This project makes me angry.
Because it's too awesome... and I could never build it to that degree of quality. Awesome job.
Sure you could. Just try. Projects like this should inspire people to try and reach new heights.
Of course you can!! Man, this is my first build and I never imagined how hard and awesome it would be.
It took most of my scarce spare time for 4 years and all my savings because I had to import most parts from all around the world and pay for extra shipping and custom taxes. I live in the state with the lowest wages for my nation, I earn like $250 a month most of the time and the project cost south of $2500 just for the materials, not counting all the tools I had to get plus the 400+ man hours I calculated were spent on it. Sometimes I had like 10 usd on my bank account for the week, because I would invest all my money in parts and pieces that I was not sure would do the job anyway. I designed most of the Maquinita To Go in my head and on my laptop screen, going crazy with measurements and weights in a "virtual" space on paper and photoshop. Never knowing if things would completely fit, match or work together. I spent countless hours looking at specs sheets for the parts I could imagine would work together to conform this project. Projecting in my head if the parts would work well together. And because I had no access to the parts I needed on stores around my city and no access to the fabulous product return policies most developed countries have, where I could buy something, try it and if it did not work, I could return it for my money back; I would find myself sometimes scratching an idea after months of waiting for the part to arrive from the other side of the globe, all because it would not work for my needs at the end. As you can see now, pretty much just the wood, glue and bolts I got from where I live.
When friends or family would travel to the US, I would beg them to bring me parts I would order online and they will get in their hotels. I brought the case myself from a trip to LA, and got stopped by mexican customs, who are super paranoid and tough. Thankfully nothing happened.
I would day dream about having it finished, and I would come to this amazing forum to check out other projects to get inspired by them. I would come to ask things, see how other people did it. I would google things like crazy too. I learned so much from this process, about electricity, woodworking, programming, physics, mechanics, power tools, design, reproduction stickers, sound, display panels, metal works, cabling, modding, soldering, painting, gluing, etc... before I made this project I only knew how to use a hammer and a driller.
But I persevered because I was afraid all my effort and money would go to waste if I did not finish the project. Even if the result was bad, at least I did not leave it unfinished. Sometimes I would lose sleep overthinking that maybe I f**ed up and spent a lot of money just for a childish whim that would not work. That made me get out of my comfort zone to ask help everywhere. Learning from everything I could, to get any help to support my vision for the project.
I admit I feel lucky and relieved that it all worked well at the end, because for the longest time I wondered if this thing would not end up being a big waste of money and put me in shame. That´s the price of doing something that nobody has ever done before, you walk the path of uncertainty, feeling that you can spectacularly fail at any time but alas, that´s the only way to create something truly new.
To be able to share the result here and to receive such positive support is amazing, and I really hope my humble project ends up inspiring more people to appreciate and share the love of arcade machines and good games... everywhere!
I wish you success in your endeavors.