"95% Complete" (56k insert more credits)

[Blakey]

I was searching for a name, I couldn't think of anything pseudowitty such as 'word that ends in arc'-cade, so I decided to call the thread 95% complete based on it's apparent doneness. But I'll never be 100% happy with it, so until a better name strikes, "95% Complete" it is.

I decided to build a cabinet in February this year after stumbling across BYOAC and the arcade community whilst looking for classic arcade screenshots for an art project. I dismissed an upright due to it's size, and liked the idea of a cocktail that could double as a normal table when not in use.

The Midway style didn't do much for me with it's slab sides, but neither did the LAI schooldesk style, being a little too woodgrain. The real kickstart was seeing http://cocktail.loungespot.com/. Whilst he bought a kit, the idea of a third control panel appealed to me, and this was the first I'd seen of it. Thus began a long search of the net googling for hours, saving pictures, bookmarking sites, getting inspiration. I then sat down with CAD and started drafting. I paid particular attention to some critical dimensions; namely heel to top of thigh when sitting, and the width of my doorways.

I planned to cut the panels myself with a circular saw and jigsaw, but as the plans evolved the curves became more and more difficult to free cut. I had them laser cut instead, and bar 11mm being chopped off the end of the top panel all went well. I reprofiled both ends, used the panels to make a template from 3mm MDF for future cabinets and then routed for t-moulding.

Here are my 99% complete CAD plans, rename the file to .zip. Free for personal use, send me a picture if you do. Permission not granted for commercial usage.
http://www.arcadecontrols.com/files/Uploads/ABlake_-_Cocktail.txt

And here's what revision 37 looked like, close but not quite. Managed to fit it all onto one 1.2x2.4m sheet of 18mm MDF, with black laminex on both sides (not stick on laminate, more like Formica)



17" PC monitor successfully decased and mounted in a shelf. 'U' bracing to stop any flex.


Couldn't resist seeing how it looked afterwards:


Long control panel before guillotining and folding, 0.9mm thick brushed stainless steel, laser cut.


All control panels folded, aluminium bracing across the back edge for strength.


The cabinet from above, all controls wired to 15pin plugs, excessive bracing, screwing and glueing visible, plus 2x 5" car speakers & 2x 120mm fans wired for 7v.


Chrome t-moulding on:

Another perspective, showing 1P and the 20c coin mech.


Attached below: The guts of it all;
Albatron microATX board, Athlon 2000XP, 512mb ram,
purple 2ch car amp next to audio iso transformer,
wireless kb receiver next to coin door,
120gb hdd (now screwed to back wall) on top of Antec 350W PSU,
4 point power board wired to IEC fused & switched socket mounted on base of cabinet.
Front panel has 2x 5" speakers surrounded by metal shields filled with wadding, IPAC/2, boxed up MS mouse hack for Suzo trackball.

[Blakey]

I didn't want the ugly dust washers showing, but couldn't just put them between the panel and stick as they'd rub and bind. So I fabricated some sheet metal gaskets to go between the control panel and stick, works a treat:

[Blakey]

A couple of 95% completed shots

[Blakey]

A couple of 95% completed shots

[Blakey]

A couple of 95% completed shots

[Blakey]

Any requests for other photos can be filled, just specify.

Thanks go to:
Andy @ Ultimarc; top bloke, fantastic to deal with, great products
Laser Central; good cutting rates, were very generous in making up for the cut error
MarkC; eBay seller who supplied the coin door & mech, plus an extra lock on request
Australia Glass; Cheapest glass, great customer service
Richard from t-molding.com; great price, great service
Nannuu; thanks for the button stickers.
Dave; from who I borrowed many tools for a long time
All BYOAC members who have answered my questions

Immediate todo list:
Source toggle latches to secure top panel
Fabricate glass clips
Sandblast perspex with graphics on it to go behind CP's, and illuminate with cold cathodes.
Wire resistors into P1P2 start buttons so I don't burn out the superbright LEDs

[whammoed]

Wow!  Looks both modern and retro at the same time.  I like it.  Have you thought about a translucent or colored trackball?  Not sure the off white goes with the cab.  Believe me thats not a criticism just a suggestion as your work looks very clean and professional.

[Bloinkxp]

Blakey,
You have really raised the bar for for a Build Your Own Cabinet.  I am in awe of the level of detail and precision of this project.  Please, if you are able, create a website for others to drool over.

David

[bdsjake]

very nice, good work!

[RayB]

Excellent work. I picked up some fan grills just like yours for about $0.30 each last week.

One big suggestion to add to your To Do list: Your monitor needs a bezel! Just make one by hand with black cardboard.

[RetroBorg]

Fantastic looking cocktail cabinet, looking forward to 100% complete pictures.

Retro

[Blakey]

Thanks guys, I set out to do this properly and not make a half arsed effort. This meant it took a lot longer and cost a lot more, but I'm happy with the result. I hope it does raise the bar a little and show what some thought and different material choices can do. I have a few more ideas of things I'd like to do to it, I'll keep working on them when I'm not shooting aliens.

Whammoed: I'd either like a backlit translucent ball, or perhaps an 8 ball. The Ultimarc balls are only white or red.

Bloinkxp: Thanks, I'll put together some sort of build diary properly when it's closer to 99%.

RayB: I liked the look of fan grills for speaker grills, so I have two on the front and two on the back. I'd hoped the smoked glass would hide the degaussing coil etc, it's great at night, but visible during the day. I'll check out the BYOB thread and have a go.

Below is the IO panel which sits next to the 1P control panel, left to right, top to bottom: power, reset, volume (shaft now shortened), USB 2.0 x 2, S-video out, headphones.

[Chris]

Okay, I'm officially impressed!  Excellent work!

--Chris

[Apollo]

I agree, very impressive! Nice work.

[stuzza]

That is one awesome cocktail!  You obviously planned that one out very carefully as it shows.  Well done.

[mr.Curmudgeon]

Slick and inspiring. I want one!

[GGKoul]

That's one of the best cocktails I've ever seen.  

Great Work!!  

[Tilzs]

Did you fabricate the long 3rd control panel yourself or did you have it done somewhere. If you had it done, where did you get it done and how much did it cost?

[AGGIEZ]

Looks like a "Black Mamba" to me...

[snekse]

I was searching for a name, I couldn't think of anything pseudowitty such as 'word that ends in arc'-cade, so I decided to call the thread 95% complete based on it's apparent doneness. But I'll never be 100% happy with it, so until a better name strikes, "95% Complete" it is.

How about A.R.C.A.D.E.

A - Arcade
R - Replicator
C - Cab
A - Appliance
D - Data
E - Emulator

 

[Blakey]

Did you fabricate the long 3rd control panel yourself or did you have it done somewhere. If you had it done, where did you get it done and how much did it cost?

I had the holes cut out by laser, and I guillotined the edges and then folded them myself. All 0.9mm brushed stainless.

Cost for the laser cutting and material was around AUD$70

[foomench]

AUD$70 for all three panels? If so, that's impressive. It looks so sweet I thought it cost a fortune.
-foomench

[Blakey]

AUD$70 for all three panels? If so, that's impressive. It looks so sweet I thought it cost a fortune.
-foomench

Yup, I don't know how much more it'd be to get someone to fold them for you, I'm lucky in that I have access to a press brake and guillotine to do it myself.

Cheaper in mild steel (quote with prices is at home) but you'd have to vinyl it or powdercoat (would also look great, but add $$$)

[ras2a]

Holy hell fire, this cocktail is superb.  And what about that chrome T-Molding - mate, that is just damn funky!

Nice one!

[mikroman]

That's a fantastic looking cocktail cabinet, all that chrome adds a touch of class.

Great work.  

[rchadd]

Sandblast perspex with graphics on it to go behind CP's, and illuminate with cold cathodes.

what a great idea!

I wonder what that will look like - have you designed the graphics yet?

personally i think i would have gone for lit transluscent buttons and trackball.

[Nefesis]

i was wondering with cocktail cabinets that have 3 cps, how do you get the computer to recognize which direction you want the monitor to be directing the picture. do you have to manually choose which side on the comuter every time you switch panels? and wold it be possible for two people to play at once (one on each side with 4 buttons)?
thanks,
Nefesis

[Blakey]

i was wondering with cocktail cabinets that have 3 cps, how do you get the computer to recognize which direction you want the monitor to be directing the picture. do you have to manually choose which side on the comuter every time you switch panels? and wold it be possible for two people to play at once (one on each side with 4 buttons)?
thanks,
Nefesis

It's reasonably simple. If you tell MAME not to rotate, horizonal games are fine, and some verts are fine (some manufacturers rotate CW, some CCW.) But there's an option in MAME32 that is 'auto clockwise' or 'auto ccw'. So all vert games are playable by P1 on the LHS.

For game selection, I'm currently using MAME32, and as such, it's tough to select games from the vertical sticks. I'm considering running vertiwah and mamewah and then having horiz/vert game sessions. At the moment I just switch chairs.

Two vert players can play at once, there's a thread with 2P simultaneous vert games. tetris (cocktail set), space invaders 2 come to mind. Of course you can also just remap the controls for other games no problems.

[hyiu]

Very nice cocktail.....  very nice....

I like the metal panel.... simple and smooth...

[rchadd]

hey i recognize that stool - 3 quid from IKEA right?

what a bargain

i got some for my new cocktail as well  

[missioncontrol]

very nice....alot of work you put into it, but it'll all pay off in the end....my hat's off to you.............