1. Home
  2. ⏣ General Metalworking
  3. Control Panel Project

Control Panel Project

I need to create a control panel to replace one on a full sized coin- operated arcade video game.

The original control panel made of plywood, which is covered by veneer on the outside, has roughly a "U" shape with a metal bracket in the center for added support.

formatting link
The control panel pictured is 24" long, and looking at it from on edge, the width of all three sides is 3-3/4" x 6" x 7".

Making the control panel exactly the same way as the original would be too difficult, so I was thinking of making one by bending 1/8" sheet metal into the same shape of the original control panel(an 11 degree bend), and screwing wood boards to the inside to get the proper thickness, and adding "L" shaped braces to the inside for support, but I was wondering how others would tackle a project like this.

*** The only major difference is that the top side of the control panel where the joysticks are located would be detachable.

I don't know if there is a plausible way to make the edges rounded like the original, so I'll settle for sharper bends.

I settled on Aluminum for the metal parts because steel would require serious bending equipment I don't have access to. And I guess that plywood can be used, but may go with one of the hardwoods.(The proportion of metal and wood in this project is still an open issue).

Any thoughts, ideas, or tool/material recommendations would be appreciated.

Thanks a lot.

Darren Harris Staten Island, New York.

Reply to
Searcher7
Loading thread data ...

-------------------------------------------------------------- Home Page:

formatting link
If you're not the lead dog, the view never changes Doubt yourself, and the real world will eat you alive The world doesn't revolve around you, it revolves around me No skeletons in the closet; just decomposing corpses

-------------------------------------------------------------- Dependence is Vulnerability:

-------------------------------------------------------------- "Open the Pod Bay Doors please, Hal" "I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.."

Reply to
JR North

formatting link
>

Reply to
RoyJ

There is nothing wrong with the original control panel.

This project involves creating another control panel of the same dimensions that I can swap in it's place. But the new control panel will have a *detachable top*.

Thanks.

Darren Harris Staten Island, New York.

****************************************************************************= ****************************************************************** > The original panel looks solid. Why not just recover it? You could
Reply to
Searcher7

Looks like a Williams control panel. I've got one in the garage I'd let you have for $20 plus shipping. You'd have to patch a few holes but you wouldn't have to build the whole thing. Pretty sure I have the aluminum panel that goes over it too. Otherwise you can just copy the one you have. Glue and butt joints work fine for those. I might use pocket screws if I made a new one unless I was worried about authenticity.

Reply to
dayvo

In order to access the sticks and switches without pulling the panel? In that case, just cut the top off, flange the panel body with some aluminum angle and screw the top back on. If you cut cleanly, the seam would be insignificant. JR Dweller in the cellar

Searcher7 wrote:

**********************************************************************************************************************************************
Reply to
JR North

I seem to be having a difficult time getting someone to understand me.

I am not looking for another Williams control panel. And I am not looking to hack an existing Williams control panel.

I am creating a Williams control panel *from scratch*. The only difference is that it will be in two pieces, because I want to be able to swap the control panel's top.

Basically, my question comes down to finding the best way to get that angle shown in the first picture.

formatting link

Thanks.

Darren Harris Staten Island, New York.

***=AD*******************************************************************
Reply to
Searcher7

formatting link

***************************************************************************­*******************************************************************
Reply to
RoyJ

The radius of the bend(whatever that turns out to be) by itself would not be an issue.

Also consistency from part to part would be easy.

The problem is figuring out what size(width) to start out with so that the width of both "wings" after bending is what they are supposed to be.

I guess corrosion won't be a problem once I paint and add an overlay the the metal, but I'm wondering whether there would be enough dimensional stability, since all the metal control panels I've seen are steel, I believe thicker, and therefore more ridgid.

Thanks.

Darren Harris Staten Island, New York.

****************************************************************************= ******************************************************************
*****=AD=AD*****************************************************************= **
Reply to
Searcher7

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.