Bartop Gloss Birch Woodie build. Xbox powered, plus Iron Man WIP cabinet!

[scoodidabop]

Hey peeps! I think I posted my 'project' to the wrong thread yesterday. Anyway I've been a member/lurker for a long time but this is my first (well, second) post!  Here's a build I just finished;







Here's a whole album of progress pics and a quick youtube vid talking about the build. Enjoy!



http://imgur.com/a/cEhCu#0

15" 4:3 LCD, zippyy joystick, Happ 'convex' buttons, 4" Happ speakers, LED marquee lighting, Xbox w/ 160GB hdd running Visionary and Coinops 6.  Overall a really fun build and it plays great! 

Working on an Iron Man build now so watch out for updates on it.

[Malenko]

I like the look, build quality looks top notch. But I have to ask...........

that CPs angle is fairly sharp angle, is it comfy to play?

[Gatsu]

  great job man! keep it up.

[scoodidabop]

I like the look, build quality looks top notch. But I have to ask...........

that CPs angle is fairly sharp angle, is it comfy to play?

Thanks!

The pic that shows Killer Instinct shows the control panel at a bit of a steep angle. The joystick guts were hitting some of my internal components leaving the control panel raised a bit at the top. Rearranged some things and got the panel to close completely - it's flatter now and very comfy cozy to play.

[rablack97]

Nice wood build....executive style...

CP does look too angled though and your t-moulding is coming out on the left hand side at the bottom.

[scoodidabop]

Nice wood build....executive style...

CP does look too angled though and your t-moulding is coming out on the left hand side at the bottom.

Took the pics before I fixed the moulding problem, good eye.


The angle looks a bit steep in the photos. In reality its very close to the angle on my Midway cabinet.



I can pull quick moves in fighting games and play for hours with comfortably so I think it's alright - again similar to my Midway cabinet (a gutted Blitz cab).  Do you guys prefer a flatter control panel?

[HaRuMaN]

I think about 5 degree slope is typical / comfortable. 

Looks good though, great work!

[Malenko]

i think its an optical illusion then that slope looks 25-30 degrees to me

[scoodidabop]

You guys got me curious about it.  So my Midway cab sits around 12 degrees and this bartop cab is about 17 degrees. Did it with a protractor so give or take a little.  While 17ish degrees is much more steep than 5 it's still completely playable and comfy.  The sides of the cabinet determine this angle and can be trimmed down to flatten out the control panel board but for now I don't see the need to change it.

[Malenko]

sorry I made it a focal point, lol.  Honestly my midway cabs arent comfy in long stretches, the angle does make my wrists hurt, BUT it might be different sitting in front a bartop.  I wouldnt advocate for you to change it if you are comfortable with it, after all is YOUR machine.  I look forward to seeing the Iron Man cab 

[rablack97]

 

If yuo can play it comfortably then that's all that matters, thats a sharp looking bartop anyhow....

[scoodidabop]

Thanks fellas! A few more in case you skipped the gallery link:



Back:





Some solder porn. Padhack'd Xbox controller for the joystick/buttons:

[jaharr01]

Nice job! Did you finish that wood, that looks awesome.

Jay

[scoodidabop]

Nice job! Did you finish that wood, that looks awesome.

Jay

Thanks!  I went with an epoxy coating after trying many disappointing coats of spray varnish. The wood kept sucking up all the spray on stuff while I knew that a roll-on varnish would yield better results I envisioned something thicker and more glossy.  Here's what I used:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_147376-1149-5050080_0__?productId=3151089

Its a 2 part epoxy that you pour onto the surface. It dries very thick and self levels for a high gloss finish.  I added the epoxy after all the pieces were cut so the sticky goo was running off all the dozens of edges but in the end it was worth the headache.  Here's a video of someone applying the stuff;



I used a hair dryer to remove the few bubbles I had but lots of guys use a torch.  Mixing the epoxy by hand kept the liquid from forming bubbles so required heat treatment was minimal.  As you can see in the vid its messy as balls but so just remember to prep your work area.