Chopping a cab?

[XyloSesame]

I can't seem to find much on the boards regarding chopping a cab. Yes, I know... Heretic! Scoundrel!

I'm interested in a Knievel-sized LCD cab and am not sure whether I should build it from scratch or look for a cab-on-the-curb and modify it to suit my needs. It seems more cost effective to find a cab either free or cheap, chop the sides to decrease the depth, then finish/refurb the remaining. Does anyone have any experience doing this? Will anyone admit to it? If I chop a cab, will I be hunted down and strung up by my joystick?

Just to further inflame the loyal, I've included Photoshopped images (apologies to csa3d).

Before:


After:

[xmenxmen]

I have actually thought of that when I was doing work on mine, but didn't as I wanted the full size cabinet for stability and others things.  So depth, no, but front yes.  That was done in order to fit a big size control panel into a ms pacman cabinet.

[vintagegamer]

"KILL HIM!!!!   KILLLLLLLLLLLLLL    HIMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!"






VG

[bluevolume]

I don't know what I'm more offended by -- the proposed butchering of a Galaxian or your avatar. 

Why would you want to cut the cabinet down?  I understand that you won't need all that space with a LCD in there, but why change the cabinet?

[XyloSesame]

I don't know what I'm more offended by -- the proposed butchering of a Galaxian or your avatar. 

I aim to please... Maybe I'll adapt my avatar to COMPLETELY COVER THE SIDEART OF AN ORIGINAL GALAXIAN!!! muwahahahahahah

Why would you want to cut the cabinet down?  I understand that you won't need all that space with a LCD in there, but why change the cabinet?

I live in an older home, built before McMansions and suburbia, and need to conserve floorspace. Frankly, I'd prefer the aesthetics and feel of a square footprint, but that design won't work in my living quarters. Unfortunate.

[shardian]

It might be better for you to just build from scratch. For your diagram you could have at least butchered a dynamo.

[SavannahLion]

If I chop a cab, will I be hunted down and strung up by my joystick?

I'd string you up by your joystick with a wet leather strap in the hot sun just for the avatar.

Build from scratch. For the amount of work, it's what you'll end up doing anyways.
I've been asked several times to cut already built boxes (not cabinets) and getting perfectly straight cuts aligned on all four sides is a PITA. Not only that, but if you compromise the stability of the box while you're cutting with a power tool, you risk cutting more than the wood.

[ArtMAME]

Listen here Purple Rain... 

I have modified several curbside cabs for MAME installation, and I will tell you, it is probably more of a pain in the ass to modify and refurb a beater cab than to build one from scratch. 

If you chop an old existing cab, you have several things you have to worry about:

Patching up any existing damage to the cab
Chopping cleanly... can't just take a chainsaw and go at it... got to be strategic about it.
Rebuilding the chopped up cab for structural integrity and asthetics.
Installing the monitor
Fitting a bezel around the monitor cleanly
Building a custom control panel (I assume this will be a MAME setup, therefore you would want a Frankenpanel because of your space limitations)


If you start from scratch, you have the pleasure of designing it according to your needs.  Plus you won't have to worry about patching up any damage, and you won't be limited by the existing design of an old cab. 

Either way, it is still a LOT of work to build or to modify a cab, so if you are going to put the work into it, might as well end up with something perfect for YOU.

Really, it will not save you very much time or labor unless you have modified several similar cabs already.  I know this guy who MAMEs Midway cabs, and he has it down to a science.  But he does them the same configuration everytime, and he has done a lot of them, so he can crank them out quickly.  Every cab I modify is different and presents its own set of challenges, so it takes me a long time to finish each one.

Believe me, you will be happier with a scratch-built one. 

[javeryh]

I would think chopping an old cab in half and then restoring it would be twice the work of building from scratch...

[ArtMAME]

I would think chopping an old cab in half and then restoring it would be twice the work of building from scratch...

Very well put...

[FrizzleFried]

Thank god someone else mentioned his hideous avatar....

[XyloSesame]

Thanks everyone. I figured building from scratch would give a better sense of accomplishment, but wasn't sure how much work might be involved in chopping a cab. Time and labor aren't as much an issue as cost, space, and my wife's reaction to the finished cab.

And the overwhelming praise-of-avatar has given me inspiration. I think I'll call her...

TCFKAG
The Cab Formerly Known As Galaxian

[bluevolume]

This thread has officially gone into the toilet...

[csa3d]

I don't know what I'm more offended by -- the proposed butchering of a Galaxian or your avatar. 

Having prince staring at my cab definitely makes me feel gayer by the minute..

[csa3d]

I would think chopping an old cab in half and then restoring it would be twice the work of building from scratch...

My two cents based on my experiences just trying to restore/mamify this thing:

It would have been WAY easier to build this from scratch.  I have spent SO MUCH TIME trying to sand/spackle/repair the original 30yr/old wood, that I almost think it would have been better to start with fresh wood.  I would probably find a TOTALLY junked machine at an auction, and use a router to trace it onto my new wood.  Especially since you plan on modifying the wood frame anyways.  It's up to you, and I'm neither for or against keeping it "real" with the original cab.. but from a man-hours standpoint, you have a long battle ahead of you.

Good luck with that.  And remember, the prince cab will be one both the ladies AND the men will enjoy.

-csa

[ArtMAME]

Thanks everyone. I figured building from scratch would give a better sense of accomplishment, but wasn't sure how much work might be involved in chopping a cab. Time and labor aren't as much an issue as cost, space, and my wife's reaction to the finished cab.

And the overwhelming praise-of-avatar has given me inspiration. I think I'll call her...

TCFKAG
The Cab Formerly Known As Galaxian

AAAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!

MY EYES ARE BURNING!!!

[Hawk Daddy]

Whats on the other side, micheal jackson???

Hawk

[Sidgoop]

Here's my chopped project -

It started out as a Playchoice that took on 18 inches of hurricane Katrina flooding.  It sat in a mini-storage for a year before being thrown out.  When I found it on the scrap heap, all of the electronics were rusted beyond cleaning, but thank goodness for the plywood (not particle board) that didn't get too waterlogged.



Instead of just cutting off the top, I cut about 8 inches down, then again at 20 inches down.  The purpose was to save the marquee routing and light fixtures.  After some extensive body work (cutting, planing, sanding, and mucho Bondo),  I primed and painted it Donkey Kong blue -



It had been gutted and cleaned, so I installed a 21" SVGA monitor I found at Goodwill for $10, then loaded a PC with NES, SNES, and N64 emulators.  Thanks to a keyboard hack, I have a set of 8-way Happ joysticks w/ 6 buttons each.  Here's the finished product -



Remember, it's not a crime if the cabinet has one foot in the grave, and the other on a banana peel.

[pointdablame]

Remember, it's not a crime if the cabinet has one foot in the grave, and the other on a banana peel.

Unless its a rare or desirable game.  It's fairly easy to find someone willing to trade you some generic dynamo or similar cab for a rare, or simply popular, cab.

[Encryptor]

Anyone else feel like vomiting?   




Encryptor

[solderguy1]

I do, Prince makes me queasy (Wendy O Williams sideart has possibilities though).

I used to think building from scratch would be harder, but then I read two tricks: make the inner width 24 inches so you can use 2x4 sheets, and once you get one side cut, trace it onto a 4x8 for an easy match.

Got my cabinet body from Fry's.  It was a closeout bare X-arcade demo cab for $99.  Need to redo the door and control panel area though, plus new art.

[TOK]

I'd rather scratchbuild than chop, but first I'd ask why? These look so goofy compared to a real arcade cab.
Unless it has to fit in a closet to be hidden or something, just convert or build a regular sized machine.

[bluevolume]

I do, Prince makes me queasy (Wendy O Williams sideart has possibilities though).

Wow, if you asked anyone who they would put on the side of an arcade game I don't think they would come up with that in a million years.  On the side of a semi tractor, maybe.

She was another local girl that left here and took her craziness where it would be appreciated.  Hopefully Joanie (Chyna) doesn't follow in her footsteps...

[XyloSesame]

Man, nothing beats a cheesy avatar for thread hijacking...

These look so goofy compared to a real arcade cab.

I used to think these were goofy, too, until I saw Knievel's work. Of course, he's got the talent to make them look that good. Mine will prolly be just plain goofy. Remember, someone, somewhere, admires their home built CrapMame.

Regardless, I've got the tools and the shop; scratch build it is.

[fixedpigs]

i can't believe people here don't like prince...

people can get so worked up over a simple avatar too...

[bluevolume]

If you're going to go with a celebrity theme, you might as well do something COOL like this:

[Crowquill]

I'd definitely start from scratch. You can design around the sleekness a thin cab with an LCD display instead of having to try and adapt a cab that was made to have large clunky control panels and monitors.

As much as I love the artwork of Brian Bolland, that prince cover should never be an avatar. Bolland artwork could definitely make for sweet sideart, though.

[SavannahLion]

i can't believe people here don't like prince...

people can get so worked up over a simple avatar too...

It's because every guy bought his Purple Rain CD to play in the car with the full expectation of getting laid in the back seat. He was a major letdown to horny guys everywhere.

[AcidArmitage]

i can't believe people here don't like prince...

people can get so worked up over a simple avatar too...

It's because every guy bought his Purple Rain CD to play in the car with the full expectation of getting laid in the back seat. He was a major letdown to horny guys everywhere.

Everyone here has tried to purify someone in the waters of lake minitonka!

[SavannahLion]

I do, Prince makes me queasy (Wendy O Williams sideart has possibilities though).

I think I can live with that.

[ArtMAME]

Marvel Capcom
Prince vs. Wendy O

Now that has some potential. 

[bluevolume]

Marvel Capcom
Prince vs. Wendy O

Now that has some potential. 

Enjoy!

[Troy]

pointless long post so i dont have to look at that next time i check this theread
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actually why the hell am i still checking this thread......    

[SavannahLion]

Marvel Capcom
Prince vs. Wendy O

Now that has some potential. 

Enjoy!

AAAAAAAAIIIIEEEEE!! TAKE HIM OFF! TAKE HIM OFF!

[bluevolume]

I know, I thought that was funny when I was photoshopping it, but I now realize it is quite disturbing.

[ArtMAME]

I know, I thought that was funny when I was photoshopping it, but I now realize it is quite disturbing.

MY EYES!!!   

Please cover him up!!!...At least put some fancy Capcom armor on him, he will need it if he is fighting Wendy O.

BTW... your photoshopping privileges should be taken away...
and given to those less fortunate, to be used for the greater good of humanity!!! 

[Level42]

I actualy like some of Prince's music, yes I dare to admit it.

BUT WILL YOU STOP THIS BLASPHEMY BY PUTTING ALL KIND OF WEIRD PICTURES ON AN ARCADE RELIC !!!!

To compensate:




 

[ArtMAME]

I actualy like some of Prince's music, yes I dare to admit it.

BUT WILL YOU STOP THIS BLASPHEMY BY PUTTING ALL KIND OF WEIRD PICTURES ON AN ARCADE RELIC !!!!

Nice going Dude... you probably just declared Open Season for Photoshopping Galaxian cabs all over the world...

Brace yourselves... this could get ugly...

[Level42]

Bwah, photoshopping doesn't hurt real cabs...

[ArtMAME]

Bwah, photoshopping doesn't hurt real cabs...

True... but it can hurt...

MY EYES!!!