Help, from Canada!

[Joystick Jerk]

Hey guys! I'm new to these forums, and new to the world of DIY arcade setups in general. I'm hoping you guys can help out a newb like me by answering some questions.

I recently started getting really interested in the home-built arcade scene after a wave of retro arcade nostalgia hit me like a bad case of pinkeye. I picked up Project Arcade at the bookstore(great book by the way, Saint!), read it over, and now I've commited myself to getting my own upright cab for my home. Two things worry me though; one, I have absolutely zero tools, nor do I know anyone who has any tools, so actually building from scratch may be out of the question. And second, I live in Canada, and from what I've initially seen, it doesn't seem like the arcade industry is pro-Canada, at least in term of availability and cost.

As for the first issue, my total lack of tools has me thinking I may purchase a pre-cut kit. But living in Canada, I've only found a few companies that'll ship stuff to Canada, and the ones that do seem to charge a lot more for the cab-kits. Do you guys know of any kit makers that cater to Canada, at a decent price?

Secondly, just living in Canada seems like it's going to make it a lot harder to get parts cheaply, or even to find a used cab that I can convert into a MAME cab. Are there any auctions/swap-meets in Canada, particularly in and around Vancouver, that sell off arcade cabs and parts? And if there are, where would I keep up to date on local events?

Right now it seems I'm stuck paying exhorbitant shipping charges on parts, and making the rounds to the few arcades I know of in Vancouver. I'm just hoping some fellow canadians can point me in the direction of any sort of Canadian arcade scene, if one exists.

Oh, and has anyone dealt with this dealer on eBay? He seems like he has some decent uprights at a good cost, and he's in Canada:

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ50QQsassZjnk007

[Mamezilla]

Hello,

Welcome aboard.

[Paladin]

If you're in Vancouver, you're not that far from the border.  I live just north of Seattle, and find cabinets listed on craigslist and RGVAC newsgroup in the area.  I don't know what would be involved with getting a cab across the border, but if you're willing to consider it you will find more.

Try:
http://vancouver.craigslist.org/about/cities.html
and:
http://groups-beta.google.com/groups?q=arcade+collecting

[Scott84]

Where in Canada are you?

[markrvp]

I'm almost tempted to come build you one just so I can go back to Victoria for a few days.

[cholin]

Come to think of it, build me one too.

Cheap way to get stuff is ebay and this board.  Buy peoples used stuff that they say is "like-new" because it most likely is.  I bought a minipac from vicious and we dealt in canadian funds and everything so I saved alot of money in the end...ask around, people are willing to help you.

[Joystick Jerk]

Thanks for tips so far guys!

Two suppliers of arcade parts in Canada are:
Starburst in Ontario:  http://www.starburstcoin.com/
Canadian Coin Machine in Burnaby BC:  http://www.canadiancoinmachine.com/

Those are some great links. I contacted Canadian Coin Machine and they already responded and said that they had a decent selection of empty cabs that would be perfect for MAME.

Where in Canada are you?

I live in Port Moody, which is just outside Vancouver.

[Mamezilla]

You can also do a search also on this forum, this kind of topic as been covered a few times.  Just try the word "canada".

One of those topics is:  http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,22582.0.html

[Tiger-Heli]

Can't help on the Canada stuff other than to say there are a lot of others on the board.  I think Zakk is in Canada and carries OSCAR's spinners.  Not sure if www.groovygamegear.com or www.ultimarc.com ship or have distributors in Canada, or what taxes will do to you, but I would recommend looking into it.

As for the first issue, my total lack of tools has me thinking I may purchase a pre-cut kit. But living in Canada, I've only found a few companies that'll ship stuff to Canada, and the ones that do seem to charge a lot more for the cab-kits. Do you guys know of any kit makers that cater to Canada, at a decent price?

I can't say from experience, but I think a better option would be to get an empty cab and convert it.  If you haven't built one before the kits can be a fair amount of work, and the money you save on the empty cab could be used for tools to convert it.  (The exception would be SlikStik, which seems like it would be simple to assemble, but is fairly expensive, if memory serves.  Retroblast covers their cab kit pretty well.

[CheffoJeffo]

Everybody seems to have given you most of the 411.

As for eBay seller jnk007, folks either like him (his machines are typically in good shape) or hate him (he bids on everything at the Starburst auction, which drives up prices for the rest of us).

I have bought two machines from him (one for me and one for a friend) -- I absolutely love the cabinet I bought from him. I do suspect that he has shill bidders on some of his auctions ... just don't show too much interest and don't pay more than you want to ... he has lots of machines coming up each week (if you tell us what you're interested in, I can probably tell you if he has one coming up for auction ... some of us may have even tested the actual machine before he bought it).

His father owns a high-end office furniture company, so he has the warehousing, packing and shipping angle wired.

As much as I am ticked at him for denying me the 4-slot Neo Geo that I wanted at the last Starburst auction, he is a good, honest seller and I have left nothing but positive feedback for him.

As for the West Coast, there is someone in Deadmonton that always seems to have stuff, but I can't recall just now where I have seen his stuff (eBay, RGVAC, CGCC) ... I'll get a cup of coffee and see if I can remember.

Cheers,

JAKD

[Jabba]

I'm from Ottawa. Here are some of my experiences...

I have bought stuff from Starburst. Very good people to deal with, no duty and very good shipping charges and all genuine Happ parts.

I have bought from Andy at Ultimarc. Don't let the fact that he is in the UK fool you. My order made its way here in 3 days. For some reason, no duty was charged at all.

Bought a spinner from Zakk. Canadian distributor for Oscar. Very good guy to deal with, reliable and his prices are good.

Bought a used cabinet from some local arcade forums here. Look around, you may find the same thing in your own area. I'm not sure how big Port Moody is, but there's got to be something in Vancouver.

If it was me, I'd rather pay the money for some tools rather than buying a pre-fab. Heck, all you really need is a Jigsaw, a drill, 1 and 1/8 spade bit, circular-saw and a straight edge. That would get you most of the way there. And you'd have the tools for that 2nd cab that you will eventally will HAVE to build ;-)

[CheffoJeffo]

I have bought from Andy at Ultimarc. Don't let the fact that he is in the UK fool you. My order made its way here in 3 days. For some reason, no duty was charged at all.

I second this ... I always get my orders from Andy before stuff I order from anybody else and have never once  been charged duty or tax on anything I have ordered from him.

[monkeybomb]

ALL you guys are from Canada....it's like there really is a country up there.

[rgecko]

Also check this thread: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,22771.0.html
and for my cab that's almost done, the only stuff I have had to buy from outside Canada is: T-molding, Ultimarc encoder (Andy is awesome to deal with), power bar, and artwork (Scott at mamemarquees is also a great guy with an eye for detail to deal with, not sure about shipping yet so we

[Joystick Jerk]

More great tips guys, thanks!

As many have said, I'm thinking my best option is to buy an existing cab and convert it for mame use. I'll be phoning Canadian Coin on monday, as well as going around to the few arcades left in Vancouver over the next week to check out any cabs they may be wanting to sell.

As for the style I'm looking for, I'd say something either like Lucid's upright, or the UA2. The only real thing I need in an existing upright is a removable CP, as the older cabs with the CP integrated right into the side panels would make adapting any sort of modern CP a major hassle. Plus there's no point in destroying an old chassis when most newer used cabs use the removable CP style of construction.

As far as used cabs go though, it sounds like there's no real "concrete" dealer of used cabs in Canada, which is a drag. I basically just have to keep searching until I happen upon what I'm looking for. Maybe one of the more entrepreneurial Canadians here should start up their own custom-cab business!

[DrewKaree]

I am unable to help you concerning your thread title.

Being from Canada cannot be helped, but you should be able to sleep easier knowing that from dealing with Zakk often, we've learned aboot how to deal with you Canadians.  We'll try to talk slower for you, try to do the math for financial matters for you (it's pretty easy, just take what we pay, multiply it by 10, and you've got it, but I know....the math....oh, the horrors of the math), and try to throw in a few eh's in our conversations so you are able to somewhat follow, eh.

In closing, sorry you're from Canada, but really, no one can help you on that one.  Once you're "from" Canada, you'll always be "from" Canada.  We're a pretty tolerant bunch, and we generally won't hold it against you too much, unless it becomes a requirement....kinda like Zakk again

Oh, and