Cabinet Decision

[Ler6557]

Ok, so I decided I wanted to buy a classic cabinet, beat up or not, and put all of my ideas into it instead of constructing the shell myself, which I have very little confidence in. I have narrowed it down to two cabinets: Asteroids and Defender. My problem with Asteroids is the angled back section which I don't like, and the sloped downwards contol panel support. In Defender, I like the straight back section but am not extremely in love with the box that comes out of the front holding the control panel and the coin door. I wanted to know if a SlikStik QUAD or Classic would look ok on the Defender cabinet, seeing as control panel support is a small area for a big control panel like that and would overhang probably a lot. Would the length from the top of the control panel (QUAD or Classic) to the bottom be too big and not be good also because the coin door is only a few inches under it, perhaps preventing easy access to it? Does the Classic overhang at all from top to bottom with the control panel support already in Defender? Is there a somewhat easy way (since I don't like woodworking too much) that I could extend that box coming out of the front? Also, on the Asteroid's cabinet, how would I adjust the CP support so as to allow it to rest on it at a straight angle? Also would it look bad to put a control panel above the line that meets the bottom of the screen made by the top of the box, or could that be also modified to allow the QUAD or Classic to be mounted further down? Any input and/or tips would very greatly appreciated as I near the end of my planning and start working.

P.S. If anybody has the specs to the CPs of either Asteroids and/or Defender that would be great also.

[pointdablame]

Please don't hack up a Defender or an Asteroids and throw a SlikStik panel on it.  Even though they are common games, there are only so many of them out there.

Build a Defender or Asteroids from plans online, otherwise just get a Dynamo or generic 25" cab and slap a SlikStik on there... don't maim a classic cab like that.

It is however possible to support them, but you can tell that it was just slapped on there, if you know what I mean.  The "easiest" way to mount a CP like that is to cut out a shelf in the cab (depending on cab of course) to rest it on, and probably add some additional supports.... which is why I pleaded to not destroy a classic cab.

You could always try modular or swappable control panels if you were dead set on those cabinet designs.  Otherwise, a more modern generic cab usually looks much more "normal" with a SlikStik compared to classics

[Ler6557]

I think "hacking up" is a harsh term since I plan to use many of the parts of the Asteroids machine in my final work. The pieces that I don't use will be carefully preserved such as the PCB board, and my cabinet will never be far from an original Asteroids design, one that could be restored with the proper original preserved parts in a week or so.

[pointdablame]

I think "hacking up" is a harsh term since I plan to use many of the parts of the Asteroids machine in my final work. The pieces that I don't use will be carefully preserved such as the PCB board, and my cabinet will never be far from an original Asteroids design, one that could be restored with the proper original preserved parts in a week or so.

oh I understand that.  The problem in that lies in the fact that many times the best (and sometimes ONLY) way to accomodate a panel that size in a classic cab is to physically cut into the cabinet.  Once you do that, it's "destroyed" since it is no longer in its original shape/size/etc.

It's TOTALLY possible to keep every part of a classic cab together and make a MAME machine out of it... but you'd have to use the original control panel size more often than not.  That way, if you ever wanted to convert it back,  you'd just have to swap out parts.

Either way... if you buy a cab, its yours to do whatever you want with... its just a shame to see a classic cut up IMO

[pointdablame]

For instance, take a look at this defender.



If you look at the control panel and then picture a SlikStik box (not just the top), its easy to see that you can't just rest it where the original was.  You'd have to chop the CP down or find a way to raise the monitor, or otherwise accomodate a CP as big as the SlikStik.  Once you've cut into the cab, that's that...

[paigeoliver]

A quad panel on a 19" cabinet is going to look terrible and suffer in playability.

If you are using a slikstick quad, then order that and then make your design around that.

[Stingray]

just get a Dynamo or generic 25" cab and slap a SlikStik on there.

I agree with this 100%. A Dynamo would be perfect for this application. They're cheap and plentiful, plus they have very similar lines to Defender minus the box section that you dislike. Here's a pic of the Dynamo cab that houses my MVS:



The control panel is easily removable and you could build out the CP area to accomidate the larger CP that you intend to use.

-S

[pointdablame]

Another great cab that is at least fairly common (from what I can tell) is the 4 player Konami cabs.  I have an Xmen cab, and it would take next to no work at all to slap a SlikStik on it.  In fact, you probably wouldn't have to do a damn thing.

[paigeoliver]

If you want a quad sized control panel then you REALLY need to start with a Quad sized cabinet. Refitting the smaller cabinets looks terrible, and is often only semi-functional. With the Konami cabinets you can literally just unbolt the old control panel box and then rig up your slikstick one in the same place with minimum fuss.

[Stingray]

If you want a quad sized control panel then you REALLY need to start with a Quad sized cabinet. Refitting the smaller cabinets looks terrible, and is often only semi-functional. With the Konami cabinets you can literally just unbolt the old control panel box and then rig up your slikstick one in the same place with minimum fuss.

Agreed. However the cabs he's interested are of the smaller classic style. I was just trying to steer him away from the truly collectable cabs and toward something a little more generic of a similar style.

-S

[CIA_Guy]

LER6557 -- where are you located?   Someone might have a cab laying around you could get on the cheap....assuming you don't trash a collecable cab that is....