LeapinLew: Galaga Themed Small Bartop -COMPLETED

[leapinlew]

I said small because I didn't want to say mini. Projects like vrf's and psychotech are mini's. This is just small.

I want an arcade machine at the office that was small enough to sit on a corner of a desk, and also resemble an arcade. Here is what I came up with:


Based of a Galaga/Ms. Pacman design. (if you couldn't tell)


This is the monitor I'm going to use. It's a 10" CRT 9" viewable. I have 3 of these guys. I may build another machine and keep a monitor as a spare. These guys are hard to find. I have an old laptop that will be the guts and I have a wico 4 way that will be the controls.


Marquee top and T-molding slots routed. The router got away from me a little bit on the left side. Shouldn't be a problem getting the t-molding to fit still.

Here is a comparison shot of a donkey kong I'm rebuilding now.


The small bartop is made of 1/2" MDF. Not real fun to work with. Can't really put a screw in it without pre-drilling. It should work fine for this purpose, but it isn't real high on my list of quality material. The Donkey Kong is priority, but they'll probably both finish in the next couple weeks.

So far I think the bartop is looking good. It's proportions are right that I should be able to use scaled down artwork. I'm currently trying to figure out where to put the speakers and what kind of buttons to use for player 1 and player 2.

Dimensions are 11" wide x 20.5" tall x 19" deep.

[BobA]

Good start, should be cute.  How do you get to work on cabs in your dinning room? 

[leapinlew]

Good start, should be cute.  How do you get to work on cabs in your dinning room? 

she's out of town. I have exactly 10 days to finish both. 

Seriously...

[Donkey_Kong]

Good start, should be cute.  How do you get to work on cabs in your dinning room? 

she's out of town. I have exactly 10 days to finish both. 

Seriously...

Kudos Lew...

Now I tell you how he does it. Two words, "Red Bull"

[Mamed for life]

Hi Lew,

Nice looking projects! I'm only at the "getting the various bits as I can afford them" stage, but I really want to start cutting to show myself that I'm serious. I want to make a Nintendo shape cab, but the plans I got from Jakobud don't show where the timber supports go on the inside. Do you have any plans showing this you could share?

Thanks,

MfL

[patrickl]

Looks great. Me being a Galaga addict I have always been wanting to build one of these myself.

I'm wondering though, why did you make the CP corner in the side so sharp? Did you get that from Jakobuds plans maybe (those indeed showa sharp cornere there)?

[IG-88]

Looks great Lew! Question, why did you decide to go with 1/2" MDF instead of PLY? you can get that with a finished side that takes paint real well. And it's definitely much easier to work with.

[Bond007]

Looks good so far. I'll be following along.

[Neilyboy]

Looks awesome Lew I will deffinately be watching this one. By the way which paint did you pickup for the DK restore. Thats where I am at now and looking for the correct paint code has been tough. Do you think its pretty 'ON' for a match?

Neil

[spacies]

Wicked shape!

Love it.

Go the Classics!

[leapinlew]

Hi Lew,

Nice looking projects! I'm only at the "getting the various bits as I can afford them" stage, but I really want to start cutting to show myself that I'm serious. I want to make a Nintendo shape cab, but the plans I got from Jakobud don't show where the timber supports go on the inside. Do you have any plans showing this you could share?

Thanks,

MfL

There isn't any lumber supports inside. They have some monitor supports, but the cabinet is pretty much held together with blocks and staples.

[leapinlew]

Looks great. Me being a Galaga addict I have always been wanting to build one of these myself.

I'm wondering though, why did you make the CP corner in the side so sharp? Did you get that from Jakobuds plans maybe (those indeed showa sharp cornere there)?

I see what you mean. I'll soften them up a bit. Thanks for pointing that out. I think I could live with it being a bit pointy, but rounding it out a bit will only help the t-molding fit better. Thanks again.

[leapinlew]

Looks great Lew! Question, why did you decide to go with 1/2" MDF instead of PLY? you can get that with a finished side that takes paint real well. And it's definitely much easier to work with.

It was readily available. But, in hindsight, I probably would just buy some 1/2" ply. I think the product your referring to is sandeply. It's pretty good stuff. The widowmaker is made out of it in 3/4". I like it and would use it again.

[leapinlew]

Small update for a small cabinet

I installed the lower marquee and monitor support.


Look at all those screw holes I have to cover up! Eesh. I wish I was going with laminate on it now. I already have the black paint for Donkey Kong though.


Looks like I could've shaved another inch off or so.

Lots left to do.

[psychotech]

Hello!

So, couldn't help but start another

Looks good, yes! Like the dimensions especially; big enough to give that "arcade feel" while simultaneously being small enough to be portable and/or to be placed on a desk. Nice.

Vertical only. Well, do not forget Bombjack ..?!

All the best with the build.

psychotech

PS. Screw holes to cover?! You'd have to see the sides of the juke project..

PPS. Are you using supports under the horizontal panels (ie. marquee top/bottom) or did you just go through the sides and into the MDF (?) panel sides?

[leapinlew]

So, couldn't help but start another

It's all the damn spare parts I got laying around. They talked me into it.

Vertical only. Well, do not forget Bombjack ..?!

No doubt. He'll make it onto this machine.

PS. Screw holes to cover?! You'd have to see the sides of the juke project..

Oh, I'm watching alright. Get to work!

PPS. Are you using supports under the horizontal panels (ie. marquee top/bottom) or did you just go through the sides and into the MDF (?) panel sides?

I went through the sides of the MDF. I don't get that warm fuzzy feeling like I do when working with plywood. To compensate, I'm using the glue/screw method.

[theCoder]

Great lines.  Good luck with the build.  How many cabs have you built now?

[Chris G]

You are a crazy arcade-building fool, Lew.  Puts my glacial progress to shame. 

[KenToad]

I love it.  My only suggestion would be to see if you could fit a bit bigger monitor in there.  That last pic you posted makes it look like there is room for quite a wide bezel.

Keep up the good work.

 
KenToad

[leapinlew]

I love it.  My only suggestion would be to see if you could fit a bit bigger monitor in there.  That last pic you posted makes it look like there is room for quite a wide bezel.

Keep up the good work.

 
KenToad

Thanks for the suggestion. The bezel is pretty much to scale. Galaga had a pretty wide bezel. Hopefully it all works - if not - I'll need to add a bit of art. No biggie. 

[leapinlew]

Great lines.  Good luck with the build.  How many cabs have you built now?

Depends who you ask. Ask my wife and you'd probably get a different number.

[Kaytrim]

Hey Lew, that is one sweet little toy you got started there.  A 10" monitor that is real small.  Also looks like you are going to be rather tight in there with the cables.  What kind of PC are you putting in that little gem?

TTFN

[Donkey_Kong]

Great lines.  Good luck with the build.  How many cabs have you built now?

Depends who you ask. Ask my wife and you'd probably get a different number.

If you count backseat builds, Lews number of builds is equal to the number of project threads on this website...NTTATWWT. 

Seriously man, you are a great cab builder and always usually offer up great advice for the rest of us. I especially love how you can simultaneously p0wn fools at Quake, and mass produce awesome little cabs, all in the same evening. Wait, are you of Japanese descent? 

[leapinlew]

Wait, are you of Japanese descent? 

I think I'm turning Japanese, I really think so.

Hey Lew, that is one sweet little toy you got started there.  A 10" monitor that is real small.  Also looks like you are going to be rather tight in there with the cables.  What kind of PC are you putting in that little gem?

I'm using an old laptop. It only needs 1/2" of clearance. It has about 3" - it should fit.

[leapinlew]

Here I covered all the screw holes and softened up the pointy edge that Patrick pointed out (thanks again).


Here is a shot of the back. I cut the hole for the 120mm fan and routed a slot in it for T-molding. I also cut a hole for the power entry module. A little too close to the sides when it was all said and done.


I cut the CP and rounded it off so I can lay the overlay on it. This was a productive day. I got all the major stuff done so I can have accurate dimensions for my art. I'll work on that this evening and get it sent to Mamemarquees. I'm curious how much it will all cost for this small cabinet.


The last thing I did with my last bit of day light was run to the store and get some 1/2" aluminum angle for the marquee retainers. I'll be spray painting these black.

[leapinlew]

One thing I'm kinda sweatin....

Not sure where I'm putting the speakers yet. I didn't want them in the kickplate area because I wanted to show off the artwork. I may not have much of a choice though.

[psychotech]

Nice..

Speakers? Kickplate, YES! Sides, NO!

 

[MinerAl]

Put them behind the marquee mounted to the back. 

[leapinlew]

Put them behind the marquee mounted to the back. 

Will plenty of sound come out like that?

[Kaytrim]

Take a look at flat panel speakers.  You could mount them in the side panels of the cabinet.  I found a set that were only 1/4" thick.

TTFN

[theCoder]

One thing I'm kinda sweatin....

Not sure where I'm putting the speakers yet. I didn't want them in the kickplate area because I wanted to show off the artwork. I may not have much of a choice though.

How about in the bottom, pointing down, toward the front.  Assuming you will be putting rubber feet on the bottom, you should get plenty of sound out of it. 

[MinerAl]

Put them behind the marquee mounted to the back. 

Will plenty of sound come out like that?

I was thinking of a speaker grille on the back.

[leapinlew]

How about in the bottom, pointing down, toward the front.  Assuming you will be putting rubber feet on the bottom, you should get plenty of sound out of it. 

Awesome suggestion. I'll probably use this method and decase some speakers I currently have.

[leapinlew]

Put the paint on and now I'm securing the system and adding details. I've started on the art, and I'm waiting on the art guys to get back to me with a price so I can upload it to him.


Everything is sitting in the machine to see how it'll all fit. Looks pretty good. I've disassembled the laptop to the point that it weighs nearly nothing...


CP is mounted, but not secured entirely. I'll wait to secure it after I've applied the artwork and installed the controls.

I am going to cut the plexi for it today, and then I'll call it a day. It looks like the bottom portion of the plexi will be a bit longer than the bezel art, so I'm going to extend the bezel art - perhaps put an instruction card on it.

[arcadefever]

  looking great ...

is that a wico joystick

[patrickl]

looking great ...

is that a wico joystick

Well he said he was going to use a wico 4-way, so how is that a surprise?

Anyway, indeed looking great.

[javeryh]

Awesome - you sure can crank these out!  Is the paint brushed or rolled on? 

[arcadefever]

looking great ...

is that a wico joystick

Well he said he was going to use a wico 4-way, so how is that a surprise?

Anyway, indeed looking great.

    mist  that part ...

[leapinlew]

Awesome - you sure can crank these out!  Is the paint brushed or rolled on? 

It's rolled on. It gives an ok finish. I wish I had enough laminate left over to do the cabinet with laminate. I love that stuff.

One thing I forgot to mention is I recut a new control panel. The more I thought about it, the more I didn't want to use 1/2" MDF as the CP. So I bought a 24" x 24" piece of 1/2" ply and made this new CP.

Since I won't get the art this week it won't finish this week, but it should be to the point that when the art comes in, I just apply it and I'm done. The next shots will probably just be finished shots.

[leapinlew]

Completed the artwork - printing it now.

Here is the CP (the only thing I had to customize). While it's not authentic, it has the feel of galaga for me.