Digital Pinball

[ChrisH]

I'm about to do another one of these, hopefully learning from the mistakes of my first one (The little machine at he PP 2014 for those that remember)
I know it's not real pinball
But wondered if there was any interest in a little thread of how one of these its put together by a woodworking amateur with no tools!

So if there is I'll keep this updated as I go, but here's a pic to start with (most) of the bits that will go into the machine, with some of the MDF cut, and some of it still as foam board templates


(As soon as I have the space a proper machine is incoming, but that's a few months away yet!)

I'm still looking for a set of legs (all the same length, rather than 2 shorter fronts and 2 longer rears) to go into this project by the way.

 

[ChrisH]

 

[BigIan]

Very interested in this.

I've basically all the bits I need now myself for a full size one, will hopefully get a start on it by the end of the year. Have to empty a spare bedroom of a load of crap and then get started.

 

[cooldan]

I'm always interested to see people build things or restore things or generally show skill and initiative.

 

[Cmor111]

I'd be up for seeing how to make a Vpin. I know a few don't like them but I like the idea of having one, mainly because I don't have the room and money to have loads of pins so giving up 1 pin space for an indefinite number of pins sounds good to me. Even if they don't play exactly like a real pin.

Best of luck with the project Chris

 

[ChrisH]

Glad that people find it interesting
Although @cooldan, I'm afraid the skill level here will be 'beginner wood worker with limited space and tools' rather than the guys you see on other forums who have table saws, routers and serious talent and can do amazing things

More pics coming shortly

 

[ChrisH]

Ok some more pics
Not pictured at all is the very initial phase - I deceased the screens and then mocked up the whole thing in foam board, using the designs for a Williams standard body machine, scaled down.
(and when that didn't quite fit my screens it got tweaked slightly)
I mocked the machine up in foam board, and then cut the main pieces out of 15mm MDF
I used actual wood rather then MDF for the batons and cross-bracing
Where MDF is joining MDF I've used pilot holes, screws and also glue.

 

[ChrisH]

Few more - backbox complete

 

[ChrisH]

 

[ChrisH]

Last one, a question here - I can't quite figure how to hinge this.
It *should* be possible to do the same as on a real machine, but I can't get my head around how to cut the piece and where to pivot it.....

 

[BigIan]

Just do it like a real machine ?

side of main box to bottom of backbox
with something like these

 

[ChrisH]

I don't suppose anyone has one of those they want to sell - condition not important and even one would be OK!

I'd buy them from PH, but I suspect I need to make something based on these, rather than just using them as is - taking into account the smaller scale of the machine

 

[ChrisH]

Would someone with 5 minutes to spare be able to measure the length and width of a hinge and the distance on the 'short' side from the bottom to the point the angle starts.
(I'm trying to get that angle correct, but I can't seem to manage it!)
I'd just buy a pair, but I think they'll be too large

Cheers if anyone can - much appreciated!

 

[Beeper]

Hi mate, I'll do this for you first thing in the morning if no one beats me to it.

 

[Cmor111]

Chris,

How about using a piano hinge to drop the top box? Just thinking if your trying to reproduce a copy of a real pin just on a smaller scale what are you going to use for the legs?

I understand the benefits of the top box folding down but does it need to have the same hinge as a real pin for a smaller size? If your building a full size vpin then using a real cabinet or making your own with the right metalwork is understandable.

Just my thoughts of what I'd do for a mini pin and a full size pin. I look forward to seeing how you progress.

 

[JT.]

If you place a wanted ad on here @ChrisH , pointing people to this thread as well, then someone will probably have a couple available and send you them for nothing. The only issue might be that they might look oversized on your cabinet. The full size ones are 250mm on the long edge and 120mm on the shorter edge, like the pic below. Maybe 3-4 mm thick steel, it's hard to measure for sure 'cos it's too dark. Good luck with it, it's looking good so far

 

[ChrisH]

Cheers guys
@JT. - that is exactly what I needed I'll see if I can get it scaled down slightly from that to work for my machine
@Cmor111 - Legswise - I'm sticking regular full-size legs on seeing how it looks (I'll bolt them in closer to the bottom than you would do for a full-size, to account for the height difference)
But I'll look at piano hinges too, thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Cmor111]

Chris, first thoughts where that your building a table top version as seen on ebay.

What kit are you using to build it with ,monitor sizes and pc kit? Just for those of us that want to follow in your footsteps.

Just it's one of my long term plans to build a Vpin in the future but I'm more thinking of a full size one at the moment. Only thing is I know that there is work going on with something to make them look more 3d.

 

[ChrisH]

Its built around
A 24" 16:10 playfield monitor (Dell Ultrasharp 2407) - De-cased
A 19" 4:3 backglass monitor (Dell Ultrasharp 1905) - De-cased
7" 'DMD' monitor (The one for about £20 on eBay I forget the brand)

As a full size VPin is generally built around a 42-46" playfield, mine is probably a 1/2 size machine.

PC wise - this stuff is the 'bits from my drawer / liberated from the scrap at work' part of the project
3Ghz i3 3300
8Gb RAM
120GB SSD
GeForce GTX 580 (I may swap this for a 750Ti or 960 at some point for the lower power draw and reduction in heat)
600W Silverstone PSU
3x 120mm Fans
2.0 Logitech speakers - de-cased and installed in the backbox (I was going to put a subwoofer in the cabinet, but there wasn't really enough room)

 

[node]

How are the viewing angles on the playfield monitor? A quick Google shows it's a VA panel so should be much better than TN.

I've got a TN screen I use in portrait mode for pinball and you have to sit in just the right spot for the colours to now wash out.

 

[ChrisH]

Yes it is indeed a PVA screen
I had a very quick test game on it when I picked it up (£40 off eBay) and it looked very nice colour wise
I've not actually fired it up in its final resting place in the machine yet though.

 

[ChrisH]

Oh and a component I forgot - a Microsoft Sidewinder joypad - gameport to usb based (removed from its case and with all the unrequired bits gone)
This will be mounted at the front of the chassis and will (hopefully) be used as an accelerometer - this is how the machine will handle physical nudging inputs (and tilt detection)

 

[ChrisH]

Few more pics - work on the 'DMD'/Speaker panel and 'lockdown bar', painted back

box, rear of the backbox with the speakers wired up and the current state of the project

 

[ChrisH]

 

[ChrisH]

 

[ChrisH]

 

[ChrisH]

 

[ChrisH]

More pics
Primed cabinent, painted cabinet and then test fitting the playfield and then the 'lockdown bar'
Lastly the current state of the machine, I'm starting to do the inside now - PC is in, I need to shorten some wires to the power supply to get some more space though!
Still a bit left to do, but I should be able to have a game on it by the weekend I reckon.

 

[Cmor111]

Looking good!

 

[ChrisH]

Well I've had a game or two

Still rough and ready
- No lighting from the front buttons and only one speaker working (Both issues stem from the fact I can't find my solder and will have to buy more)
- Not sure my 'lockdown bar' is going to put up with much nudging, may have to get one made out of metal.
- Only 2 screens are working as the GTX 5XX series only support 2 screens at a time.... (and as soon as I read that I remembered the fact I KNEW that!)
So the 580 is going back on Ebay and I have a GTX660 inbound, which does support 3 screens.
- Running hot as the fans arrive later this week

Software not fully setup - no frontend or anything, and only one table to play with, but it works
Nudging on the machine works pretty well, although it needs tuning (and will need backing off a load once its sat on legs I suspect as the effort required to move it will be much less)