Project: ORCADE

Thesnipergecko

Thesnipergecko

Thesnipergecko

Soldato
Joined
17 Oct 2002
Posts
7,408
Location
Stoke-on-Trent
Code name ORCADE

I'm a massive C&C fan and the Orca chopper is my favorite unit.

Now that's out the way. Time for some images and details.

  • Raspberry Pi 3
  • 2TB External Samsung HDD
  • Samsung 128GB Grade 1 Class 10 Memory Card
  • Bluetooth KBM
  • 4 Port PiHUB
  • USB Lighting
  • 2x 8 button layout with fight sticks + Front panel P1/P2/Coin buttons
  • 2x USB front port
  • MDF Cabinet (maybe full vinyl with t-mould for the edges)
  • 24" DELL 16:9 with removable carbon fibre panels (vinyl) panels for 4:3 effect

I'll be screwing everything down (I can't be trusted with glue, I'm very messy)

Pics - click for larger



Waiting for a few more parts to arrive before I get going. Due to lack of tools and space I'm heading out to use a friends workshop for cutting the panels (maybe tonight)
 
Few more parts arrived yesterday



First thing I had to do was putting all the buttons in place.



Then started to take apart the monitor, I held it in place and it was a good few centimetres too big, so the casing had to come off.



Spent a good hour making sure everything was lined up correctly before starting to put screws and blocks in place.



I wanted to make it as easily accessible as I could for maintenance and cleaning. The Control Panel board will just sit in place, probably be held in with magnets or quick release switches of some kind.



I adjusted the monitor multiple times until I found a position I was happy with. This has been by far the hardest part of the build so far. (trying to hold a big heavy screen on your own and draw/mark pencil lines)

The screen sits on a shelf slightly lower than the control panel, I had to lower it as much as I could, there was very little room above the screen for the speaker panel and what will eventually be a lightbox/vinyl front.



The progress as of last night



I plugged in the Control Panel this morning to test on my PC with MAME. All but one of the buttons registered. After closer inspection of the button, it seems the tiny PCB inside the button has cracked/snapped.

I've emailed the place I had it from to see about getting a replacement button.



Mistakes
The 4 front control panel buttons in the set I had are not 28mm same as all the others. The holes that were cut in the panel are too large and the buttons just slide through. I now need to source some washers from somewhere to hold them in place.

What's Next
I'm waiting for delivery of a new Soldering Iron, some heat shrink and a decent pair or wire cutters/strippers so I can solder in the connections for the speakers.

I've had email confirmation about my PiHUB. That's not going to be delivered until 9th January! Which is a shame, I will need that for the speakers, lighting and front USB ports.
 
Next bits have been done.

I've soldered new wires on to the speakers and cabled them up to a mains adapter. Cables have been cable managed and run round the inside of the cab for speakers, monitor, USB (front), buttons and sticks to keep them all nice and tidy.

Speaker bar has been fixed into place now too with controls for power/volume sitting in the centre. I will cut a small piece out of the perspex so they stick out slightly and are accessible.

My PiHUB turned up yesterday much to my surprise! so that wen't in too. Also my chrome rings arrived and are now acting as washers for those front buttons.

 
Quick update on this.

The Rasberry Pi went in over the Christmas break and has been configured and set up with RetroPie.

I'm still waiting to hear back about the broken button, though I think I will need to escalate this to Amazon themselves rather than trying to contact the seller directly. (via Amazon) they have yet to respond to me.

The button itself works but the LED doesn't.

What's Next

I need to look at getting the graphics/vinyls designed and printed. I also need to get some perspex from B&Q to fit to the top and make a small cutout for the volume controller.

It's going to need spray painting or a layer of laquer before the vinyl's are applied. So it will need taking apart before then.

The speaker panel is not quite lined up level with the top panel due to where the monitor sits. So that also needs adjusting too.
 
Phase 3 - The OCD rebuild

Some of the panels were slight misaligned and it was doing my nut in, so I stripped them out and put them back in. Now everything sits much tighter and neater.

I finally got a replacement button. I also dropped the monitor shelf down a little more so the bezel sits just below the control panel now, this allowed me to drop the speaker bar down another 1/2" to allow for a slightly bigger top marquee.



Phase 4 - Strip and Spray

Completely stripped everything out last night to get ready for spraying. I think I have everything I need to start this soon. (other than somewhere dry/warm to spray it). The plan is to put some sheeting down in the conservatory and do it in there. It is a little cold though, so may need to fire up the convectors!

Now I'm happy with the space between the speaker bar and the top of the cab I can get my marquee designed and printed off and get the perspex ordered.

 
Got sealed and sprayed at the weekend. Just finished putting it back together and wiring the speakers back up.



I finished my vinyl designs last week and sent them off to the printers on Friday. They should be here this week along with (I think) the last 2 parts, some chrome trim and speaker grills.
 
My Vinyl finally arrived on Friday along with the chrome trim and speaker covers.



Just waiting for the perspex cover now for the top part of the cab and I think it is just about finished.

Extremely happy with how the vinyls turned out.
 
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That is beautiful, I have been wanting to make something like that for years but never got around to it, I think I just need to get a set of plans and a shopping list, and once I buy all the stuff, I'll plow into it, but as it stands yours is awesome stuff !
 
Finished.

Ordered a new Pi case and Perspex came today.



The backlight isn't as bright as I had hoped. I may upgrade it to a lamp/bulb later on. Overall really happy with the project.

Total spend on parts I didn't have lying around the house is around £325.
 
That's ace! Cracking job you've done, so much detail. If I didn't have my Pi/Retropie running through my projector, and felt brave enough, i'd definitely have a go myself!
 
You've got a lot to answer for Thesnipergecko, I've decided to seriously look into building one! Which buttons / sticks did you buy, got a link? Seems a load of different ones with varying reviews.
 
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