Malenko's MK4 to Open Ice MAME: TOURNAMENT EDITION! (new pix 6/19/15)

[Malenko]

Ok so I bought this deer hunter game, sight unseen, for next to nothing and the guy said he'd deliver it. So I bought it. Heres how I got it:


Now there was an issue with the monitor that pretty much made the game unplayable. So my plans of having a shooting cab got changed to having a MAME cabinet again. I knew this was an MK cab , either 2 3 or 4 but, we all know what I had to do next in order to find out:





Rat Farts, its an MK4. Was *really* hoping it was an MKII in better shape than the one I already had.

[Slippyblade]

This may sound stupid, but I've been super curious.  I've seen several threads where a layer of paint is removed leaving the underlying paint intact.  How the hell does that happen?  I mean, wouldn't any solvent being used break down through layers?  I just don't get how that happens.  How do the under colors still look so vibrant after being exposed to the solvents in the covering paint and then more solvents from whatever chemical you are using to strip?

[Malenko]

This may sound stupid, but I've been super curious.  I've seen several threads where a layer of paint is removed leaving the underlying paint intact.  How the hell does that happen?  I mean, wouldn't any solvent being used break down through layers?  I just don't get how that happens.  How do the under colors still look so vibrant after being exposed to the solvents in the covering paint and then more solvents from whatever chemical you are using to strip?

The solvent I use breaks the bond of the paint. Its a very mild solvent. the stronger stuff like the gel type strippers can eat through the existing art underneath very easily. the milder the solvent, the more elbow grease you need to use.




First job? Patch the TWO INCH HOLE they drilled into the front to run the wire for the gun. the actual wire was *maybe* 3/8th of an inch, and that sized hole would have been MUCH easier to repair.



Wire mesh in the back to hold everything in place:


Cut a 2" hole into a piece of scrap, sanded down the edges, put it in place:


couple of rounds of bondo and.....

I also filled in the bolt hole for the lock bar near the coin box door.

[Malenko]

next thing to fix? This busted up corner on the back:

I cut a spare piece of black molding, to fill in the gap

the majority of the corner was gone, so I made this a 2 pass bondo fix:


a little piece chipped after the fix, but I was out of bondo, so this is good enough:

[Malenko]

So the front is done and painted:


Yes , I appreciate the irony of spending about 10 hours scraping black paint off just to cover the sides in black vinyl. The black sides are just a place holder until I can afford to get my custom sides printed.


Here is the actual NBA Jam CP (covered in blue vinyl) mounted to the front for a test fit:

and yes, you can see the 2" hole is back, thats just because these pictures are not 100% in chronological order.

[yotsuya]

Looking good, brah!

[Malenko]

Once all the sides were covered with black vinyl, had to apply the Flyer's Orange T-Molding:





Not previously picture, but obviously done, was painting the inside of the cab. Well, primering.

[Malenko]

Now that I had a solid and swell looking base, I decided to figure out the controls I wanted.  Ive always preached how NBA Jam had the right idea on squeezing 4 players around 1 machine, I decided to put my money where my mouth is.

I started by cutting a blank CP the same size as the NBA Jam top panel.  I then aligned the sticks to all be on the same horizontal line. This was done so 2 player Smash TV, Karate Champ, Total Carnage, etc could be played.  Player buttons were moved slightly, and adjust to what felt most comfortable. I did make a minor mistake with player 4 buttons, which you will see further down.

Here's the final layout, as compared to an NBA Jam panel:


And here is my player 4 boo boo:


So instead of plugging the button hole and redrilling, I just clipped the joystick base:


counter sunk the joystick nuts, so there will be no bolt holes showing:


and here they are patched:

[Malenko]

So I decided to go ahead and prime then paint the CP. I don't have the cash flow to get the art printed up at mamemarquees for the CP (you can see it here:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,138619.0.html
looks something like this:


primed:

painted:


And test fitted (LIKE A GLOVE!)


buttons installed, I was 1 orange button short:


ground loop installed:

with just 1 wire looking that messy I just knew that once the rest was wired, it'd be a total rats nest.


and I was right:

[Malenko]

Other things Ive been working on include, the instruction card:

Its just an edit of the "Vortex Instruction Card"

This will replace the front "NBA JAM" banner under the CP:

printed, just waiting for delivery.

started a MaLa layout, set for 1920x1080


just need to tweak it a bit. Yes Im using an older MAME (for now)


When its done, I will put it up for download.

[DaOld Man]

Looking good.

[MK3FAN]

Looking good indeed!

[Vigo]

Talk about good news/bad news. There is not much more glorious in this hobby than buying a cab and stripping the paint to find that it perfectly preserved the side art. Too bad it was an MK4. So far so good! 

[BadMouth]

lol at the mini pump shotgun in the pistol holster.
Hey, as long as people put quarters in it.

I like the controls layout and will steal it if I ever build another cab.

[MK3FAN]

Too bad it was an MK4. So far so good! 

Yeah. Midway WAAYYY over estimated the sales of MK4 and there were so many cabs left over that ALL of the Radikal Bikers and Mace: The Dark Age machines are housed inside dedicated MK4 cabinets.

[Malenko]

Didnt get a ton done this weekend, cause I picked up this cab:

Traded my UMK3 and Bad Dudes for it. Realized my arcade isn't just for me now that I'm getting married, so I want to get more games that Bonnie will actually play. And my MK1 has run buttons so I can just get another MK3 PCB if I get the hankering to play it on a dedicated cab. Next goal is to get a shooting game cab, like maybe a Time Crisis or something. Faster than Speed needs a new marquee , and I'm going to give it the once over, like removing the lock bar bolts and touch up the paint n stuffs. Looking into putting new pots on the pedals and wheel, just so I have no future maintenance to worry about.

So I took the busted up 25" bezel I got , and trimmed out the inner CRT curve part:


And I picked up a 28" LED LCD (cheapie insignia brand) for $150 and got it mounted in the cab:

pretty good amount of screen real estate for the price. Next up is to paint the glass (or buy a piece of plexi to paint) to hide the screen gap. Bezel is stayin in there to hold the AIM Track light gun LED (if you look really close you can see it, purple dots).

Not pictured but done is all the control wiring, and the KeyWiz40-ST is programmed. I just need to figure out what "Shazaam!" buttons I want to use. And yes, the KeyWiz40-ST is EXACTLY enough inputs for this panel, I use the shazaam button + each start button to coin up and theres exactly 40 inputs on my panel. And I gotta say, I am loving my MaLa layout, it just need some tweaking then I'll put it up here for download.

[wp34]

That monitor looks great.   

I'll be starting a restore of a destroyed TMNT/NFL Blitz into an NFL-themed MAME cab soon.   As such I'm really enjoying this build.

[Brian74]

Keep it up Malenko, looking good as always 

[DGP]

Interesting... I tried to use that same exact Insignia 28" led lcd in my Midway cab and it would not fit (really close), did you sand the sides of the cab or something?

Jason

[Malenko]

Interesting... I tried to use that same exact Insignia 28" led lcd in my Midway cab and it would not fit (really close), did you sand the sides of the cab or something?

Jason

Nope. I was thinking I would have to dremel / route / sand the sides to make it fit, but the TV fits the opening without a millimeter to spare. I put the TV in through the back not the front, and slid it forward against the monitor frame wood. Then I sorta cheaped out and just put a lath screw under it on each side, and behind it on each side. The TV is locked in place with friction.  I'll take some pix tonight if I get around to prepping the monitor glass.

[gbeef]

Hey how did that NBA layout work out? I'm planning on doing the same with my KIller In cab and move to 4 players also. but worried about room.

[Malenko]

Hey how did that NBA layout work out? I'm planning on doing the same with my KIller In cab and move to 4 players also. but worried about room.

its just as tight as the real NBA Jam panel.  I should have moved the player 4 buttons up just a smidge (maybe an inch , inch and a half)  I'll give it a real test with 4 adults when the cab is in a more finished state. I should have the bezel done by tomorrow, and then hopefully the AIMTrack in a lethal enforcers gun wont take long to set up.

[wp34]

I like the controls layout and will steal it if I ever build another cab.

Me too.  The one I'm building needs to fit 4 teenagers comfortably and more importantly play 2-player Smash TV.  I like how the joysticks all line-up yet the panel looks stock.   

[Malenko]

So here is the back of the TV. Its 95% held in my friction (it takes some muscle and finesse to get the TV to come out) and 5% held in place by lath screws.

yes, that is a pole position marquee sitting in the marquee area of my MK1, and yes the LED bar for the aimtracks is just sitting there for now.


and heres how I paint the bezel:





after I pull that, I'll tape off the sides and paint them too. More pix tomorrow. maybe.

[Malenko]

Open Ice: Flyer's Edition marquee installed.

[Malenko]

Added Malenko CP box sides. These need to be reprinted, they are too big. I just assumed the MK and NBA Jam CP sides were the same size, and they arent, by like an inch and a half.
Will probably get them printed in Flyer's Orange instead of Midway red.


Added the Broad Street Bullies banner across the front, it too will probably get reprinted. The orange I used is FLyers orange, but it doesnt match the stick or tmolding very well.


Now to finish all the front end crap.

[Slippyblade]

Love the "Malenko" logo on the CP ends.   

[Cobolisdead]

Awesome work as always man!

[pbj]

Boring cabinet is boring.

[yotsuya]

PBJ gotta X2.

[dkersten]

PBJ gotta X2.

Nah, if he as gonna X2, he would have to take 4 pages to say "boring cab is boring" because the shading in the "malenko" logo is off, which would somehow relate to martial arts, which would lead to a summary of how it isn't really an arcade cab because it doesn't have original leaf switches.  Perfectly logical and full of facts.

[yotsuya]

PBJ gotta X2.

Nah, if he as gonna X2, he would have to take 4 pages to say "boring cab is boring" because the shading in the "malenko" logo is off, which would somehow relate to martial arts, which would lead to a summary of how it isn't really an arcade cab because it doesn't have original leaf switches.  Perfectly logical and full of facts.

You forgot an analogy that misses the mark, bro.

[pbj]

It's like wanting a Cadillac when all you can afford is a hamburger?

[Vigo]

I would like to reference one of my favorite X2 analogies.

If I put a hot dog shape over the top of my car - does that make it a hot dog?!   No.  Its
still a car.   An ugly looking car... but still a car.     Samely, a spinner mounted horizontally
with a strange top to it - is still a spinner.

                                               - X2 on Designer Spinner Tops

[dkersten]

People are looking at me funny because I am in my office alone laughing, and I am not even watching a cat video on youtube..

[yotsuya]

People are looking at me funny because I am in my office alone laughing, and I am not even watching a cat video on youtube..

You mean you THINK that's why they're looking at you funny... 

[yotsuya]

I would like to reference one of my favorite X2 analogies.

If I put a hot dog shape over the top of my car - does that make it a hot dog?!   No.  Its
still a car.   An ugly looking car... but still a car.     Samely, a spinner mounted horizontally
with a strange top to it - is still a spinner.

                                               - X2 on Designer Spinner Tops

Wouldn't that make it a homemade Oscar Meyer Wienermobile? BYOOMW?

[dkersten]

Wouldn't that make it a homemade Oscar Meyer Wienermobile? BYOOMW?

OMG It's STILL not a hot dog, didn't you GET the analogy!!!!???11!!   

[yotsuya]

I would like to reference one of my favorite X2 analogies.

If I put a hot dog shape over the top of my car - does that make it a hot dog?!   No.  Its
still a car.   An ugly looking car... but still a car.     Samely, a spinner mounted horizontally
with a strange top to it - is still a spinner.

                                               - X2 on Designer Spinner Tops

I had to track down the thread that was the source of this quote. Oh. My. God. You mean he's always been that way? 

[Malenko]

welp, I'll have to take some pictures of this as is soon. Cab is sold pending payment.  Pulling the Open Ice stuff and putting the MK4 CP back on it and wiring that up for some 2 player action. Luckily, Im keeping the PC so I dont have to bother setting everything up again.