How-To : Giant NES Controller

Here is my instructable on how I built a giant (working) NES controller/trunk.

Step 1 What you need

I added a downloadable file of the basic parts and measurements you need for this project so you can print it off if you'd like. If not here is a list of the basic parts needed.

Hardware:

Bolt/Screw - 14
Washers - 24
Switches - 8
Spade terminals ( 4 – 6 stud ) - 30 or more
5 pin plug ( both male and female ) - 1
P – Clamps - a bunch
Locking Nuts - 14
Small Springs ( must fit over bolts ) - 10 - 14
Non-Skid Protectors (felt ) - 14 or more
“Piano” Style Hinges - 2 ft at least
Different Colour Wires - 9
NES Controller - 1
Various amounts and sizes of screws


The Controller:

48 x 21 in. - 1 ( ¾ in. MDF )
48 x 3 ½ in. - 2 ( ½ in. MDF )
20 x 3 ½ in. - 2 ( ½ in. MDF )
48 x 21 in. - 1 ( 1/8 in. MDF )
47 x 20 in. - 1 ( 1/8 in. MDF )

The Trunk:

(all ½ in. MDF)  

48 x 16 in. - 2 
20 x 16 in. - 2 
47 x 20 in. - 1 
47 x 2 in.   - 2 
19 x 2 in.   - 2    
48 x 3 ½ in. - 2 



I also made up some blueprints for myself to follow. I photocopied my controller and placed a sheet of tracing paper on top of the regular paper that the controller was copied on to. the reason i did this was so i could write and erase measurements and whatnot. I then took calipers and measured the actual controller in millimeters and just transfered that to centimeters. These measurements are more of a guide line than anything.

Comments

[patryan]

Can you be more in depth on how you did the wiring? I have no experience with this sort of thing at all and really really want to make this. I'm not an electrician. Is there anyway that you can help me?

If you can please email me if possible at [e-mail]

Thanks.
Patrick

[phanjt09]

Does anyone have trouble downloading the document? Cause when i downloaded it, it just gave me a zip with wierd xml documents and folders. Anyone have a solution?

[MichelMoermans]

Downloading it and simply opening it with word will do the trick :)

[thetsquare]

is this the same one up for grabs on Portland craigslist recently?

[bbulych]

Marry me? XD

[sblank]

I'm going to do this, but as an upright stereo cabinet. I want to make it so the controller part slides off the rest of the piece, rather than opens with a hinge. Also gonna have to make it a few inches bigger. I'll keep ya posted.

[Oi23]

Could I buy one of these?

[coryjbenson]

That's freaking awesome. Now all you have to do is put a piano hinge on the back and make it a storage unit as well!

[dimmaz88]

Dude, you make the world a better place! :)

[ilpug]

now make a same scale NES!

[pjrpumpken]

Is it light weight

[thisissafety]

hahah no not really. its made out of MDF ant that is pretty heavy stuff. I'm not sure of the exact weight since i have no possible way of weighing it.

[pjrpumpken]

Ok I asked that question cause I have never worked with mdf and I'm interested about it

[XxThePiff]

This is the true definition of art!!!!!!!

[thisissafety]

thank you very much!

[videogamemaster]

O.O Wow. 'Nuff said.

[thisissafety]

Thank you :)

[fctw]

This is awesome, if unwieldy! :-)

[thisissafety]

Thank you very much! much appreciated :)

[fctw]

No worries. ;-) You obviously put a lot of time, work, and love into this project. I was surprised when I realized that it was actually functional! That made this more than just a novelty, but something that was really unique. Thank you so much for going the extra mile by sharing your process with all of us. ^_^

[buttersnake]

Great work mate. My pops is a wood worker and I have been around some really nice things he has made over the years, you for sure have some wood working gene's running through you man, take advantage of the skill you have!

[thisissafety]

Thank you very much, thats much appreciated :) I've made shelfs and small book cases but this was my first major project so I put a lot of time into it.

[burning_empire]

Absolutely amazing. You could make a living selling these.

[TaxiCabbage]

Here's my nintendo coffee table. Instead of building a entire controller, I modified my existing coffee table into a nintendo controller last summer.

[TaxiCabbage]

It has a piece of glass over it so that I can use it as a coffee table. The AB buttons and lettering were not done when I took this picture.

[thisissafety]

thats awesome! i too have a piece of place so it can be a coffee table it just hasnt arrived yet. Once you have a completed picture send it my way! :)

[thisissafety]

Piece of glass*

[TaxiCabbage]

Finished the buttons, havent got around to the task of cutting stencils for the letters though

[thisissafety]

looks awesome!!
what are the dimensions of the table?

I have some extra stencils cut from when i did mine.
if its anywhere near the same size as mine i could mail the stencils to you.

[TaxiCabbage]

Its 10x the size of a controller. If you had stencils that would be awesome.

I found a vector logo of the nintendo logo, but I don't know what to font to use for the lettering.
What font did you use for your lettering?

I'm also considering to get some custom die cut stickers made so that I wouldn't have to cut out the letters.

[thisissafety]

oh ok mine is actually quite a bit bigger than that.
the stencil's would be way to big.

i also had mine custom die cut. it was 20 bucks and they gave me 4 of each stencil, kinda cool.

anyways if you message me your email ill email the fonts i used. they are perfect.

[kiwidude]

do u think you could do one for a ps2 controller?

[duckhuntproofnes]

wouldn't you paint before wiring also what was the wire that you said to cut off

[thisissafety]

it really doesnt matter if you wire it up before or after painting. the only reason i did it before painting was that i didnt want to be flipping it upside down constantly and bring it back and forth from the house to the garage testing it with a nice paint job. but again it doesnt matter if you did it before or after.

The wire that i cut off was actually the cord from a NES controller. I cut that off and added Pin connectors so i could plug in and play whenever i wanted rather than always having a cord sticking out of the controller.

hope that helps!

[NostalgicStone]

I do believe this is very effing cool my friend!
Congrats on on kick@$$ table!

[thisissafety]

thank you very much!

[Achan20]

that's AWESOME!!! if i had the time id make that! you could make and sell those for a ton of cash! lol. will make as soon as i get out of college.

[thisissafety]

thank you! its a fun thing to do with your spare time. if you do make one be sure to send me some finished pictures :)

[Achan20]

i will. but it will be a while. all my spare time has been sucked up. lol and money.

[SHIFT!]

Wow fantastic build and awesome write up! I would love to do something like this, if only I had a SNES... Well, perhaps I can construct a giant Wii controller using the same MO as yours!