Project: My first cabinet - Mid 90s and before! [Complete]

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minorhero:

--- Quote from: Lingwendil on September 27, 2024, 11:14:59 am ---This is fantastic!

Great cabinet shape and size, the art is just the right amount of complex, and super clean work so far.

--- End quote ---

Thank you! Its a lot of fun building this thing. I've done various types of builds for other non-arcade things over the years but the arcade cabinet definitely has gotten the most attention from other folks in my neighborhood as well :P

And in other news, an update:

Today I worked on the control panel. I got all the buttons installed and the control panel itself is 'attached' now. By that I mean I fiddled with the locking clamps until I was satisfied. I did not bother installing the hinges I was originally thinking of using as they ended up being superfluous with the use of the locking clamps.

I also got the kickdoor installed...mostly. I need to use the adjusting screws to really zero it in and I need to install the magnetic clasp. BUT, its really looking like an arcade!

Up next is going to be finalizing the kick door and wiring the buttons. I also need to figure out how I am putting the marquee together :P

firedance:
Nice work, like the artwork, would fit into any arcade back in the day 8)

minorhero:

--- Quote from: firedance on September 28, 2024, 06:59:20 am ---Nice work, like the artwork, would fit into any arcade back in the day 8)

--- End quote ---

Thanky! That was definitely the idea I was going for.

Small update:

I got the door situated and the magnetic clasp installed. Then without further ado, I did the wiring of the control board. I was a little worried about this only because it looked somewhat intimidating with the giant bundle of harness wires. BUT as I'm sure anyone who has wired one of these before now knows, it was actually pretty easy once I sat down and really got started.

I am now at a stage where I can really start making this whole thing work. I mean, I could stop right now and just hook up the monitor and pc and start playing. If I did that though, I know that finishing the project would get shoved to the backburner. Soooo yeah, I'm going to keep assembling everything.

To that end, I would like to figure out a lighting solution to the buttons. My buttons are translucent and do not have attached leds. I did this intentionally when I bought them because I wanted concave buttons and at the time I purchased them I couldn't get led buttons that were concave like the ones I used as a kid. My plan has been to drill the button and shove an LED in there. I was hoping this idea was so common that there would be a literal kit to do just that. Sadly I have not found any such kit. I have found LOTS of LEDs some with wires attached, so now comes the point where I need to figure out which leds will work with my ipac and what the darn connectors are called so I can buy a pack of those as well. I only need 12 LEDs (6 per player) so it shouldn't be too arduous of a task.

And the state of the cabinet today:

minorhero:
Update:

I am very very close to finishing this build. Since I last updated I installed the screen. Added a piece of plexi infront of the screen. Installed the Marquee (badly). Installed the computer, and moved the whole machine into my basement.

Originally this cabinet was going to live in my garage. But my kids found out about that and immediately cried fowl pointing out that if it were in the garage they would never get to play it (to be fair, they would not) and The Wife caved under their demands, which I consider most fortunate.

Here is what it looked like moved into the basement.

I have spent a few days tinkering with big box, launchbox, and the ipac software to get things where I want them to be. I am now VERY close to being happy.

Currently I am soldering leds to wire leads so I can install them into the translucent buttons. I need to attach everything to the dupont or molex pin connectors and apparently you need a special tool called a crimper to make that happen. I tried doing without it and... wow is it tedious. So I'll wait another day or so until I can finish up the leds. Here is what my pile of leds looks like right now:

Other things left to do include setting up windows to forgo the pin login and load directly into big box (ideally I would have a custom windows loading screen as well, but not sure if I want to bother hunting this down).

I need to fix my marquee which was installed ...... just soooo badly. Basically I have tape holding it on right now. I need to make an internal bezel to hold it instead so that it doesn't have a shadow when lit. I have some leftover plexi I can use for this.

I also need to attach a power on button externally from the computer. I want to do that in such a way that the coin return on the coin door is what starts the computer. I believe that's doable but we shall see.

I would also like to add some ventilation on the cabinet. Something down low to draw in cool air and something higher up to let out heat.

I need to finish my leds... and... that's about it.. Sooooo yeah, I am really really close to being done. Here is how it looks right now:

PL1:

--- Quote from: minorhero on October 08, 2024, 07:47:52 pm ---Currently I am soldering leds to wire leads so I can install them into the translucent buttons. I need to attach everything to the dupont or molex pin connectors and apparently you need a special tool called a crimper to make that happen. I tried doing without it and... wow is it tedious.

--- End quote ---
A decent ratchet crimper with the correct dies for Dupont pins is your friend, especially if you intend to insert those pins into a housing.

https://www.amazon.com/IWISS-SN-28B-Crimping-AWG28-18-Dupont/dp/B08D67L3YS/?th=1

Even with the right tool it can be hard to get a good, clean crimp that fits into the housing.
- Unlike horseshoes, hand grenades, and atomic bombs, "close" isn't good enough for Dupont crimps. :lol

--- Quote from: minorhero on October 08, 2024, 07:47:52 pm ---I also need to attach a power on button externally from the computer. I want to do that in such a way that the coin return on the coin door is what starts the computer. I believe that's doable but we shall see.

--- End quote ---
Check your motherboard manual, it should show the location for the power switch Dupont pins.

There are several posts in this thread showing how to mount a microswitch so pressing the coin return will trigger the microswitch.
https://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=90837.0

The downside to using this approach for power vs. coin is that someone (kids or guests?) could accidently shut the system down.

It might be better to put the power button elsewhere like on a bracket mounted inside the coin door or in a countersunk pocket on the top of the cab.

Scott

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