Imperfections No One Will Notice But YOU

[javeryh]

They are making me nuts.  It's almost all I see when I look at the thing!  I am trying to be as careful as I can and plan everything out in advance.  I'm not rushing anything and I think I'm doing a decent job.  However, there are minor imperfections all over my cab that probably no one will notice but me and it is making me crazy!!!  I know I'm way too anal but does anyone else feel the same way?  I'm annoyed just typing this out... 

[zaphod]

Don't fret.  I have my fair share of imperfections on mine but noone has ever noticed or commented on them in the two-and-a-half years it's been in operation.  Once you complete the cabinet and start playing, you'll forget about them.  Just think of the 'goofs' as adding personality.  It helped me.

[TalkingOctopus]

Don't fret.

[Minwah]

Same thing here.   There are some which I have been able to talk myself into ignoring (a few cuts which aren't dead straight for example), and some others I just *had* to do something about (I took all the wiring out a while ago and re-did it).

Most things drive me mad until I something about it.  I'm pretty sure I have some kind of mental disorder.

 

[NoOne=NBA=]

Just so that you all know, I don't really mind the imperfections in your cabs.

If you look at MY cabs, you'd probably notice some things about them too.
(My dedicateds have scratches, missing artwork, gouges, imperfect touch-ups on the T-molding, etc...)
(My home-built has hairline cracks in the marquee art from heat expansion, imperfect cuts in some of the radius cuts, etc...)

I'm more concerned with playability than perfection in construction, so you can all stop worrying so much about what I think of your cabs.

And why are you all singling ME out as the one that needs to give final approval on your cabs anyway?

[RayB]

They have medication that will help you with your perfectionism disorder. (Seriously). Compare your cab to some of the monstrosities that have shown up from time to time and you'll feel a whole lot better.

(I remember one guy who decided to paint his control panel without removing the buttons first. He got paint all over the sides of his buttons.)

[javeryh]

OK, I'm not that bad... the imperfections I'm talking about are maybe where something isn't exactly straight - oh and I've got one bump from a screw that I was sanding in between coats of finish and I sanded it bare - I'm going to use a q=tip and some extra stain to try and fill it in to make it less noticable.  Also, my metal CPs are a little small (1/8") for the opening between the two side panels so I'm going have to put some black tape on the inside or something so it's not as noticable... little stuff I guess that I will make sure to fix for the next one I build!

[TalkingOctopus]

little stuff I guess that I will make sure to fix for the next one I build!

That's the problem with this hobby!

[Bones]

Imperfections bother me but I don't think there is anything wrong with that and I don't think there is anything wrong with wanting to do the best that you can.

[MaximRecoil]

The funny thing is, most genuine coin-op arcade machines making the rounds look like total crap compared to the stuff that many of you have built or refurbished/restored and I'm not talking about normal wear and tear on orginals; but stuff like ill-fitting generic monitor bezels, jury-rigged plexi CP overlays, mismatching/incorrect buttons/joysticks, etc. There's a Tekken 3 and a 1940-something in the cafeteria at work like that.

[TurboC--]

Potential imperfections that could arise, often delay me in even making progress on my cab.