What do you guys think of building a bartop that actually is a full-sized cab?

[clickybuttons]

So the more I think about it.... it seems logical (especially for relocation)... to build a bartop... and a simple square box for the bottom half. Same wood... same color and t-molding... but the box in the bottom half is open on top... and the bartop has a base, that the controller can sit on.

Easy to move around house. Easy to fit through doors, easy to bring to a friend's house. After all, if you're building a MAME system, it seems logical that the most important stuff is in the top half...

[PL1]

It's been brought up several times and at least one guy did a build like this and CoryDee did a bartop/pedestal.

The usual issues that come up are bracing, stability, connecting the halves and the increased weight IIRC.


Scott

Edit:  Found CoryDee's bartop/pedestal setup thread here.

Epyx also did a FF3 bartop/mini here.

[BadMouth]

Ben Heck's Neo Geo cab was kinda like that.
http://benheck.com/bens-neo-geo-arcade-cabinet

It's not going to make a difference in fitting through a door, but might be easier to get around corners.

If you are wanting something small, you could build a cabaret cab.
It could come apart, but the angle of the monitor wouldn't be good for sitting on an actual bar top.

[paigeoliver]

If you build a cabaret out of plywood and use an LCD monitor then it will be light enough to easily move anywhere.

[CoryBee]

It's been brought up several times and at least one guy did a build like this and CoryDee did a bartop/pedestal.

The usual issues that come up are bracing, stability, connecting the halves and the increased weight IIRC.


Scott

Edit:  Found CoryDee's bartop/pedestal setup thread here.

Epyx also did a FF3 bartop/mini here.

Thanks for the plug 

The pedestal worked out beautifully for what it is, including costing near nothing in parts. Was very stable on solid ground but can't get a grip on carpet at all. The owner of it uses it all the time at home and brings just the bartop piece to Tahoe to his relatives.

[yotsuya]

I'd go caberet or straight bartop and forget about a stand. Just me.

[TOK]

I sorta did what you're saying, but not for the same reason. I built a bartop a few years ago because I wanted a dedicated Defender/Stargate layout.
Once I built my gameroom, I wanted the machine out there but had nothing to set it on. Instead of building a stand, I built a base for it that basically turned it into a cabaret. Its still a very tiny machine, though the control panel is at standing height.

[slappyhooper]

I had pretty extensive (scribbled out) plans for just that idea, only it was a 2 player portable design.  This is when I was in Baghdad, working out of the embassy waiting for my contract to end so I could EAS. I had a LOOOOT of time on my hands.....


I had all the parts sourced as well.

Essentially my idea was a flight case (like what bands use to haul speakers and soundboards around) with hinges on the top and bottom.

The top would have the LCD and CP. LCD mounted in the top of the lid, which when flipped up would lock out so there was no wobble.

The bottom "lid" would have flip down legs in a small compartment.  Now, I don't mean picnic table sized folding legs, I found a great place in Missouri that sells super stable locking legs that can extend up to 36" and aren't too wide, something like 20" I believe. Also, when folded they only take up about 3".

The kicker would be that you don't HAVE to fold down the legs, you could throw the box up on a table top and open only the top compartment or bar if you wanted and play that way...


The base would have 1/8" panels as well that clipped onto to the folding legs, thus giving the impression of a solid stand.  Sounds kooky, but I had everything sourced and it would have worked.

Computer is sandwiched under the CP.
I even had a retractable power cable for the thing.

Feature creep set in quickly as I started ordering everything and I ended up scrapping the idea.

It's still on the old back burner, but I simply can't see investing the kind of time and effort it would take for an idea with marginal value.

I have no doubt I could make it work, but I don't want to invest 2k getting there.

Obviously such a build wouldn't have a Marquee, and the viewing angles would be probably not as great as a regular machine, but it would be portable, about 25"  wide, 21" deep and height TBD (24" ish) when closed  and have embedded wheels and a side handle so you could pull the sucker like a suitcase.....

Dang now I kind of want to build the thing.