Author Topic: "Wife-friendly" cab (Read 7504 times)

Doc Thirst · « **on:** January 18, 2006, 10:13:09 am »

As I mentioned in other threads, I have been working on a cab which is wife approved. Its been a work in progress for more then 2 years now. I finally got around to finishing it this weekend. Finishing not completing. I still have the marquee brackets/art and control panel to do but I did get some pictures of it last night. I'm sure you all will recognize the design.

Arcade Cab. Got all but the control panel finished. Well Marquee art as well.

With the kb tray open.

With the door open.

Close up of the keyboard drawer.

Screen Shot, ---smurfy--- on film.

Nice shot of the side, kb slightly open.

ChadTower · « **Reply #1 on:** January 18, 2006, 10:26:58 am »

The only truly wife friendly cab is the one at someone else's house.

Doc Thirst · « **Reply #2 on:** January 18, 2006, 10:43:38 am »

Quote from: ChadTower on January 18, 2006, 10:26:58 am

The only truly wife friendly cab is the one at someone else's house.

LOL so true.

brained · « **Reply #3 on:** January 18, 2006, 10:56:48 am »

Absolutely true. My cab is 70% done (but playable) and it's stuck at my brothers house. She doesn't let me bring it in

... Maybe when I trully finish it she might think about it.... She loves the cab, but she doesn't like it at home

More Cowbell · « **Reply #4 on:** January 18, 2006, 10:58:45 am »

My wife told me that she would be a lot more open to it if I did a nice stained wood like that. But did I listen? Noooooo.... I had to have it be black. Now it's stuck in the recesses of the basement. Idiot!

ChadTower · « **Reply #5 on:** January 18, 2006, 11:14:48 am »

Seriously, if you can't manage to have 4sqft of your house, why do you even live there?

Havok · « **Reply #6 on:** January 18, 2006, 11:16:16 am »

Does anyone hear that whip cracking?

Doc Thirst · « **Reply #7 on:** January 18, 2006, 11:35:44 am »

Quote from: ChadTower on January 18, 2006, 11:14:48 am

Seriously, if you can't manage to have 4sqft of your house, why do you even live there?

I manage 4sqft, basically it covers the space under the sink, and a few more feet in the back of the basement, near the gas meter.

In all honesty though, I can understand the wife's position. Perhaps in a den or family room you can get by with it. In my case, I wanted it proudly displayed in the formal livingroom so I had to make the consession. My next machine will be black with side art, and I'm pretty sure it will be a backroom situation.

As much as I hate to say it, comparing my house now with the house I kept while single is a joke. I don't hang up my gas station signs, lic plates, and beer can collection in the living room anymore either.

TOK · « **Reply #8 on:** January 18, 2006, 11:44:03 am »

I approached this from a different angle and got a cab-friendly wife.

After the guns and a half dozen motorcycles, the cab didn't even elicit a questioning glance. Maybe it's all in the setup.

Nice machine, wife approved or not!

javeryh · « **Reply #9 on:** January 18, 2006, 02:13:29 pm »

Quote from: ChadTower on January 18, 2006, 10:26:58 am

The only truly wife friendly cab is the one at someone else's house.

Amen. My wife hates mine and wants me to keep it in our unfinished basement - you know, right next to the washer and hot water heater...

ChadTower · « **Reply #10 on:** January 18, 2006, 03:32:58 pm »

Quote from: Doc Thirst on January 18, 2006, 11:35:44 am

In all honesty though, I can understand the wife's position. Perhaps in a den or family room you can get by with it. In my case, I wanted it proudly displayed in the formal livingroom so I had to make the consession. My next machine will be black with side art, and I'm pretty sure it will be a backroom situation.

I wasn't specifically talking about yours, really. I understand the "I want it to look like furniture in the main living area" concept and mostly agree with it. It's the guys who can't even get their wives to let them have one cab in a backroom someplace that I'm talking about.

Doc Thirst · « **Reply #11 on:** January 18, 2006, 05:09:43 pm »

Quote from: ChadTower on January 18, 2006, 03:32:58 pm

Quote from: Doc Thirst on January 18, 2006, 11:35:44 am
In all honesty though, I can understand the wife's position. Perhaps in a den or family room you can get by with it. In my case, I wanted it proudly displayed in the formal livingroom so I had to make the consession. My next machine will be black with side art, and I'm pretty sure it will be a backroom situation.

I wasn't specifically talking about yours, really. I understand the "I want it to look like furniture in the main living area" concept and mostly agree with it. It's the guys who can't even get their wives to let them have one cab in a backroom someplace that I'm talking about.

Grounds for divorce if you ask me!

metaHipster · « **Reply #12 on:** January 18, 2006, 09:35:35 pm »

thankfully we've got a deep recess in our paneled finished basement. The paneling makes it look right at home

And while the wife hates to play the games, she is a Tetris and pinball junkie, so I don't see mine getting shoved behind the water heater any time soon

c64rulez · « **Reply #13 on:** January 19, 2006, 04:38:24 am »

The only "wife-friendly" object that exists is her credit card.
And your card could be even frendlier.

Nice cab BTW.

Any marquee Ideas ?

FRIENDLICADE ?

Doc Thirst · « **Reply #14 on:** January 19, 2006, 10:47:38 am »

Quote from: c64rulez on January 19, 2006, 04:38:24 am

The only "wife-friendly" object that exists is her credit card.
And your card could be even frendlier.

Nice cab BTW.

Any marquee Ideas ?

FRIENDLICADE ?

heh, I don't know about the Marquee. I have a friend who does some great artwork, but she is moving soon, so I doubt she has the time right now. For a wedding gift she did a Beatles poster that was unreal. It was very colorful, kind of psychedelic and basically a montosh(?) of all the Beatles songs together. Very cool. I'd love for her to do something for my marquee, but I don't know if I can wait. I might just print off one of the more popular ones until she has some time.

F1r3f1ght3r · « **Reply #15 on:** January 19, 2006, 12:26:10 pm »

Capitulatron

ChadTower · « **Reply #16 on:** January 19, 2006, 01:00:56 pm »

Yes, Dear

RetroJames · « **Reply #17 on:** January 19, 2006, 01:15:35 pm »

heh...

I dub this thread, "newsworthy"

http://www.retroblast.com/newsitem.php?cid=514

ChadTower · « **Reply #18 on:** January 19, 2006, 01:24:49 pm »

Dude, sweet, my cynical sarcasm has become newsworthy. I feel like Lewis Black.

Mr. Bubblehead · « **Reply #19 on:** January 19, 2006, 02:19:53 pm »

I must be the man married to the fabled "perfect woman". I currenty have two cabinets occupying valuable floor space in our dining room, as well as numerous parts scattered about on the table. So far she's cool with my idea of turning our entire basement (currently unfinished) into an arcade. I also collect and restore vintage automobiles, and for about a year we had a disassembled car scattered throughout the house. Not once has she complained when I go down to the local arcade, either.

Also I have rebuilt not one but two engines in the living room

ChadTower · « **Reply #20 on:** January 19, 2006, 02:40:14 pm »

Is her name Bob or something?

ClubNinja · « **Reply #21 on:** January 19, 2006, 03:05:15 pm »

Ms Ninja enjoys having the entire basement and spare bedroom dedicated to arcade games. As long as there are running pins in the house, she's pleased. And her name isn't Bob - Chad can confirm.

ChadTower · « **Reply #22 on:** January 19, 2006, 03:08:38 pm »

Well, I can confirm that she doesn't look like her name is Bob. I've never seen any ID.

Doc Thirst · « **Reply #23 on:** January 19, 2006, 03:32:42 pm »

Quote from: RetroJames on January 19, 2006, 01:15:35 pm

heh...

I dub this thread, "newsworthy"

http://www.retroblast.com/newsitem.php?cid=514

LOL thats cool man!

c64rulez · « **Reply #24 on:** January 19, 2006, 03:46:19 pm »

Quote from: Mr. Bubblehead on January 19, 2006, 02:19:53 pm

I must be the man married to the fabled "perfect woman". I currenty have two cabinets occupying valuable floor space in our dining room, as well as numerous parts scattered about on the table. So far she's cool with my idea of turning our entire basement (currently unfinished) into an arcade. I also collect and restore vintage automobiles, and for about a year we had a disassembled car scattered throughout the house. Not once has she complained when I go down to the local arcade, either.

Also I have rebuilt not one but two engines in the living room

My living room, which makes my wife ...

ScarrJaw · « **Reply #25 on:** January 20, 2006, 04:33:39 am »

Actualy my Wife likes my cab now.. its 29 inch monitor has a TV card in the pc, and the cab is on wheels.. so it rotates tward the kitchen etc etc so she can watch TV on it... She now likes it quite a bit... That and her friend and she are hooked on bust a move on.

I will say for the longest time she didnt grasp it or was arguing the space it took in our livingroom, now its home has been assured, thanx to its practicality ive given it.

Wetworks · « **Reply #26 on:** January 20, 2006, 08:32:16 am »

Simple...
Get Cabs first
Wife Second

Seriously though my girlffriend wasn't that impressed at first then I just asked her to name any game she used to play. (Hoping she would recall an Arcade Classic) Sonic the hedgehog was the answer (wishfull thinking I suppose since I'm 35 and she is 24) quickly booted it up and she was impressed and hooked! Yay! She doesn't like any of the older games much

but I catch her playing the cabinet quite often now!

Now if I could only show her the inner beauty of Galaxian and Pacman!

PCtech · « **Reply #27 on:** January 20, 2006, 09:08:48 am »

Quote from: Mr. Bubblehead on January 19, 2006, 02:19:53 pm

I must be the man married to the fabled "perfect woman". I currenty have two cabinets occupying valuable floor space in our dining room, as well as numerous parts scattered about on the table. So far she's cool with my idea of turning our entire basement (currently unfinished) into an arcade. I also collect and restore vintage automobiles, and for about a year we had a disassembled car scattered throughout the house. Not once has she complained when I go down to the local arcade, either.

Also I have rebuilt not one but two engines in the living room

Does she have a sister?.....My wife has let me know that I am more than welcome to build as many cabs as I want, as long as they are for other people

TOK · « **Reply #28 on:** January 20, 2006, 10:06:55 pm »

Quote from: PCtech on January 20, 2006, 09:08:48 am

Quote from: Mr. Bubblehead on January 19, 2006, 02:19:53 pm
I must be the man married to the fabled "perfect woman". I currenty have two cabinets occupying valuable floor space in our dining room, as well as numerous parts scattered about on the table. So far she's cool with my idea of turning our entire basement (currently unfinished) into an arcade. I also collect and restore vintage automobiles, and for about a year we had a disassembled car scattered throughout the house. Not once has she complained when I go down to the local arcade, either.

Also I have rebuilt not one but two engines in the living room

Does she have a sister?.....My wife has let me know that I am more than welcome to build as many cabs as I want, as long as they are for other people

Tell her you're building the next one for your new girl friend.

kengie13 · « **Reply #29 on:** January 21, 2006, 09:17:31 am »

Since I live in an apartment, my new cab had to go somewhere in the main living area. So my wife cleaned out a spot in the second bedroom in the corner away from everything. The thing she didn't know was that it is to big to fit down the hall and around the corner into that room. So now the only place it will fit is in the living room right by the rest of my gaming stuff. yeah!

My wife has been very patient about the arcade though. I have been messing with this thing now for about 4 months and I have only heard about it when I took over the kitchen table for the computer and control panel testing. She had a dinner party a few nights later and she wanted me to clean it off, but I made everyone eat in our living room next to the cab.

I must say though she has been a saint for all the stuff that I drag into the house to try and get this arcade up and running. I currently have 4 computer monitors, 5 computers, pieces of plywood for the arcade and huge boxes galore taking up tons of room. Like I said I live an apartment so this makes for very tight quarters. But I can't complain

ras2a · « **Reply #30 on:** January 21, 2006, 09:38:16 pm »

My wife's dislike for my cab (well, the space that it took up), resulted in me selling it. However, I suggested to her that I would incorporate a selection of arcade controls into a desk that I'm building for my PC's etc. She said this was absolutely fine as it was part of my desk which already has it's place in our bedroom. She was just miffed that the cab took up "valuable living space" in our living room.

Although sad that my cab has gone, I will be perfectly (almost) happy to be able to have that 'arcade feeling' even if it means sitting at my desk playing track and field on my new Dell 24" TFT. I simply can't go back to playing with a joypad - that would SUCK!

ChadTower · « **Reply #31 on:** January 21, 2006, 10:38:58 pm »

Exactly how much living did you wife plan on doing in that 3.5sqft of space?

ras2a · « **Reply #32 on:** January 22, 2006, 06:48:56 am »

Quote from: ChadTower on January 21, 2006, 10:38:58 pm

Exactly how much living did you wife plan on doing in that 3.5sqft of space?

EXACTLY mate....but near the end, she was adamant about it's departure. Kinda pissed me off. Just wish I lived in a house with a cellar.

ChadTower · « **Reply #33 on:** January 22, 2006, 10:38:50 am »

That's a control issue, definitely... gotta fight that fight or the next thing to go will be your TV or chair.

Or, conversely, you can pick out something she enjoys, and demand its departure. Why? Give the same reason she gave for your cab.

TOK · « **Reply #34 on:** January 22, 2006, 10:55:29 am »

Quote from: ChadTower on January 22, 2006, 10:38:50 am

That's a control issue, definitely... gotta fight that fight or the next thing to go will be your TV or chair.

Or, conversely, you can pick out something she enjoys, and demand its departure. Why? Give the same reason she gave for your cab.

Alternately, you can skip over all the formalities, save yourself 3 or 4 years of aggravation and just demand her departure.

ras2a · « **Reply #35 on:** January 22, 2006, 03:55:47 pm »

LOL, yeah....I suppose it's owt for a quiet life....I know, I'm a defeatist.

DrewKaree · « **Reply #36 on:** January 22, 2006, 09:53:59 pm »

Again, giving the same reasons. She's taking up valuable living space.

Or, even better, she's also sapping the life out of YOUR "living space"


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