Nerdbloke

I have been thinking of ways to build a very compact MAME arcade machine. Something that is only marginally wider than a large LCD computer monitor, perhaps 15 cm deep and maybe only 50cm high. Not to heavy, so it can be mounted on a wall, something like a dart board.

I don’t want to cramp the players by having a really tiny control panel, so the machine would need a mechanism to allow the control panel itself to unfold so that it can neatly (and easily) assemble into a larger control panel. I want the control panel to host at least two players with each player having access to one joystick and six buttons. More buttons would be required for coins and player start. The control panel will also need to contain a trackball.

Not being mechanically inclined, I could not envisage how how this could happen. I had a vague memory of coming across a book that outlined all the advances and knowledge in mechanical devices. My googling skills led me to this wonderful book:  Mechanisms and Mechanical Devices Source (Edition 4).

It is chock full of mechanical nerd goodness. More linkages, levers, pulleys and cams than you could poke a lever at. Here is a sample I snagged from page 93:

There are another 551 pages just like this, but different! Fantastic.

SKG Soft – Home.

I have started converting a two-and-a-half single-brick internal garage into a man cave. It will be a place for the family to play the arcade machines. It will also be the kids play/rumpus room, until they get a bit older and then I convert it into a true mancave with darts, pool table, bar, projector etc.

I am not a builder so I am learning as I go. I started a few days. I have constructed a timber frame to hang gyprock sheets. The frame is made of 70x35mm structural pine. I’ve bolted the frames to the brick piers using 100mm screws and wall plugs. As the timber wall sits directly on the concrete floor and touches some brickwork below the damp-course I’ve used some 500 micron dampcourse tape to insulate the timber from the brick and concrete.

When I pulled my compound drop/mitre saw out of storage it died on first use. Acrid black smoke came out of the motor. Not a good start. I used the hand-saw and a small circular saw for the rest of that day then purchased a mega-cheap drop saw from Aldi’s the next day. I picked up some R1.5 wall batts from bunnings and got the walls up. See pics.

I am getting ready to hang the gyprock. I found a few videos on youtube about hanging drywall. I was a bit concerned that some of the joins wouldn’t match up with timber behind it – but from the video it looks as if it doesn’t matter too much for the horizontal joins. From what I can tell only the butt joins have to be secured on timber.

I am planning on converting our two-car garage into a rumpus room. One day I’d like to have a pool table, bar, arcade machine, juke box and a 140 inch TV (via a projector).

I just read an article about creating a decent DIY projector screen. Nice work.