My arcade cabinet progress (pics!)

megashock5

megashock5

CAGiversary!
Still have a long way to go, but here's how it's coming. I posted a pic a couple of months ago and some people asked me to keep updating.

I still need to cut the hole in the control panel overlay for the trackball and install the light in the top. Then I need to get some plexi cut for the marquee (anyone know if Home Depot or Lowes do that?) Then I actually have to try to wire it all up :(

Anyway, here are the new pics:

cab_040305a.jpg



cab_040305c.jpg
 
The cabinet looks pretty nice. What size monitor are you looking to put in there?

Also depending on what size the marquee is, you might want to take the option of going with having an array of regular marquees from games that you enjoy.
 
Where did you get the dimensions / instructions to build the cab?

Are you planning on getting an official game? Or a MAME setup?
 
[quote name='evilmax17']Where did you get the dimensions / instructions to build the cab?

Are you planning on getting an official game? Or a MAME setup?[/QUOTE]

www.arcadecontrols.com

OP - looking good! I'm working on mine too but I'm not as far along. I am documenting the process though and when I get it painted I'll post some pics. I'm building a 27" cocktail with 3 CPs - it's going to be sweet (I hope!)....
 
That's awesome. I just bought an empty cabinet a few days ago. I'm currently sanding the vandalism out of it. :\

A post on arcadecontrols.com said that Home Depot will cut the plexiglass for free. I'm not sure if it's true or not. Give 'em a call.
 
Very nice. :)

When my uncle buit a cabinet a year or so back, he had art on the sides as well as on the joystick panel. Are you going to do that too, or are you just going to leave it blue?

Something based on the "Time Warp" design you've already got could look amazing...
 
I got Lowe's to cut the plexi-glass to the size I wanted, I then took the marquee that I created in photoshop to Kinkos and had them print it out on a special backlight paper. It looks great and I am almost done with it. I have been wanting to post pics and will hopefully get to it soon.
 
[quote name='defender']You should use a 19" flat panel monitor.

Your cabinet looks great BTW.[/QUOTE]

That's what I'm leaning toward. May look a tad bit small in the space, but I'm afraid if it's much bigger I'll constantly be trying to back away while I'm playing.

To answer some of the questions:

The Buid Your Own Arcade Controls site is a great resource (www.arcadecontrols.com). I built this from scratch using the 'Project Arcade' book that I bought from Amazon.

The third stick is a dedicated 4-way stick (the others are 8-way). I've read that some of the old 4-way stuff like Pac-Man and Frogger don't always play very well with 8-way sticks.

I have the marquee printed already. Just need to get the plexi cut, etc. Here's a pic:

tw_marquee.gif


I also have the 'Timewarp' text printed out larger for the sides but haven't put it on yet.

It's going to be a MAME setup, but I haven't even started getting the computer ready. Hopefully soon.

I started this last August, so it's going slow, but this is the first time I've really built anything so I'm taking it little by little. Fortunately my wife has been very patient and supportive, although she won't let me start any other projects until it's done :p

I highly reccomend the Project Arcade book for anyone like me who doesn't really know what they're doing!

Thanks for all the kind words!!!
 
[quote name='Mr Unoriginal']Curious, what do you think this will cost you when it's complete? What are the price ranges to making your own?[/QUOTE]

It's definitely cheaper than buying one yourself. If you don't count one-time purchases like tools and router bits, etc. I've put in about $500 so far and I estimate that it will be about $1,500 when it's all said and done. I'm going to have a lot of cost tied up in an arcade monitor - $500 for the Wells Gardner d9200. Other than that it's mainly wood, controls and the computer... and some odds and ends like the coin door, bezel, marquee, etc... The prices can vary widely depending on what you want the finished product to look like...

It sure is fun though so any costs are offset by the fact that I'm having a great time putting mine together and when it is all finished it will play almost any arcade game you can think of from the 80s and 90s... I can't wait to have some friends over for some Street Fighter II or Killer Instinct marathons...
 
I'm trying to do mine as cheap as possible. But really the main difference in price from building one from scratch as opposed to gutting an old cab is the price of the cab vs. the price of the wood. The plans I used called for 3 sheets of MDF, which was little over $60 worth of wood.

I had an old Galaga cab that died and I had no idea how to fix it. I thought about using it, but it wouldn't make a good 2-player setup and I wanted to try building just to see if I could do it. I sold some parts from it to help finance this, so that figured in quite a bit. If it weren't for that, I'd be up to $450 or so now, but that's without a PC or monitor (which I still have to get). It also helped that my dad and my brother-in-law both have routers so I didn't have to buy one.

I have to agree with javerh though, part of the enjoyment is in actually putting it all together. I'm sure others will end up more polished and professional looking, but it will be cool to know that I built it myself.
 
great work... i too am planning on to start building my Arcade Cabinet.. even though I want to go a different route (I want to use the Xarcade controller and I also want to be able to play console games with the original controllers too) since the computer doesn't have to be the fastest and the latest greatest.. I suggest going to CC BB, wal mart looking to see if they have any display models for sale or open box specials.. sometimes you'll run into something thats like just the case (no moniter, mouse, keyboard) and its a great computer for like a 100 bucks.,.. it would also be a good play to look for Moniters (just be sure to fully test them before you agree to buy)... that might keep the costs down.. To me, it would seem the wood would be some of the least of the cost. (i'm guessing around 100-120 max) for the wood you would need. It seems the most money would be spent on the Moniter and the wiring.. then again.. i'm approaching my project differently..

it is looking excellent.. if i was in the neighborhood i'd take you up on that SF offer.
Rob
 
I have been interested in this but have not done much research. Are the MAME games all available easily (obvioulsy its considered "bad" by some) or would I have to hit up kazaa etc and locate them seperately?
 
[quote name='Snake2715']I have been interested in this but have not done much research. Are the MAME games all available easily (obvioulsy its considered "bad" by some) or would I have to hit up kazaa etc and locate them seperately?[/QUOTE]

www.playagain.net

Also if you hit up Direct Connect, alot of people have huge collections (*cough*, like me), and you can just download them in bulk.
 
/\ You rock!

This project isa ways off for me I am still building my Sports Car (Toyota Supra)

But its going to be sweet thing to do in a year or so.
 
[quote name='Snake2715']I have been interested in this but have not done much research. Are the MAME games all available easily (obvioulsy its considered "bad" by some) or would I have to hit up kazaa etc and locate them seperately?[/QUOTE]

Try searching for a site that might have "all my roms" or something - do a google search and you will find plenty of them. For about $30 you can get every arcade game supported by mame on DVD-R... there are thousands of them...
 
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