New idea for lighting a cabinet

[slacker]

I found this while surfing around the other day. I think it add a little touch of coolness to the cabinet. This stuff is called Electro luminescent wire.

What is electroluminescent wire?

Electroluminescent wire is a light source based on the technology of electroluminescence. It is the only linear light source in the world available in the form of a wire, which is produced in many colors, small diameters and continuous lengths varying from inches to thousands of feet. It can be bent up to 180 degrees.
The wire does not generate heat and can vary in intensity based on voltage input.
the cheapest place to buy the wire from is
http://www.elwirecheap.com/elwire.html

Here are a few pics of my cabinet. Let me know what you think of the lighting.

[killr0y]

Yeah I was thinking about using EL wire, then that moved on to, "why stop there?"  I could put a clear plexi window in the side of the cab like a big biohazard symbol and put green neon lights inside so it would glow..  I started getting carried away until I thought.. wow, it would look nothing like a traditional arcade cab which is what i've been wanting to build from the begining.  So my dreams crashed back to reality and I decided I was going to stick to the traditional route.

Your cab does look kinda cool though.  All you need is a translucent blue tron joystick with red buttons!

[Frostillicus]

I found this while surfing around the other day. I think it add a little touch of coolness to the cabinet. This stuff is called Electro luminescent wire.

What is electroluminescent wire?

Electroluminescent wire is a light source based on the technology of electroluminescence. It is the only linear light source in the world available in the form of a wire, which is produced in many colors, small diameters and continuous lengths varying from inches to thousands of feet. It can be bent up to 180 degrees.
The wire does not generate heat and can vary in intensity based on voltage input.
the cheapest place to buy the wire from is
http://www.elwirecheap.com/elwire.html

Isn't that the same stuff as www.glowire.com?  I've heard people have had success with them.

[rhoelsch]

Reminds me of a vector game...I'd shape the stuff, attach it to a cab side, and make an homage to Asteroids!

[atog]

How bendable is the stuff?  It would be cool to hot glue a bunch of it to a body suit, a bike helmet, and a frisbee, and then go as Tron to a halloween party!

[atog]

No wait, that wouldn't work, you still have to be plugged in.  I guess you could hook yourself to a long extension cord, or just spend the night making small talk right next to a power outlet.

[TazMan]

Tron costume. eh?

Here ya go:  <CLICK ME>

[eightbit]

Tron costume. eh?

Here ya go:  <CLICK ME>

That guy has over $325 invested in his costume. It doesn't even look that good.

[Tehrasha]

That guy has over $325 invested in his costume. It doesn't even look that good.

As with most projects, someone had to be first, and he will invariably spend way too much and make many mistakes.  That person will pave the way, show what does and doesnt work, and give the rest of us ideas on how to improve on what he has started.  Without those kind of brave people with money, the rest of us would never attmept such things for fear of cost and failure.

I would never have attempted to build my own MAME cab if I hadnt seen 20 or so other cabinets.  I took ideas from them all and sprinkled in some of my own ideas.  It has cost me more than I originally planned (dont they all?) but at least I knew I wasnt the only insane person in the world that was building one.

As for using EL for cabinet lighting... doesnt this stuff loose its glow after alot of use?
If so, you may wish to include a switch and only activate it when needed.  Be a shame to waste all of that in a lit room.

Another choice for lit lines like that would be flourecent paint, and a UV light source.
Especially now that UV LEDs are available.   no need for bulky UV tubes.

[rampy]

Tron costume. eh?

Here ya go:  <CLICK ME>

That guy has over $325 invested in his costume. It doesn't even look that good.

It looked good except for the last minute crappy torso wrap around... which he mentions in things he'd like to fix at the bottom.

While we're OT -> check out this transformers costume that transforms

[atog]

That is truly awesome!  I love what he did with the helmet.  Definitely needs work on the costume part though, and if that guys showed up at a party wearing those long johns, he is probably going to clean the place out.

[slacker]

Answers to a few of your questions.

It is very flexible; I have 90 degree bends around the monitor and corners. It feels like 18 gauge stranded wire.

I have installed a quick switch on the back of the cab to kill the power to the transformer. But it

[SirPoonga]

not a new idea. 1UP uses glowire in his joystick.

I've been planning for hte last year and a half once I get the fund to outline the pacman sideart in glowire.

[MrToasty]

You might also consider electroluminescent tape.  It's flat, thin, and wider than glowire and generally brighter from what I understand.  Most brands have adhesive on the back, so you can just stick it on instead of worrying about how to mount/attach it.  Some of the brands to look for include Glowstrip, Flatlite, and Californeon Lightstrip.  You can also get it in sheets to cut into arbitrary shapes.

http://www.elcustomshop.com/ccsproducts.html
http://www.beingseen.com/index.html
http://www.californeon.com

[Thorn]

Yeah but think of the money he could make if he goes to Disney world, slips into the electric parade, follows Mickey until Mickey takes his head off and then sues Disney for the trauma of seeing the mouse head come off.  MMmmmmmHhahahahah. One meeeeellion dollars!!!
(note: lawsuit idea stolen from an actual incident I read about in the newspaper)    

[Generic Eric]

I'd like to see a reproduction of a tron cabinet using this elctro wire stuff.