to work with.

 

I could use a kit but the standard kits look slightly to tall to fit in front of my couch and aren't the most exciting.

 

So this is what I intend to convert, It's our current table and it's a chest full of crap.

 

Here it is with the monitor I've saved for it. It's sat on a lazy susan I picked up from Ikea for £5.

 

post-2819-0-95149700-1472292122_thumb.jp  post-2819-0-13294100-1472292134_thumb.jp

 

 

Now here are my problems. 

 

I've also dreamed of a rotating screen but that would require either a different box or building another square box to hold the screen. 

 

I did a bit of reading this morning and Phulshof suggested using a 16:10 display and I can see why that may be better but it's extra cost.

 

The bigger problem is something I always struggle with and it's controls. My current CP has the guts of a 360 controller in it so I'm not familiar with Ipac etc.

 

What I want to use are the UltraStiks, has anyone got any advice on using these either coupled with and ipac or without. 

 

Do I have controls just at the ends of 2 on the side as well making that a total of 4 sticks. If I use 4 UltraStiks it's going top cost $240 (£148) or could I use 2 UltraStiks and 2 cheaper sticks for the horizontal games? I'm sure there are ways to tell mame which to use and this will be mainly for Mame, maybe some TTX and other arcade systems.

 

I think I would like to sink the glass or plexi into the top so it's flush and maybe have minimal artwork :dontknow: the head is spinning.

 

If any of you guys have finished a cocktail table then please post links or pictures and any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

Just found this which looks quite nice, I like the glowing cut out.

post-2819-0-95251500-1472293706_thumb.jp

 

Oh my I've just found these which are stunning. How do they get that finish on a tyre. 

post-2819-0-94351800-1472294272_thumb.jp

 

I did also consider a DK barrel, I can buy a new wine barrel for £120 but you are limited to a small screen.

 

Thank you.

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What I want to use are the UltraStiks, has anyone got any advice on using these either coupled with and ipac or without. 

 

Do I have controls just at the ends of 2 on the side as well making that a total of 4 sticks. If I use 4 UltraStiks it's going top cost $240 (£148) or could I use 2 UltraStiks and 2 cheaper sticks for the horizontal games? I'm sure there are ways to tell mame which to use and this will be mainly for Mame, maybe some TTX and other arcade systems.

 

 

 

the Ultra Sticks 360 can be used as a geric joystick that requries a keyboard encoder

or it can be set

as generic joysticks with 8 buttons, similar to the Xbox controllers

https://www.ultimarc.com/ultrastik_inst.html

controlpanelustik.jpg

 

 

best thing to do is to use them as your main controls (Map it directly to the emulators)

and use an ipac to control 2 cheap controllers and wire the service keys (coin P1+2 start ect) to the ipac.

 

I would use an Arduino Leo since they are less then $10 over the Ipac,  but that's just me.

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Good luck with your cocktail!

 

I'm just starting on a test control panel ahead of my upright build. I'm using mag-stick pluses on mine. Going well so far, but there have definitely been learnings I'll take away for the real-deal. Highly suggest dabbling with some spare wood first.

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the Ultra Sticks 360 can be used as a geric joystick that requries a keyboard encoder

or it can be set

as generic joysticks with 8 buttons, similar to the Xbox controllers

https://www.ultimarc.com/ultrastik_inst.html

controlpanelustik.jpg

 

 

best thing to do is to use them as your main controls (Map it directly to the emulators)

and use an ipac to control 2 cheap controllers and wire the service keys (coin P1+2 start ect) to the ipac.

 

I would use an Arduino Leo since they are less then $10 over the Ipac,  but that's just me.

Thank you Assassin, wiring the service buttons into the ipac sounds like a good idea. Deciding which are the main controls would perhaps depend on the games I play most?

Am I right in thinking that the default mame controls are the same as the ipac defaults?

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Good luck with your cocktail!

 

I'm just starting on a test control panel ahead of my upright build. I'm using mag-stick pluses on mine. Going well so far, but there have definitely been learnings I'll take away for the real-deal. Highly suggest dabbling with some spare wood first.

The Mag Stick pluses are the ones you pull out to switch between 4 & 8 way correct? They sound like a good option for the other sticks.

I think I need to order 1 Ultra Stik and test it out, I'm type of person who needs to use it to fully understand it.

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Rather than a lazy Susan, would you consider putting the chest on lockable wheels? Then you could spin the whole chest - it doesn't really help with controls unless they are wireless...

Thanks that's an interesting idea.

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Good luck with your build. I too hope to take the plunge and build myself a cabinet soon. My issue is the missus has never wanted an "ugly" arcade machine in the lounge! Like you, I am planning to put the arcade guts into an existing coffee table with an inset (smoked?) glass top so it looks like a piece of furniture so it is more acceptable for the lounge. If I can find the right table and screen and decide on a practical way to hide the control panel when not in use, I will start it.

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Good luck with your build. I too hope to take the plunge and build myself a cabinet soon. My issue is the missus has never wanted an "ugly" arcade machine in the lounge! Like you, I am planning to put the arcade guts into an existing coffee table with an inset (smoked?) glass top so it looks like a piece of furniture so it is more acceptable for the lounge. If I can find the right table and screen and decide on a practical way to hide the control panel when not in use, I will start it.

Thank you BigK and your first post, welcome to the forum.

The tables you describe usually have the controls in a draw. If it were me I would want to engineer it so the control pop and lock when the draw opens and then automatically sink back in when you push the draw closed.

The simpler easier way is just to use long cables so you can pass them around. I fact you could have a bunch of smaller control modules in the draw. 1 for a spinner, another with a trackball and a couple of buttons or just a few wireless X bone pads. Crazy ideas. :)

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This is awesome http://www.rnrassociates.com/wordpress/retro-arcade-table/

Gig i think i just found your design!

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

I was thinking along those lines for sure. What worries me about that is the smoked glass making the image darker and it's adding to the slight darkening caused by shaders. Something else to check up on.

I do have some long sheets of plexi in the garage to try.

Has anyone used anti reflective glass or coatings?

Edit: Perhaps it's not smoked glass, just toughened.

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Gig, have you seen this video.  That would be really cool.

 

An auto rotating screen!

I have JC yes, but I don't think it's going to end up in this build sadly unless I get a different box.

I really want to get cracking on it while to weather is still good.

This thread is my inspiration for the rotating screen.

http://www.hyperspin-fe.com/topic/2306-grounds-4-divorce-almost-complete/page-1

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Hi Giga,

 

Nice a Cocktail build.

 

i would not use a mag stick plus (the one you have to pull out). however the servo did very very very well the job. (imo) the pulling was feeling a bit like oooopss does it break.

 

i would also not use lexan, but plexi for the top, lexan is very very easy to saw, but scratch like hell. plexi is far more scratch free. but a pain to saw.

 

meaby you can find someone with a cnc machine, and let him/her cut out a circle. if you go for a rectangle use a circular saw. this works fine for plexi. (also lexan offcourse)

 

looking forward to you project !

 

Cheers

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Hi Giga,

Nice a Cocktail build.

i would not use a mag stick plus (the one you have to pull out). however the servo did very very very well the job. (imo) the pulling was feeling a bit like oooopss does it break.

i would also not use lexan, but plexi for the top, lexan is very very easy to saw, but scratch like hell. plexi is far more scratch free. but a pain to saw.

meaby you can find someone with a cnc machine, and let him/her cut out a circle. if you go for a rectangle use a circular saw. this works fine for plexi. (also lexan offcourse)

looking forward to you project !

Cheers

I thought lexan was the scratch resistant one?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

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