Who has Built an "Ultimate Arcade II" ??

[CaptainMarvel]

Just curious as to whom - amongst you - has built their MAME cabinet based on North Coast Customs' "Ultimate Arcade II" model.   I am most interested in those who have built their cabinet's from scratch using either the actual plans for the UA II or from using the UA II as inspiration.

[Rick]

I'm just going to go out on a limb and say you're going to find a lot more who say that the North Coast Customs cabinets are based on others' original ideas. They do seem to offer a quality product, but I certainly don't believe they're innovators of the craft.

[vorghagen]

I'm most of the way through a UAII build. Using their plans, built from scratch.

[CaptainMarvel]

I'm most of the way through a UAII build. Using their plans, built from scratch.

Any pics to share ??   

[WindDrake]

I build up a UAII with the 4-Player CP.

http://wdarcade.wordpress.com

Fun kit.

[CaptainMarvel]

I build up a UAII with the 4-Player CP.

http://wdarcade.wordpress.com

Fun kit.

Okay ... That Game Room is AWESOME !!!     
All you need is an Air Hockey table and a Skee Ball setup. 


So, for your UA II ... You built it from the pre-cut kit from North Coast Customs?

[vorghagen]

I've got a few photos of the build so far but nothing too extensive. Is there anything in particular you were after? I'll try to upload some tonight after work.

[paigeoliver]

As a long term collector I think the design is terrible. It was like they built it without ever having seen an actual arcade cabinet. It picked up a bunch of design bits from various BYOAC scratch builds, but they don't go together well and some of them are terrible.

Pros.

I can't really think of any.

Cons.

#1. Needlessly complex. The cabinet sides are inexplicably made out of multiple pieces of wood instead of being solid. This makes the cabinet both weaker and heavier. Someone will come chirping in and say you can take it apart into 2 pieces to move it, but that is a near worthless function and it is ruined since the design puts most of the weight in the unwieldy top section anyway.

#2. The cabinet inexplicably bumps in multiple times in front making reaching the coin door quite difficult and it makes the cabinet far less stable. Go look at a TMNT or a Gauntlet and see how the control panel barely extends past the base of the cabinet.

#3. The control panel top goes out too far past the box on the corners of the 4 player design leaving those areas prone to possible breakage from rough players.

#4. The monitor is mounted straight up and down giving players 3 and 4 a terrible view. Once again examine TMNT and Gauntlet and see how 4 player cabinets lean the monitor back to make sure the side players can see it.

[CaptainMarvel]

I've got a few photos of the build so far but nothing too extensive. Is there anything in particular you were after? I'll try to upload some tonight after work.

I'm most interested in how the top panels are connected to the base - and then how the laminate is then applied  . . . assuming, of course, you're using laminate.

[Rick]

I'm most interested in how the top panels are connected to the base - and then how the laminate is then applied  . . . assuming, of course, you're using laminate.

I read over the manual a while back. Were they not using those "IKEA" style connectors? The round cams in the precut holes, and screws in the sides? So, the laminate was pre-applied?

[CaptainMarvel]

I'm most interested in how the top panels are connected to the base - and then how the laminate is then applied  . . . assuming, of course, you're using laminate.

I read over the manual a while back. Were they not using those "IKEA" style connectors? The round cams in the precut holes, and screws in the sides? So, the laminate was pre-applied?

For the pre-fab kits, yes - I believe you are correct  . . . . which is why I am interested to see how others build and connect their UA II "inspired" cabs from scratch.

[vorghagen]

I'm most interested in how the top panels are connected to the base - and then how the laminate is then applied  . . . assuming, of course, you're using laminate.

Haven't actually attached the top panels to the base yet. There are no cams or anything, instructions just say to use wood screws, (6 per side from memory). Once I'm home I'll pull out the instructions and provide a little more detail.
I'm not using laminate on mine - almost impossible to get large enough rolls in Australia. I'll be using a kind of vinyl overlay instead.

[CaptainMarvel]

Haven't actually attached the top panels to the base yet. There are no cams or anything, instructions just say to use wood screws, (6 per side from memory).

I have the same instructions ... and you are correct.  Seems straight forward enough.  I'm just interested in seeing how others have approached the construction and (in your case) overlay process to provide for as "screwl-less" an outer appearance as possible (if that makes sense). 

Once I'm home I'll pull out the instructions and provide a little more detail.
I'm not using laminate on mine - almost impossible to get large enough rolls in Australia. I'll be using a kind of vinyl overlay instead.

Looking forward to hearing/seeing more about your progress. 

Are you planning on a 2 or 4 player control panel setup?

[vorghagen]

I've countersunk all the screws over the entire cabinet so any overlay I put on will be pretty much flush.

I was originally planning a 4 player cabinet but I made a stupid mistake on the bottom side panels which reduced the stability a little bit so I'm scaling back to a 2 player machine. Since the 4 player CP is already built I guess I'll be attempting a showcase next.

[WindDrake]

I build up a UAII with the 4-Player CP.

http://wdarcade.wordpress.com

Fun kit.

Okay ... That Game Room is AWESOME !!!     
All you need is an Air Hockey table and a Skee Ball setup. 


So, for your UA II ... You built it from the pre-cut kit from North Coast Customs?

Yep, pre-cut kit. And thanks for the kind words. The game room is coming along. Air Hockey is on the list, but I think I'm going to shoot for a Super Chexx. Skee-Ball is definitely also on the list. That or a Puck Bowler.

I also agree with most of what paigeoliver said. Compared to an actual cab, the UAII does look a little funky. It is, however, very solid. While it's not going to withstand the horrible beating my 3Koam Z-Back could take, it's no featherweight, and has survived a move without a scratch or hiccup. Also, I've not gotten a complaint about the viewing angles for Player 3/4 yet, as I used a good TN display with a very wide, forgiving viewing angle, also using nearly the largest screen I could jam in there.

Also, the top weighs almost the same as the bottom when the cab is split into two pieces. Thanks to my old 3rd flood walkup, I'm quite familiar with this. The rough players thing I agree with, but my friends don't beat my stuff up. Never an issue.

The coin door is definitely something of a bear to get to. It's in a stupid location.

It's definitely not a 4-Player Midway cab (TMNT/X-Men/etc), but it's not bad. I like mine. It's sturdy and easy to get in/out of.

[CaptainMarvel]

I'm still contemplating a 2-Player vs. 4 Player control panel . . . . though either way, I'm also contemplating the two-level design concept I've seen (see example images below)

[CaptainMarvel]

Then again, there's something to be said for the "keep it simple stupid" concept  . . .

[CaptainMarvel]

I'm most interested in how the top panels are connected to the base - and then how the laminate is then applied  . . . assuming, of course, you're using laminate.

Haven't actually attached the top panels to the base yet. There are no cams or anything, instructions just say to use wood screws, (6 per side from memory). Once I'm home I'll pull out the instructions and provide a little more detail.

Any pics to share of the progress you've made thus far ??


 

[dekar24k]

I built one, see my signature (Rainy Days). It's huge and it's rather ugly. I'm not a fan of the design, hence why I sold it pretty fast.

[blackcube]

Your Rainy Days arcade was a huge inspiration for me building my own UAII arcade.  I did a 4-player custom panel for mine and documented the process.  It's been 2 years since completion, and I really need to start a build thread. 

The UAII is big, but it's a great way to get into arcade gaming with little woodworking experience.  Building the control panel was a fun and rewarding experience.  My advice, don't rush the build.  I took a year to complete mine and never worked to frustration.

Unfortunately, I don't think the software side of things will ever be complete.  I am constantly tweaking and adding things

[dekar24k]

Your Rainy Days arcade was a huge inspiration for me building my own UAII arcade.  I did a 4-player custom panel for mine and documented the process.  It's been 2 years since completion, and I really need to start a build thread. 

The UAII is big, but it's a great way to get into arcade gaming with little woodworking experience.  Building the control panel was a fun and rewarding experience.  My advice, don't rush the build.  I took a year to complete mine and never worked to frustration.

Unfortunately, I don't think the software side of things will ever be complete.  I am constantly tweaking and adding things

Thanks, that's nice to hear!

Yes, you are never really finished with these projects. I finished my last cab one and a half year ago, but still I am tweaking, adding and removing stuff. I've changed the monitor 3 times etc. Right now I'm using a 27" IPS LCD monitor in it, mounted vertically and I also recently added pinball (flipper) buttons on the side.

Thinking of going horizontally again now, but I need someone to fix my 27" Makvision CRT. It burned out only after a couple months use (because of a faulty smart strip I believe, which was constantly switching power on/off).

[CaptainMarvel]

I built one, see my signature (Rainy Days). It's huge and it's rather ugly. I'm not a fan of the design, hence why I sold it pretty fast.

I don't see a "Rainy Days" link within your signature.     

[dekar24k]

I built one, see my signature (Rainy Days). It's huge and it's rather ugly. I'm not a fan of the design, hence why I sold it pretty fast.

I don't see a "Rainy Days" link within your signature.     

Aah, thought I still had it there. Anyways here's the URL:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,98575

I see that all the pictures are missing, will fix that soon.

[CaptainMarvel]

Wondering if anyone out there might have - or know if there is such available on the web - a Google SketchUp file for this arcade cab design.  (I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask).


 

[vorghagen]

The very beginnings of a sketchup file for the UAII.
Not sure if this is a model of how it's supposed to be, or a model of the dodgy bottom half I made by mistake.