Homemade dynamo cabinet Updated 4/2/2012

[Baldark]

Sorry for the late updates.  I forgot to put my previous update up on here.  It has been on youtube for a while.  I'll put up my newest update first then the previous one after it.  I still need to add some paint to some areas but I don't believe I will be messing with this any more.  I want to get started on a new project and implement all that I learned from my first project.


--Newest Update--




--Previous update--



----------------------------------------
Updated 12/5/11

Finally got around to painting it and making a few adjustments such as shortening the control panel so it doesn't stick out as far anymore.  Also added t-molding to it.  Still have to construct something to hold the plexiglass for the marquee too.  Also added a door to access the ps3 and control panel latches.  I also need to buy some plexiglass for the control panel, monitor, and marquee.  I want to be done with this before the year is up but we'll see.

Here is a video showing the update


---------------------------

After looking around for a nice dynamo cabinet on craigslist for a good time, I decided that maybe I could make one myself.  I went on google warehouse 3d to find out the measurements and drew out my plans and cut out all the pieces.  I have no skill with woodworking and only used a jigsaw and handsaw to cut out all the pieces.  There were videos of people using routers, which I bought, but found that I would just keep messing up the wood.  Thus, I resorted to the handsaw.

After sanding out all the rough edges and having all parts ready for assembly, I have to make a decision.  I don't know how to assemble the pieces.  Maybe some L brackets would work or should I get some wooden dowels to fit in and nail it all together, but I am not sure how that would work since I have no skill in cabinet construction.  Being able to take it apart whenever I want would be something desired which is why the L-brackets would work out well.

Maybe you guys have some advice for me since I have no idea what I am doing.  I'll post pictures of my work later.

[Baldark]

I probably won't have a chance to work on it until the weekend, but here are some photos.  I only put one of the side panels on the floor, didn't feel like picking up two of them.  There are three side panels in total, messed up on my first one.  You can kinda see the chunk messing out of it near where the monitor would be.  I almost threw it out, but figured I can use it as a template if I ever want to make another dynamo cabinet for someone else.  I went through 4 8' by 4' boards.  Probably could have been done with 3 since I wasted the first one from the template.

I'll take more pictures since I know you guys like pictures! (me included lol)

[bluemini17]

looks like a fine cab. In regards to the fixings, I have noticed folk use blocks of wood and then glue and screw them into place along with a few L brackets for good measure. i noticed you mentioned you wanted to take it apart from time to time, so the glue part would only be done on one side of the wooden blocks but a fully glued cab would produce a stronger cab. my afterburner cab has wedge like shapes holding the corners together, i will take a pic for you tomorrow (11pm in the uk here). keep up the good work  and keep those pics coming, Dave

[Baldark]

Thanks for the reply, I decided to just go along with the L brackets for the moment.  I have some glue, but I don't have any sort of clamps to make sure they glue properly (plus I'm kinda lazy atm since I just got off work).  Here is what I have so far.  Started with the base first by screwing in all the brackets there.  After that, I attached the side panel, front panel, then the last panel in that order.  I had to put some smaller brackets near the top of the front because it was kinda bending a bit.  There are also pics of my vertical cabinet.  The dynamo looks great next to it.  

More good things to come later this week.  I'm going to attach the back and top of the cabinet.  I also still have to cut a shelf for the pc/ps3 and cut a shelf for the monitor.  Not sure how to do that yet.  Might just use some more L brackets to make the shelves and whatnot.  Lastly, I'll finish up with the control panel and cutting out the coin door.

I'll make it look pretty once everything is working.  I am so excited!

[Baldark]

Hiya all, I've been a little busy this holiday weekend and have come to a problem.  I was thinking about buying the ipac for my control panel, but I also want to be able to play on my ps3.  Is there a way to make the ipac work with the ps3 as well?  I went on ultimarc's site but it's all so confusing.  My xarcade pcb that I got from my tankstick isn't working anymore...

*edit
I figure out how the ipac works with the ps3.  Just did a little more research.  Kinda pricey, $74 not including shipping, but it does cover both controllers.

[Baldark]

Hiya all, I have a new update on my street fighter dynamo cabinet.  I added a couple of shelves, speaker panel, top panel, and control panel.  I even drilled the holes and fitted all the buttons in.  Took a while to get the design of the button placement down because of how cramped it is.  Two feet of panel space doesn't leave much room for elbow room, plus I'm a good sized guy.  I took apart my tankstick, basically only using the pcb that came with to save on price, and also took out my sanwa jlw's and happ buttons as well.

You'll also notice that I have that curve to the button placement like how the japanese sticks are,  I got so used to the American style placement that I thought I wouldn't be able to adjust, but after a couple of hours it wasn't so bad since I do own a madcat TE that has that jap placement.  Only player one is operational at the moment.  I'll have to rewire the player two buttons because they are too short due to the placement of the pcb.

I need to figure something out with that big gap under the control panel.  I might make that two different pieces, one connected to the control panel where the other will just fill in the space under it.  I'll have to think on it and see how that goes.  Any suggestions are welcome.

The coin door still needs to be cut into the front panel.  I'm pretty sure I'll do that some time before painting.

I have my ps3 in there atm.  Good chance it will stay there too.  There is also a logitec subwoofer system in there.  It was that cheap 5.1 that sounds pretty nice though I'm only using the left and right ones  I hooked up a 4:3 19" flat panel monitor in there.  Reason I went with that was so that i could hook up the ps3 and pc to it and look pretty good.  I used to use a 26 inch crt tv in my old cabinet and the mame games would look great, but the ps3 graphics looked so bad.  Plus my eyes would hurt after an hour of gaming.  Lcds, IMO, are easier on the eyes.  Took a good amount of research to find a 4:3 monitor that supported hdmi.  I'm pretty sure it's called hdcp compatiable.  People were saying that they didn't make many since widescreen was the rage around that time.  Good old ebay.

Tell me what you guys think.  Any suggestions are welcome.  Here are also some more pictures!

[eds1275]

I went on ultimarc's site but it's all so confusing.

   I totally know what you mean. The website is hard to navigate, the organization is pretty non-existent and the information is scattered from one end of the site to the other. Great products, terrible website!

   If I was you, I would use L-brackets and bolts with wingnuts. MDF doesn't have the balls to hold screws all that well, especially if you take them out and put them back in now and then. But bolts are a good way to go, just uglier. Use some big washers to distribute the weight.

   If you had decided on this earlier it may have made more sense to make a 2-piece cab, where the top sits on the bottom.

   I am impressed with your hand saw skills. And your patience! Looks good!

[Baldark]

Thanks for the compliment!  My dad says I should get a circular saw instead of doing it by had since it's more accurate.  It isn't perfect, but it's barely noticeable.  I think some more sanding will even it all out.

I just added some control panel clips under the monitor shelf so it doesn't move freely anymore.  Doing those db,df,db, and uf ultras were a pain when the control panel jumped.  It will probably be a while until I am able to work on the cabinet due to work and school.  At least it's 100% playable now.

If any of you guys have a ps3 and ssf4ae, add me. My name is baldark86 if you want to play. 

"Feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme, get on up, its Dee Jay time!"

[Baldark]

*Updated 4/2/12* Look at first post.

[Baldark]

*Updated 4/2/12* Look at first post.