Noob wants to build a MAME cabinet for under 200$

[mkwfreak]

is it possible to build a upright, 2 player 6 button mame cabinet for under 200$? providing the monitor and computer is provided?

[chopperthedog]

Anything is possible with cardboard, duct tape and cheap labor from a home depot parking lot.


good day.

[kiwasabi]

is it possible to build a upright, 2 player 6 button mame cabinet for under 200$? providing the monitor and computer is provided?

Are you able to build a cabinet yourself? Because if so, you can build the cabinet for $60 (2 sheets of particle board or melamine coated pressboard). Or $30 if you make it really thin and do it with one sheet.

Joysticks are about $10 each, buttons $2 each... So that's $20 + $28 = $48 (since I'm assuming you want to have start buttons). Then you need the encoder board, which can be had for $30-40. Monitor glass/plexi will run you another $30. I wouldn't recommend a coin door in your case as that would be another $70. Speakers can be had for $20-30.

So yeah, it might be able to be done if you're extra thrifty.

[kiwasabi]

Anything is possible with cardboard, duct tape and cheap labor from a home depot parking lot.


good day.

Ah c'mon leave the immature trolling to KLOV. On here we're a community dedicated to helping each other create cool stuff on a budget.

[BadMouth]

Cheapest way is to find an old cabinet, for less than $100 or free.
You might even get real lucky and find one already laid out correctly for 2 players with 6 buttons each.
It would still be cutting it close.

Depends on what your expectations are, what tools you have, and what your skillset is.
example - are you willing to spend a few hours soldering wires to cheap hacked controller PCBs to save $20 over buying an interface.
(personally, I'd still go with a keyboard encoder unless you plan to run newer Steam games)
Do you expect to have custom artwork on the marquee and control panel, or would you be happy with the stuff from the original game?
Stuff printed at staples doesn't look half bad, although the CP art would need to be under plexiglass.
Paint can be a cheap way of making the cab look custom.

Building it from scratch results in a lot of unforeseen $40 trips to the hardware store.

[mkwfreak]

ok, i found 3 options

1. buy a stripped cabinet with control panel for 100-150
2. buy a stripped cabinet w/o control panel for 60-80
3. buy a stripped cabinet w/o control panel on a rainy day for 20-30

i know of water damage, and it can ruin looks, but will it still be strong enough to be a main cabinet after being in the rain?

[EMDB]

is it possible to build a upright, 2 player 6 button mame cabinet for under 200$? providing the monitor and computer is provided?

Are you able to build a cabinet yourself? Because if so, you can build the cabinet for $60 (2 sheets of particle board or melamine coated pressboard). Or $30 if you make it really thin and do it with one sheet.

Joysticks are about $10 each, buttons $2 each... So that's $20 + $28 = $48 (since I'm assuming you want to have start buttons). Then you need the encoder board, which can be had for $30-40. Monitor glass/plexi will run you another $30. I wouldn't recommend a coin door in your case as that would be another $70. Speakers can be had for $20-30.

So yeah, it might be able to be done if you're extra thrifty.

Don't forget screws, glue, wiring, marquee plexi, legs/wheels, monitor/TV, and last but not least a computer. You can omit the t-molding and artwork but for a complete cabinet you should also add those costs. 

[solar]

Yeah i'd say it's possible.

But only if you stalk out deals, find offcuts etc, if you go straight to the main sellers you're going to be paying retail on everything.

Make a list of things you need to build to cab and things you'd want to add. Then you can at least whittle down the want list or say spend a little bit more for added extras if its something you really want to include.

With a decent schematic and measuring a lot to avoid mistakes should see you through ok, even if you're not used to using the tools.

Worst case is you fail, but then you know what not to do next time.

[chopperthedog]

Ah c'mon leave the immature trolling to KLOV. On here we're a community dedicated to helping each other create cool stuff on a budget.

Seems officer two shoes doesn't know what sarcasm is.


good day.

[yotsuya]

Scratch-build for around $200? Only if you have friends giving you a great deal/discount/free stuff.

[BadMouth]

1. buy a stripped cabinet with control panel for 100

[nitrogen_widget]

He said the PC & monitor were provided.
so he just needs the cabinet.

It won't be pretty, but it might be doable.
depends on what he can find at the hardware stores.

If he's got tools like a router he can skip moulding.
Legs/feet aren't essential and neither is a marquee if going cheap.

wiring- if you buy a few encoders with wires you really don't need too much more for wireing.
something like this for $60 shipped.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Player-Mame-Arcade-USB-Kit-w-2-Joysticks-4-8-way-16-Push-Buttons-60-in-1-/221471126662?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3390b53486

speakers can be any old PC speaker.

Screw it & glue it is what Holmes on homes says & I agree 100% there when using thinner wood.

if it were me, i'd build a vigolix type cabinet or hit up mr 2nd's for some cheap 2x4's & partial pieces of plywood.
Frame it up, screw on the plywood, round the edges with a router or even just a sander, fill in the spaces with wood putty, sand it smooth & paint it.
Preferably a dark semi gloss so the filler and imperfections don't show too much.

He isn't looking for a show piece.
He just wants to play some mame.

I'm assuming in something that won't collapse or fall over when he and a buddy start torquing on the controls.

[yotsuya]

if it were me, i'd build a vigolix type cabinet

Unless he wants a full-size cabinet, I would agree with this.

He isn't looking for a show piece.
He just wants to play some mame.

If he just wants to play some MAME, then buy a Tankstick for $100. Problem solved.

I dunno, if I'm going to build an unright, I don't want it to look like I cut corners.  But that's me. I'd buy a Tankstick and squirrel away enough each month until I had enough to do it the right way. 

[yotsuya]

Also, if he's trying to keep costs down and just wants to play games, a modded xBox might be the way to go. 

[kiwasabi]

Ah c'mon leave the immature trolling to KLOV. On here we're a community dedicated to helping each other create cool stuff on a budget.

Seems officer two shoes doesn't know what sarcasm is.
good day.

You call it sarcasm, I call it trolling. Regardless of semantics it isn't productive to the conversation.

[eds1275]

This really isn't a $200 hobby... it's more of a budget for $500, somehow break $1100. It's the little things that will nickle and dime you to death. I'd say some serious planning is in order for what you wants, plan for that, then do what you can with your $200.

You could definitely build a cabinet for $200, and possibly get some sort of finish on it.

[Malenko]

Noob should build a nice control panel box, and look for a gutted cab.  If youre near TNT amusements in PA they have cheap/free cabs all the time.

[Vigo]

People build impressive furniture out of wood pallets these days. If you are patient and know how to scrounge, you can work on just about any budget.



Lots of good ideas listed above. You also don't need to necessarily buy everything new either. I have built a lot of stuff from old joysticks and buttons that were on circuit machines.

Encoders, you can just use 2 Zero Delay encoders. $11.00 each on ebay. Comes with wires already, no soldering needed.

If you are not buying a gutted cab, then look into building a slim cab and you can get by with a lot less wood.

What area do you live in? Some areas in the US are goldmines for cheap cabs if you spend some time looking.

[Generic Eric]

A post like this should include OP's zip or otherwise if not in the States.  You might find someone local to you this way.

Otherwise, all the good points have already been made. 

If you'll indulge me while I soapbox

Start small.  Build a fight stick. Look into a kade. @kadevice.com

Configure your games.

Build a control panel around your favorite games.

Decide if you want a bartop, cocktail, or if you want a full upright.  Then build that.

[dkersten]

This really isn't a $200 hobby... it's more of a budget for $500, somehow break $1100. It's the little things that will nickle and dime you to death. I'd say some serious planning is in order for what you wants, plan for that, then do what you can with your $200.

QFT  The nickel and diming in this hobby is insane.  My $750 budget ended at $2195..

I have a pretty well fleshed out woodshop with a lot of hardware on hand, yet I would be hard pressed to build a $200 cabinet.  If I went with the cheapest particle board I could find, assumed that the glue, screws, and brad nails I already have are "free", skip t-molding and any other "dress" item aside from paint, roll on some latex for the finish, not have any kind of casters, and forget hinging the CP or service door, then I can see getting away with $100 on the cab construction.  Either using a cheap encoder or hacking a keyboard and using ebay buttons and joysticks and you could cobble a basic CP together for under $100.

But I also agree that if you are on that tight of a budget, just get a CP like a tankstick and play on your computer.  A full stand up cabinet is as much a piece of furniture as it is a game to play.  If you aren't going to take the time to make it look good, you are losing out on half the point of even having one, IMO.  And if you are married, it better look damn good if you are going to put it in any "usable" room in the house/apartment.  An arcade cab doesn't do much for you if you have to put it in that unfinished room in the basement that nobody wants to go in, or in the unheated garage in the wintertime.  But a simple CP at your computer desk allows you to actually play it regularly.. And you get the added benefit of long term use to determine if spending money on a full cab is worth it to you in the long run.  What might seem awesome to you today might sit in the corner collecting dust tomorrow.  If $200 is a tight squeeze for you, it would probably be best to not spend it until you know for sure that you will use it.

[Vigo]

What might seem awesome to you today might sit in the corner collecting dust tomorrow.  If $200 is a tight squeeze for you, it would probably be best to not spend it until you know for sure that you will use it.

I'd like to add a "but" to this statement. dkersten is absolutely right about a shelf life on cabinets that are not fully threshed out, but if you are willing to accept this as a hobby rather than a 1 time project, you will find the experience of your build beneficial to your next build. So hopefully a few years down the road, you will have some more cash on your hands and be able to build a much slicker machine. You can also reuse many things from your old cab, and save a bit of cash when you take on that next project.

[yotsuya]

Dave and Vigo -

(Pretend Kane is clapping)

[mkwfreak]

I think i know which option i'm picking. There's this local service to pay money to rent arcade games locally. I called them up, talked for an hour, and it gave me a lot of info. I think my goal is to buy a cab with nothing but the control panel, the wiring for the control panel, and the cab itself. The thing is though, they're kind of expensive to buy parts from. The cab can cost from $100-$200, but i'll all need then is the i-pac. (or if it doesn't have wires, a wiring kit, which scares me slightly.) the i-pac will be 40-50 bucks, so i'll only have about 100-160 to spend (maybe slightly more if i can talk my family into it.) He sent me no, pics, so this weekend i'm heading over to there warehouse and taking a look. Anything I should keep  a sharp eye out for, and a decent price range for both wiring scenarios?

[yotsuya]

I think i know which option i'm picking. There's this local service to pay money to rent arcade games locally. I called them up, talked for an hour, and it gave me a lot of info. I think my goal is to buy a cab with nothing but the control panel, the wiring for the control panel, and the cab itself. The thing is though, they're kind of expensive to buy parts from. The cab can cost from $100-$200, but i'll all need then is the i-pac. (or if it doesn't have wires, a wiring kit, which scares me slightly.) the i-pac will be 40-50 bucks, so i'll only have about 100-160 to spend (maybe slightly more if i can talk my family into it.) He sent me no, pics, so this weekend i'm heading over to there warehouse and taking a look. Anything I should keep  a sharp eye out for, and a decent price range for both wiring scenarios?

If it's JAMMA wired, you'll just need a J-Pac. It'll be more expensive, but if the wiring is there it'll save you some wiring time and costs.

[mkwfreak]

I think i know which option i'm picking. There's this local service to pay money to rent arcade games locally. I called them up, talked for an hour, and it gave me a lot of info. I think my goal is to buy a cab with nothing but the control panel, the wiring for the control panel, and the cab itself. The thing is though, they're kind of expensive to buy parts from. The cab can cost from $100-$200, but i'll all need then is the i-pac. (or if it doesn't have wires, a wiring kit, which scares me slightly.) the i-pac will be 40-50 bucks, so i'll only have about 100-160 to spend (maybe slightly more if i can talk my family into it.) He sent me no, pics, so this weekend i'm heading over to there warehouse and taking a look. Anything I should keep  a sharp eye out for, and a decent price range for both wiring scenarios?

If it's JAMMA wired, you'll just need a J-Pac. It'll be more expensive, but if the wiring is there it'll save you some wiring time and costs.

yes, but one last thing about the J-Pac. How would I get kick buttons to work?

[Malenko]

JPAC has screw terminals for the "kick" buttons



http://ultimarc.com/jpac.html

[mkwfreak]

JPAC has screw terminals for the "kick" buttons



http://ultimarc.com/jpac.html

I see. I'm used to screw terminals,  but with the grounding and everything i'm a bit worried (I know some stuff about wiring, I disassembled and reassembled vacuum cleaners and ac plugs multiple times, but this is still new to me.) I can probably do it, but i'll need a $10 visit to a hardware store.

Also, again, if I were to find a cabinet with a control panel, what is a good price range for someone on my budget? I don't want to blow all my money on the cabinet and not have enough for the electronics, and have a wooden box just sit in my living room until i could get the parts.

[nitrogen_widget]

I need to look around here more.
Every empty cab I find people are $200+ and won't budge.
Even the one's missing parts or with broken coin doors and crushed corners.
Their nuts.
not gonna pay that for a beat up box that literally has no more use to them in a commercial environment anymore due to it's condition.

I don't need one right now anymore because I decided to make my own after seeing the prices.

[yotsuya]

Do you have a photo of exactly everything you're getting in the cab? That would help.

[Vigo]

I think a lot depends on where you live and how patient and diligent you are. There are currently a couple empty cabs available in my area for free on craigslist. One even has a monitor that might work. Other areas are sinfully difficult to find anything.

[mkwfreak]

Do you have a photo of exactly everything you're getting in the cab? That would help.

Well the thing is, I haven't been to their warehouse yet, but am going this weekend. maybe if I can find the guy on here maybe he can show me what he has for sale.

[yotsuya]

Do you have a photo of exactly everything you're getting in the cab? That would help.

Well the thing is, I haven't been to their warehouse yet, but am going this weekend. maybe if I can find the guy on here maybe he can show me what he has for sale.

Ok, that helps. Once you know what you can get, we can help steer you in the right direction. But if you can get something with a control panel and all the wiring, buttons, and joysticks, and it's JAMMA, I'd recommend the J-Pac.

[mkwfreak]

Do you have a photo of exactly everything you're getting in the cab? That would help.

Well the thing is, I haven't been to their warehouse yet, but am going this weekend. maybe if I can find the guy on here maybe he can show me what he has for sale.

Ok, that helps. Once you know what you can get, we can help steer you in the right direction. But if you can get something with a control panel and all the wiring, buttons, and joysticks, and it's JAMMA, I'd recommend the J-Pac.

I see. But if I did get the J-Pac, that's $60 + whatever i need for the kick buttons. Maybe if I'm lucky there might be a kick harness in there I can Frankenstein. As for my area, It's not the best for collecting. It's a small town in the California bay area. This is the place I plan on looking at. It's called "All you can Arcade." It's this crazy place nearby that lets people rent arcade games in their homes. They may also put some on locations, but i'm not sure about that. I called them and they said they had some street fighter cabs gutted, along with others.

[yotsuya]

Do you have a photo of exactly everything you're getting in the cab? That would help.

Well the thing is, I haven't been to their warehouse yet, but am going this weekend. maybe if I can find the guy on here maybe he can show me what he has for sale.

Ok, that helps. Once you know what you can get, we can help steer you in the right direction. But if you can get something with a control panel and all the wiring, buttons, and joysticks, and it's JAMMA, I'd recommend the J-Pac.

I see. But if I did get the J-Pac, that's $60 + whatever i need for the kick buttons. Maybe if I'm lucky there might be a kick harness in there I can Frankenstein. As for my area, It's not the best for collecting. It's a small town in the California bay area. This is the place I plan on looking at. It's called "All you can Arcade." It's this crazy place nearby that lets people rent arcade games in their homes. They may also put some on locations, but i'm not sure about that. I called them and they said they had some street fighter cabs gutted, along with others.

I'm familiar with them. They rent games and let people rent their games out through them. And don't stress about the $60 for the J-Pac. If it's JAMMA wired, it's totally worth your time and money.

[BadMouth]

I called them and they said they had some street fighter cabs gutted, along with others.

Perfect if they'll sell you one with the control panel for $100.
It probably won't have the controls in it for that price, but I'd want new stuff anyway.

Watch out for the cheap packages of buttons/joysticks/encoders on ebay.
A lot of them come with the Japanese style buttons which are larger and won't fit in the Street Fighter CP.

[Malenko]

you dont need a kick harness for a JPAC.  all you need is the button and 2 pieces of wait (well 1 wire and the ground loop)

[yotsuya]

Get this for $40 shipped: http://www.ebay.com/itm/380195640715?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

[leapinlew]

Just start building it the way you want. The money will work itself out or you'll get as far as you can and then start getting creative.

[yotsuya]

May I ask a question- are you a kid on a strict budget, so it HAS to stay under $200? That's the feeling I get from the tone of your posts. Just wonderin'. 

[mkwfreak]

May I ask a question- are you a kid on a strict budget, so it HAS to stay under $200? That's the feeling I get from the tone of your posts. Just wonderin'. 

Well, I got a check for $200 as part of my summer job. I might be able to sweet talk my family into $20-30, but that's sort of a liability, so I want to try to get everything by myself, but if push comes to shove, I might get a little room to work with. As for a kid, I'm 17. Young, but I've been interested in electronics since I was 2-3 (playing floppy discs on windows 95), and I have learned a LOT of information over the years. And I have a step dad with a machine shop, and a computer expert for resources. I may be young, but I have a lot of faith in this.