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Author Topic: Pile o' Cocktails  (Read 4832 times)

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daeven

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Pile o' Cocktails
« on: October 19, 2004, 08:55:05 pm »
I'm trying to build multiple Miday-style cocktail table cabinets.  I'm starting this documentation project part-way through the process.  As you can see from the attached picture, I've got a few cocktail "shells" laying around...

« Last Edit: October 19, 2004, 08:55:31 pm by daeven »

daeven

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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #1 on: October 19, 2004, 09:08:00 pm »
I started this project with dxf files of all the Ms. Pac cabinet parts.  I shipped them off to my brother with the CNC water jet cutting tool.  He cut me a set of parts and sent them back to me.  After sucessfully building the first cabinet, we decided to build three at a time.

I drove the family minivan down to bro's house and he and I went to his shop with a few sheets of oak-veneered plywood.  We cut enough parts to make three cabinets using just water.  It was terribly slow since the water jet didn't seem to cut cleanly through plywood, so we had to slow it down.  We have since found out that adding an abrasive to the water jet should solve that problem (we'll do that next time).

I took the parts home and proceed to sand, stain, clear-coat, sand, clear-coat, sand, etc.  Then assembly.  I've managed to complete the T-molding on two of the cabinets.  The third cabinet needs a little work on the cabinet top since the T-molding groove is a little out of alignment.  I'll fix that later.  This picture shows one cabinet with the top open.  Also note the plastic monitor bezel is installed.  Too bad I have to remove the bezel to cut it a little narrower so that the monitor mounts can fit.  The last time, I routed out an area to mount the bezel flush with the underside of the top.  I was hoping to make the process simpler this time to reduce build time.  I might have to do it anyways, but we'll see.

Also, note that the top and the bottom surface of the top are veneered.  I made the top out of 3/4" oak-veneered plywood plus 1/4" standard plywood.  I purchased a sheet of oak veneer to cover the second side because several people have said they thought it would look better that way.  The first one I built has a Twobits.com Ms. Pacman underlay which I think really completes the look, but we'll see.
« Last Edit: October 20, 2004, 12:14:51 am by daeven »

daeven

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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #2 on: October 19, 2004, 09:14:39 pm »
This picture shows what the first one I completed looked like (before I modified it and added a third control panel).  The three new cabinets should end up looking very much like this.  I'm planning on building at least one third control panel to be able to play games like Joust, Defender, Stargate, Robotron, etc.

Also, I'm considering making one with the Ms. Pac-Man overlay, one with the oak finish, and one with the top painted black with the top glass tinted.  I'd like to see which style looks the best.  I still think Ms. Pac looks the best, but at $75 per copy, it's not cheap!

mozzer

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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #3 on: October 19, 2004, 09:35:35 pm »
Awesome man.

Seems to be a great production!

What are you planning on doing with all the finished products?

daeven

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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #4 on: October 20, 2004, 12:03:04 am »
I'm not really sure what I'm going to do with them!  I imagine I'll keep one.  One might be for my brother, and I can keep the third one hidden away for the first visitor that says "can you build one for me?"  The real problem is what am I going to do with the next batch.  I've certainly got to try out the abrasive with the water jet machine to see if it does a better job.  Of course I could make a few uprights, but it can't be MDF since that would disintegrate from the water.

I've just finished mounting the monitor for cabinet #1.  This picture shows the mounting system.  The pieces attached to the top are solid oak for strength.  I attach these pieces with countersunk screws.  2x4's make a good mounting surface for the side.  I first put the 2x4's down and placed the monitor to figure out how wide to cut the oak pieces for a good snug fit against the monitor bezel.  I cut the oak pieces just a bit narrow, planning on using washers for a precise fit.

daeven

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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #5 on: October 20, 2004, 12:05:44 am »
This picture shows the monitor attached with lag bolts.  Make sure you dill big enough holes in the oak to prevent snapping the heads off the lag bolts.  And make sure you buy extra lag bolts because you will snap a few heads off!

daeven

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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #6 on: October 20, 2004, 12:13:06 am »
This is the last one for tonight.  It shows how the monitor looks from the top.  Obviously I painted all the inside edges black before mounting the monitor.  I'll need to touch up a few areas, but it is just about ready for the tinted glass to be installed.

I can now go ahead and mount the components inside the cabinet.  I will have to cut a few holes in the bottom for the exhaust fan and the power cord.

I also plan to make some CAD drawings for the control panels, including a few third-side panels.  I'll get them cut with the water jet and bent with the press brake.  I may be able to do the same for the glass clips.  If so, I'll have a whole bunch of glass clips made and have everything powercoated (clips and control panels).  These steps are going to take a bit of time, so after I install the computer components, my progress is going to stop for a while.  Hopefully I can use that time to get a couple of uprights in the garage cleaned up and moved into the game room.
« Last Edit: October 20, 2004, 12:17:10 am by daeven »

whammoed

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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #7 on: October 20, 2004, 08:26:59 am »
Looks great.  I'm a fan of the midway cocktail.
Question:  Usually the rabbet/notch for the monitor bezel is done on the top side of the top piece so the bezel lays on top in the groove.  Is there a reason you decided to mount yours from the bottom?

Goz

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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #8 on: October 20, 2004, 08:27:50 am »
Very nice.... great job

Have you considered selling these babies as a kit?

-Goz

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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #9 on: October 20, 2004, 10:50:45 am »
I second that.

I would be interested in a kit.  Precut pieces unassembled would be great.  Only got simple tools at my place...any real work has to be done at my buddy's place.
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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #10 on: October 20, 2004, 11:08:58 am »
Indeed, since you have access to the machinery, you really should consider selling kits. I'm sure they'd sell easily.

-S
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daeven

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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #11 on: October 20, 2004, 11:25:48 am »
Thanks for the compliments!  To answer a couple of questions:

I tried mounting the monitor bezel from the top of the cabinet top initially.  After I destroyed one top glass and scratched the monitor tube by rubbing the top glass against it, I realized the Happ Controls plastic monitor bezels are not deep enough for this application.  The real Midway cocktails use a much deeper bezel which I haven't been able to locate.  If anyone knows where to get them, please let me know.

As for selling kits, I've considered it, but there are others who already do a very good job.  I've seen the kit from http://www.arcadedepot.com for $200, and I couldn't make the parts nearly as clean as they do.  The water jet just isn't as clean cutting as what they use (CNC router maybe).  I end up having to do a lot of extra sanding to make up for this.

The other problem is accessibility of the cutting tool.  It is in Atlanta, but I'm in the Chicago area.  Even worse, it is a demo tool in a machine tools showroom and is subject to sale.  I may be able to get a nice batch of these cut, but it can't be an ongoing enterprise.

I would like to BYO CNC Router someday.  I could make one for a few thousand dollars apparently.  If I do that, I could do all sorts of custom cutting, but that is a while off.

whammoed

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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #12 on: October 20, 2004, 12:01:26 pm »

I tried mounting the monitor bezel from the top of the cabinet top initially.  After I destroyed one top glass and scratched the monitor tube by rubbing the top glass against it, I realized the Happ Controls plastic monitor bezels are not deep enough for this application.  The real Midway cocktails use a much deeper bezel which I haven't been able to locate.  If anyone knows where to get them, please let me know.


That is strange, I used a happ monitor bezel with a WG3100 monitor on my first project without issue:
http://web.tampabay.rr.com/whammoed/pactacular/pactacular.htm
Do you mean that the tube sticks out farther than the front of the bezel?  If so couldn't you just make the rabbets deeper and let the bezel (and monitor) sit further down?  I just mounted the monitor barely below the top glass and then let the bezel sit on top of it.  from what I recall the front of the bezel was just even with the top.  Perhaps the bezel is different now or its just a matter of what monitor you are using?
Anyway, looks good regardless.

daeven

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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #13 on: October 20, 2004, 12:39:16 pm »

I tried mounting the monitor bezel from the top of the cabinet top initially.  After I destroyed one top glass and scratched the monitor tube by rubbing the top glass against it, I realized the Happ Controls plastic monitor bezels are not deep enough for this application.  The real Midway cocktails use a much deeper bezel which I haven't been able to locate.  If anyone knows where to get them, please let me know.


That is strange, I used a happ monitor bezel with a WG3100 monitor on my first project without issue:
http://web.tampabay.rr.com/whammoed/pactacular/pactacular.htm
Do you mean that the tube sticks out farther than the front of the bezel?  If so couldn't you just make the rabbets deeper and let the bezel (and monitor) sit further down?  I just mounted the monitor barely below the top glass and then let the bezel sit on top of it.  from what I recall the front of the bezel was just even with the top.  Perhaps the bezel is different now or its just a matter of what monitor you are using?
Anyway, looks good regardless.


Yes, the tube sticks out farther than the front of the the bezel.  Did you use a piece of tinted glass over the top of the bezel on your cabinet?  If I skip the tinted glass, I could do exactly what you describe.  Once the tinted glass is in, I can't really see any of the bezel or the edges of the top, but it would be nice to make it a little cleaner.

whammoed

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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #14 on: October 20, 2004, 12:42:47 pm »
No, I didn't use tinted glass.

Grasshopper

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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #15 on: October 20, 2004, 02:43:07 pm »
They look awesome. But three is just greedy!
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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #16 on: October 20, 2004, 02:44:05 pm »
What I don't get is how you're supposed to play the two on the bottom of the stack.
 ;D
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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #17 on: October 20, 2004, 03:08:18 pm »
As you've got room for more than one, why not build one vertical cab and one horizontal cab? You then wouldn't need to stick a third panel on one cab to play Defender/Robotron etc.

A third horizontal panel is a good idea but I don't think it would look right unless the cab was completely redesigned.

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daeven

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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #18 on: October 20, 2004, 05:31:20 pm »
As you've got room for more than one, why not build one vertical cab and one horizontal cab? You then wouldn't need to stick a third panel on one cab to play Defender/Robotron etc.

A third horizontal panel is a good idea but I don't think it would look right unless the cab was completely redesigned.



I've already got a LuSid-based upright with a 27" D9200 in the gameroom.  I also have a 19" horizontal built from a Frenzy cabinet (gutted when I got it), and two 19" vertical Centipede cabinets.  One of the Centipedes came as a Speed Rumbler game with monitor problems.  The other one was gutted, but I have managed to buy all the exterior bits on ebay.  I plan to make it a trackball-only mame that looks like an original Centipede.

The point is, in my case, it's more about the building than the playing!

As for the third CP on a cocktail, check out whammoed's cocktail at http://web.tampabay.rr.com/whammoed/pactacular/pactacular.htm
I think his third panel looks great, although I plan to use identical side pieces as for the first and second control panels.  I imagine he did it that way because he has a taller coin door and didn't have enough room.

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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #19 on: October 20, 2004, 07:59:09 pm »
tinted glass on a cocktail is good!

then again i am biased...   ;D

take a look:

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=10;action=display;threadid=25687

where did you get you coindoor? i want one like that!
« Last Edit: October 20, 2004, 08:11:20 pm by rchadd »

daeven

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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #20 on: October 20, 2004, 08:17:09 pm »
tinted glass on a cocktail is good!

then again i am biased...   ;D

take a look:

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=10;action=display;threadid=25687

where did you get you coindoor? i want one like that!

Yours is the one I saw that made me decide I should try tinted top glass.  I assume you painted the top black underneath.

The coindoor is an original Midway coindoor from an ebay auction.  It's been "reconditioned" using the technique that Peal has described (remove paint, spray with textured Rustoleum, bake, spray paint, bake, etc.).

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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #21 on: October 20, 2004, 09:01:08 pm »
I imagine he did it that way because he has a taller coin door and didn't have enough room.

Actually it was just a design decision.  The third control panel is at the same height as the other two.  I just don't like the look of the side panels extending to the top on the front because there is not enough overhang of the top like there is on the sides.  To me it looks like they are sticking out too far.  Also the sides (in my mind) are meant to frame in the plexi window which the front does not have.  I think it looks fine either way, it was just a preference.  Here is an example of one with the sides like you mean:


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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #22 on: October 20, 2004, 11:29:33 pm »
The other problem is accessibility of the cutting tool.  It is in Atlanta, but I'm in the Chicago area.  Even worse, it is a demo tool in a machine tools showroom and is subject to sale.  I may be able to get a nice batch of these cut, but it can't be an ongoing enterprise.
In the Atlanta area you say??? Hmmm...  I've been looking for a Midway style cocktail...
  I live in the Atlanta area.  If you do decide to do a run let me know.  I'll even volunteer to help out if there's anything I could do.

rchadd

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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #23 on: October 21, 2004, 08:13:21 am »

Yours is the one I saw that made me decide I should try tinted top glass.  I assume you painted the top black underneath.

it has a "homemade" underlay made out of 2 pieces of black cardboard. no very elegant but does the job. next time i think i would maybe use black sticky vinyl - somehow i dont like the idea of putting the top glass straight on to the wood.

downside of using tinted top glass is that can;t really have graphics on the underlay.  maybe there are certain colours that work better with the grey tint? haven't tried luminous yellow or such like...

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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #24 on: October 21, 2004, 09:25:10 pm »
Either that is a tiny control panel, or you have the world's biggest gameboy in that last picture  ;D

whammoed

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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #25 on: October 21, 2004, 09:53:43 pm »
Either that is a tiny control panel, or you have the world's biggest gameboy in that last picture  ;D
Well, its not mine, but it probably is the biggest:
http://gameman.loungespot.com/what.html

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Re:Pile o' Cocktails
« Reply #26 on: October 23, 2004, 02:11:49 am »
(laughs) The GameMan is big... But I've seen bigger!

We used to have a Nintendo Game Boy kiosk at the Incredible Universe that I worked at that was a 5 foot tall Game Boy with a 20' screen that displayed actual game play. The buttons didn't work tho, it had a regular sized Game Boy sticking out the front.

Man I wish I woulda taken that thing...  8)