I have finally arrived!

[dptwiz]

I have had people telling me to make an account over here forever, and I finally did. I had to do some searching to see if I did previously and forgot! Not that I could find anyways.
I've been over on the KLOV forums since 2006, and I started reproducing cabinets in 2009 when I purchased a 4X8 shopbot cnc. Figured i'd make a post for those of you who wouldn't
know me unless your on KLOV, as I see a lot of familiar names in the posts already. I'm 43, I live in northwest ohio, married with 4 kids. I'm currently off work from my day job because
my back is pretty much shot, and they don't want to operate on it since it's pushing on my spinal cord and would be considered high risk, and they told me once I couldn't walk anymore,
then they will try to repair it. Pretty disheartening really... so I am just working out of my home making cabinets.

I've pretty much stuck with reproducing classic cabinets and I recently started on pinball cabinets. I do make virtual pinball cabinets and a few multicade/mame style cabinets, but I think it's
time to pursue the mame/multicade/virtual pinball market. Things are a bit slow on the repro arcade side, and I'm trying to get caught up on those. I didn't want my first post to look like
a "for sale" post, just an introduction and show off a few things I've made, till i'm able to take on more work. I've been an arcade collector since 1986 when I got a millipede cabinet for
Christmas that year. I currently own about 65 machines, all in storage, I have no room to set them up, it's all workshop lol. Here's some pictures of my work, I do birch ply cabs, melamine,
MDF, I even do fully restored machines too... I offer options like artwork and T-molding installed, etc.

[dptwiz]

[dptwiz]

[dptwiz]

[chopperthedog]

Hi.



good day.

[tron84]

They look GREAT, nice work man!!!!
I love the DOT cabs & the Dragon's Lair !!! 
How much are the DOT's ?  It looks like you do both styles of them.
Sorry to hear about your back.
I am also a Buckeye  I am from Cincinnati, still have family there.    Had to get out of the cold 

[yotsuya]

Brett is a SOLID guy. Welcome, my friend.

[mgb]

Hey Dptwiz,
  Welcome to the forum. Your work looks awesome. I think it's great that you do actual cabinet repros.
There are a lot of companies that make generic looking boring cabinets. I like your remakes.
Great work.
Sorry to hear about your back, hope all goes well in that area.

[drventure]

I like your remakes.
Great work.

+1 nice work indeed!

[404]

I remember you from KLOV. You were selling bartops and you rage quit the very day i was going to pm and buy one from you. 

Anyway, welcome.

[Maximus]

Hiya Brett

[dptwiz]

the bartops are still not really ready. Honestly, the bartop pictured sucks. I still haven't worked one out that looks good, easy to assemble and i'd be proud to call mine.

[BobA]

Cabs look great.   Love all the shop space you have.  Best of luck with your back. 

[saint]

dptwiz is the real deal everyone. Glad to see you here   I want an EDOT!

[Hoopz]

Welcome.  Post pics of your x-ray/MRI results.  We can fix your back.   

[jdbailey1206]

Welcome.  Post pics of your x-ray/MRI results.  We can fix your back.   

Instead of the Six Million Dollar man we'll make you the Six Million Token man.     But all joking aside.  We all have "issues" we have to deal with, be they medical or otherwise and its good to come here to get away from the craziness of life.  And don't worry about feeling like a salesman.  We all come on here to offer what we can.  In your case its cabinet kits.  And speaking of which I think I saw a cocktail cabinet somewhere in the back.  We may need to talk at a later date.   

Either way welcome to the forum and we hope to hear more from you.   

[Dawgz Rule]

Welcome.  And I'll take one Atari Football....love that game.

[Chris John Hunter]

Welcome Brett / dptwiz

Very good to see you your input can only be a boon to the community here. You clearly have skills most if not all of us could learn from.

Some of those cabs look awesome. 
Cheers
CJ

[AGarv]

Hey B, great to see you over here on BYOAC! I am still working on the significant other about that slim cabinet.

[DaOld Man]

Welcome to the forum, dptwiz!
Looks like you do some good work.
How much do you get for the unfinished Donkey Kong cab? (At least I think those two together are DK cabs?)

[kahlid74]

Welcome!

[dptwiz]

thanks guys! The DK cabinet prices change all the time.. I've never built one the same as the last, always trying to find a "Better" way to make one. The issue is the original game thickness of 9/16" since they were originally metric. I've tried several materials.. I have finally decided on what should be the final revision.. MDF for the cabinet, with Black Formica on the insides of the game sides. That should give me real close to 9/16" maybe a hair thicker. Using a 1/2 ply would still be too undersized, as it all seems to run about 7/16" Final price is about 600.00 with the formica installed. I will make the front panel removable for ease of painting. Nintendo cabinets have 6 different thicknesses of wood in their overall construction, and mine does come with the wooden coin bucket as well. Most all my melamine cabs run 550.00 assembled.

My next project that I am researching is precut multi/mame control panels. I just need to work on the layout, and have these where everything will drop in. I need to order some of the motorized Ultimarc 4/8 way joysticks, I really like the concept on those. the big plus side, is they are easily UPS shippable. I also need to figure out a really good mame cab design to sell, and also make a kit with Tempered Masonite Routing templates for the do it your self guys.. make it in two pieces and keyed, so I can UPS ship those too.

[Chris John Hunter]

Sorry to deviate . Anyone whos interested in building a DK I recommend http://donkeykongarcade.blogspot.co.uk
And if your in the UK, theretropit.co.uk sell a DK kit http://www.theretropit.co.uk/
http://www.theretropit.com/images/dk-newblue2-small.JPG also do a black one if anyones interested.