What upright cabinet kit do you recommend?

[wallyworld]

I

[nipsmg]

Get the UAII.  I built one from scratch, and after the screwups, fixing problems, time, etc, the $460 is EXTREMELY worth it.

I'd recommend building your own control panel.

As for a monitor, I had a 27" TV in there (I tore the case off it though).  You'll want something big, and a TV will give you the best bang for your buck easily (Make sure it has S-Video, and that it stays on the last selected input after power down/up).  If you want something better, go for one of the multisyncs, (D9200, etc).

[Veinman]

My friend built a UAII and is extremely happy with it.

[monkeybomb]

I have a UAII kit and I was very happy with it at first but now I regret it for several reasons.

1. It's needlessly huge.  The space that it takes up is just so much greater than what you acctually get inside the cabnet.  But the space inside will only matter if you're also tring to make it a high end juke box. But it's big.

2. It doesn't look like an authentic machine.  I like how it looks and I have great artwork from snaake, but it isn't a real arcade machine.

3. I can't say that I built it.  My friends come over and despite the large amout of time I put in I didn't built it.  I assembled it.  And to me that leaves un unsatisfied feeling.

4. The biggest reason.  Cost.  After getting the kit, shipping, a new TV and all the things that go into it I spent WAY more than I needed to to get a great machine.

I am about to start my second machine And I am going to do it right this time.  I'm going to an auction to get a game that I remember and love with a working monitor.  I'm going to restore it so that it looks new.  I'm going to convert it using the harmless jpac and arcade vga or just get a mulitboard (wichever is cheaper).  And that's it.  The cost will be much lower.  If I am wrong please tell me now people.

It's still not like building it yourself but I can't and don't want to do that.  I can take the accomplishment of converting an original and have the cabinet of my favorite game fully restored.

[Ghoward]

Build your own, why buy a kit.....  I don't even use mine but it was fun building it.

[electricd]

I build the UAII from looking at the pictures on the site alone (no kit, no plans, just looked at it.) and I am extremely happy with the design, and overall effect of the system.  It is by far the  "coolest thing" anyone in my circle of friends own.  I am actually a fan of how the UAII looks.  Although it doesn't look like the other arcades, I will say that it is part of its appeal.  It has a HUGE monitor (27" D9200 in mine) and looks "full".  I hate the arcades with the big fronts and the tiny 17" computer monitors in them.  Mine actually doesn't have much room inside like others have stated.  I have room for a full size ATX case, but that is about it.  I don't even have room for an 8" subwoofer (wish I did!)  Anyway, that is my 2cents! GET THE UAII

[wallyworld]

Just wanted to thank everyone for their input!  I have gone ahead and purchased a UAII kit.  I'll post my experiences and satisfaction with it after it arrives and I put it together.

Not sure what I'll go with monitor-wise.  I've seen the comparision chart from Oscar Controls (http://www.oscarcontrols.com/monitors.shtml).  I'll probably start out with either a 21" computer monitor or a 25/27" flat screen tv.

[jer2665]

wow, must have the money, i felt the uaII kit with the cut panel is WAY too expensive for me.  Well, it probably wouldn't be, if i didn't start checking out their site and thinking of buying them back when they were $350 including shipping.  but i guess you snooze you lose, so im gonna end up building my own uaII

[hulkster]

yeah dude, kits are retarded.  you can get the plans for free from like 3000 people on this board.  all you need is a saw and some mdf and you are good.  maybe a few buttons and joysticks, but other than that....your kit is home depot!

[Sprucemoose]

Easy hulkster,

To each his own.  This might be the better solution for him/her.  Good luck and let us know how it turns out

[nipsmg]

Agreed.. There is some satisfaction to building your own, but for people with little or no carpentry skills, kits can be a godsend.  After putting it together, there's still wiring, artwork, controls, monitor, computer, etc to be built, so it can be just as satisfying for someone to build from a kit.

After the amount of wood I went though, tools I had to buy, paint, etc, it cost me WAY more than $450 in wood and tools to build my cabinet. I have 0 carpentry skills (which makes me that much more impressed w/ myself for building my cabinet), but for someone on a tight budget with no carpentry skills, it's worth it.

Note: people don't get blasted for spending $300 on an empty cabinet and mame-ing it, so why should they get blasted for buying a kit and constructing it themselves?

[monkeybomb]

Dude you can't stop the hulkster once he gets that head shake going.  If he's already hulked out, you know it's over.

Seriously though, what does a guy in an apartment with no access to a tools or shop or even a garage supposed to do.  I personally wish I had mamed a cabinet but there is an appeal to these as well.

[Flinkly]

not to dog on the kit companies, but from a woodworkers point of view, they aren't built very well at all.  there is no frame to speak of, and the whole thing is made out of mdf.  also, most companies seem to think it's structurally sound to screw into the "end grain" of mdf.

now i know some of the build-it-yourselfers have done these things, but a kit for that price should be built better.  anyway, i'll stop the rant now.  he's already bought the kit anyways.

[MameMaster!]

...hmmm...personally I would buy a kit for a second cab so I could have a bigger monitor and bigger control panel......but I LOVE the fact that I used an original Stargate cab that was ready for the trash heap.

I get a lot of personal satisifaction out of figuring out how to restore the cab to its presently "Mame Invaders" glory.

Personally, I hope to someday have the physical space to make my own cab from scratch...but a kit does save a lot of time........and it's a lot less messy as you don't have to cut/paint etc. etc.

I'm really happy w/my cocktail kit that I bought though....so I guess I can see the avantages of both kits and original cabs....
MameMaster! 
PS- From what I can tell, you can't go wrong with that kit you're considering by the way!

[wallyworld]

Yeah, I really admire those of you who just can save the cash, buy the wood, tear it up and get it built.

[Sprucemoose]

Dude you can't stop the hulkster once he gets that head shake going.  If he's already hulked out, you know it's over.

LMAO.  Good stuff

[hulkster]

Dude you can't stop the hulkster once he gets that head shake going.