Project: Arc
ARC
This project was prompted when I realized I had a Thinkpad X61 that would get too hot in its case to do much of anything. If I couldn't use it as a laptop then what would I do with it? Bartop styled ARCade System.
Buttons, switches, joystick, and donor controller.
Some nice Happ concave buttons.
Happ competition joystick.
Donor X61.
Opened up. Laptop is so nice. Wish it hadn't come to this.
Donor controller. Old USB controller that has been sitting for years. Busted analog stick, but I don't need that anyway.
Stripped down.
Removed all the extras and stripped it down to the main controller board. Direct access to the signal pads.
In retrospect I would have kept the wire leads, and soldered to them. I had an issue with some of the pads. Probably due to my very hasty soldering; I was in a rush to get it done before running out the door to class. I had mistraced the USB data + and - wires, so I had to resolder those. The +5V also pulled the pad off after moving around a bit, so I scraped the trace down to the copper and soldered to that. Hot glued it to keep it strong once I knew it worked.
Placed into a project box and wired up so I can easily add / remove the arcade wires without having to desolder and mess with things. It now works and is recognized by the computer. Just have to wire up the buttons and joystick.
Tracing out my idea for the shape of the sides of the frame. All I have are basic hand tools, so instead of trying to be perfect and being disappointed I am going to just go with the flow and let the creative side of me deal with anything that may come up.
The two sides cut out.
Sides attached together with supports. LCD mounted.
I kept the LCD in it's plastic frame as that way I didn't need to make custom mounts for each board.
Plenty of room for the buttons and joystick.
Another angle.
Rear.
Ran wires to the 12V and ground on the LCD for a couple fans. Also ran wires for the monitor's power switch. I didn't realize the monitor gets 12V even when off, so I'll have to have a switch for the fans, or tie them to another switch.
The handrest mounted and hole cut for the acrylic for the joystick and buttons to go through. I cracked the handrest trying to use the rotary tool to drill, as my drill died, so I'll reinforce it when I get back today from picking up a new drill.
Running the wires up through a whole in the lcd and down the back.
Tied off the wires in the hole at the top of the LCD. This way, if I accidentally yank on them, it won't rip them off the solder points.
Expect more progress on the handrest, joystick, and buttons. Then I will wire them up and test them. Have to make sure it all works before I continue. Otherwise I'll have to tear apart another controller and rewire everything to the box.
Paint has always been my bane in this apartment; it never comes out the way I want it to. In light of that, I am going to be wrapping the sides, handrest, and trim boards in fabric. This will keep me from worrying about dealing with paint, and is why I left some gaps between pieces.
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Originally Posted by Twigsoffury
