That machine would be a perfect candidate for such a conversion. Good luck!
^ Agreed
Also, you should probably finish the cabinet off while you're at updating it to 4-player. Grab some more t-molding, add a monitor shroud and glass (or plexi)...I'm not sure how your marquee is being held up, but I'd feel safer with some brackets installed.
As for the 4P conversion, I did the opposite update to one of
my cabinets a few years back. I went from 4P to 2P, but had to re-cut a new panel. My cabinet is of similar design to yours also.
Here's my thought process.
1. plan the layout.
2. build a box using the same two side pieces and then extend the front and build a back piece.
3. cnc (or carfully jigsaw) out an new top control board.
4. layout, drlll, install, configure, test.
questions:
1. Does my approach sound ok? Please recommend any other considerations, thoughts, etc.
- Planning your layout, if I were you all I'd do is extend the side measurements to incorporate the 2 extra control set-ups. You've got a lot of front-to-back space to play with there. Trace the shape of your current panel, but add some space on the sides.
- P3 and P4 doesn't need more than 4 buttons, and make sure you
do not angle your joysticks.
- the under-box you have the CP installed onto will need to be extended as well, to hold the P3/4 controls inside. So yeah, keep the sides of the box, but the front and back pieces will have to be re-cut.
- You should be able to achieve this with a electric jigsaw, a drill, and a router. But if you need to get straight-lines you'll need a tablesaw. Personally for an upgrade like this, I just buy my wood from a Home Depot that has a cutting station and ask them to cut the overall size out of the panel, then I go over it with a Jig for any of the curves or shapes I need to carve out of it. But make sure you route out the bottom of your panel for the controls so the wood is thinner for them to mount securely.
- Don't forget, you'll need a t-molding slot bit for your router, to get the t-molding installed. These bits aren't that difficult to find, and they're relatively cheap.
2. Where can I find this type of mdf that has a black shellac on it? It's not at HD.
That's black laminate actually. Home Depot should carry this stuff, I've bought this stuff before from there. Perhaps the particular HD you went to didn't have it?
Otherwise, you'd probably have to buy some Contact Cement and Black Laminate on it's own and apply it to whatever wood you're going to use. It's not a difficult task, it's just more steps.
- Sand and clean the wood surface you're applying it to.
- Apply contact cement to both the wood and the backside of the black laminate, and let it dry for 15 mins. This makes the CC tacky and better for binding
- Stick the laminate onto the wood, then clamp or put things on top of the laminate for a good amount of pressure when drying.
- let it sit overnight to dry
- then go over the edges with a router and flush bit to cut out the shape from the laminate.
3. What's the best USB controller for 4 players? I'm currently using PS/2 interface, and this also uses an optipac.
Not sure these days, but I was using the Keywiz for a while in that Mecanico cabinet I linked above. It was good for it's time but it might be outdated now.
4. I'm currently using the HAPP rotary controllers and don't like them much, nor do I have them hooked up.. I find the throw is too long and would like to go to ball top controllers. Recommended brands?
This one is subjective. Do you like the shorter, smaller Japanese style joysticks, like the ones you find in today's modern fight sticks (madcatz TE's, Razer's, etc...). Or are you used to the older North American style sticks, like the ones you'd find back in the 90's on Dynamo or Neo Geo cabinets?