Author Topic: Mini Mario Bros Arcade - UPDATED 5-25-12 (Read 28568 times)

elkameleon · « **on:** January 27, 2012, 10:09:10 am »

Im far enough along in the design process that I can share this with you guys now. Im building a mario bros arcade replica for my kids at 3/4ths size, which puts this thing at just a touch over 4 feet tall. I should be picking up the MDF today, we'll have to see how things go. Let me know what you think.

right click the image and select "open in new tab" to get the full resolution

smalltownguy · « **Reply #1 on:** January 27, 2012, 10:11:33 am »

Great idea for a build! I'll be watching this closely. Will be using a standard Sanyo 19" monitor?

elkameleon · « **Reply #2 on:** January 27, 2012, 10:14:39 am »

I havent figured that much out yet. I've got about 16.875" of width in this cabinet. I was thinking about just using a decased pc monitor to keep the cost/complexity down. I have a budget of about 500 bucks for everything, and i'm wholly expecting artwork to claim a good chunk of that...

smalltownguy · « **Reply #3 on:** January 27, 2012, 10:17:45 am »

I've got a de-cased 17" CRT computer monitor for you, if you need it.

elkameleon · « **Reply #4 on:** January 27, 2012, 10:20:29 am »

I'll keep that in mind if I can't find one here locally soon, thanks!

Well Fed Games · « **Reply #5 on:** January 27, 2012, 10:47:16 am »

Quote from: smalltownguy on January 27, 2012, 10:11:33 am

Great idea for a build! I'll be watching this closely.

+1, this is going to be a very cool project!

elkameleon · « **Reply #6 on:** January 27, 2012, 11:10:33 am »

Quick question, how should I secure my panels together? I was thinking of just gluing and clamping with some 1 1/2" square pine peices in the corners... any suggestions? I don't really want to screw through the MDF surface if I can at all help it.

eds1275 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 27, 2012, 11:16:00 am »

On mine I used biscuits and backed it with strips of mdf I made from my offcuts, and it's sturdy.

javeryh · « **Reply #8 on:** January 27, 2012, 11:17:19 am »

Glue is more than enough for MDF with the pine strips - no screws will be necessary for assembly. Trust me. Looks like a neat little project.

How much is "a touch over" 4ft? I only ask because MDF panels are machined 4'x8' and the measurements are usually dead on. If you can resize it so the height is exactly 4 ft. you will get more use out of your MDF... but this may throw off everything since you are going for 3/4 scale.

elkameleon · « **Reply #9 on:** January 27, 2012, 11:31:25 am »

the side panels are a half inch over 4 feet, I thought they sold some MDF an inch over its stated size, so a 4x8 panel is actually 49"x97"... i could be wrong. I wanted to get away with a few 4x4 panels, but if they are 4x4 on the nuts, im screwed going that route

firedance · « **Reply #10 on:** January 27, 2012, 01:44:41 pm »

here the uk MDF is 4x8 feet or 1220mm x 2440mm if you prefer

Johns Uncle · « **Reply #11 on:** January 27, 2012, 02:50:35 pm »

Cool project ! you could use a plinth to pinch a few inches in height !

Louis Tully · « **Reply #12 on:** January 27, 2012, 03:31:01 pm »

05SRT4 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 27, 2012, 03:33:00 pm »

This will be a fun project.

eds1275 · « **Reply #14 on:** January 27, 2012, 03:40:48 pm »

Where I live the MDF comes in 49x97" sheets, but I think they do that because chances are one or more edges gets bumped/crushed/dented. I personally have never gotten a perfect sheet of anything from anyone so that little extra bit is nice and often not damaged past point of usefulness even if a little worse for wear.

elkameleon · « **Reply #15 on:** January 27, 2012, 08:56:01 pm »

Well, I made the trip to Menards today after work. I decided to cut my design by half an inch to fit on a 48x48 sheet of MDF, it will be barely noticeable in the end. I picked up 3 sheets at roughly 10 bucks a piece. I also picked up a router and circular saw, two tools I never had before, so thats nice! My wife's face was about like this when we got to the register.

Haha!

Woodshop Flunky · « **Reply #16 on:** January 28, 2012, 12:10:13 am »

I love the 3/4 scale!

Glue will hold very well. I used 1/2 ply and screwed through from the outside. It was no problem because I put a layer of laminate on the sides (covering the screw heads). How are you going to finish the sides?

I used a 17" CRT for my son's 3/4 scale cab and it looks really nice. If I was going LCD I could fit a 19".

elkameleon · « **Reply #17 on:** January 28, 2012, 12:58:16 am »

As I was laying my panels out on the MDF tonight, the sense of the scale started to hit me, and I realized I was not going to get two players on here comfortably, so I switched my design to the widebody style, gained me 3 very needed inches. Need to go back to town tomorrow and get a few more needed tools... the trick is doing that without the wife finding out I spent even more money.

She'll eventually have to realize its an investment!

Quote from: Woodshop Flunky on January 28, 2012, 12:10:13 am

I love the 3/4 scale!

Glue will hold very well. I used 1/2 ply and screwed through from the outside. It was no problem because I put a layer of laminate on the sides (covering the screw heads). How are you going to finish the sides?

I used a 17" CRT for my son's 3/4 scale cab and it looks really nice. If I was going LCD I could fit a 19".

I'm going to be painting my cab, don't think I can find laminate in that special mario powder blue color.

elkameleon · « **Reply #18 on:** January 28, 2012, 03:53:54 pm »

I was able to get out in the garage today and get one of my side panels cut out, used a lot of tools i've never personally used before, but everything went great! I'll post some photos after I get side 2 cut out.

elkameleon · « **Reply #19 on:** January 29, 2012, 07:22:49 pm »

Heres the photos I promised

And one with my 5 year old for scale..

05SRT4 · « **Reply #20 on:** January 29, 2012, 07:37:18 pm »

Man I bet shes way excited.

Le Chuck · « **Reply #21 on:** January 29, 2012, 10:01:00 pm »

Usually when my 4 year old smiles like that he's getting ready to and just did in fact destroy something

Looking good, I'll be watching closely as I'm thinking about something similar. Keep it up

Green Giant · « **Reply #22 on:** January 30, 2012, 10:54:45 am »

They already know what you are building?

Man, now you really do have to finish this ASAP. Nothing like a woman waiting to get you working.

elkameleon · « **Reply #23 on:** January 30, 2012, 11:12:13 am »

Haha! Yeah, I was given about a month to get this thing built and working, so I have my work cut out for me.

elkameleon · « **Reply #24 on:** January 30, 2012, 08:14:48 pm »

Got out in the garage a little tonight, practiced cutting my speaker grill, didn't do too bad figuring I used a paper template and was routing freehand.

On the real thing i'll use a fence to get a nice straight line.

elkameleon · « **Reply #25 on:** January 30, 2012, 11:24:31 pm »

Well, here's the final product, it got a little burned, but it getting painted black so it'll go unnoticed.

05SRT4 · « **Reply #26 on:** January 31, 2012, 12:28:53 am »

speaker cut out looks great good job.

nordemoniac · « **Reply #27 on:** January 31, 2012, 06:42:05 am »

How would you normally make a router-template to cut something like that?

elkameleon · « **Reply #28 on:** January 31, 2012, 09:24:25 am »

Quote from: nordemoniac on January 31, 2012, 06:42:05 am

How would you normally make a router-template to cut something like that?

I printed it out and taped it on, then I had some guide lines for where to put my fence. I used a cad program to do it.

Le Chuck · « **Reply #29 on:** January 31, 2012, 09:43:53 am »

Quote from: nordemoniac on January 31, 2012, 06:42:05 am

How would you normally make a router-template to cut something like that?

I'd do the first one on a blank using a fence, then clamp it down where you want it and use a bit like this. That's only if I wanted to duplicate that feature multiple times. If I was just making two for a one off design I'd just do both by hand.

nordemoniac · « **Reply #30 on:** January 31, 2012, 09:51:58 am »

I see. What exactly do you mean by fence?
I haven't used a router to much. I've done a couple of these by hand, and I was thinking of maybe making some templates if I'm doing a better project in the future.

elkameleon · « **Reply #31 on:** January 31, 2012, 10:28:03 am »

By fence I mean like a guide, a straight edge for your router to run along. Le Chuck, that bit would of been awesome to use, but I used a 3/16" bit specifically for this cab, cause its 3/4ths the size of the original slots.

nordemoniac · « **Reply #32 on:** February 01, 2012, 03:46:05 am »

Exactly. That's what I've done as well. I've only created square vents on a cabinet, but I haven't tried making round ones like this.
It would be SO much easier with a table router. It is so hard to cut small things with that huge router blocking the view.

elkameleon · « **Reply #33 on:** February 02, 2012, 08:15:58 am »

I bought the computer I'm going to use for this cab last night off craigslist, 17" monitor included, all for 50 bucks! It's a modest machine, but good enough for the old school vert games I plan on playing on it! Gonna work on a design to mount my monitor tonight. I'll probably end up stealing ideas from Woodshop Flunky's american ace cab, since its similar in nature.

elkameleon · « **Reply #34 on:** February 03, 2012, 06:30:27 pm »

Well I was able to mount my monitor this afternoon, thanks for the idea, Woodshop Flunky!

My control board didnt have any attachment tabs, so I used some 1x1 angle brackets and some sheet metal screws to attach it.

elkameleon · « **Reply #35 on:** February 05, 2012, 01:11:40 pm »

Well, worked from 10am saturday morning until midnight, had a few mishaps along the way, but this is what I ended up with. Let me know what you think!

Louis Tully · « **Reply #36 on:** February 05, 2012, 01:44:39 pm »

elkameleon · « **Reply #37 on:** February 08, 2012, 12:05:20 pm »

BUMP! I added a poll to the top of this thread, I can't decide what color I want to paint my cab! I'm leaning more towards the orange, but I also like the subdued hue of the blue. Help me decide!

javeryh · « **Reply #38 on:** February 08, 2012, 01:02:12 pm »

Looks great so far. I'd personally go with the blue cab - I just think it is less off-putting in the house. You know, you could always paint it pink since it is for your daughter... I sure love pink arcade cabs.

elkameleon · « **Reply #39 on:** February 08, 2012, 01:04:11 pm »

While pink would be an obvious choice for a girl, I gotta keep it legit, she'll learn to respect old school!


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Author Topic: Mini Mario Bros Arcade - UPDATED 5-25-12 (Read 28568 times)