Mountain's MAME project COMPLETED WITH PICTURES 8-16-07

[mountain]

Hey everyone!

I have been lurking around here for a few months getting ideas and inspiration while slowly buying parts for our first MAME machine. Originally the goal was to build it with my son over the winter months. He is only 12 but loves the classics. He has an XBOX in his room but would rather go down to the local store to play the Galaga in the corner.

Like most of everyone here, I also have wanted an arcade machine of my own since the early 80s. I lived in Texas when the arcade boom hit and there was a huge arcade down the street from my house. After moving to Ohio in 82, we would spend Friday nights down at the Pizza Hut playing Pac man cocktail style.

So, I started searching for an old stripped cabinet and luckily found a guy on craigslist selling a bunch of machines. I picked up a decent cabinet that was a WWF Superstars that had a bad monitor. I spent the first month researching how to fix the monitor so I could use it. Long story short, fixed it, changed my mind. I am going to use a 21" flat panel CRT.

Original cabinet as I found it in the previous owners garage.



Here is the cabinet after gutting it an trimming the CP wings.



Completed

[mountain]

Here it is after I peeled the laminate off. Is that Kangaroo artwork? My wife thinks it is.

[mountain]

I spent about an hour on each side to get it down to bare wood. Gotta love heat guns.

[mountain]

I took off the front coin door panel because I want to build it out so it is easier to get to. The CP is 15" deep and it would be a pain to always bend over to put in a coin. (no coin buttons here)

Here is the new lower panel framed up.

[mountain]

Here is the wood to be bent. I notched it and soaked it to make easy to bend.

[mountain]

One last post.. I will post more pictures tomorrow.

I made the monitor shelf out of MDF and 2 x 3s. The monitor base is 9" in diameter so I decided to router a 9" hole in some 1/4" plywood and center it. This makes placement a snap. Once the base is in place all that needs done is to get the tilt and swivel correct. I will run L brackets from each corner of the monitor to secure it for the long haul.

[TOK]

Nice woodworking skills! Looks like its going to be nice. It was a Kangaroo.

[mountain]

Thanks TOK. My wife remembers playing Kangaroo but I don't. It's amazing to me that someone would ruin the artwork on that game by putting gray laminate over it. It looks like they scuffed it up with sandpaper to get the adhesive to stick. It looks like it was in great shape before that though.

[mountain]

Once I got the sides stripped I was able to see the water damage that was hiding underneath. I was able to dig out the bad areas and fill it with bondo.

After filling the area, I screwed and glued a piece of MDF on the inside for stability.

[mountain]

I notched out the area for the control panel. I did this before stripping the sides and then cleaned it up later.



Then I sanded and primed the inside edges and the top of the cabinet as well.

[mountain]

I had a hard time wrapping the new curved coin door panel. The first curve was fairly simple, but the lower (outside) curve was impossible. I broke the first piece trying to force it. My second try was a disaster as well. I tried to heat it up and ended up warping the laminate. So I cut my losses and salvaged what I could. I trimmed the original design and decide to just use the top (outer) half. Below is what I ended up with.

[mountain]

Here it is completed. It doesn't stick out as far as I had planned but I think that is probably a good thing. I like the way it looks. It should make putting coins in there a little easier.

[johnm160]

very nice work mountian I like the curved front.

[Crowquill]

Looks great so far. You also seem to be moving along at a pace few of us can match.

It is always a shame to see nice Atari side-art in that condition. All-in-all I'm kind of impressed that they put laminate over it instead of just painting it black. Kangaroo's actually a really fun game.

Thanks for posting the pic of the reinforced bottom edge. I always wondered how the casters were mounted.

[mountain]

Crowquill, I actually started this 6 weeks ago, I just finally got around to downloading the pictures. I will be caught up in a day or so and then I will post progress as it comes. I hope to hammer on the CP this weekend 

Thanks for the nice comments.

[(+_+)]

I had a hard time wrapping the new curved coin door panel. The first curve was fairly simple, but the lower (outside) curve was impossible. I broke the first piece trying to force it. My second try was a disaster as well. I tried to heat it up and ended up warping the laminate. So I cut my losses and salvaged what I could. I trimmed the original design and decide to just use the top (outer) half. Below is what I ended up with.

It's not easy do the trickier shapes and that's what makes it that much more appreciated and better to look at. It turned out very nice anyways.

[mountain]

Last weekend I removed the old speaker panel and fit an old pair of computer speakers I had lying around.

I took apart the speakers and painted them black to hide them.


I had to route out the top side of the panel because the speaker faces were not flat.


I took some old speaker grill material, remnants from my car audio days, and cut them down to size and screwed them to the panel.


Here it is mounted in the cabinet.

[tivogre]

Here it is completed. It doesn't stick out as far as I had planned but I think that is probably a good thing. I like the way it looks. It should make putting coins in there a little easier.

I feel your pain on those compound curved parts.  I broke about $50 worth of laminate doing (and redoing) my coin door panel:



Yours turned out great in the end!

[MameMaster!]

nice job so far...you know as soon as I recognized the cab I winced when I realized that they cut of the original "arms" of the cabinet to make room for the new control panel too....ouch.

Have fun!

[mountain]

...you know as soon as I recognized the cab I winced when I realized that they cut of the original "arms" of the cabinet to make room for the new control panel too....ouch.

Umm.....I did that.

[mountain]

tivogre, I saw your project 2-3 months ago just googling for ideas. Very impressive build!

When I started getting concerned about the coin door being too hard to reach, I remembered what you did. I may have had more luck if I had as many clamps as you do. Did you buy the company or something 

[tivogre]

tivogre, I saw your project 2-3 months ago just googling for ideas. Very impressive build!

When I started getting concerned about the coin door being too hard to reach, I remembered what you did. I may have had more luck if I had as many clamps as you do. Did you but the company or something 

Lol!

No.  Two things contributed to my clamp collection:

1.  I caught Sears "getting out of the business" on Bessey K-Bodies about 4 years ago.  They were liquidating the stock at ~75% off.  I bought out all I could find at the 4 local Sears stores.

2.  Each Christmas, I filled out the collection.  I have lots of relatives that want to but something in the $30 range.  I made a list each year of what clamp sizes I needed and e-mailed it out.

Thanks for the compliments on the build.  As you saw, I DID have to cheat a little and inject some epoxy behind the concave curves.  It's held up great;  no one would ever know (if I didn't broadcast it to the world on the web page)!

[mountain]

I got a lot done this past weekend. I wanted to get the control panel and the base done because the artwork was to be finished today. Well, I got the artwork done at a local print shop and it was not sized correctly 

Here is the CP waiting to be completed.




Here is a profile shot of the top. I based my design on kneivels design. I love the clean look and the layout is very comfortable. I figure why try to re-invent the wheel, his design is proven.



Here is a close up shot of the joystick mount. I purchased the Ultimarc Mag-stick plus sticks before doing a lot of research. Since they do not use a universal design I decided to use an old Wico joystick that came with the cabinet as a template to make a new mount for it. I then designed them to mount from the bottom for an easy swap if I don't like the Mag-sticks.





Here is a shot from the top showing the way they are mounted. Just need to make sure I don't use too long of a screw 

[mountain]

I found an old pinball plunger that I want to use with Virtual Pinball. I want a clean look so I decided to put the mounting base on the inside. I turned the mount around and mounted it backwards and also flipped it upside down. This was needed in order for it to mount correctly and to be level.

After drilling the holes and basically being committed, I realized that I forgot about the flipper buttons that I planned on putting on the side  I noticed that I would have the room, I just needed to 'mod' the base. I took my cut-off wheel and chopped it down.





It will be tight but they will fit now.

[mountain]

My Plexiglass for the top of the control panel showed up today. I really wanted to get it cut because the artwork should be done in a few days.

After much thought I ended up using the spacer that comes with the 3" Happ trackball. It is excactly the right size to use a a template for cutting the trackball hole. I spaced it about 1/4" off of a piece of scrap MDF because of the gap between the bearing and the cutter.



I then flipped the scrap piece and routered out the hole. It worked perfectly. So I left it assembled and clamped the Plexi to and did it again.



I am still amazed at how easy this was. Here is a shot around the trackball after I ran the 45 degree bit around it.



I finished cutting the rest of the holes and trimmed the outside edges of the panel.



By the way, those green clamps are on sale at Home Depot right now for only .99 cents .

[bfauska]

Looking good.  Nice idea with spacing the template off of the panel for the gap on the router bit.

Looking forward to seeing your artwork.

Later,
Brian

[Chris G]

Great work so far!  I wish I could make 1/10th your progress during this span.

[Knievel]

Key-ripes..did you sneak into my garage and use my CP templates? 

Nice work on the Coin door panel.

[mountain]

Key-ripes..did you sneak into my garage and use my CP templates? 

That sure would have saved me some time!

Like I said earlier in the thread, I modeled my CP after your work. I contacted you for prices but declined due to my cheap nature. You did point me in the right direction for my artwork. I have always wanted a MAME cabinet, but after stumbling across the Neon MAME build thread I had to have one now! If it turns out half as nice as your cabinets, I will be thrilled! 

[Knievel]

Ah yes. No worries, my tops are for those without the time and/or tools. You're obviously not lacking in those areas.

So why are you're using 4/8-way switchable joys when you have the dedicated 4-way?

[mountain]

So why are you're using 4/8-way switchable joys when you have the dedicated 4-way?

I purchased the switchable joys before I did all of my homework. It sounded like a great idea before I realized a dedicated 4-way was even possible. I am a true rookie to this hobbie and learn something new everytime I get on this site.

After making a visit to some local arcades, I am now in search of some vintage Wico 8-way joys. This project, in part, is to bring back the fun I remember playing these games and these joysticks are what I grew up on. As soon as I mounted the clickety click joysticks, I knew I needed the Wicos.

[alandrogers]

You have really great photos of the work you're doing.

I'm just starting work on my CP box now, and it's nice to see some of the detail work like the 45-degree routing on the trackball. I hadn't thought of that one.

My project is going to run a bit slower, but you said you had been at this for 6 weeks. That gives me some hope

[mountain]

Well, I took a week or so off from working on the cabinet. Last night I mounted the base that goes under the CP to the cabinet. Whoa! It looked horrible. It didn't match the cabinet like I thought it would. I don’t know how to explain it other than it just looked out of place. Since I am wrapping it with laminate, I could not round the edges. This made it seem to stick out like a sore thumb. It needed to be more subtle.

So I took it apart and started over. I thought it would look a little more streamlined if I rounded the front edges as well as shrink it all the way around.

To make the curve for the front, I took two ¼” pieces of MDF and clamped/screwed/glued them to a jig that follows the shape of the front edge of the actual CP.





I made the front piece smaller for the corner piece I made (see further below)



Making the base smaller created a few unwanted obstacles. The leaf switches or the left 8-way joy and the dedicated 4-way ended up right against the wall of the base. I routed out a few notches so they clear.





Waiting for the corner piece.



I took a piece of scrap PVC pipe I had laying around and used it for the corner to ensure I had a perfectly rounded corner.



After threading the PVC, I used machine screws from the inside out to securely mount the PVC. I then cleaned it up with Bondo. I plan on hinging the CP for friends and family to see inside, so it needs to be nice.



Both sides done!



After some primer.



DOH!
I forgot to consider the hinge. I had to make an adapter piece to square up the front edge. This is where I stopped. Tomorrow I will do some touch up primering, attach the top and see how it looks on the cabinet.

[Knievel]

Nice work! Great idea using the PVC pipe.

[arcadefever]

OMG  some serious building is going on here ....

you have some great wood skills 

[leapinlew]

Very nice - and good documentation.

I just love the Hank Hill avatar also. Keep up the good work!

[RyoriNoTetsujin]

WOW.  You've obviously got the tools ... and the skills!  I wish I had half the gear your working with.

I can't wait to see the finished product!  It should be pretty amazing! 

[vrf]

THis is seriously some awesome craftsmenship going on here. I love how you decided to redo the box. A true artist!

[javeryh]

All I can say is - HOLY BANANAS!!! That is some serious woodworking!!  I love it!  Nice documentation too - I am highly interested in all the details of these things.

[Loki]

Wha... that looks great!  I'd love to see more of this.

[Kaytrim]

I see that I am gona have to get me some bondo.  That stuff makes your corners perfect.  I could have used it on my CP at various points.  This project is looking real good can't wait to see more progress.  Nice job on the documentation too.   

TTFN 
Kaytrim

[mountain]

Thanks for all of the compliments everyone. I could have just mounted the old base the way it was. I just know it would have bugged the crap out of me in the future. A little patience and unwillingness to compromise can go a long way on this type of project.

I got the hinges lined up and installed. I had to alter the front edge as you can see in the picture below. The hinge that I am using lifts the top then slides out in front of the base. The track ball assembly was catching so I routed out the front a little to help it clear. The good part is that it will never be seen because of the overhang.



I also routed out two slots for the wires, one on each side.



While I was waiting on the primer and Bondo to dry this weekend, I ripped out the old casters and replaced them along with some new plates. While it was down I decided to go ahead and knock out the t-molding.





I know, nothing fancy for the art work  I like the image and this is not a themed cabinet any way. I couldn’t decide on a name or theme other than black and blue. Besides, I spent so much time in Photoshop trying to design something without any luck. 

Here is the coin door after a new paint job.



Well, hopefully this week I will find some time to load the CP with all of the gear and artwork. I can’t wait!

[Kaytrim]

That is looking like one very slick cab mountain.    I like the front where the coin door is and the box for the CP looks like there was a lot of thought put into it.

Keep it up. 
Kaytrim

[NiteWalker]

Awesome work! I'm watching this with interest.

[mountain]

It's been awhile since I have updated this project thread. I have spent a lot of time on the cab, mainly little odds and ends not worthy of pictures. I did finally get the base for the control panel done. Earlier in this thread I mounted the pinball plunger in the first base. Well.... this time around was a bit more tricky to say the least. The optimal placement just so happened to be where the curve begins to wrap around the side, but I wanted it to pull straight out. 

I ended up cutting some nylon spacers at the correct angles to make it work:





Since I shrunk the sides and front of the CP base to 1/2", I wanted to make sure that the plunger had a solid base. I took a steel plate and recessed it into the front panel, and bolted it in place with 10/32 nylon lock nuts.



I then filled it in with bondo.



The only thing left to do now is wrap it in laminate. I will try and post those pictures soon.

[somunny]

I really dig the look of the curved surface on the fron of the cab.   

[Kaytrim]

Now that is what I call a major cover up.  Are you sure you haven't worked in an auto body shop at sometime in your life?  That is one sweet little mounting job. 

TTFN
Kaytrim

[SavannahLion]

A little late now, but it wouldn't hurt to ask I guess.

Did you consider using the same technqiue for the rounded corners on your CP to achieve the look you wanted on the front end, instead of bending the wood?

[mountain]

A little late now, but it wouldn't hurt to ask I guess.

Did you consider using the same technqiue for the rounded corners on your CP to achieve the look you wanted on the front end, instead of bending the wood?

Yeah, as the front panel sits right now, I may have been able to do it that way. I originally wanted it to curve in two directions so that may have been hard to do with PVC. Since I had invested so much time on the panel already, I stood in my garage debating the fastest way to re-make the base. I saw the pipe sitting there and it hit me.

[mountain]

I finished my Admin panel this weekend. I decided to incorporate the system volume control, power switch, and headphone jack in it as well.



Here is a shot showing how the smoke plexiglass for the monitor is going to mount. I cut a 1/8th inch slot for the plexi to to sit. This should give a nice clean edge when finished.



On the back side, I had to router out some material to make the volume pot, headphone jack, and power switch work. To get a clean hole for the headphone jack and a solid mount for the volume control, I decided to use the same technic as I did on the pinball plunger mount. I recessed a piece of aluminum in the face flush with the surface.

Here is a shot of the volume control mount from the back.



The headphone jack



Even the power switch needed some material removed for the nut to clear.



This panel is completed. I finished up all of the wiring last night. I will post pictures of it tonight.

[Knievel]

Nice work. Did you spray the front of that piece?
Really nice finish on there. I usually just wrap mine in that black Happ vinyl.

[mountain]

Nice work. Did you spray the front of that piece?
Really nice finish on there. I usually just wrap mine in that black Happ vinyl.

Yeah, it is a rattle can job. Turned out well though. I painted the inside edges of the cabinet as well as the marquee brackets with the same stuff for a consistent look.

[theCoder]

What are your plans for the plunger?  With a little lever and/or leaf switch at the end of the throw, you could use it as input.

Nice work on the rounded surfaces.

[mountain]

What are your plans for the plunger?  With a little lever and/or leaf switch at the end of the throw, you could use it as input.

Nice work on the rounded surfaces.

Thanks Coder! I built a circuit for the plunger I found online.

http://www.johnsretroarcade.com/hardware_pinball.asp

It's a pretty easy build and should work out well. I will know soon enough. 

[Timoe]

Freagin nice cabinet mang!  I need to get rid of mine so I can build another!

I like the way your admin panel holds your monitor glass/plexi.  Thats cool.

[shorthair]

I like those curves, man.  Was thinking along remotely similar lines, but would like all the corners to be curve - or, even more, make an oval sort of cab or something. Initially, I was thinking of making a frame out of PVC or ABS, then covering it with some kind of thin poly or something. What did you cut the PVC with?

[psychotech]

 

Looks really Great!

And the monitor plexiglass mount ..works! (100% positive on that detail,  )

 

[mountain]

I like those curves, man.  Was thinking along remotely similar lines, but would like all the corners to be curve - or, even more, make an oval sort of cab or something. Initially, I was thinking of making a frame out of PVC or ABS, then covering it with some kind of thin poly or something. What did you cut the PVC with?

Thanks!
I have used fiberglass in the past and would like to build a cabinet out of it some day. The possibilities would be endless!

I used a table saw very carefully. I probably could have used a jig saw with a metal blade too.

Looks really Great!

And the monitor plexiglass mount ..works! (100% positive on that detail,  )

 

Ahh, you did this too? I test fit the mount tonight and love the look. It looks really clean! Do you have a link to your project?

[mountain]

OK, I finally got around to taking some pictures of the Admin panel that I finished this past weekend. The vinyl labels came from BYOAC member Pongo over in BST. I highly recommend his services. Fast turnaround and quality work. 



Headphone jack on the left side.



Yes indeed, that is a Vacuum Flourecent Display above the power switch. It comes from a Media Center PC. It was a freebie so what the hell. More on this dude later.




The black volume knob comes from an old Onkyo receiver I had laying around with a bad channel. I had to trim the inside to make it look right because it was sitting out too far.




The back with all of the wiring done. I put disconnects on everything to make it easy to tear down for any upgrades 



I am using speaker grill snaps to secure it to the cabinet which will also will make teardowns easy.




The speaker amp was pulled from a set of computer speakers. I used 4 nickel sized 'drops' of hot glue on each corner of the board to secure it to the panel.



Thats all for now. I am almost done with the control panel so pictures of it will be up soon.

[Knievel]

Cripes that looks sharp! Nice power switch too.

Good to see Pongo got those button labels figured out.

to you both.

[superbigjay]

Wow Mountain!  very impressive.

I love the curves on the front of the cab.
An that admin panel to hold the plexi, power button, volume knobs and some admin buttons.  Lots of good ideas 

And the most important thing  I've learned from this thread :
- every one needs some Bondo in their life 

Cheers 
Jay

[shardian]

This thing is looking very slick. I  your skills.

[psychotech]

That looks really great!

And, yes, did a similar plexi mount on my bartop ..not enough room for the admin buttons though so they're under the CP along with a USB connector etc.

A couple links: ( ..picture quality )

W.I.P. http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=61679.msg623080#msg623080

Almost done.. http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=61679.msg663360#msg663360

Good luck with your build 

Psychotech

[mountain]

Cripes that looks sharp! Nice power switch too.

Good to see Pongo got those button labels figured out.

to you both.

Thanks Knievel! Credit to you for introducing us to the Slicker font. I think it fits perfectly.

Wow Mountain!  very impressive.

I love the curves on the front of the cab.
An that admin panel to hold the plexi, power button, volume knobs and some admin buttons.  Lots of good ideas 

And the most important thing  I've learned from this thread :
- every one needs some Bondo in their life 

Cheers 
Jay

Thank you Superbigjay, I agree. I just wish it were a little cheaper.

This thing is looking very slick. I  your skills.

Hey shardian, thanks for the Wico 8-way. I have brought it back to life with a new grommet, stick, and custon Plexiglass dustcovers. Now I just need to locate some NOS leafs for the three Wicos I have. The ones I have are worn but work OK.

That looks really great!

And, yes, did a similar plexi mount on my bartop ..not enough room for the admin buttons though so they're under the CP along with a USB connector etc.

A couple links: ( ..picture quality )

W.I.P. http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=61679.msg623080#msg623080

Almost done.. http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=61679.msg663360#msg663360

Good luck with your build 

Psychotech

Thanks for the links psychotech. Your mod skills are very impressive! Modifying components is probably my favorite part of this build so far. My next update will have plenty of pictures of some of these mods.

[mountain]

I put the final touches on the control panel base last night and took some pictures. I put disconnects on everything so I can tear it down easily.



Painted, laminated, and wired 





Here is a shot of the pinball plunger optical switch.



Here is the circuit built for the pinball plunger



This is the adjustment board and switches from the Mitsubishi Diamond Pro 21" monitor. Since it will be behind Plexiglass, I wanted the ability to adjust it with out removing the glass.



This is a circuit board pulled from an old Code Alarm shock sensor originally designed for a car alarm. It's new purpose in life is to pick up bumps to the control panel and report it to Visual Pinball as a center nudge input.



I hope to have the control panel totally wired tonight and mounted to the cabinet. I will post more pictures very soon.

[Jeff AMN]

Wow, this is turning out to be one of the more impressive projects I've seen in a while. Lot's of innovative stuff going on there...

[bfauska]

This is a circuit board pulled from an old Code Alarm shock sensor originally designed for a car alarm. It's new purpose in life is to pick up bumps to the control panel and report it to Visual Pinball as a center nudge input.

Very clever.  I've never played much pinball and don't know if I will put any pinball controls in my cabinet but just the novelty of this setup makes me consider it.  How does the plunger work with the strength of pull?  Is it a time based circuit, so that the longer you hold the plunger out before letting it go the harder the hit?  I was wondering if there was a way to use an optical encoder (hacked mouse) with a linear strip instead of a disk for input, the strength would actually be based on the distance of the pull, not the time.  Like I said I'm not much of a pinball guy, so I don't even know if there is a way to select mouse input for the plunger or if you would have to create a seperate circuit board that would convert the information into a key press of different lengths.

[mountain]

This is a circuit board pulled from an old Code Alarm shock sensor originally designed for a car alarm. It's new purpose in life is to pick up bumps to the control panel and report it to Visual Pinball as a center nudge input.

Very clever.  I've never played much pinball and don't know if I will put any pinball controls in my cabinet but just the novelty of this setup makes me consider it.  How does the plunger work with the strength of pull?  Is it a time based circuit, so that the longer you hold the plunger out before letting it go the harder the hit?  I was wondering if there was a way to use an optical encoder (hacked mouse) with a linear strip instead of a disk for input, the strength would actually be based on the distance of the pull, not the time.  Like I said I'm not much of a pinball guy, so I don't even know if there is a way to select mouse input for the plunger or if you would have to create a seperate circuit board that would convert the information into a key press of different lengths.

http://www.johnsretroarcade.com/hardware_pinball.asp

Yeah, the longer the hold (ground input) the harder the hit. You can read up on the pinball plunger circuit at the above link. I am anxious to test it out this weekend when I put it all together.

[theCoder]

Great job on the plunger. 

Do you have a copy of the Pro Pinball series?  It is by far the best pinball simulation software out there.  The physics are much better than Visual Pinball.  All keys are programmable, and includes nudge forward, left, and right.  You can pick up a copy for around $10 delivered on eBay.  If you are into video pinball (as I am), you will not be disappointed.

[AMDman13]

All I have to say is damn! Looking sweet!

[javeryh]

   I cannot tell you enough how much I LOVE this cabinet and all of your innovations.  The curved CP and coin door panel, the power button, volume knob, headphone jack, etc.  It's all simply perfect.  This is definitely something to aspire to.

    

[psychotech]

Cool!

Just the way I like it 

Great ideas & real tidy ..what can I say ..Awesome 

Keep up the good work 

Psycho

[mountain]

Great job on the plunger. 

Do you have a copy of the Pro Pinball series?  It is by far the best pinball simulation software out there.  The physics are much better than Visual Pinball.  All keys are programmable, and includes nudge forward, left, and right.  You can pick up a copy for around $10 delivered on eBay.  If you are into video pinball (as I am), you will not be disappointed.

Thanks Coder, I will have to check that out. I am excited about playing pinball on this cabinet more than anything else.

Cool!

Just the way I like it 

Great ideas & real tidy ..what can I say ..Awesome 

Keep up the good work 

Psycho

Thanks psychotech
I went through your tomatocade thread this morning, that thing is great. I definately like things tidy when it comes to wiring too.

[shorthair]

Sick, dude. Sick.

[Trebeck]

 

Fantastic!  Where did you get that power switch from?  Thats awesome!

Beck

[mountain]

The switch came form my work. We use them in some of our products. The outer ring illuminates blue and the power logo is custom engraved to our specs. I was able to use the sample switch they gave us when we inquired about using it. They aren't cheap but boy do they look nice. You would have to find a distributor if you wanted to buy one locally. The company, Bulgin, is llocated in the UK. See the link below for the specifications.

http://www.bulgin.co.uk/Products/Switches/Illuminated.html

EDIT: typo correction

[bfauska]

That's a $20 switch from Mouser here in the states, and that's without the cool power logo.  Really cool looking though.  I think that your admin panel is the nicest I've seen.  There is something to be said for keeping a cabinet looking like it belongs in an arcade, but I really think that if we are going to have them in our homes we might as well work in a few details that make them more home friendly, the games still PLAY like we're in the arcades, but now we can use headphones, or easily go from game to game, just by adding a few nice features to the cabinet.  You have done an excellent job so far and I think that this cabinet is definitely on it's way to becoming one of the outstanding examples of what people in this hobby can create if they really shoot for a quality product.  I look forward to each of your updates and plan on trying to use some of your great ideas in my cabinet one day.  Keep up the great work.

[mountain]

That's a $20 switch from Mouser here in the states, and that's without the cool power logo.  Really cool looking though.  I think that your admin panel is the nicest I've seen.  There is something to be said for keeping a cabinet looking like it belongs in an arcade, but I really think that if we are going to have them in our homes we might as well work in a few details that make them more home friendly, the games still PLAY like we're in the arcades, but now we can use headphones, or easily go from game to game, just by adding a few nice features to the cabinet.  You have done an excellent job so far and I think that this cabinet is definitely on it's way to becoming one of the outstanding examples of what people in this hobby can create if they really shoot for a quality product.  I look forward to each of your updates and plan on trying to use some of your great ideas in my cabinet one day.  Keep up the great work.

I feel the same way. My cabinet is going to be used by my 2 kids as well as their friends. My wife has a few favorites that she will want to play from time to time as well. It HAS to be user friendly. Having headphones is essential because the machine is in the same room as our home theater setup and we all hang out down there a lot.
I am not interested in owning an original game any time soon (except maybe Galaga) because of the limited room we have here. I respect what a lot of members here do restoring these classics to their original glory and preserving the history. I would love to take on a project like that one day.

Bfauska, thanks a lot for the nice words. My wife says that I am way too particular  I just want something that looks nice and will last a long time 

[mountain]

The control panel is finished. Here are some shots of the wiring. I had a very tough time getting good pictures of the top. I will try to get some this weekend when I am home during the day.











Pinball buttons on the side.

[NiteWalker]

Slick.

[Timoe]

I say w00t!

[BobA]

Very innovative details.    Wiring of CP is absoulutely first rate.   Great job 

[Kaytrim]

Dang mountain, I am going to have to agree with your wife.  That is one supper neat wiring job.  Looks like you used a wire tie every inch or so.  This is one CP that will look very nice once it is mounted on a cab.  Though I'd say that you have crossed the line into over kill with the wire ties.

TTFN
Kaytrim

[bleargh]

Nice.... I hope my wiring turns out that clean..

[mountain]

Dang mountain, I am going to have to agree with your wife.  That is one supper neat wiring job.  Looks like you used a wire tie every inch or so.  This is one CP that will look very nice once it is mounted on a cab.  Though I'd say that you have crossed the line into over kill with the wire ties.

TTFN
Kaytrim

I don't believe in overkill Kaytrim 

Actually, those are not wire ties, it is aviation tie cord. The only wire ties used were at the tie down points. Tie cord is a wax impregnated nylon weave that never loosens up. Each one is cut, wrapped, and tied in a special that when cinched it down it holds tight. Then you put a standard knot on top.

[theCoder]

Were you a telephone technician in a previous life?  Very nice.  Aviation tie cord huh?  Is it readily available?

[Donkey_Kong]

Wow. That CP is amazing. That is a wiring job that would definitely make game designers jealous.

You should submit this cab for a Mamey Award...
http://www.mameworld.net/massive/NEWMAMEY/awards.html

[mountain]

Were you a telephone technician in a previous life?  Very nice.  Aviation tie cord huh?  Is it readily available?

No, but I was an Avionics tech for 10+ years wiring corporate jets. It’s really hard to wire something less than perfect when that was the norm for so long. It really doesn’t take that much more time, it is all in the approach and planning.

If you are interested in the lacing cord, I looked online for it and found a few places that carry it. It is commonly referred to as lacing cord, lacing string, tie cord, even lacing tape.

Check out the links below if you are interested in using it.

Instructions 
http://hnsa.org/doc/cabling/part5.htm

Buy it
http://www.wassco.com/walaco.html

Wow. That CP is amazing. That is a wiring job that would definitely make game designers jealous.

You should submit this cab for a Mamey Award...
http://www.mameworld.net/massive/NEWMAMEY/awards.html

Thanks DK!

[Santoro]

WOW. I love these cabs with such incredible attention to detail!

Very very nice, I can't wait to see the final product.

[shorthair]

Thought those interested in mountain's plunger circuit design might also be interested in someone else's approach to this:

http://www.johnsretroarcade.com/hardware_pinball.asp#overview


And totally stellar job...but, you have the advantage of technical experience in an electronics field (and who knows what else).

[mountain]

Thought those interested in mountain's plunger circuit design might also be interested in someone else's approach to this:

http://www.johnsretroarcade.com/hardware_pinball.asp#overview


And totally stellar job...but, you have the advantage of technical experience in an electronics field (and who knows what else).

shorthair,
this is where I got the circuit schematic.  I posted the same link earlier in the thread. My initial thought was to use a long leaf switch mechanism.

Thanks for the nice remark, it definitely helps having experience in certain fields. 

[theCoder]

If you are interested in the lacing cord, I looked online for it and found a few places that carry it. It is commonly referred to as lacing cord, lacing string, tie cord, even lacing tape.

I just closed on an EBay purchase of two 500 yard spools of black size 5 lacing tape for $20.50 delivered.  That should last me for a lifetime.  It will go on my shelf, right next to the half empty 500 yard spool of jute twine passed down from my Grandfather.  Thanks for the lead.  No more tie wraps for me.   If anyone is interested in some, drop me a PM.

Tie cord is a wax impregnated nylon weave that never loosens up. Each one is cut, wrapped, and tied in a special that when cinched it down it holds tight. Then you put a standard knot on top.

What special and standard knots do you use?

[Kaytrim]

What special and standard knots do you use?

Follow the link to the instructions that he gave above.  I looked at them and they lay it all out nice and neat.  I wonder if dental floss will do the same thing.

TTFN
Kaytrim

[theCoder]

Tie cord is a wax impregnated nylon weave that never loosens up. Each one is cut, wrapped, and tied in a special that when cinched it down it holds tight. Then you put a standard knot on top.

What special and standard knots do you use?

Found it.  Straight from Mil-spec: NASA-STD-8739.4

[mountain]

If you are interested in the lacing cord, I looked online for it and found a few places that carry it. It is commonly referred to as lacing cord, lacing string, tie cord, even lacing tape.

I just closed on an EBay purchase of two 500 yard spools of black size 5 lacing tape for $20.50 delivered.  That should last me for a lifetime.  It will go on my shelf, right next to the half empty 500 yard spool of jute twine passed down from my Grandfather.  Thanks for the lead.  No more tie wraps for me.   If anyone is interested in some, drop me a PM.

Tie cord is a wax impregnated nylon weave that never loosens up. Each one is cut, wrapped, and tied in a special that when cinched it down it holds tight. Then you put a standard knot on top.

What special and standard knots do you use?

Wow Coder, that will last forever. Just be prepared for sore fingers. As you tighten the cord, the string will make your pinkies tender for a while. I used to go through a 500 yard roll in about two weeks, I had a callous the size of a dime on each pinkie until I switched careers. The stuff is nice if you want a clean look because it is not as bulky as a wire tie. I would suggest only using one square knot on top of the clove hitch instead of two. Remember, that knot is meant to last for years in a very harsh aircraft environment with tons of vibration and temperature swings. An arcade cabinet stored in room temps is a bit different, obviously.

There is a Star Wars cabinet joke hiding in these last few posts somewhere. I just can't think of one.   

[mountain]

What special and standard knots do you use?

Follow the link to the instructions that he gave above.  I looked at them and they lay it all out nice and neat.  I wonder if dental floss will do the same thing.

TTFN
Kaytrim

Probably not. It is not thick enough or strong enough, plus there is not enough wax in it for it to work properly. i wouldn't recommend flossing with lacing cord either 

[mountain]

As I said in my last picture update, I had a hard time getting some good pictures of the top of my CP. I was hoping to take it outside this past weekend and get a few good shots but ran out of time. These were taken in the garage Sunday night.



Since I had to piece the Wico 8-way and 4-way joysticks together with NOS parts, I had a hard time getting dust washers that matched, or even looked good. I had a friend who has access to a laser cutting machine to cut out some dust washers out of 1/16” clear Plexiglas. I painted the bottoms black, polished the edges, and used felt on the bottom side.



I need to mention one more time that if it were not for Kneivel's Neon Mame I wouldn't have even built this. That said, I obviously used his layout and technique, but I flattened out the forward curve of the CP so that the controls were closer to the the user. Plus, this cabinet started out as an Atari cabinet, it is only 25" wide (outside dimensions). I wanted to make sure that it didn't look too overwhelming and dominate the whole cab.



Trackball bevel detail.

[javeryh]

Beautiful.  Any chance of you posting dimensions of the top?  I'm especially curious as to the radius of the front curve.

[Havok]

Pretty! Love the glossy joysticks! However, you've got to ditch that middle black button and throw a Turbo Twist spinner in there!

[mountain]

LOL!

That is excactly what is going to happen. I need to take some measurements to see if I can fit a steering wheel too. The black button is just there to fill the hole for now.

[theCoder]

I love those low profile shots of shinny CP's.  Yours looks great!.  Make sure you post it in the CP pictures library thread. 

[Knievel]

Very nice. The top looks familiar so I can't get too excited over it but the wiring is superb.

How's the sharpness of your CPO graphic? Gauging by that Space Invader it looks like you blew up the background maybe 4x more than I did.

If you find those leaf buttons a little high you can but some rubber o-rings above the c-clip and bring them down a bit. I couldn't get used to the height and the rings made them perfect for me.

[mountain]

I love those low profile shots of shinny CP's.  Yours looks great!.  Make sure you post it in the CP pictures library thread. 

Oh yeah, I will do that soon.

Very nice. The top looks familiar so I can't get too excited over it but the wiring is superb.

How's the sharpness of your CPO graphic? Gauging by that Space Invader it looks like you blew up the background maybe 4x more than I did.

If you find those leaf buttons a little high you can but some rubber o-rings above the c-clip and bring them down a bit. I couldn't get used to the height and the rings made them perfect for me.

I did make it bigger but I don't remember how much. The image stayed very sharp, I am very pleased with it.

The switches do seem to be higher than I remember. That sounds like a great fix. It also sounds like it may quet the little bit of rattle I hear when hit repeatedly.  Does it help keep the button from spinning at all? My admin buttons are Happs with microswitches and they stay put, but my Player I and II and mouse buttons turn because they are leafswitches. I don't want to have to always be straightening the labels. Any ideas, other than using microswitch buttons?

[somunny]

Really nice looking, mountain. 

[Knievel]

Oh yea that's other reason I did the o-rings, it gets rid of that annoying rattle really well.

I don't have labels on my leafs but I assume it would help stop the spinning to some degree.

[mountain]

Oh yea that's other reason I did the o-rings, it gets rid of that annoying rattle really well.

I don't have labels on my leafs but I assume it would help stop the spinning to some degree.

I found some rubber washers, not o-rings, and installed them above the e-clip last night. The washers (1/4" ID) were a very snug fit around the shaft of the button. They seem to deaden the button making them feel a lot less plastic, if that makes sense. The buttons sit lower now and the are much more quiet. I can't wait to play a game with them!

Great tip Knievel, thanks!

[javeryh]

hey mountain - do you happen to have plans of your CP top - I'm laying mine out and I want a similar look and I''d love to get the details if you have them stored somewhere - specifically I'd like to know:

1.  the overall dimensions
2.  measurements of the curve in the front
3.  the radius of the top corners
4.  the placement of the trackball (dead center?)
5.  The placement of the P1 and P1 buttons (did you line the center line of the CP up with the top row of buttons, the bottom row or buttons or between the 2 rows of buttons?)

A huge thanks in advance!   

[mountain]

hey mountain - do you happen to have plans of your CP top - I'm laying mine out and I want a similar look and I''d love to get the details if you have them stored somewhere - specifically I'd like to know:

1.  the overall dimensions
2.  measurements of the curve in the front
3.  the radius of the top corners
4.  the placement of the trackball (dead center?)
5.  The placement of the P1 and P1 buttons (did you line the center line of the CP up with the top row of buttons, the bottom row or buttons or between the 2 rows of buttons?)

A huge thanks in advance!  

PM sent

[Santoro]

How did you polish the bevel? 

[Donkey_Kong]

Outstanding!

[mountain]

How did you polish the bevel? 

I think the key is to do it in small chunks of time. I know that if I try to complete a project that is very tedious in one sitting, I will end up rushing it towards the end, messing it up.

Be sure to leave the protective paper/plastic on the Plexiglas until it is ready to install.

I started off with 200 grit sandpaper to eliminate the ridges created by the router bit. I used little 1” x 2” squares and worked very slowly, using the tip of my finger to apply slight pressure to the edge.

Using long, slow strokes, I did about ¼ of the circle at a time being very careful to keep the sandpaper at the same angle as the bevel. Using the same technique I followed up with 600 grit sandpaper. I then switched over to the Novus plastic polish system. I started with Novus 3, then Novus 2, and finally Novus 1 polish, again, making sure to keep the cloth on the same angle.

I also polished the outside edge of the CP Plexiglas as well. Even though the T-molding covers it up, you will be able to see the edge through the top of the CP.

[javeryh]

That's sick!  It's also something that I never would have thought to do in a million years but I definitely will now that I've seen the results. 

[Anubis_au]

Mountain

Is there a chance of getting your CP photoshop file? I want to have a closer look at how you've done a few of the things on your graphic, even though I'm thinking of going a different colour scheme...

If yes, send me a PM and I'll reply with email address.

Cheers.

ps LOVE the cabinet!!! 

[bmrust]

Mountain

Is there a chance of getting your CP photoshop file? I want to have a closer look at how you've done a few of the things on your graphic, even though I'm thinking of going a different colour scheme...

If yes, send me a PM and I'll reply with email address.

Cheers.

ps LOVE the cabinet!!! 

http://www.localarcade.com/arcade_art/search.htm

Search for "Fusion"

[Anubis_au]

I've already got the fusion graphic downloaded.

What I want is to have a closer look at the black and blue 'bands' on the CP, etc. That's why I asked if I could have a look at Mountain's file.

I like the blue n black colour scheme but I am thinking of making mine blue, black and yellow. I want to experiment with the colours...

[dynamite]

Anubis_au, if you're trying to figure out how to make them you could just check out the little tutorial Knievel has on his site explaining how he did his.

[mountain]

Anubis_au, I sent you a pm

I took the last 6 weeks off from the project but I do have the machine up and running, just some small wiring details left to do. I will try to get some pictures up as soon as I get time to take some good pictures. Its hard to do with it in the basement, not much light.

[javeryh]

Any pics of the finished cab?  I'm dying to see how everything turned out.   

[ARTIFACT]

BEAUTIFUL work!

[mountain]

Thanks for the interest javeryh! You have motivated me to get down there and get some good shots of the cab. It has been a very busy summer with the kids sports, vacation, and business trips. I can tell you that the cab has been getting a work out. The kids love it and everyone who plays it wants one. I think I will be building a full size machine for my brother and a bartop for my father this fall.

[javeryh]

Thanks for the interest javeryh! You have motivated me to get down there and get some good shots of the cab. It has been a very busy summer with the kids sports, vacation, and business trips. I can tell you that the cab has been getting a work out. The kids love it and everyone who plays it wants one. I think I will be building a full size machine for my brother and a bartop for my father this fall.

Awesome!  The best reward for building these things is the fun other people get playing it I think.  Summer has definitely been busy - I've got a new family member to take care of so I've been a bit stalled as well.

It's funny the reaction from everone who sees one of these cabs is "can you build me one?"  My brother-in-law wants me to build him one this fall as well but I'm not sure I want to.  He offered to pay for everything but I'm nervous doing something like this on someone else's dime since they are so expensive.  Plus, I'm in the designing stages for a full-sized (based loosely on yours) that will go in the living room at my in-law's beach house.   

[mountain]

OK, I finally took some pictures. It is really hard for me to get a good shot but these will have to do.











The coin door panel that nearly killed me! 



This shot shows the curve in the control panel base.



Close up of the admin panel.



World Class Bowling, currently the family favorite 



Power button lit up with the VFD behind the smoked glass. The power button lights up when power is off and turns off when machine powers up. Sort of an arcade beacon 



The VFD is programmable and will display about anything you could want. It ties into Media player and Winamp, it will tell you if you have email, processor speed, fan speeds, temperatures, upload speeds, download speeds, and a lot more. The display is a bit more blue than the picture represents.

As far as the artwork is concerned, I want to change the look of the marquee and side art, I just don't know what to do yet. Any suggestions? Anybody interested in designing something? Shoot me a PM.

[mountain]

Woops, almost forgot the best pictures.

My daughter playing her favorite, Dig Dug
(monitor glass not mounted yet)


My son playing his favorite, Galaga

[Dudeman]

The coin door panel that nearly killed me! 

Yes, but it was worth it wasn't it?

[javeryh]

Wow!!  Awesome job mountain - definitely one of my favorites around here!  Time to start the next one!   

[Kaytrim]

mountain, you have something to be proud of there.  Very clean lines and color scheme.  Enjoy this one for a while then build something different

TTFN

[ARTIFACT]

beautiful work!

i love how your admin buttons are away from the cp on the screen area.

thanks for the inspiration
happy to see how the whole family is enjoying it!

dig dug is one f the favorites here too

[Donkey_Kong]

OUT...STANDING!

[The Chugnut]

Simply...  ...stunning!

[(+_+)]

The coin door panel that nearly killed me! 

Yes, but it was worth it wasn't it?

If it doesn't almost kill you, you don't appreciate it as much. You must love it then. 

I think it's amazing and I believe you've just raised the bar when it comes to clean and organized wiring. Are you an accountant by any chance? 

[leapinlew]

 

[mountain]

Thanks guys! I had a lot of fun building this machine. I originally just wanted to build it as a project to do with my son and then obviously to have fun playing it. I never realized I would be pulled into a hobby I never even knew existed. Now, it seems that I spend all of my free time searching for bargains on the pieces needed for a project I have yet to decide on. I think I’m going to build a bartop for my Dad’s bar as a gift for Christmas and an upright for my brother’s kids (5 of them  ).

The response and feedback received here in the Project Announcements is awesome. It really makes the building process more fun and is a great motivator. Thanks for all of the kind words.

 

[psychotech]

Oh, well...

Comes a little late, but what can I say? Maybe just this:

  Awesome!

psychotech

[AMDman13]

Outstanding! I just spent 10 minutes marveling over your skills! I hope I didn't miss it in your posts, but I got to ask... Where did you find the power switch (button)? It looks awesome!

I think it's time to add an admin panel to my cab! Dang it.. ! Darn Cabinet bug.

[mountain]

Where did you find the power switch (button)? It looks awesome!

Check out posts 75 and 76 

Oh, well...

Comes a little late, but what can I say? Maybe just this:

  Awesome!

psychotech

Thanks psychotech

[mountain]

I found a picture of the original cabinet as I found it in the previous owners garage. I put it in the first post on the front page.

Kind of hard to believe it's the same cabinet.
 

[Zebidee]

Mountain, I just discovered this project thread and I simply have to say

AWESOME!!!!   

I love your control panel & the rest too. Inspirational stuff.  I know it has been said before, but sometimes it just has to be said again.   You are the MAN.  The Mountain MAN.

[ratzz]

Absolutely AMAZING!

What a fantastic project -- not a single thing overlooked.

QUALITY>QUALITY>QUALITY

Well done.

[rockin_rick]

Very, very nice.

If I had to give constructive criticism it would be - perhaps you could find a blue filter for the VFD, then it would change the color from green to blue and it would blend in perfectly.  But even without it, yours is definitely one of the best I've seen.

Rick 

[Encryptor]

Mountain,

Did you hook up that nice power button to power on everything at once?

If so how did you make it work? Got a diagram?


Encryptor

[mountain]

Very, very nice.

If I had to give constructive criticism it would be - perhaps you could find a blue filter for the VFD, then it would change the color from green to blue and it would blend in perfectly.  But even without it, yours is definitely one of the best I've seen.

Rick 

Dang it, someone noticed it  When I read about this particular dispaly, it was said to be blue. I was quite surprised when i powered it on to see that it was green. I have another one that I need to power on and test, hopefully it will be blue. If not, I have some blue plexi that I may try to install in front of it and see if that helps.

Thank you for the kind words.

Mountain,

Did you hook up that nice power button to power on everything at once?

If so how did you make it work? Got a diagram?


Encryptor

Yes

The momentary contact of the switch is wired to the power switch input of my motherboard. I hacked into a power strip with a relay powered from the computers power supply to switch A/C for my marquee. The power switch has seperate leads for the LED inside of it. It is powered on all of the time when the cabinet is off. I used a small 5 volt power supply I had laying around for this. The LED power goes through another relay using the normally closed side so that when the cabinet is turned on the light goes out.

Sorry, I don't have a schematic of how I wired it. What exactly are you looking for? There many threads on how to wire a cab to power on with the single push of a button. Try doing a search for it, yo should be able to find something.

[rockin_rick]

I believe that most VFDs are colored via filter.  I got a home stereo that looks orange, but is green VFD underneath.  Check out -

http://www.noritake-elec.com/colors.htm

Perhaps they could get you one via the email link on that page.  But they might not want to deal with end users (aka single qty orders), but perhaps they could lead you to a distributor...

Rick

[arcadefever]

 

very impressive, one of the best Mame build arcade ever ... 

[hatrick]

I just read through your thread and wanted to say GREAT JOB. Your attention to detail and quality is inspiring. 

[mccoy178]

Wonderful skills.  Very impressive to say the least!

[dgordon86]

You rock. Everything about this cabinet is top notch.
planning, color scheme, attention to detail...bravo!

This truly is a beautiful cab. Excellent!!
I'm surprised how much you have, but while keeping a single theme down (and simple).

again, bravo!

[nipsmg]

Ok, this is VERY late, but I just posted on the main forum looking for superb CP wiring examples, and someone came up with this.

I have to say, AMAZING. 

This cabinet is just a display of beautiful craftsmanship, especially that panel.  Wow.

I only hope I'm able to come up with something as beautiful as that when I re-do my cabinet.

WELL DONE!!!

[dmworking247]

As they say (at least in Australia)

"Mate, it looks like a bought one"

i.e. Very nicely done, its so professional I'd believe it was a commercial product. 

Well done, you've given me yet another reason to be dissatisfied with my original build 

[Epyx]

So I am searching for clean wiring examples and stumble on Mountain's work...WOW is all I can say. The wiring and attention to detail are just stunning and sorry I know its from Jan 2008 but still...amazing....

[Franco B]

Awesome isnt it, it gave me sooo much inspiration for all of my future wiring projects. I never new wiring could look that good 

[Epyx]

Indeed. I wonder if he has resumed work on his scratch cab yet? 

[mountain]

Thanks guys! I never thought I would see this project thread revived. The cabinet is at my brothers house now being enjoyed by his kids. I miss not being able to play it. 

I have a few hurdles in my way with the Fantasy cab. I know what I want to do but I am having a hard time figuring out the best way to go about it. Starting back up is the tough part. Once I start I will hit it hard and knock it out pretty quick, I just need to get motivated.

[Epyx]

Well at least your cab is being put to good use...a new generation to enjoy what we did. 

No cab to play should be motivation for the Fantasy Cab! 

In all seriousness though I go through the same cycle with interests...you will be back...

[Aval0n]

So I have no idea how dead this thread actually is now, but all I can say is holy smokes. 

I have been researching little by little for over a year on what to do with my cab.  I knew I wanted a black and blue color scheme with perhaps some purple.  I have googled to no end looking for different cabinets and have seen and read this site a bunch over that whole time.  I never saw anything that is close to what I wanted to do.  I just knew I wanted blue buttons/t-molding and some sort of very cool CP art that fit the color scheme.

Today I was searching this site for "bondo" to see what type of filler to use to redo my surfaces and I saw a comment from mountain man.  To my amazement that cab I had always dreamed of was sitting on my screen in the form of a thumbnail so I clicked it and found this thread.

The skill this guy has is truly impressive.  It saddens to me know that I'm way behind the curve on this and it's just sitting as his brothers house as a hand-me-down now. lol

I have a couple of questions if you're still alive and well mountain man to help me on my way. 

Do you still have your psd file from when you did this? I'm struggling trying to make the CP art.

Can you lend me some advice on how to make a 1:1 digital replica in digital form to play with?  I have no Idea where to start with this.

What kind of paint did you use on your cab? I was going to sand smooth my sides after applying a thin layer of bondo to make it smooth since removing the original side art caused a lot of blemishes.

How is your control panel plexi secured?  Is it just being held down by the bottons?

Thanks!!!
 

I picked up a Midway Mortal Kombat Cab that is pretty well trashed.  I used a heat gun to remove all of the old 3 paint jobs and original side art.

I think I have a control panel design I'm happy with. http://proxy2.ldproxy.com/aval0n/arcade/ 

Please let me know what you think of the CP.  I know it's extremely simple in comparison but I think it's all I need.

[dekar24k]

All I can say is.. Wow! That is one of the slickest control panels I've seen and the wiring is flawless. Great work!

[iAtoria]

Aval0n,

Do you still have your psd file from when you did this? I'm struggling trying to make the CP art.

Yeah, I would like to get my hands on the actual PSD too, but you can get the art itself at http://www.localarcade.com/arcade_art/details.php?image_id=373.  All that's needed is the little oval guys, but that's pretty easy to do in Photoship.  Just make a rounded edge rectangle with a transparent fill.

Can you lend me some advice on how to make a 1:1 digital replica in digital form to play with?  I have no Idea where to start with this.

Get Google Sketchup, I think it's free not sure.  I personally use Pro/Engineer or AutoCAD for most things.  You can get google sketup at http://sketchup.google.com/product/gsu.html.

What kind of paint did you use on your cab? I was going to sand smooth my sides after applying a thin layer of bondo to make it smooth since removing the original side art caused a lot of blemishes.

I'm pretty sure this project was done with laminate, but I could be wrong.

How is your control panel plexi secured?  Is it just being held down by the bottons?

If Mountain truly followed the Kneival design then the plexi is secured with only with the buttons and the t-molding.  The t-molding actually has a little lip, granted it doesn't do much, but it does something.

-- Trying his best to answer question -- iAtoria

[mountain]

Thank you for the very kind words.

Do you still have your psd file from when you did this? I'm struggling trying to make the CP art.

I can't give you my artwork, but I can offer my services. I can duplicate this CP for you if you are interested.

end looking for different cabinets and have seen and read this site a bunch over that


What kind of paint did you use on your cab? I was going to sand smooth my sides after applying a thin layer of bondo to make it smooth since removing the original side art caused a lot of blemishes.

I used laminate instead of paint. It is the only way to go in my opinion. Faster, more durable, looks better.......etc.

How is your control panel plexi secured?  Is it just being held down by the bottons?

It is held down by the buttons. The T-molding grabs it a tiny bit on the edges, it protects it from getting snagged more than anything else.

[deoblo85]

Man you got  mad skills 

[Yvan256]

First of all, I have to say this: amazing work, amazing details, amazing results. Seriously, I can't describe in words how good this cabinet looks like. And while it's all amazing-looking, what strikes me is the coin door panel. I wouldn't even have thought of such a nice design, let alone the ability to pull it off.

Here is a shot from the top showing the way they are mounted. Just need to make sure I don't use too long of a screw 

Probably a dumb question here, but where did you get those blue dust washers? And if they're custom-made, care to name your source? I could do my own too but yours seem to have a textured surface like a real arcade washer.

We can get lots of colors for T-molding, buttons and joystick bats/balls, but the dust washer seems to always be black...

[mountain]

Thanks...I miss this machine.

Those blue dust washers are from a set of blue Ultimarc magsticks that I initially purchased for the machine.

[corndwg01]

I just read through your post, since I found it in the "Hall of Fame."  Where did you get that power button?  I've looking all over the 'net for something similar, but can't find anything.  I figured I would find something on the PC Case Mod sites, but nope...nothing as cool as yours.  I'd like to find something like yours or maybe even something along the lines of an xbox360 button or a Directv receiver button.

[Benevolance]

If I recall correctly, the power button was something that the company he works for custom manufactures and he snagged one.

The website he gave was: http://www.bulgin.co.uk/Products/Switches/Illuminated.html

[mountain]

If I recall correctly, the power button was something that the company he works for custom manufactures and he snagged one.

The website he gave was: http://www.bulgin.co.uk/Products/Switches/Illuminated.html

Yes, we actually just have the power logo etched into the stainless insert. The button mentioned is still available from Bulgin.

[Avrus]

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=bulgin+vandal

American supplier.

[stefano]

Superb and fantastic work !
Congratulations for the project!

[wivelden]

Hi,
Ive just started to build my own cocktail cabinet and was looking for inspiration for the control panels artwork when I came across this thread. So I registered and I can't PM the OP so I thought I would ask here.
Does the OP or anyone have a copy of the artwork for this control panel or know where or how it can be obtained? I have the background 'fusion' image but I cant seem to get the colour right. Ideally I would like the PSD if there is one for this as its amazing and would fit perfect with my cabinet.
Any help would be really appreciated.
Thanks

[dextercf]

The wiring on the CP, that is just plain sexy!
 

[wivelden]

The wiring on the CP, that is just plain sexy!
 

Isnt it? Its just so colour coded and neat and tidy.

[mountain]

Hi,
Ive just started to build my own cocktail cabinet and was looking for inspiration for the control panels artwork when I came across this thread. So I registered and I can't PM the OP so I thought I would ask here.
Does the OP or anyone have a copy of the artwork for this control panel or know where or how it can be obtained? I have the background 'fusion' image but I cant seem to get the colour right. Ideally I would like the PSD if there is one for this as its amazing and would fit perfect with my cabinet.
Any help would be really appreciated.
Thanks

Sorry, I lost the artwork a long time ago.

[Santoro]

http://www.mediafire.com/file/3okmcy4nqk5/Homebrew%20fusion%20background.jpg
Not sure if this helps, but give it a try.

[wivelden]

Hi,
Ive just started to build my own cocktail cabinet and was looking for inspiration for the control panels artwork when I came across this thread. So I registered and I can't PM the OP so I thought I would ask here.
Does the OP or anyone have a copy of the artwork for this control panel or know where or how it can be obtained? I have the background 'fusion' image but I cant seem to get the colour right. Ideally I would like the PSD if there is one for this as its amazing and would fit perfect with my cabinet.
Any help would be really appreciated.
Thanks

Sorry, I lost the artwork a long time ago.

Could you magically 'find' it again if I offered some cash?

[wp34]

I'm getting ready to do some wiring and I always like to look at Mountain's for inspiration.  Thought I would bump this for the new crowd.