Starting my First Cab. Need opinons on the CP

[semicycle]

Hello all.

[semicycle]

Any concerns about this design?

[miles2912]

Yea I have concerns.  Is this a CP or a full cab layout.  I have no idea what we are doing here.   Just post the CP and we can go from there.  Leave the monitor out.  It is not going to be on the same plane as the CP??

Don

[semicycle]

As you wish

Full Size Here ---> http://members.cox.net/semicycle/cp2.jpg

[miles2912]

You need to swtch to actual layout size.  You arangement looks good on paper with blocks that aren't representing scale.  Track down some layouts and cut them out.  Lay them on a piece of cardboard to give you a feel for how big the CP is going to be.  Your layout is at least 3 1/2 feet wide.  Imagine how that is going to look on a custom built or bought cab.  The trackball itself is way off.  Here is a an example of a scale in visio...



Don

[semicycle]

As you requested, here is my CP drawn to scale.  Thanks for telling me to do this.  In my hand drawings, I forgot to include the space you will be loosing due to the thickness (.75") of the material at each side.

Design Details
.75" MDF
Top Width = 42"
Top Depth = 12"
Buttons have 1.75" of space from center to center of each button
I'll use the mouse buttons above the trackball when playing 4-way games


Full Size --> http://members.cox.net/semicycle/cp-machine1.jpg



Full Size --> http://members.cox.net/semicycle/cp-machine2.jpg

[CheffoJeffo]

At first, I had concerns about your scale and was going to chastise Miles2912 for having you drop the monitor out of the diagram (it's a cocktail, so they are in the same plane and the scale is going to be important).

Having seen your revised diagrams, I think that you'll be OK with a single-sider, although you may want to consider going to 3 sides to maximize the verticals. If you stay with one side, you may want to tilt the monitor slightly as in a Joust cocktail -- it makes a big difference not to have to hunch over while playing.

I would plan (to scale, as Miles2912 insisted) the cabinet carefully before building -- cocktails can be tricky.

Have a search for WhammoEd's cocktails as examples and if you want some pics of how the insides of a Joust cocktail are put together, let me know.

Cheers.

[semicycle]

The monitor will absolutely  be tilted in this cab.  I already have a spare 19" and 21" monitor, but maybe I can talk the wife into letting put the the bedroom 25" in cab, then shift the Living room TV to the bed room, then go out and buy that new DLP I've been drooling over......hum.......

The CP will be completely removing from the cab via a mounting slab of .75" MDF.  I don't know if making it removeable this way is standard fair, but I personally saw it first on an arcade video review of 3 control panels at retroblast.  I hope to build another unit down the line and for now want to use one control panel on both.  Wifey won't let me get more arcade parts for a while.