Bacteria's project - PSone portable: IntoPlay finished: PICS

[eurddrue]

This is turning out quite nice. Very sleek. It looked really... strange at first, but now that you've made all the button/screen/joystick holes, it look really good.

agreed btw you have really hairy arms

[bacteria]

eurddrue - Yes, I have hairy, manly arms!

Mario - Good thought on the camera, will try that. Pleased you like my WIP's. I know I go into great detail with them, but the idea after all is to make them easy to follow; to the extent that someone who doesn't speak good English can follow my work and replicate it. When I first came to this forum, portablizing seemed a bit of a "Black art"; I want to make it so the masses can make their own, which is why I share all I know and give very detailed guides.

grahf - Thanks, pleased you like it. Sure, my plans for the case looked wierd initially, as the design was still mostly in my head at the time. I didn't want to make the casing look like a Polycase or similar; I wanted it to have curves and look chic; and also be small. Curves not only look nice but also contribute to the strength of the case too. As you see from the build so far, everything "just fits" without much room for error, so system is small.

[khaag]

Wonderful work, Bacteria. I love your WIPs.

To help your camera focus on a hole, put your hand behind the hole, then focus the camera. You can then remove your hand.

Also set your camera's mode to macro.

[bacteria]

Sounds sad, but don't know how to set my camera to macro mode, will have to find the manual I guess!!

Decided not to go for metallic black to spray paint the casing. It looks very nice on the reject I tested on, however, on reflection, I have got rather attached to the white. I don't however want to just use ol' white, I want a tinge of colour, so bought some regular spraypaint, same range, Porcelain colour, which is basically a very light cream and therefore neutral.

[khaag]

To set your camera to macro mode, just take a quick search through your camera's settings. There should be an icon that looks like a tulip.

Also, if you've already painted that case in the background, it's gonna be HAWT!

[bacteria]

Tulip, ok, will check it out.

No, case in background isn't painted yet, that is its normal colour. The new colour is quite subtle. Now, come on, do you think I would do the painting without having masses of pics on it?

10X , 73
I had to look up what HAWT means (Hot), thought I would give you two to look up in kind

[Kyo]

I know that for my camera (my fathers old camera) you have to change the objective in order to be able to take macro pictures, but if you do you can't take normal pictures. It's a pain.

What I notice is that with all holes, the case looks a lot better

[bacteria]

My camera says it does macro, although couldn't see an easy way to do it. Doesn't matter. BTW, "the tulip" logo on the camera is what I normally use, that is close-up, as opposed to macro mode. I take pics in largest detail and then crop and resize to 800 pixels across normally.

In about 12 hours or so, when I get back from work, I will post pics showing both shoulder buttons done, which will supercede the old ones anyway.

Had cause to use some of that Poly-melt glue today; slipped in the shower, door came off but was easy to fix, but the plastic handle smashed; I was able to successfully glue it back again; decent repair - that Poly-melt glue is really strong stuff and dries in seconds too!

Next job is building the side supports as mentioned before, then giving the sides a gentle sand; then onto spray painting (expect to get this all done by the afternoon tomorrow (ie next 17 hours or less, including some primer spray painting); before starting to fit all the electronics into the system (mid/end of next week).

Once the base is filled with the electronics, I will get the case backing done (hole for the CD holder, finger releases, on/off switch, other shoulder buttons (L2 and R2), make screwposts, then spraypaint the case backing.

[Neildo_64]

EDIT after seeing previous post: The tulip is macro mode, not "close-up" mode. Same thing. Macro makes the camera focus closer to get better details on close-up pictures.

Usually, especially on newer cameras, there is just a button (usually %100 obvious right by the main buttons) with a tulip on it that switches it to macro. Also most newer cameras focus when you hold the button half way down, then take the picture when you push it all the way. Do that and if it's not focused right, don't even take the pic. I've seen so many people who just push the button and don't even know that it has to focus first, then wonder why there is a delay before the flash and why it's focused wrong in the pic.

[bacteria]

Khaag - BTW, 10X , 73 means "Thanks" , "Best regards" link


More updates!


Cutting holes in case, eg shoulder buttons:


(Same principle used for all the holes cut in this project).

Firstly, use a straight edge to make sure the opposite holes are symmetrical.



Stick button in place with a little Blu-tac or similar (whatever).



Draw outline.



Initial hole cut out with drill bit.



Use small files to get the edges right, and so button can move freely in hole.




Reinforce the perimeter of the case and make it far stronger


This is probably the bit you have been waiting for - how to strengthen the perimeter of the case so it doesn't flex when the case is held.

Firstly, draw out the internal size of the case. The perspex sheet needs to fit inside the case itself, so the edges are prominent. Remember, the idea is to allow the two case halves to meet and stay in place.



Using the main console board (PSone), work out the size of the perspex you can have in the case and assemble everything. Cut out the perspex to size initially using a drill bit then a sanding drum. It isn't important to get a smooth cut-out as long as it fits ok.

Use some putty / hot glue and stick the perspex to the INSIDE of the case.

As the piece around the shoulder buttons is in the way, I weakened the piece of perspex around that area, so once the perspex has set against the case I can snap the two pieces off easily, keeping the rest of the perspex in place.





Once set, will do any further sanding on the perspex if needed, so everything will fit ok. I have allowed for the cutout that some of the grounding on the PSone console board will be trimmed off.

Bearing in mind that there will be two pieces of perspex in total, 2mm each = 4mm total, that is plenty of strength.

I can't predict where the screw posts will go yet, too early, although they will be located on the flat parts of the case backing section.

Update 1:

Case back done. When dry (takes about 20 mins for the putty to set solid), time for some light sanding! - except, end of project work for day, out of time.



Update 2:

The system feels rigid and strong with these perspex pieces attached, no flex, as I wanted.

In regards to securing the cases together, I have a very neat solution. The rear of the case is flat and has straight edges on the top and bottom sides. It is therefore easy to make four holes in the case for screw holes, drop down a piece of a drinking straw to make a tunnel, with a screw in all four positions which screws the two perspex pieces together, thus keeping the casing joined, yet easy to separate. I might also have a screw post on each side too, not decided yet. The screws I will be using are from the PSone controller (seven on controller, I won't need all of them). Visually, the screw holes will look like the long screw shafts you get on consoles. Neat, practical and works!

More on that in next updates, which might be over weekend or certainly by mid week.


Might trim some of the excess perspex off the case halves, to make it easier to work inside and keep weight down. At the moment, the casing weighs only 100g. Will probably be about 90-95g when done.

[bacteria]

Big update:

Firstly, work out the places to put the screw holes.



Drill them out.



..so you can push a drinking straw through.



..so it goes through to the perspex supports.



Hot glue them in place



Smooth the other side so the straws are flat. Fill in any small holes with filler or putty.



Make holes in the center of the straws for the screws to go through.



Put the two case halves together and stick with clear sticky tape so the casings don't move about. Put a drill bit through the straw hole and through the holes you just made, then quickly spin the drill bit so you get a score in the underside perspex piece, so the two tally.



..be careful not to damage the case with the Dremel.



Result - nice little registration holes.



Screw the screws through, in readiness. You can use the screws from the PSone screen, or controller, or any others you have lying about.



Now time to make the hole for the CD holder section:

Put the perspex circle in place and draw an outline (remember it, provides the back hold on the casing so your fingers don't touch the spinning disk).





Cut rough hole, then pop excess plastic out. Then, use sanding circle on Dremel to cut out just over the line just drawn.



..so the coleslaw lid fits through, with the top lip above the casing.



Then the perspex circle can press in place and become one with the casing.



Pic for illustration with CD in place:




End of project work for the day. Next job will be to screw the case together, give a light sanding all over, then spray paint.

Not sure if I have enough space for the memory card to slot in and out of the case, might need to make it internal; won't know until later in build - then if I can make it slot into the case from the outside, I will know the precise place in the case to attach it.

So far, all to plan...

[Basement_Modder]

I wouldn't have cut the whole thing out, but just the shape of the plastic thing w/ the laser+motor. Now you need to make something to cover the excess space and/ or have exposed wireing+pcb's (like ben's )

[bacteria]

Obviously not reading the threads!

The hole was cut out to house the perspex circle which lays flat across the case, which stops your fingers touching the spinning disk as your fingers rest on the perspex instead. Makes the back of the case feel solid; no raised lids or disks spinning freely - concealed. The coleslaw top keeps the perspex in place, firmly; at the bottom of the lid's lip will be the internal plastic from the CD tray from a PSone case, as that holds the CD device in place properly.

Actually, before I spray paint the cases, I need to get the holes done for the R2 and L2 shoulder buttons, finger lifts to remove perspex top and also game CD; and the CD mechanism holder.

[Ben Cebhrem]

Huh, never thought of that method for doing screw posts. Ingenious, mate.

[jjhammerstein]

Will the screws be countersunk?