Pachinko Cabinet project for LoveLove

[doa12]

This is my first cabinet build and the first time I've used a lot of the tools I'm using, so the result will be a bit rough. I tried designing this on Google SketchUp, but it kept snapping and readjusting my numbers even though I typed them in, so I gave up and just used paper and did a quick image in Paint (not to scale). I used the max measurements for the two pachinkos, so I could make two cabinets that match dimension wise. I have yet to decide what I want the front of the second one to look like.

PachinkoDes.jpg
The top circle I'm planning to put plexi in so you can see the ball level. The bottom rectangle is to be a drawer for the balls, to dump them back in the top. I've pretty much got all the pieces cut except the 4 interior pieces; two that slope for the balls to go into the hopper at the top, and two that slope for the balls to go into the drawer.

I tried to be artsy and go by the heart/love theme of the game by using woven hearts for the front plates and hearts around the porthole at the top to see the balls. I was going to use dowels to do the main connections in addition to glue, but then decided the dowels would be too shallow. Tonight I ordered a biscuit joiner so I'm planning on using that to connect my wood together. Once I get it all together I'll then measure the inside to see exactly how wide the slope pieces need to be.

Here's pictures of the work in progress, the first two are the base/top as I laid them out to carve, the last picture is the wood and pachinko. I used decent wood for the top/bottom that would be seen, but just the cheaper pine for the sides, back, and interior pieces. I have my square guides for lining parts up. I quick clamped a couple together to see how it would work. Now I'm just waiting for the joiner to come in and I'll play with it to see if it will work or not. Otherwise I'll go back to using screws/brads and glue.
PachiBase.jpgPachiHead.jpgHeadBaseCarved1.jpgHeadBaseCarved2.jpgPartsCut.jpg

I have another pachinko cabinet to make after this one, and then a big wall rack that these should hopefully slide into, so I can replace these when I want to.