Taking the next step (Custom Control Panel)

[Harakiri]

Good evening fellow BYOAC members!

- Personal Info: 

I've been wandering around this forum for too long and now that i have some spare money i've decided to take a step further by building my customized control panel!

(Note that i had a different alias backthen: Whiskeroids)

After years of playing MAME and watching control panel builds from other members i've decided that i want my future CP to be simple yet effective and compatible.

- About the "Portuguese Arcade Scene":

My arcade experience dates the early nineties when the Street Fighter 2 and Super Sidekicks where the hype of the moment. Arcade rooms and Cafes were filled with teenagers playing them everytime of the day. Since i was a minor back then i had to sneak into arcades and be aware of the police.

( => $500 dollar fine for people under 16 years of age playing coin operated machines. Operators were subjected to even bigger fines for consenting these actions among minors) 

It kinda sucked because arcades were treated as casinos. The governments narrowed vision was somehow responsible for most of the decline that the Arcade Scene suffered here in Portugal. 

---

Well, i guess there's not much to say there. Let's get to matters. 


CP layout:

1&2 Player Start Buttons

2x Ball-top Joysticks (Sanwa 4-8 Way)

5x Pushbuttons for each player (Sanwa Microswitch Ones)

1x Spinner (To be decided)

1x Trackball (To be decided)

2x Flipper Buttons (Sanwa Microswitch Ones)


Well. I could name lots of CPs that inspired me to take this decision but i guess most of you guys can visualize quite well this setup.

I'm thinking about buying these parts from ARCADE DEPOT UK. I've read some articles about Sanwa parts and since Joysticks are both 4 and 8 way i got quite pleased with it. If you know of a better offer located in Europe please let me know ok!

I've found that X-Arcade sells a blank control panel that suits my needs. I'm probably gonna buy this one if no greater solution comes...

I need help finding a viable solution for this problem. I'd be quite thankful if somethig relating to woodworking at acessible prices! 

That's all for now, some feedback is greatly appreciated!

Untill then, take care! 


Bye

[atarihomestar]

Since you are farther along than me in your quest to build a control panel, I really can't offer any help.  Except to say good luck.  I am still trying to decide on the layout, but it sounds like you know.  I think I'll probably just buy the parts I think I'll need, and then make a control panel using some spare wood.  That way, I can try it out for a while and decide if I like it. 

Anyway,  good luck!  Let us know how it comes.

[Kajoq]

I hope you mean 6 buttons per player if you were a Street Fighter player.  Dont want to be missing a button!