My Cab is near completion

[HeadRusch]

To the veterans here, its not going to looklike anything you haven't seen before.  I didn't have custom graphics printed for it, I didn't make the whole thing out of marble tile or Velveeta (heh), its just a simple mame cab for me and my basement.  However, its all mine, adn I put the sweat and chipped knuckle-skin into it, and so for this I am happy.

Its 80% done.

Last night was the big moment....when all the controls fit perfectly into the Lexan/MDF pre-drilled holes.

Tonight its painting the cab and bezel, and wiring the CP.  I'll worry about mounting it and putting int he t-moulding and fans tonight/tomorrow, we'll see.

A couple of comments now that I'm near the end:

1) there is no such thing as a straight line without using a table saw.  Jig all you want, your measurements and cuts will always be a LITTLE bit off

2) Using the template printouts to drill your CP controls is a godsend.  Drilling your holes after you realize your template has SHIFTED UP 1/4 of an inch on one side SUCKS...SUCKS @SS.  Oh well..I call it "personality".  "no no, its not SUPPOSED to be all lined up, damnit!".

3) There is no need to fear Lexan at all....

4) No matter how you lay out your controls, you're always going to wish you did something different.

4.5) Why didn't anyone tell me those START buttons from happs all have to have the same orientation of the microswitch!?!?!?!  Now each one is angled!!!! BAH!

6) This place, in a word, rules.

7) When you start a MAMECAB you want to make the whole thing out of clear acrylic with neon lighting, a touch-pad control screen, a motarized rotating monitor and built in vibro-massage seating.  By the time you're nearing the end of building it, you're happy if two freakin panels actually meet at a perfect 90 degree angle, and you pray you dont run out of wood-filler......the people at Home Depot know you by name and dont even blink when you ask them for a list like "I need plumbers tape, pine strips, wood filler, a 1 1/8 spade bit, and a TIG Welding unit.....got any 10" Flourescent fixtures!?!?!?!"

*sigh*

Hopefully by this weeks I'll have some pics...no side art, or any art really yet...waiting to borrow a friends inkjet.  I could have used some art under my CP but well, thats on there permanantly now so f-that.
I'll have to put some on the bezel and then get some plexi cut the correct size for the bezel glass.

But one thing is for sure.....this has been so much fun doing this......I'm already thinking of "Hmmm...a dedicated vertical cab would be cool!".  And perhaps a coctail....  Fun-is.

[Valiam Arkais]

4) No matter how you lay out your controls, you're always going to wish you did something different.

I just cut my plywood/plexy this weekend, and this is a very true statement.  I hope that the things I did wrong will still turn out...

4.5) Why didn't anyone tell me those START buttons from happs all have to have the same orientation of the microswitch!?!?!?!  Now each one is angled!!!! BAH!

Scary, this is one I havent thought of.  Hope I didn't screw something up...

6) This place, in a word, rules.

I agree, this place is a wealth of knowledge.

7) When you start a MAMECAB you want to make the whole thing out of clear acrylic with neon lighting, a touch-pad control screen, a motarized rotating monitor and built in vibro-massage seating.  By the time you're nearing the end of building it, you're happy if two freakin panels actually meet at a perfect 90 degree angle, and you pray you dont run out of wood-filler......the people at Home Depot know you by name and dont even blink when you ask them for a list like "I need plumbers tape, pine strips, wood filler, a 1 1/8 spade bit, and a TIG Welding unit.....got any 10" Flourescent fixtures!?!?!?!"

I tried to start small, but there's always one more thing I wish I could add...  It will never be completed at that rate.


Congrats on your work, I will be looking forward to seeing some finished pictures.

-Valiam

[bionicbadger]

4.5) Why didn't anyone tell me those START buttons from happs all have to have the same orientation of the microswitch!?!?!?!  Now each one is angled!!!! BAH!

This is one of the things you "discover" when you build a prototype panel.  One more reason why its a good idea to test things out.

[HeadRusch]

I proro'ed EVERYTHING *except* the start buttons.

HeadRusch = Dumbass

They are grouped together....hence the prolblem with the orientation of the microswitches.
Oh well, its not a show stopper

Live and learn...

[CitznFish]

cool. Can't wait to see pics.


....and introducing VelveetaMame!

[HeadRusch]

More Comments:

My wood putty job sucks...it sucks bad....now that I've painted it, it stands out like a lighthouse in the fog.

BUT...that is getting put on the "once its built" fix list.  I'll buy a nice orbital sander with dust collector, sand out those areas, and re-paint.  I'm TOO IMPATIENT to deal with that right now

The hammered metal black paint is pretty good, I like it....but its a pain to work with.  I just painted, and threw the roller and brush in the trash.....its thick, sticky and trashed my utility sink trying to clean it with mineral spirits.

This isn't going to be the worlds greatest MAME Cab, but in the end I'm just glad I got through it.  The first one is always your learning experience, right?