Arcade Wars - first full cab. Update 2-19-12

[SammyWI]

I've finally made some good progress on my cab so I figure it's time for an announcement thread.  This is going to be a slim, two player cab with a 20" 4:3 LCD.  Most of the buttons will be LED lit (RGB) as well as the trackball.  Buttons are GGG Electric Ice - most with Micro Leaf switches, but the two main fire buttons have True leafs.  The joysticks are Ultimarc's modified JLWs.  The spinner and Trackball are both from Ultimac.  It will also have two Aimtrak guns.

First a few 3d renders:







The theme is classic sci fi and space games.  I plan on adding more artwork to the sides and lower front as well.  Maybe some around the bezel.

After much cutting of MDO, this weekend I finally got the basic shell together.









Hopefully this thread will help me stay motivated to keep moving forward.  I did get the Aimtrak guns finished up a while ago.  They are modified Airsoft guns.  One of my other hobbies is shooting, so I wanted something as realistic as possible.  The trigger switches are purposely stiff (though I couldn't get them as stiff as my real guns).  Both have a switch added to the base of the magazine for mouse 2 (reload).  Right now I plan to use the on screen aiming crosshairs to simulate a red dot scope on the gun - we'll see how that goes.





I got the CP overlay and the Marquee done by Game On Grafix and they turned out great.  The CP is in progress (about 1/3 wired), but I left off when I realized that winter was coming fast, so I wanted to get the wood cut before the garage got too cold.  I'll try to get some pics of that later.

[AlienInferno]

I like the modified AirSoft guns.  Did you do all that on your own or follow some kind of write up somewhere?  Would definatly be interested if you could post more pics or a small how to about it.

[SammyWI]

I like the modified AirSoft guns.  Did you do all that on your own or follow some kind of write up somewhere?  Would definatly be interested if you could post more pics or a small how to about it.

I pretty much just did them on my own.  I looked at the write ups here but those are all done on lightgun shells.  I see now why the lightgun pistol shells are so big - it makes fitting things in easier.  The pistol was definitely harder than the rifle just because of the limited space to work with.  I should have taken pics when I was putting them together.  I might have a few, I'll check.  I can get more pics of the outsides, but I am not pulling them apart again unless something goes wrong. 

[TopJimmyCooks]

I like the shape - the scooped side panels from the cp up to the marquee are a nice aesthetic touch.  MDO=cool.  so hard to buy that around here for some reason.  I don't know that i've ever actually seen it in person. 

[SammyWI]

The MDO has worked well.  A local home improvement store (Menards) started carrying it recently, but it is pricey - $50 a sheet.

I didn't find any photos of the airsoft guns in progress.  But I took a few detail pics.



The reload switch on the pistol was the smallest thing I could find and was still hard to fit in the space.  It's not the best (small and a bit sticky).  If I did it over, I'd try to do something similar to the rifle - probably with a homemade leaf switch.



The camera sticks out a bit on the rifle.  I should have made the flash hider a bit longer.  But it's not as bad as this pic looks - maybe 1/4" or so.



The reload switch on the rifle works great.  It's a microswitch with a lever over the top made from Kydex (a heat moldable plastic).

[wp34]

I love your artwork and design.   

I almost hate to suggest this since you are done with your guns. It would look really cool if your guns had a retro Flash Gordon look to match your cabinet.  I've got a pair of Han Solo guns I'm holding on to in case I ever get around to doing a Star Wars themed cabinet.

[pathartl]

What part of Wisconsin? 

[SammyWI]

Oooo! Han Solo's DL44 blaster pistol - good idea.  But that pic is more of a Flash Gordon model, isn't it?  Either would go well with the theme for sure.  But, I plan on storing the lightguns inside the cab, so it's less of an issue.  Still, I'm sure finding some Star Wars blaster pistols and Storm Trooper rifles would be pretty easy and fairly cheap. 

Edit - I see what you meant now.  The Flash Gorden pistol would go very well with the art I have.  But I'm a big Star Wars nerd too. 

@pathartl: I'm in SE Wisconsin - outside Racine.  Where are you at?

I also got a bit more done on the cab.  Added the front access door and a flip down access door for a pull out keyboard and a way to get to the under side of the CP to change the JLW 4 - 8 way restrictors.

[pathartl]

@pathartl: I'm in SE Wisconsin - outside Racine.  Where are you at?

I'm in Salem, about 20 mins west of Kenosha

[SammyWI]

@pathartl: I'm in SE Wisconsin - outside Racine.  Where are you at?

I'm in Salem, about 20 mins west of Kenosha

Small world.  I grew up in Wilmot.  My wife is from Paddock Lake.  We're pretty familiar with Salem. 

[pathartl]

No way haha! Went to Wilmot High School... just graduated in 2010. I also worked there for three summers in IT. I went to Riverview for Elementary school and live right across Silver Lake on F.

[SammyWI]

Well, just a little bit if progress this weekend.  I got the wood cut for the CP enclosure.  No pics of that - not too impressive  .

So how about some pics of the CP.  Like I said earlier, this has been on hold for a while to get the wood cutting done. 

Ultimarcs' JLW joysticks, Trackball and Spinner.  GGG's Electric Ice buttons, encoder and LED controllers.  Pogo's vinyl stickers on the admin buttons.









CP overlay was printed by Game On Grafix, along with the Marquee, and both turned out great, IMHO.

[AlienInferno]

looks good with the artwork applied.

[Cougar888]

Great build, love the artwork is it pieced together from the Space Invaders bezel?

[SammyWI]

Great build, love the artwork is it pieced together from the Space Invaders bezel?

Thanks.  The art is from Space Invaders Deluxe, Xevious and Missile Command.

[TopJimmyCooks]

Caption:  I can haz Assault Rifle?!

[AlienInferno]

^ LOL!

[SammyWI]

Made a bit more progress this weekend.  Got the box for the CP together.  Pin nailer came in handy for that.  Of course I'll have some filling and sanding to do on the joints!    Lucky for me, most of this will be shadowed under the CP overhang.









Also got the pull out shelf for the keyboard in.  It slides back far enough that I can easily reach through the flip down access door and get to the JLW 4 - 8 way restrictors.

[SammyWI]

Well, not as much progress as I had hoped for over a four day weekend.  Between the family get together and getting a new cell phone (my first smartphone), I only had time to put in some odds and ends.

I got the marquee plexi cut and test fit.  Router with flush trim bit is the way to go for this.



Also test fit the CP.  Things are looking pretty good, I think.





And I mounted the speakers and the marquee light.



Getting pretty close to starting to paint this baby.    (Although, I do hate painting. )

[wp34]

Also test fit the CP.  Things are looking pretty good, I think.

You are correct sir.  Looking very good.  I just love that artwork.   

[SammyWI]

I bought some black vinyl corner guards to use as marquee retainers.  I decided to try and change the angle of one piece to match the angle below the marquee - about 135 degrees instead of 90.  So I heated a piece in the oven to 200 F and worked it a couple of times until I got the angle about right.  Then when I test fitted with the marquee, it was about 3/4" short!  I could have sworn I checked it before heating and bending.  After much head scratching, I test fit a second piece for length then heated and rebent it.  Short again!  Apparently vinyl will shrink after heating and cooling.   

Lucky I bought double the amount I needed.  I'll just come up with a little different mounting for that bottom piece.

[SammyWI]

Finally!  I have good progress to report.













I did get things painted over the holidays.  After I got the primer on, I was pretty depressed.  It pretty much looked like dog poop on a stick.  But after I sanded a bit and put on a couple of coats of paint, it didn't turn out too bad.  Did I mention that I hate painting?  

After that, I decided to make a push to get things functional.  I skipped wiring the LEDs for the buttons and trackball and just got all the controls functioning.  (After wiring the micro leaf buttons wrong, twice.  )  

Then I got some 3/4 inch black vinyl corner guard and mounted the marquee.  I couldn't spray paint the back of the bezel plexi since it's winter in Wisconsin, so I tried scuffing it up with steel wool and rolling on the same latex I used on the cab.  And that looked horrible!  Terrible coverage.  I almost threw it out.  But then I tried backing it with a piece of black foam core and it looks pretty good.

So after all that I hook things up and my MAME computer won't boot!  Just POST loops.  I pulled everything I could and narrowed it down to: motherboard, CPU or power supply.  It's an off lease referb and I could get a similar one for 135$, so it wasn't worth my time to mess with it further.  So, after re-installing things, I have at least the basics working.

Still to do:

Set up all emulators and get front end (GameEx) fully set up like I want it.

Wire up button and trackball LEDs.  Set up LED plug in to show active buttons in each game.

Wire in remote (hidden) power button.

Add more art.  Will probably cut out individual items for the sides and do something on the front and on the lower part of the bezel.

I've also decided to use my Aimtrak set up and guns in my next project: a front projection light gun setup.  Hopefully I'll be able to get that up to 60 inches or more.  

[TopJimmyCooks]

Fine work.  I like how there's an option for buttons on either side of the trackball.  Mmmmm MGD . . . .tasty!   Gamex, not so tasty!   

[wp34]

That turned out great.  Very nicely done.   

[AlienInferno]

That looks great.  What kind of angles did the vinyl corner guard for the marquee mount have to fit?  And where did you get it?

[SammyWI]

Thanks all.

JTC:  I needed a few MGDs during this build.  I love my GameEx.   Love all the built in stuff from the 3D cabs to the similar games lists.  But to each their own - plenty of options for everyone.

WP34: (Gosh I wander what that stands for?  )  Thanks, I guess those should be MGDs.  I'm considering putting in cupholders.

AI: The angle between the bottom of the marquee edge and the board with the speaker grills is greater than 90 degrees, about 135.  I ended up just using 90 degree corner guards and shimming things on the lower side.  It's hard to see since every thing is black.  I got them at http://www.kofflersales.com/.

 

[Le Chuck]

Looking sharp, nice roomy CP and good layout.  From the looks I'd say there's enough room on either side of the monitor for a rotation project at a later date once you get everything else set up.  Can't wait to see those LED's a flashin. 

[wizkid32]

Looks very nice!  Too bad about the pc...

[SammyWI]

LeC: I'll have to measure to see if I could do a rotate.  Good thought, that.  Having new projects and modifications standing by is a good way to stave off the project completion blues.

WizK: Yeah, the PC was a bummer.  I did pull the RAM into the new one.  I'm sure I could salvage the hard drive but the new PC has no place for a second one.  Honestly, the worst part was just setting up Windows and transferring all the files.  (Would you like to take a tour of Windows XP?  Your PC may be at risk!)

[wizkid32]

(Would you like to take a tour of Windows XP?  Your PC may be at risk!)

I know the feeling...
 

[Woodshop Flunky]

Nice job! 

[SammyWI]

Got all my LEDs wired and now my CP is officially a rat's nest. 

Using the LCD/LED plugin for Gamex, I got things working.  Not sure but I may have to give LEDblinky a try.  The LED/LCD plugin seems to have no documentation and I'm having problems getting in game buttons to light properly.  And they want to stay lit after I exit a game.

I'm also thinking about swapping out the button plungers with solid black and just lighting the rings.  But I'd have to wait until GGG gets some black ClassX buttons in stock.  Right now the LED levels are at about 30% so I have plenty of power left.  The Trackball is already at 100% - lots more volume and material to go through.

Hard to get decent pics that show the LEDs well but here goes: