Author Topic: Project #2: Pac-man from scratch (Read 24986 times)

amadama · « **Reply #40 on:** June 24, 2007, 07:38:28 pm »

Minor updates today.
Built the monitor mount for my lcd monitor.
Installed coin door (to test fit)
Installed fluorescent marquee light
Cut and drilled marquee brackets.
Test mounted speakers

Still having a bear of a time trying to figure out how to mount CP!! If it weren't for that I would have started painting it today.
(WunderCade, it's definetely a Pac-man and not a Ms. Pac)
Alex

csa3d · « **Reply #41 on:** June 24, 2007, 08:13:08 pm »

Quote from: amadama on June 24, 2007, 07:38:28 pm

Minor updates today.
Built the monitor mount for my lcd monitor.
Installed coin door (to test fit)
Installed fluorescent marquee light
Cut and drilled marquee brackets.
Test mounted speakers

Still having a bear of a time trying to figure out how to mount CP!! If it weren't for that I would have started painting it today.
(WunderCade, it's definetely a Pac-man and not a Ms. Pac)
Alex

This is looking great! Watching you build this and with my current experience restoring my cab from 1979, I'm pretty sure I'm going to build my next one myself. I think in the end, I'll be done sooner. I'm too OCD with the filling and sanding and gluing and bondo to make something old seem new.

Before you go fully mounting that LCD, can you grab some pics of the LCD frame/hanging panel? So far, I'm using Javery's example as inspiration on how to go about doing mine and would like to see how you are planning on achieving this. Here's an example of what i'm referring to. Thanks in advance!

-csa

amadama · « **Reply #42 on:** June 24, 2007, 09:12:38 pm »

Hi csa,
Thanks for the comments.
I am going to be restoring that old Ms Pac in the photos so let's see which one is tougher to do, from scratch or restoration!)
I will definetely take pictuee of the monitor mounting frame I made. It's 22.75"x22.75" and i can slide it in in any direction so I can have vertical and horizontal monitor orientation!
Photos tomorrow! (I put the cab away for the evening, since I don't have a work area inside my house I have to drag everything outside to my driveway to work. This really slows me down as I can't really do quick work as it take like 30 mkinutes to bring all my stuff outside and get setup!)
Alex

BobA · « **Reply #43 on:** June 25, 2007, 07:17:58 am »

Looking really good. You are making great progress on your cab.

amadama · « **Reply #44 on:** July 01, 2007, 11:36:15 pm »

Coming down to the wire!
Built control panel today (wanted to put in my new spinner and a few buttons over the basic Pac-man CP).
Primed cab.
Painted yellow portions.
Started painting black inside.
Pics soon!
Alex

amadama · « **Reply #45 on:** July 02, 2007, 10:43:52 pm »

Here are the pics:
Not much other progress on this cab since I also started the restoration on my Ms Pac-man.
At this point I am ready to apply the artwork!!

Bond007 · « **Reply #46 on:** July 03, 2007, 07:55:58 am »

Looks great. Wish I had the woodworking skills to build my own.

amadama · « **Reply #47 on:** July 07, 2007, 10:34:04 am »

Well, what I thought was going to happen did happen!
I was applying the vinyl in the front of the machine, my wife was giving me a hand, when she lost grip of the ends. The vinyl folded over itself sticking back to back instantly ruining it! I almost went nuts. Here's another week where I won't be able to finish my machine!
Beware when applying big sticky sticker sticky stuff!!
Anyway, here are some pics some of you guys asked about.
The first is the monitor mounting bracket. This thing slides in and out and allows me to put my lcd monitor vertically or horizontally. (ignore the MDF behind it, that's the machine's back door)
The two pics after that show the control panel before and after overlay. It looks so much better with the artwork on it!!

spystyle · « **Reply #48 on:** July 07, 2007, 11:33:55 am »

Super good! I built a Pac too

Pac-Man is the iconic arcade machine, the grandfather of all arcade cabinets!

Zeno · « **Reply #49 on:** July 07, 2007, 03:28:14 pm »

Bummer about the side art!

You know I have been watching this thread and I have been chomping at the bit to see the art completed.

Hang in there... You'll get it done.

amadama · « **Reply #50 on:** July 07, 2007, 05:40:02 pm »

Thanks Spystyle! Post some pics of your Pac-man here, I'd love to see it.
Hi Zeno, luckily it was only the front piece that was ruined. The sides are still intact!
See before and after pics below!!

spystyle · « **Reply #51 on:** July 08, 2007, 09:22:59 am »

Quote from: amadama on July 07, 2007, 05:40:02 pm

Thanks Spystyle! Post some pics of your Pac-man here, I'd love to see it...

OK :)

I finished this one back in 1999. There was not as much information on the topic of building arcade machines then as there is now. To build that cab I had to measure a machine in the local arcade! My brother and I carried a sheet of 1/8" hardboard in and I traced the profile while he held it to create a template. I was in there measuring angles and insets - I got a few funny looks. But I had permission from the owner so no ruckus.

There are great plans and information today :)

I like the Pac-Man very much, but I would not recommend it as a person's one and only cab - I think a person's first cab should always be a 2 (or more) player. Otherwise people watch you play over your shoulder and can not join in. The Pac-Man cabinet couldn't comfortably accommodate 2 player controls because of the side panels, players would bump their wrists.

Cheers,
Craig

Zeno · « **Reply #52 on:** July 08, 2007, 01:11:44 pm »

I love the yellow computer case!

Man... that must be the loudest Pacman on earth.

Nice job spystyle

csa3d · « **Reply #53 on:** July 08, 2007, 03:23:27 pm »

@spystyle: The only thing I can think about with that giant rear speaker is a 1000 decibal, "WAKA WAKA WAKA". Good stuff.

-csa

spystyle · « **Reply #54 on:** July 08, 2007, 03:53:35 pm »

Thanks fellas,

The case is yellow because I stripped all of the plastic off of it and painted it with brake caliper paint. It is attached to the cabinet's side panel with screws.

The big speaker driver did not have it's enclosure attached when the picture was taken - if the speaker does not have a back panel it would not produce good low frequencies. To be loud it has to have an enclosure roughly matching the manufacturer's suggested size.

Have fun!
Craig

amadama · « **Reply #55 on:** July 08, 2007, 11:19:58 pm »

Thats a very nice machine Craig.
That's a really huge speaker too!! Holy smokes, it's really big!
But I think It's a Ms Pac-man/Galaga cab you built isn't it?
Great job with it. What's it made out of MDF or ply?
I have read a lot of your documentation and you have done a great job at it. Lot's of your tips really helped me out in my cab builds.
Thanks again,
Alex

spystyle · « **Reply #56 on:** July 08, 2007, 11:37:46 pm »

Hi Alex,

I'm glad you found my tutorial useful and like my Pac-Man cab.

The Pac-Man cab was made from 5/8" particle board (I was still learning when I made it, if I was to make another it would be 1/2" plywood reinforced) - after I built it from 5/8" material I discovered that orange t-molding ONLY comes in 3/4", so I had to laminate the side panels with 1/8" hardboard in order to make them 3/4"

You have a really good eye! That is a actually a Ms. Pac-Man! My secret is out

When I decided I *had* to build a Pac-Man machine, because it is the grandfather of all arcade machines, I found a Ms. Pac-Man to trace at my local arcade. They did not have an actual Pac-Man. I figured it was close enough.

I had actually forgotten about the gender, it was a long time ago.

Now my Pac-Man is sold and my local arcade is closed - but I still have the hardboard template if I decide to make another.

I am thinking of making my next cab an Aussie lowboy... Then a Defender because I now have the stencils... Maybe a Pac after that.... Decisions, decisions...

Have fun!
Craig

amadama · « **Reply #57 on:** July 12, 2007, 12:33:56 pm »

Decisions indeed!
That's why this is such a fun hobby, the sky's the limit (subject to checkbook limitations of course)!!

Spyridon · « **Reply #58 on:** July 26, 2007, 05:06:00 pm »

How is this coming? I've been following and I'm anxious to see that artwork on it.

Great work so far and good information as a Pac Man cab is on my short list. (must finish first attempt at MAME cab first)

I'm also picking up an original Galaga on Sunday. Hope to retro fit it and also copy it to build a Ms. Pacman.

knave · « **Reply #59 on:** July 27, 2007, 01:10:40 pm »

Hey alex, What did you use to make the CP.

Did you just glue the two boards together and then round it over with a router?

I want to make a new CP for my Ms. Pac and was thinking of having a metal one made...but yours turned out so good...

What is the finish on it?

Thanks

WunderCade · « **Reply #60 on:** July 27, 2007, 03:17:44 pm »

Quote from: knave on July 27, 2007, 01:10:40 pm

Hey alex, What did you use to make the CP.

Did you just glue the two boards together and then round it over with a router?

I want to make a new CP for my Ms. Pac and was thinking of having a metal one made...but yours turned out so good...

What is the finish on it?

Thanks

Making a Ms. Pac-man CP out of wood would be much more challenging than the one refabricated here.

Afterall, the Pac-Man original CP is made out of wood so duplicating it with wood is easy, but the original Ms. Pac-man CP is made only of thin metal - no wood, so to try and craft it out of wood would be much much harder if you fabricate your cabinet to Ms.Pac specifications - the alignment would be off.

For example, the Pac, Ms. Pac control panels are not interchangeable on the machines.

knave · « **Reply #61 on:** July 27, 2007, 07:11:38 pm »

Quote from: WunderCade on July 27, 2007, 03:17:44 pm

Afterall, the Pac-Man original CP is made out of wood so duplicating it with wood is easy, but the original Ms. Pac-man CP is made only of thin metal - no wood,

Well that's depressing. I wonder how much a Metal shop would charge to make me a few CP's?...I do have the original.

What type of shop should I try?

spystyle · « **Reply #62 on:** July 27, 2007, 07:47:24 pm »

Call around to machinists, I bet you could get one made up for $30

I forget what gauge they are...

I cut a metal CP's button and stick holes with a punch before, but they are expensive, you might as well have the machinist do that.

Good luck,
Craig

p.s. I made my Pac cp from wood, I just routed it with a roundover bit

WunderCade · « **Reply #63 on:** July 28, 2007, 01:00:18 am »

Quote from: knave on July 27, 2007, 07:11:38 pm

Quote from: WunderCade on July 27, 2007, 03:17:44 pm
Afterall, the Pac-Man original CP is made out of wood so duplicating it with wood is easy, but the original Ms. Pac-man CP is made only of thin metal - no wood,

Well that's depressing. I wonder how much a Metal shop would charge to make me a few CP's?...I do have the original.

What type of shop should I try?

You might consider an eBay purchase, here's a reasonable NOS Ms. Pac CP

prOk · « **Reply #64 on:** July 29, 2007, 07:02:57 pm »

just fyi, pac and ms pac control panels are both metal, pac man with a wood backing behind the metal.

amadama · « **Reply #65 on:** May 15, 2008, 10:55:02 am »

Back in the saddle again...
After almost a year of hibernation this project is back in action.
Artwork applied yesterday (this time a success!).
Assembling the rest of the system. I won't bore you guys with pics yet until it's all done (otherwise I may never get it done!).
Next steps:
Monitor install
Controller cabling
CPO redo (the old one got trashed)
PC install and setup (working on a stripped down nLite XP build)
Coin door restore and install
Watch this space....
Alex

nuka1195 · « **Reply #66 on:** May 15, 2008, 11:38:02 am »

pictures are less boring than reading

spystyle · « **Reply #67 on:** May 15, 2008, 03:50:52 pm »

I agree, I have a short attention span and can't concentrate on all those words...

amadama · « **Reply #68 on:** May 15, 2008, 08:42:12 pm »

Ok, ok,
I guess one picture won't hurt.
Here it is:

spystyle · « **Reply #69 on:** May 15, 2008, 10:27:14 pm »

Sweet!

amadama · « **Reply #70 on:** May 23, 2008, 01:12:50 am »

It lives!
Darn the CPO is peeling off (used way too much clear coat on it and the humidity made it curl up!)


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