BIG QUESTION FOR BYOAC MASTERS

[hyiu]

from what I read....

I don't think vegetariansoul will want to buy an existing cab and mod it to a mame cab....

you'll need to re-do the control panel.... (since from his requirement, its clear that he wants a 4 way, 2 SF style, and at least a tball....)

redoing just the panel top takes more than a few hrs....
assuming just cut, paint, wire..... you'll also need to get parts... (also paint takes time to dry...)

with no dis-respect... but from what I read, vegetariansoul  doesn't sound like he wants to do much work on the cab.... but happy to pay the price as long as its within his budget....

he would do as much as putting together a pre-cut cab.... (as in erading instructions, put the pieces together and screw/glue it...) or simple things like hooking up connections.... but I don't think he wants to go into even simple drilling/wiring.... etc. (and modding cab requires that....)

I think if he's willing to spend $2500... that should be enough to get him a NEW cab with 2 SF layout, 4 way, spinner, tball, and a decent computer, and a 27 monitor.... and also a package that he doesn't need any more work than putting together a pre-made bookshelf (ikea style...) and simply hooking up the computer....

my $0.0002 cents...

[Lilwolf]

Those are pretty high prices.

What your looking for is an old game that they could never sell.. because the game was crap.  Not a real original.

Say your looking for something in the 200 - 300 dollar range with a working monitor, but no boards.

But if they have a mame cab... they might be doing it themselfs already... and it might be time to look for another source.

Again, one weekend, about 100bucks in tools... And you can build a box.  It's not really all that hard.  The hard part is the planning... And you can get that from a good set of plans.  We aren't talking about any real woodworking here.  Just a jigsaw mainly.  A router for the tmolding...  Woodglue and some screws.

But if you have money to burn... and no time... buy something.. But you will like what you build yourself...  

[vegetariansoul]

hyiu - that is a fair statement.

Lilwolf - the complication here is that it isn't just me.  She has to like the cab, life is just easier like that.  She loves mame, she is also a woman.    The cab that most people come up with be investing "one weekend, about 100bucks in tools... " will be a great cabinet, but not a great looking cab.  I also see your point.

Mike

[Lilwolf]

What I'm comparing is the plans vs buying.

With the plans... You can make them look really nice.  The parts to making the game look finished is..

1) making sure the ends meet up... Plans should help.

2) tmolding for all the edges.  This is where the router will come into play.  But you will be buying the tmolding yourself or having someone else do it.

3) Monitor bezel.  After doing it myself... I would go with smoked plexi myself and just add dark construction paper (or thicker) around the monitor.  Through the smoked plexi you wont be able to see it.   Again, you will be buying it yourself, or letting someone else do it.  But it's not hard...

Then it comes to the personal touches.  But you wont get this from anyone else.  

marquee... custom or order an original on ebay.  

But the difference between a kit and a set of plans is one will give you the items... the other will give you a list of items.  TMolding slots will be cut (great) but you are paying to ship wood...  And the shipping cost will be enought to buy the tools to do the project... all else being equal.

kit -> full blown...   More labor your paying to others... Not a big deal at all on this... but expect to play a LOT more for shipping.   But the good part is you don't have to do any of the work with the keyboard encoders, monitor and such.

[CthulhuLuke]

Whatsup, alright I had absolutely no carpenter skills before I did my mame cabinet as well, and because I converted my cabinet, I only had to pay roughly 400 for the trackball, I-pac, psx controls, speakers, one sheet of wood, paint, and a few other things like that.  I got the cabinet for free from an arcade manager cause I just befriended him etc.
  But what I'm getting at is that I bet you you can find some kind of large machine in your want ads, you're looking for a NON-working cabinet, since they are the cheapest to convert.  Arcade vendors see a non-working cabinet that's boards are completely fried as a waste of time if the cabinet is not valuable.  Even if you dont get a monitor with it, all you gotta do is go out and by a 20" flat screen APEX and pop it in there for like $250.  Believe me, you'll have A LOT more satisfaction if you do part of the machine by yourself.
   -but if you want to go full out not build ANYTHING, just buy a fully working Street Fighter II cabinet, and then buy a J-pac from www.ultimarc.com,  pop that in there along with a 300 dollar computer off ebay, and you can play every mame game out there.
      -Good Luck

[vegetariansoul]

What size monitor does the SFII cabinet hold?

[vegetariansoul]

My fiance, Flavia, and I would like to thank everyone that contributed to this thread.  So many people gave helpful tips even though it really away from the principals of BYOAC.

I read everything posted with an open mind and investigated every option suggested.  Even reading that mondo "slik stik" thread.  Well over 150 hours researching, reading, pricing, emailing, etc.  Yea, that may have been a little overboard, but this was important.

Whenever dealing business I don't initially let a merchant know that I'm an educated consumer.  To me, this is the easiest way to get a feel for the integrity level of a sales person.  I told him that mame was really cool and I wanted a dedicated mame machine at a good price.  The package he presented didn't charge $3,000 for labor or attempt to sell me too much PC.  His business approach is high quality, less margin, more volume.  I wouldn't have known if not for this site, three weeks ago I knew very little about what made a mame cabinet go.    I love you guys.

I imagine if one of you guys created a custom arcade shop this is exactly how the business would be. www.jjscustomarcades.com   Thanks to you guys and my research we were able to hit a homerun!  I will keep those who are interested updated with how things play out the rest of the way.  

Thanks everyone,
Flavia & Michael

[SNAAAKE]

nope,I never knew that a drill or a saw was(no,not kidding).
NEVER took any wood working class in school either.
but I still build my own panel.
Then went for a cab too.

try and you will learn. visite the examples page and visit as many sites as you can.Very helpful.
I am trying to inspire to you build your own.Its fun !  

[vegetariansoul]

My best friend is also in on this and we have decided to make a cab for him.  We have already been scoping for a dead arcade game for cheap.  We feel alot more comfortable taking our time and our lumps being able to go down and play a finished machine when we get frustrated.  Just remember 6 weeks from now when we are drowning y'all are the ones that got us to jump in.  

Peace,
Mike

[hyiu]

we made you jumped in ??....  
yes... I guess you can ay that....

but drowning ??.... with the skills you can learn here...
I'm sure you'll manage to swim.... free style... back stroke... butterfly... whatever... haaa haa....

so... no drowning is allowed here..... heee hee....  

just a few famous words of advise when you are making the cab....   "measure twice... cut once...."

but ultimately....
SAFETY FIRST !!!!.... wood can be replaced.... but fingers and other body parts cannot....

that's it.... good luck and have fun....

oh.... and take a lot of pics and post there here.....