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

[BoomBox-Creations]

I was thinking about a springy hinge, the kind that forces itself shut.

for that idea, have you thought of a magnet, i mean one that is sorta a U shape, to hold it together, you know, put a small magnet like that where the + and - are both on top of the U so it doesnt stuff up the PS1, and put a bit of metal on the door where you want to open and close the door. or make it stick...

but its jut an idea, and im thinking if you do this, and the door is closed for too long, it could build up too much power, and you wont be able to open the door without pulling it apart/breaking it...

but i thikn if you get any other magnet other than 1 that is a U or a fridge magnet ( i dont think fridge magnets will be powerful enough, they barely stick on the fridge with a few bits of paper under them... ) then it might stuff up the circuitry or wires.....

[Neildo_64]

If using magnets, go online and find some neodymium magnets but make sure they aren't SUPER strong (all are super strong, but they have different "grades"). I use magnets from hdds for things all the time as well as purchased neodymium magnets. Brake little pieces off to get a super tiny, super strong magnet. The size determines the strength this way and it works great for things like that.

[bacteria]

Thanks Neildo_64 - will get some neodymium magnets. Seen some on e-bay 1mm x 1mm and thin magnets. Advantage as I see it is that not everyone could make a perspex circle exact enough to make sure it pops in ok without popping out even easier; using strong small magnets would solve that problem. One inner perspex internal circle, one larger one around it, so the inner one fits inside the case and the outer one has the magnets. Top and bottom with no magnets but with fingergrips to lift off the cover and disk and left and right sides with magnets.

Like the idea, easier for people to replicate. After all, most of the headaches in this project for me isn't making the project but making it do-able for someone else to replicate with medium level skills.

Thanks very much. Great idea.

[khaag]

I've always liked the idea as using strong magnets as fasteners on portables, just be careful to make sure that the strength of the magnets won't interfere with the electronics of the psone mobo. I'm not saying it will, just make sure it won't. It would really suck to find out after you put them in and then it kills your motherboard

[bacteria]

Should be ok. Going to use a series of 1mm magnets; all will be outside the case; between them and the PSone mobos is about 24mm or so, occupied by Li-ions and the CD drive mechanism. If I get wierd effects on the screen (interference) I will use some of the shielding from the PSone case. As the magnets are out of the way, should be fine.

It will be interesting to see how good they are.

Will take a few days to receive the magnets, however they will be attached after the spray painting, so no extra delays.

[Neildo_64]

You will not need more than one magnet and a piece of metal, or two magnets, depending on how strong the ones you're getting are. As a warning from someone with a LOT of experience with magnets, be careful not to get pinched (or when dealing with bigger magnets, don't lose any fingers, limbs, etc). You won't have any problems with magnets that small, but just a warning for future reference.

[sonic4freedom]

wow looking good! just a question, does the analogs feel weird being so high up, or is it comfortable?

[Kyo]

wow looking good! just a question, does the analogs feel weird being so high up, or is it comfortable?

Bacteria has big hands.

I don't know, it looks uncomfy to me, but my hands are very small

[bacteria]

Feels comfy and natural; to get to the buttons and joystick areas. When the system is finished I will post videos of this.

[Kyo]

I guess it makes sense, you can't use both simultaneously anyway. I just tested this with a severed gamecube analog, and it does seem to work quite well indeed, even with my hands.

[Neildo_64]

Small portables like this are most comfortable with the joysticks high. The one I 'm working on now is about the same size. Your thumbs rest most comfortably at the top giving you your whole hand to wrap around the portable and support the weight easily.

[bacteria]

Yes, joysticks on a small portable need to be high as otherwise they get in the way of the d-pad.

As mentioned, my system feels very comfy to use; my wife has smaller hands (of course) and the casing feels natural and comfy in her hands too.

BTW - just bought 50 of the neodymium magnets, 4mm x 1mm. Should have them by end of week. Decided not to get small 1mm x 1mm ones, fiddly and not too strong. The 4mm (circular) x 1mm deep I got have a pulling force of 80g per magnet. I doubt the assembly is going to be more than about 20g or so, so with a pulling force of 320g, plenty! Not sure if I would get away with mounting them under the plastic case or if the pulling force is too weak, in which case will be recessed into the case. For the metal to attract to the magnets, the metal from a PSone shielding from the case attracts nicely.

These magnets are cheap, 50 for £6.49 (13p each); if they prove to be not that good, well, not cost much, however I think they will be good. "That be a proper job" as one of the West Country farmer contestants on Scrapheap Challenge used to say!

[bacteria]

Update time.

Haven't cut out the last shoulder button yet; got sidetracked. Decided to hack up the front of the PSone casing shell.

Checked first of all everything will fit ok in case back - two batteries, and the CD mechanism. Ok! Space under the CD mechanism for a memory card (slot in preferably - more on that later).



Here is the PSone original top case shell.



Pry off the lid.

Pry off the buttons (reset and on/off).

Crudely cut out the perimeter - want to keep the raised ledges as much as possible as using that in my case. Also want to keep the three prongs the CD mechanism holds into.



Needs a bit off here and a bit off there, but this is the front now:



And the surplus legs on the back removed too:



This isn't secured in place yet, holding it in place with my fingers. The edges will be tidied up with putty before spray painting, to make it look nice.



For illustration - with CD in place.



By using the original CD tray, it saves time.

[Kyo]

Very good looking. The grey is a nice contrast to the white as well. This is turning out to be a gorgeous portable.

[jjhammerstein]

Can you paint the drive the same color as the rest of the case without hindering its movement?
The gray is fugly.
Actually, it would look good if it was a darker shade than the rest of the case, to add depth. Just, not PS1 gray. Yuck.


And those magnets should work fine.