Final cp layout

[alandrogers]

Sooo after many changes.... and sample set up with the controls actually poked into an old scrap of linoleum ... and wonderful suggestions from lots of people ... and even a bit of the "best we don't see enough of" thread ... here it is .. the final layout:

I started out with this nice balanced design, buttons buttons everywhere ... and it came down to this. 4-way and spinner both on the far right top row with 2 dedicated buttons, the rest is pretty straight forward. The trackball is shifted 1/2" off center left. And I reserve the space on the top row left side for instructions.

Also some thanks go to crpngdth2001's design thread.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=64287.0

i think it's pretty nice.

[(+_+)]

Button layout looks roomy and well placed. Are you sure you want to put the instruction graphic there? Have you considered putting it behind the monitor protective window? I think the extra real estate where you want to put your instructions would be much better used if you put a nice picture of some arcade character you like or some theme artwork instead.

[shorthair]

Do you play the spinner right-handed...I'd forgotten about Tempest (and Centipede for that matter) being left-handed, I for some reason remembered them being ambi, and it's interesting to find most panels go against this in placing the spinner on the left (which I like, cos I'm right-handed - you know, fire button leads the other hand) - or are you just going for sorta arcade realism with that?

[alandrogers]

i actually went and looked at a tempest box over at KLOV ... the spinner is on the right.

since that's the only spinner game i know of that I like to play, this layout will work just fine.

This is also a lot more comfortable.

And as for the spinner being on the left ... that's where it had been up until this morning's cardboard layout.

[crpngdth2001]

Looks great, excellent job! I started cutting mine today. I was able to find some 5/8" mdf shelving at Home Depot that will give me the 3/4" finished height with the plexi.

[shorthair]

Well, there's also racing games.  Any 360 wheel game works better with a spinner than any PC wheel.  Regardless of placement, I echo (+_+)'s thing on the instructions card.  Being on the panel itself would make it look like some cheap console from the 80s.

[urbecrisch]

alan, what are your total CP measurements?

[alandrogers]

the control box is straight out of the project arcade book. Interior size is 13x30, framed with 3/4" plywood around the outside.

i trimmed 1" off the front overhang from the book design, so the
total top dimension is 17x34. there's a bit of overhang on both sides, too.

the pic posted here is the 13x30 interior

3.5" deep on the front, 5.5" deep at the rear.

[alandrogers]

shorthair ... I'll think about that graphic .. but it just blows the artistic balance all to hell if I don't have something cool there

and I don't even know what kind of theme this thing is going to have as yet. current working title is "MAME-O-MAT"

although I did see this really cool marble contact paper at the store I thought about using to cover the whole thing. 

[shorthair]

Groovy.

[urbecrisch]

Alandrogers, just curious how much your CP overhangs on your CAB.  My CP is about the same size as yours and I need to know the correct size CAB to get at an upcoming auction.  Some overhanging measurements on each side and the front would help me out if you could post.  Good looking project so far.  Cheers.

[alandrogers]

I'm not home to measure it right now, but my cp is a 17x34 top, 14.5x31.5 (o.d.) bottom. (that's right out of the project arcade book)

The cabinet I picked up is 23 or 24" wide and about 30 deep if memory serves correctly. It seemed very narrow compared to mame project plans I've seen.

the cp box overhangs about 4" each side. I also had to cut into the old cabinet in order for the cp box to sit there. I dont remember how much it was, because it was measured 20" in from the back side to just match the point of the curve in the original cab.

[alandrogers]

oh... and i screwed up the cp last night. 

I was cutting button holes .. and as soon as I started drilling on the 2nd row by the joystick buttons -- i realized I'd measured them wrong. (

Not sure what i'm going to do just yet. The top is made of plywood, so there was a lot of splintering going on under the panel also.

Someone at work suggested I just continue ... and I could cover the top with a formica laminate.

I may go that route, don't want to have to cut a new CP top. I looked at the MDF stuff and BOY is that stuff HEAVY! wow.

but it looks like it would drill nice and smooth .. unlike the plywood.

[bfauska]

I think that you will get clean holes with the MDF for sure, but if you stick with the plywood you could put a piece behind it and sandwich them tight while you drill the holes, this can prevent blow-out.  Another option is to do a pilot hole first and then make the big holes coming from each side of the board and going half way through.

I haven't looked at other peoples CPs to see if I am a freak or not, but I would think that you may want to swap your coin-in buttons (if that's what they are) and your Player start buttons.  It seems more natural to me to work from left to right, put your coin in then hit start.  Like I said it could just be me, and they may not even be those butttons.  I think that when I do an upright I will wire the coin door reject buttons to my coin in, but right now I have coin-in buttons to the left of my start buttons and I think it works great.

Looking good regardless of my babble.

Later,
Brian