My FINISHED JUKEBOX

[nitronimbus]

Here are some pics of the jukebox I finished a little while ago now. I made everything out of the left over items from building my house.
Firstly I set my budget at $300.00 AU just in case it didn't work. At the end of last year I blew the budget and upgraded the monitor, stereo, computer and graphic eq. It has LED lights in it everywhere about 300+. It also runs through speakers in the ceiling in and outside my house. These are switchable at the jukebox. Becasue there is so much electronics and lights I had to install exhaust fans in the back. Everything is removable and accessable just in case I had some maintanace issues. But luckly enough none to date. This is good because I was pretty much smashed eveytime I worked on it and can't remember doing most of it.

I had no idea what I was doing when I started this project,  But I think it turned out OK.
Everyone  seems to like it.
 

[dermbrian]

Really, really, REALLY good job there.  I especially like the way you incorporated audio components into it instead of hiding them.  And great choice of software, of course.


Brian

[Chris]

That is just a slick, slick piece of work.  Where did you get those little guitars?

[nitronimbus]

Brian,

Thanks for the compliments, Yes Chris is the man for offering such great software for free.
I think he still has the first skin I ever done on his website and he called it CHROME.
I left it all exposed because it has a 5 stacker CD player and I use this to play my backing tracks for my guitar.
It sounds awesome it dolby surround.
And of course the daughter has to plug in the I-POD because she cant deal with my music.

It has a 17" monitor so I am thinking about adding a joystick port and putting all my roms it and using it as a MAME cabinet as well.
I guess there is not to many jukeboxes you can play Pac-Man and space invaders on. Maybe I will be the first.

[nitronimbus]

Chris,

I can't thankyou enough for donating your time and effort and providing such easy to use software to make this project a realality.
The little guitars I believe came from Bali. They are about 25cm tall and the detail is outstanding. I have a couple of different ones Fender,Gibson,Ibanez and I think also some little accoustic's. They were all bought for me as a present along time ago.

I think I may have 1 or 2 I could spare, if your interested let me know and if I can find them I will be more than happy to send them to you.

I also just hit the donate button. Should be enough to cover that new joystick your chasing.
Thanks again!!!!

[dermbrian]

You should join up and post this over at

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/board,5.0.html


You'll get a lot of feedback that will make you feel even better about your skills. 


Brian

[Chris]

Is that side art cut vinyl or just a really good paint job?

[nitronimbus]

Chris,

Thanks for your email regarding my donation much appreciated.
Firstly I used a blue wood stain (it is a bit hard to tell from the photo's but it is sort of transparent).
Then all the graphic work and tribal art was just hand drawn with an everyday black marking pen. I think I used about 3-4 to color in all in. After drawing on one side I just traced it and did the other.
Because I didn't want the ink to run I then covered it with water based clear lacquer which I didn’t have enough to do the job.
So being impatient I applied more coats of normal wood lacquer because that’s what I had in the shed at the time. It work extremely well and the jukebox sort of looks like it is made out of fiberglass.
I now use this method on anything I need to lacquer it is very tough and durable.
The number panel and side panels around the monitor and stereo is just Perspex. I found some chrome numbers and letter in my wife’s card making kit then stuck them on the back of the Perspex with a little drop of superglue. Then I sprayed the whole back in normal black spray paint. So when you turn it over it looks like black glass with chrome numbers and letters engraved into it. It was the only way I could think to make it scratch proof. I also used the same method on the arched back panel behind the drums.
But I used a contact called mirror ball. Cut out the flame pattern stuck it on and sprayed it.
Most of the LEDs and little electronic gadgets I bought from eBay. These were a couple of dollars at most. I also added a beat sensor so most of these flash in-time with the music.
The large subwoofer does nothing. I also bought this cheap from eBay. I had to cut the rear out because of room issues and didn’t want that big magnet sitting next to all the electronic equip.
So the jukebox itself has no speakers, I have 4 RCA plugs in the back that connect to the speakers in my house and alfresco. I can switch these independently from the front of the jukebox.
On the front I have 2 main power switches 1 for lights and the other for power. These just turn on 6 gang power boards. So if I have an issue with any item I can just unplug it, fix it or replace it.
Except for wiring the font panel buttons directly into a keyboard. (This took forever only to find out I had a faulty secondhand keyboard and had to do it all again). Everything just plugs in. SIMPLE!!!
The Chrome and black trim I used is from auto mart. This comes with very strong double sided tape and is flexible because it is used to put on the wheel guards of a car. Everything else is made of roofing timber left over when the builder finished my house. I then just covered it all in a thin MDF except the front panel is made out of ply. Finally I cut the “U” shape out of aluminium checkerplate and it was all done.
I have just added a wireless keyboard that sits at my bar so I can also select songs whilst hammering down a scotch or 10.
Numerous times I have been offered some serious cash for this jukebox. The highest being $7000.00.
And as always this was quickly refused. I made this as a gift for my wife and it is truly one of a kind.
I have limited electrical knowledge and absolutely no carpentry skills. Why I took on a project like this I will never know. To date I believe all up it has cost me about $800.00.  I think anyone who has a soldering iron and a jigsaw and a case of scotch can certainly do the same.  If anyone has any questions I will be more than happy to help them out if I can.