build cab or buy parts first???

[Ldsfunaz]

I know this is a personal preference question but i would still like to know what  you experts think.

I bought the wood and the router and I own every other tool that is needed but I don't have any arcade parts(buttons,joysticks)

I was thinking I was gonna build the cab, then buy the components, then work on the cp box while the parts are being shipped. Then put in the parts then wire them up.  Get everything operational.  Then worry about artwork.

does this sound like a good plan to everyone else?

thanks again

mike

[Buddabing]

I know this is a personal preference question but i would still like to know what

[thetered]

Granted I used an existing cab but I built the panel from scratch and it was the first thing I got semi functional.... I had to have something to play when taking a break from working on the cab! 

[Kremmit]

Well, let's see:

• According to my profile, I registered for these forums on November 12, 2003, 11:49:41 PM.
• I started buying parts roughly the same time.
• I have a closet full of parts.
• I have yet to build a complete cab.

Learn from me.

[thetered]

Well, let's see:

• According to my profile, I registered for these forums on November 12, 2003, 11:49:41 PM.
• I started buying parts roughly the same time.
• I have a closet full of parts.
• I have yet to build a complete cab.

Learn from me.

WOWZERS!

[Ldsfunaz]

learn from you as in do exactly what you did, or do exactly the OPPOSITE of what you did???

I'm guessing its the former...

[rdagger]

I bought a ton of controls on eBay before I started my cab.  It's very helpful to have the controls first because they often take up more space than you anticipated.  Also you can test them and see if you like them.  I ended up only using about 1/2 of what I bought but was able to sell back the unused items.

[RTSDaddy2]

Like you said, a matter of preference...but take the advice of those who tell you to wait on the control panel.

We just finished our CP for our first, nearly a year to the date after laying out our plans (it took 6 months of saving to buy the first items)...and I am telling you now the rest of this cabinet would have taken me forever to have finished IF I had purchased and plugged in the trackball, buttons, sticks, etc. first.

In other words, your plan sounds excellent to me!

[CJK]

I'm going to go against the flow a bit here and suggest that maybe building a CP first isn't a bad idea. 

I started collecting the parts about two months ago, and I just started building my cab last weekend. I have built two CPs already -- I made them very bare bones (no front, back, or bottom) and I used them mainly to test ideas about control layout, number and placement of buttons, need for admin buttons, etc. I also got some experience with wiring things up -- the second panel took me half the time to wire as did the first, for instance.

Having an operational CP but no cab got me very motivated to get the whole thing together so I can show it off to my friends.   

-- Chris

[AceTKK]

Yea, I think it's a good idea to have the controls before starting on the control panel.  That way, you can build a cardboard or foamboard mockup and make sure everything fits / is comfortable to use.

-Ace-

[nostrebor]

Yea, I think it's a good idea to have the controls before starting on the control panel.  That way, you can build a cardboard or foamboard mockup and make sure everything fits / is comfortable to use.

-Ace-

This is what I did, and my cabinet got built.

I do suggest that if artwork and paint is important to you, you complete those items before getting your cabinet FULLY operational. I'm a year in, and still have not painted my cabinet We do have all the art complete though, and the cabinet is fully functional. I just hate to take it apart to paint it now.

[shawnzilla]

Hehe, my profile started December of 2002. I started by buying my keyboard encoder, and then proceeded to buy controls like a madman. My cab was finally completed last month.

My advice...build the cab first! Or if you want to make life easier on yourself, you could always buy or restore an empty cab.

Of course, if you want to buy some buttons first, step into my office 

www.fxbuttons.com

[Clonedsheep]

My Man, Build your cabinet first. I started my cab last December and was doing great. Working on it and making great progress. I cut the sides, Built the control panel, Put the monitor shelf for my 20" up and got it up to the point to where it is looking like an arcade machine. Then I was having a party and wanted to show off what i had done so far so I installed the controllers and buttons. With the wiring I did not finish that till after the party. Anyways I wanted to play it so bad that I wheeled it in by it's casters and shoved it into the corner of my living room. I told my wife that was freaking out that I was going to finish it soon and it will match. Well it is what July? I have done nothing else to the cabinet since. Having too much fun playing. OH and being lazy. My famous words for months...I am going to try and do some more work on it this weekend. (After I get back from the beach)

[NoOne=NBA=]

I would, and DID, get the parts first.
(Well, at least enough of them to complete the cab).
That will let you design the cab around the parts.

If you build the cab, and then buy the parts, something may not fit right, and then you'll be stuck TRYING to retrofit the cab to fit the parts.
If you build the cab to fit the parts, then you will KNOW that it's going to work, and will end up with a better finished product.

[Havok]

I say buy the parts first, so you can design the control panel around the layout, and be able to tweak the layout as needed.

You must have an iron will to complete the cab though!

[Avery]

I'd vote either/or, depending on your design.

[Ldsfunaz]

thanks alot guys.  I had kinda figured there were going to be dead fast camps on this one.  I had not imagined how many people actually got sidetracked once they build their CP, and for how long.  I am going to use the UAII plans, but I plan on changing the monitor angles to about 30 degres, Its a 4p cab so I want a good angle for everybody.  I am also angling the CP base on the cab sides, not the CP itself because i think cutting the angles might be too tough for me.   Other than that I'm sticking to the plans.  After alot of thought, and help from you guys, I'm going to build the cab first, then order the parts, wait for them to come, then build the CP, just in case.  thanks again for everything

mike

[javeryh]

I just kind of buy as I go.  I'm not in any type of rush to finish but here's how it's going so far...

1.  Agonized for months on what to build
2.  Settled on a design
3.  Bought plywood and built the cab
4.  Ordered some controls (buttons, joys, ipac, trackball)
5.  Stain/seal cab (this weekend!)

I don't know what comes next but it will likely be placing the guts of an old computer and all the controls in the cab to see if everything fits (I'm building a cocktail).  Then I have to order the monitor (I've known which one since construction began but I didn't want to spend the money until I was ready to install it).  I'm just ad libbing I guess but it is working so far.  These things can get really expensive so spending all the mony over a long period of time works best for me.

[Sylentwulf]

Ye gods, lazy people!
I started and finished my entire cab (except for the smoked glass that I had to special order) within 1 week. From laying out the control panel to turning it on and playing.

I was on the message boards for about a month prior to that, and was deciding on designs and a list of stuff I needed for that month as well, but once I ordered everything and started, it's not THAT hard to finish it

Side note, don't make a control panel if you don't have the parts on hand. There is NO WAY you can guarantee they'll fit right if you don't physically have them. It just doesn't work that way unless you get really lucky. And depending on luck while building things is a bad idea.

[Bones]

Yeah I would buy parts first. (Well enough parts at a time to do your cab in sections.)

I did my control panel first & don't regret it. If anything, having a working control panel motivated me to get cracking on the rest without to much delay.