Portable Dreamcast just about done...

dkap01 · Post by **dkap01** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 8:03 am

Well my Portable Dreamcast is just about done. Here are 2 pictures one of it running and one of the back. I should have it done by this weekend. All I have left is to paint the front of the case. So I'll have the finshed pictures on my site by the end of the week...

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dkap01@pa ... m=11e2.jpg
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dkap01@pa ... m=f315.jpg

Post by **Sparkfist** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 8:19 am

Cant view the pictures, it says their inaccessable.

z16bitsega · Post by **z16bitsega** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 12:58 pm

Did you enable public viewing of the album?

dkap01 · Post by **dkap01** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 3:05 pm

OK, now try it...

z16bitsega · Post by **z16bitsega** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 3:09 pm

Works now. Wow, looks nice. Can't wait to see the finished product. How'd you make the case?

scherzo · Post by **scherzo** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 3:09 pm

Wow, that a very good looking back plate. Have you done the front yet? I'd really like to see it. Dreamcast would make a great portable.

Post by **Gamelver** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 3:15 pm

wow, looks like you'll beat poppe in building the first DCp....looks great, though, do you have the front of the case done yet? if so please post a pic....the back looks nice though, it looks like it'd be pretty comfortable to hold. I've got a question for you, though (and this is because you've done vacuum forming before.....). What size thickness is the palstic you use? I've got some 3/32 inch styrene plastic and it is extremely bendy (don't think that's a real word, though.....). anyway I was just wondering if the plastic you use is bendy at all and if so, does it harden after forming? sure hope so....

HK-47 · Post by **HK-47** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 3:15 pm

Wow, very profesional looking back plate.

scherzo · Post by **scherzo** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 3:23 pm

Gamelver wrote:wow, looks like you'll beat poppe in building the first DCp....looks great, though, do you have the front of the case done yet? if so please post a pic....the back looks nice though, it looks like it'd be pretty comfortable to hold. I've got a question for you, though (and this is because you've done vacuum forming before.....). What size thickness is the palstic you use? I've got some 3/32 inch styrene plastic and it is extremely bendy (don't think that's a real word, though.....). anyway I was just wondering if the plastic you use is bendy at all and if so, does it harden after forming? sure hope so....

I've heard that a better plastic to use is ABS, but it's more difficult to use in vacuum forming because it's harder. I also don't know what the ideal width is.

dkap01 · Post by **dkap01** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 3:26 pm

The front is all most finished, all I have to do is to do a little more sanding and then paint it. I might have a picture of it late tonight, if not tommarow. For the thickness of the plastic I use 1/8 for vacuum forming. But for the back plate I use 3/16..

Dave

Post by **Gamelver** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 3:35 pm

hmmmmm....do you think I could just use two pieces of the 3/32 inch plastic to get 3/16? I'm not sure if that would work too well.........

dkap01 · Post by **dkap01** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 4:20 pm

I dont think that would work, your going to need 1 solid sheet. I dont know if you have tryed vacuum forming yet, but when heating up the plastic it needs to heat evenlly. So if you use 2 sheets the out side sheet would'nt heat up enough to form. You might want to order some a little thicker. 1/8 " froms the best for me and its pretty strong.

JackFrost22 · Post by **JackFrost22** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 4:35 pm

Man you beat me to it

Is it going to have a disc cover?

MR.MOD · Post by **MR.MOD** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 4:42 pm

That's going to be so awesome. How did you form the controller grips on the back. Did you make a buck of the original controller?

scherzo · Post by **scherzo** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 4:43 pm

I've seen vacuum forming tables which incorperated a heating element and once the plastic is hot enough you imply lower it to the vacuum surface. I've also seen a tutorial on the net that says you can heat up the plastic in a regular oven then put it on the table.

The first method seems more practical, of course, but it also takes more space and requires eletrical wiring. I don't want to screw with that if I don't have to. I also don't have a lot of space. I would like to be able to store the vacuum table in my closet.

The only thing that I wonder about the oven method is if moving the plastic from the oven to the table is problematic. I wouldn't want to move it so fast that the plastic becomes warped in a funny way, and I wouldn't want to move it so slow that the plastic is too cool by the time I lower it over the form.

How are you doing your vacuum forming?