Metal CP question

[traknfieldSUPAstar]

I'm currently looking for a metal cp with a street fighter-type joystick/button layout for a data east cabinet (the cab looks like a robocop/bad dudes style cabinet but the marquee isn't curved). It currently houses a dedicated karate champ and already has 6 holes (4 for joysticks and 2 for the start buttons). I'd prefer not to add anymore holes to it (plus I don't know how to cut into the metal) and as a bonus, I could always convert it back to a karate champ.

My other option would be to just build a wooden cp box to house the controls I need, but I really like how the rounded cp looks in it's current state. Anybody have any suggestions?

[AlanS17]

How about buying a second control panel and punching holes in that one? The CP locks at the back and has a hinge at the front so it's not as easy as bending your own.

You can build one from wood, but it'll require putting holes in your cabinet, and it sounds like you don't want to do that.

I say just buy a second CP.

[AlanS17]

If I'd known it would come in handy for someone else one day, I never would have ditched mine (Bad Dudes) when I moved.

[traknfieldSUPAstar]

How about buying a second control panel and punching holes in that one? The CP locks at the back and has a hinge at the front so it's not as easy as bending your own.

You can build one from wood, but it'll require putting holes in your cabinet, and it sounds like you don't want to do that.

I say just buy a second CP.

actually, I'm all for buying  a second cp, but I still need to find the seller... I think i've read somwhere on these forums that some guys brought their old metal cp's to a local metal shop and had them make a blank copy. My only issue with trying this route out is I'd be stuck trying to find a way to drill 16 holes for the joysticks and buttions...

[mmmPeanutButter]

How about buying a second control panel and punching holes in that one? The CP locks at the back and has a hinge at the front so it's not as easy as bending your own.

You can build one from wood, but it'll require putting holes in your cabinet, and it sounds like you don't want to do that.

I say just buy a second CP.

actually, I'm all for buying  a second cp, but I still need to find the seller... I think i've read somwhere on these forums that some guys brought their old metal cp's to a local metal shop and had them make a blank copy. My only issue with trying this route out is I'd be stuck trying to find a way to drill 16 holes for the joysticks and buttions...

I brought mine in to get a price on rebuilding it (centipede) and it was going to be *expensive*, so I ended up covering it with a pice of metal and welding it on. 

If you do get a new one, get a Greenlee punch to make the holes.  Really easy.

[Stingray]

If you have one made at a metal shop they will almost certainly have the punches and can do the holes for you as well.

-S

[mclaught]

Gamedork is a member of this forum, he does metalwork and made a CP for me to my specs. Very happy with the quality and end result.

[AlanS17]

The Data East CP isn't that simple to recreate. I would think the hinge and the portion where the CP meets the glass would be difficult to do.

[traknfieldSUPAstar]

you know, i've been thinking, does anybody have the dimensions for the metal cp used in the 19" dynamo cabs? I've seen a couple of those with the "street fighter" layout while looking for a data east cab equivolent. I could probably try and mount that to my cab if the dimensions are close enough...

[AlanS17]

Won't work. The Dynamo has triangles on the sides. These make for flat fronts on the CP. It's not just one bend like the data East cabs.

[traknfieldSUPAstar]

I think i might go with a wooden control panel. While searching ebay for a modified data east cp, I found a "mame" machine converted out of the same cab I have that had a sf2-type joystick/button layout with a 2.5" trackball. It doesn't look as bad as I thought it might.

So in order to save me some time and money, I think I might just go "wood" for now. Hopefully, I can find something in the future but at least this way, I can start working on this project. Thanks for the help/suggestions guys!

Pic of the cab I was talkin about:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6193480987&category=13716&rd=1