Gday guys
Well after 2 years on the go I have just about completed my first scratch built cab.
Ive played with MAME for many years and after hoarding old TV's and computers I decided to take the plunge and do it.
I bought "DIY Arcade by C. Conway" (thanks for the inspiration mate
) and Saints book and with the 3 trillion websites I sorted through I finally picked and designed the cab.
I dont really know what you would call it but I found some plans named "Knievelklone" and with some modifications that is where I started.
First night in the shed and I finished with this.
Test fitted the TV and modified its mountings to fit in perfect.
Ordered the hardware for the CP from
In2Amusements (here in West Aussie) Ipac, buttons, 3"trackball, Sanwa Joysticks and found some T-moulding from
ArcadeWorxI then realized that the T-Moulding was to suit 19mm and I was using 16mm MDF
If your wondering about the paint job on the CP, I did a test flight of my $40 - 300W electric spray gun that I purchased from
Bunnings (large Australian hardware chain) and I had the paint feed way to high. That is why i tested it on the back of the CP. I simply sanded it back and ended up with that finish. I wasn't going to muck around fixing it and it actually doesn't look that bad.
I bought a slot cutter for my router and some 16mm (5/8') T-Moulding from
T-Moulding.Com in the US ($63 landed in Australia - Slot cutter alone in Australia was over $60 ) and added the front and back doors.
I wired up the CP using cat6 and quick connects. Joysticks and trackball were mounted and held in place by metal strips and 12mm wood screws. I definitely did not want bolt heads on top of the CP.
Finished product.
I was very happy with the final outcome. I found the artwork on google after seeing it on a CP somewhere in the millions I looked at. I had a mate print it on a sticker and it came out awesome.
I have since covered it with a piece of Perspex.
I couldn't help myself and had a few nights test running the CP.
Last few coats on the bezel and drawer. That spray gun was the best thing I have ever bought.
I did 3 coats of primer and sanded between each coat. I mainly used 150-240 grit and it gave a brilliant smooth finish. I used "builders bog" to hide all screw holes and any major gouges.
The kick panel was made from mdf as well and simply hides the castors on the bottom. I used a spray can called "Hammered Silver" that gave it a metallic hammered finish. Bloody awesome stuff.
Added all the electronics, all computer junk I had laying around. Pentium G850 with 2 GB ram.
I bought the coin mech and PC to TV Converter off of E-bay.
I used Black high gloss enamel. I did 2 coats with a light sand in between and wasn't quite satisfied with a few imperfections so I sanded again and applied a 3rd coat and it came out perfect.
Added the CP, T-moulding and my Pac-Man artwork that my son and I modified in Adobe CS6. (added Pokey and Wakka Wakka)
A few pics showing a $20 fluro, the keyboard and mouse drawer and running Hyperspin with around 10 game systems all with 480p vids from EmuMovies.
I'm not too good when it comes to compiling Mame but I did find a no-nag 0.146u5 set and got it to work so Im happy.
It has around 3000 games all up, maybe more. I haven't quite nutted out all the controls for some systems but will just keep tinkering along. Mame and Dragons Lair were top on my list so when I get bored of them Ill go down the list
Marquee is being printed as we speak and should have that in tomorrow night. I have a few cam locks on the way and need to bend a Perspex cover to shield the Yoke and TV board in the back but still allow access to the computer. I figured if it was see through, people wont go touching any of the nasty stuff inside.
Anyway folks that is my first attempt at a cab. I have started on sketches of the cocktail cab I want to build next (much to my wife's disgust).
Id love to tackle a restoration one day. Galaga or Space Invaders etc so im keeping a look out..
A huge thanks to all the members on this forum. I have spent countless nights reading through posts in search of answers to all my silly questions and managed to find all them.