Functional Nintendo Controller Coffee Table

A collection of some of the functional Nintendo controller coffee tables I have built. All tables were built by hand without any CNC machinery.

Step 1: Prototyping the MDF Painted Version

I drew up the table in AutoCAD at x10 scale from the original. The first prototype was made out of MDF. I used 3/4 inch for the shell and 1/8 inch for the raised portions. The button mounts used bolts with springs to give it the bounce. I designed the buttons so you can adjust the bolts to increase or decrease the compression of the springs, giving the buttons more or less of a "bounce" when pressed.

For painting, I went to the paint store and they matched they colours on an orginal controller. I use a small gravity feed spray gun to apply the paint. After all the paint is on, I then spray it with 50 degree conversion varnish to make it shiny and durable.

To paint the lettering I got a vinyl sticker which I placed and sprayed overtop.

Step 2: D-Pad

Making of the D-Pad. I made a jig to use with an overhead router, or in this case a pin router attachment.

Step 3: Wiring.

Picture of the final wiring. I used an original NES controller which I took apart and re-wired it to all the buttons.

Comments

[JonathanS160]

beautiful work but very poor instructible even as beautiful as it is I believe you should take it down as it is clearly an advert for you trying to sell somthing rather than help others follow in your foot steps to allow them the chance to create

[titosinstructables]

1.genial

[SeamusFrederick]

Brilliant build but it might help to show the step by step instructions for the rest of us to follow along?

[doeboy1978]

can any one help with the wiring stage please , I need help understanding the 2 wires from Momentary switches and where there go, ps I bought nes controler of eBay but circuit board is diffrent

[Zorn Industries]

did you buy an original controller, or a 3rd party one?

[doeboy1978]

3rd party mate

[Zorn Industries]

I've only wired original NES controllers, which indeed are different than that one. The original controller has a chip in the center, which I soldered directly to that. For your switches you'll need 1 wire to connect to the corresponding button on the circuit board and the other wire goes to ground.

[doeboy1978]

thanx zorn for the help much appreciated

[a13jo]

Useless if you don't put a step by step instructions

[cliffyd]

whhooaa! How big is the NES system?

[RolensC]

awesome! I never thought in a piece of furniture like this! surely limited edition !!

[katik]

Wow...this is amazing idea!!

[dizzle976]

i think this is an awesome table. but i dont really think its a good instructable. how did your wire up the buttons?

[Zorn Industries]

I would take ages to write up a full detailed instructable. I'm way too busy perfecting my trade to have enough free time to do that. I'll happy answer any questions though. The wiring uses an original Nintendo controller, with wiring soldered from the board of that controller to the "big" buttons I made. I used this instructable to get me started: https://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Giant-NES-Controller/

[OutlawKtulu]

I have to agree with Dizzle. You have made a great looking table and the wiring of the buttons and cable management are beyond compare. But unfortunately, you have made a Show-off-able rather than an Instruct-able.

[AuralVirus]

"Show-off-able" isn't that aka an advert? :D

[OutlawKtulu]

Yeah :) As beautiful of a table this guy has made, I kinda wish there was a special catagory for instructables like this.

[AuralVirus]

there is, its called Ikea ;P

[AuralVirus]

Sorry to say this but I truly doubt it would take ages to write down measurements, parts used and suggested tools from your build "blueprints" which surely you must have kept (?).

Yes more photo's would be "nice" in a build and every step documented would be ideal but there's enough here combined with measurements and parts and anyone who's capable of making a coffee table they'd put in their own front room would be capable of building this.

You've not even attempted to provide followable info, its quite obvious you have left out such info on purpose.

I'm sorry as nice as the table is this is not an instructable but a blatant advert.

Oddly there's already a Nintendo controller coffee table "advert" here already and he also used his company name and provided no usable info just showroom quality pictures....

[Ben Finio]

I have to agree with dizzle976 - I don't want to sound harsh because obviously this is a really cool build and you put a lot of work into it, but the point of an Instructable is that others should be able to reproduce your work. It should be a "how to" guide and not just a "show and tell". Without a materials list, cut dimensions for the wood, and a wiring diagram, another user couldn't really reproduce this just based on the pictures.