How long did it take you to build your cab?

[rackoon]

I have been working on mine for at least a year now. Actually, I started collecting parts before that. But I only work on it a few hours a week. I do it as a hobby though. For example, this week I will draw and cut the end caps for my third panel on my cocktail cab. Heck, even these need to be fine sanded and slot cut for T-molding. Ill be bummed and stoked when its done. Who knows how long cutting all the diamond plate will take?

Even after the cab is built the stereo system will need to be installed, the coin door will need sanding and painting. Over 100 UV LED hooked up, and don't even get me started about the custom artwork I have that needs to be turned into a bezel. 

YET, I'M HAVING A GOOD TIME DOING IT!

[Fozzy The Bear]

YET, I'M HAVING A GOOD TIME DOING IT!

That's the whole point.... I took over a year building my first cab, and it's a bit like frankenstien, in that the parts keep beeing changed and improved. I've just finish my actual CP. I've had a temporary one on there for over six months.

But the point is that it's fun to build things.... It doesn't matter how long it takes.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

[fixedpigs]

late november of '05 is when i started designing mine...

april '06 is when i actually started cutting...

who knows when i'll finish...

i'm in the painting stages now...i still haven't ordered parts for my cp yet...but...the longer i wait...the better things get...tt2 spinner and u360 anyone...?

i'm in no rush though...it's a fun process...!

[Thenasty]

I'm stuck PLAYING. Dunno when my Cab will be finish 

[Xam]

Between collecting parts and actually working...almost a year. Actually work time...I dunno. If I was able to stay completely dedicated...and had all my parts together...it would probably take me 3-4 weeks.

Xam

[MYX]

I had thought about how I would build it and what would be included for like 5 years. Then I decided that Jan 06 would be the starting point. It took about a year for it to all come together. Because I had no real plans I kind of made it up as I went and got really tired at times because I had so many little details all trying to come together. It was trying to solve a puzzle when the puzzle pieces don't exist yet. I have spent a lot of time dinking with the front end and the computer.
I have a metal piece that still needs to go in place. I also have some sound absorption material that should cut down the power supply fan noise. I got to build on weekends and evenings. I got obsessed too many times. I got in trouble at work and with the family for not choosing the right priorities. (I feel bad for that).
I really enjoyed building it. I really hated building it.Truly had the full range of emotions. (especially the day it fell off the saw horses and nearly broke into a brazillion pieces.). Bottom line,  I am so glad I built it.  Tonight my son and I were playing frogger. He loves that game. I actually like it now. We probably blew the equivalent of $5.00. I figure that the cab should pay off in about 12 years. 

[leapinlew]

I build pretty quick. Like, not Spacies quick or Knievel quick, but I dont take that long. My last cabinet took about 2 weeks. My first one took 5 days. Then I redid it and it took another couple days.

[PacMon]

Years!!!  I guess its been done for a while now, but I keep changing & modifying things.  Honestly, I don't think I'll ever be 100% done.  That reminds me, I should update my progress page for my cabinet.

[danny_galaga]

took me about two months. i was really tough on myself as im good at starting things and never finishing them. for instance ive started a space invaders replica months ago and as soon as i hit a bit of a snag its ended up stored away! probably two good weeks and itd be done...

[RetroACTIVE]

too

[Hurray Banana]

I built my first cab over about 3-4 weeks, but its since been tinkered with and butchered during a series of experiments so I could decide how to build my next one. It's now in a bit of a rough state but playable, I need to get round to making a new one.

I have since started a cocktail, cut and set up the sides and bottom and routed everything then sort of got distracted, its been sat in my garage in pieces for over 8 months don't get the time at the moment to do any work on it.

YET, I'M HAVING A GOOD TIME DOING IT!

That's the whole point.... I took over a year building my first cab, and it's a bit like frankenstien, in that the parts keep beeing changed and improved. I've just finish my actual CP. I've had a temporary one on there for over six months.

But the point is that it's fun to build things.... It doesn't matter how long it takes.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

I agree with Fozzy the tinkering is the best bit!

[rackoon]

I build in spurts. This usually happens when I sit down to play a retro game like Joust and get to level ten then the shortcomings of playing the game on a keyboard really catch up to you. The fact is that ya need a real arcade joystick and real arcade buttons to kick serious ass on most of these games.

Right now I'm sadly looking at a box full of joysticks, buttons, trackballs, and a old Pac Man coin door.

I'm glad I dont have a working CP because if I had a working panel it would take even longer to finish my cab because I would spend so much more time playing when I could be working.

[squirrellydw]

about 3 months planing, March will be 1 year of building and hope to be be done by April/May.  I couldn't be happier, it's taken a lot longer than I thought buy I haven't messed up yet and don't plan to.

[miles2912]

Read a little on and off for 6 months then started seriously planning.  Took about 2 months of serious planning and getting the basic parts (KB encoder, joysticks and buttons) then another 4 months of building slowly and testing.  I bet that for every hour of building I spent an hour playing with software and settings.

Don

[spacies]

I build pretty quick. Like, not Spacies quick or Knievel quick, but I dont take that long. My last cabinet took about 2 weeks. My first one took 5 days. Then I redid it and it took another couple days.

Heh,

8 hours work on one of these : http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=60783.msg602638#msg602638   cocktail and it is 100% finished.

Scratch built Uprights take about 2-3 days.

[deadkenndys1105]

It depends on what you call finished.  My cabinet has been playable for a while now.  It needs artwork and has been torn down and "edited" a bit twice.  Its horrable seeing a unpainted MDF cabinet next to a near mint millipede.

[BamBam]

Started in the winter of 2004 by developing my software interface.  Built the cab in 2005/2006.  Still a work in progress as I still have to add the marquee, coin door and sort out a couple of bugs (VPinball still does not launch properly).   It is functioning and definitely a hit at any party.

John

[Kremmit]

3 years, two months, and counting. 

[rackoon]

HOLY CRAP KREMMIT! Convicted murderers do less time in prison here in California.

So how far along are you?

[javeryh]

I'm approaching 2 years in April but it's been playable since September 2006.  I still have lots of software tweaking to do and I have to finish some odds and ends like artwork, wiring the coin door, etc.  I'll finishe it eventually!

In the mean time I started cabinet #2 in N ovember 2006 and I'm about 50% finished with it.  I only get to work on it for an afternoon here and there (like once or twice a month) so it's slow going - but I love it!

[Kremmit]

I've built a couple desktop controllers that keep me happy (enough) in the MAME department.  I've got several working dedicated games as well, to keep me happy in the cab department.

Project-wise, I have this problem with starting new projects before I finish old ones.  I'm at varying stages of completion, ranging from "daydreaming" right up to "needs software config and artwork and it'll be complete".  And a big closet full of parts.  And no spare time.  And a bad case of lazyass syndrome.