Author Topic: -VENDOR- Turnarcades Custom-built Arcades (Read 46265 times)

Turnarcades · « **Reply #40 on:** January 26, 2009, 08:43:22 pm »

Been absolutely ages since I added to this thread due to a lack of unique cabinet orders and a massive Christmas schedule, however the new year is here and I'm kicking off with a biggie - the first order for a 'Supreme' cabinet was taken just after Christmas and is well under way!

The 'Supreme' cabinet is the largest set-design in our range, featuring a multi-box construction, huge LCD display, 4-player control panel and a powerful 2.1 speaker system. Since my original concept picture (see website) the design has been completely overhauled, borrowing the simple lines from the majority of our range and the slanting panels from our slimline cabinets to maintain a good centre of gravity for both the control panel pedestal and the monitor pedestal sections. Here are the first few photos showing it's initial construction phase, with a height comparison to my 6'2" lead builder to show how the proportions work in reality:

Forgive any construction gaps/misalignments at this stage as they have now been adjusted accordingly. The major factor in the re-design was customer input, some further thoughts on wiring demands, aesthetics and practicality. For example, this customer was unsure about his size requirements so I decided to do away with the central 'joining box', instead having the control panel pedestal with two fixed castors at the front and feet with stoppers at the rear. This makes the control panel moveable when tipped towards you (so can be set at the exact distance you want) but held steady by the grippy stoppers when placed level. The completely re-designed monitor box and pedestal have the mids and tweeters relocated to just underneath the monitor, pointing towards the players instead of at the sides of the screen as on a lot of showcase cabinets. This keeps the overall width down and allows less wiring to be fed from the monitor box section into the pedestal below. The two sections will have a generous amount of wiring slack between them that can be fed back inside the pedestals once the ideal distance is found, and all wiring will be bound/wrapped into one hose section to keep it tidy.

Hopefully having photo documentation of this as a completed machine will encourage others to consider ordering this cabinet, just as it did with our 'King' cabinet. I am currently working on a modified range of 2-player cabinets too, replicating some popular 'American-style' dedicated cabinets but acknowledging the need for compact cabinets in the UK. They will be somewhat akin to the two-piece design of the 'King' cabinet but with slightly different profiles and control panel options, with prices somewhere between those of the 'Master' and 'King' models.

Once again any feedback is welcome....

thatitalian · « **Reply #41 on:** January 27, 2009, 12:03:44 pm »

Can't see the pic bud!

Turnarcades · « **Reply #42 on:** January 27, 2009, 12:54:12 pm »

Try again - it's definitely working...

Here is a picture of the control panel box, part assembled and drilled. The trackball used is as always a U-trak from Ultimarc, which without the trim ring sits flush with the surface of the panel with no raised edges, ugly mounting plate or raised bolt heads:

Turnarcades · « **Reply #43 on:** January 28, 2009, 01:19:24 pm »

Some further progress, with the control panel in place and most sanding+filling completed...

Turnarcades · « **Reply #44 on:** February 02, 2009, 08:47:11 pm »

'Supreme' build update - most panels in various stages of painting and shown here pretty much assembled as it will stand when finished. Looks enormous in this tiny kitchen but is perfectly in proportion with the monitor section being at head-height for a 6-footer.

Turnarcades · « **Reply #45 on:** February 05, 2009, 02:12:36 pm »

'Supreme' build update - The cabinet is nearing completion now with the shell work on the control panel, cp pedestal and monitor pedestal complete. The speaker system is installed in the monitor pedestal with the plug bank, and the PC components will be mounted inside the cp pedestal over the next few days. The LCD screen is next to be fitted and braced into the monitor box, when the sides will be prepped and the final painting done. TThe perspex and artwork will arrive shortly so in the meantime the cables will all be adjusted to length and a trial run made.

Turnarcades · « **Reply #46 on:** February 17, 2009, 01:01:50 pm »

Here is the first finished 'Supreme' cabinet we have built. We are quite pleased with the results and the machine's proportions are as expected. Building the first of a kind or a one-off is always a learning experience as the dimensions may seem fine on paper but not in reality. Luckily we have not had to play around with the dimensions too much as we go along on this one and it's all worked out into a design we are happy to replicate for future orders.

HaRuMaN · « **Reply #47 on:** February 17, 2009, 01:51:58 pm »

Are the player 3 & 4 joys mounted on an angle?

Turnarcades · « **Reply #48 on:** February 17, 2009, 07:28:51 pm »

Quote from: HarumaN on February 17, 2009, 01:51:58 pm

Are the player 3 & 4 joys mounted on an angle?

Yes. A lot of people critique this layout based on a lot of original 4-player cabinets having sticks that were aligned with the screen, however the trials I did had people saying they felt no disorientation with angled sticks and we have stuck with this layout ever since. If you think about it, you don't look at your controls while you play so why should anyone experience difficulty? We've all played multi-player console games and it's rare you will all be sat square on with the TV with your joypad (at least not in homes I've lived in) so it's really no different.

If the customer had specified a preference for forward-facing sticks we would do that, but quite often the 3rd and 4th players are a rarity so most people would not bother. Keeping the regular layout for those player's buttons and bringing them square with the monitor would also mean making the control panel much wider and ungainly anyway so no-one has ever asked for that.

Turnarcades · « **Reply #49 on:** March 06, 2009, 12:40:47 pm »

We are currently working on a couple of slimline versions of our 'Master' cabinet. These slimline designs pretty much follow the same height/width proportions of our regular models, but (as with our other slimline designs) are around half the depth of the regular 'fat' cabinet at their deepest point (the base). Here is a picture of the bare shell of one of them as it currently stands;

One of these cabinets will have a 19" LCD and the other a 22" widescreen LCD. Although many are not in favour of using LCD screens in their own cabs I have never seen any problems with display or longevity on flat panels. However, I do always advise customers of the best options to get the most out of their cabinets and try to encourage a 4:3 screen in most cases. It seems many are not bothered by a slightly stretched display and no-one is put off by LCD displays so about 50% of our orders are now for slimline models. This is good for everyone as it makes the machines much lighter, easier to build and due to our designs do not require major changes to the plans/dimensions. This makes customising them easy and from the front they remain virtually identical to our regular machines, so people still get the same look and feel that first drew them to that model.

Turnarcades · « **Reply #50 on:** March 10, 2009, 03:32:00 pm »

The slimline 'Master' cabinets are coming along nicely and it's great that they can be stood in the same space that 1 regular 'Master' cabinet usually occupies. Alongside these two machine builds we are also building a 'Cocktail' cabinet for a customer. We don't have many requests for cocktail builds and the photo documentation of the few builds we had done was lost in a hard-drive failure a while back. Many people have been curious about seeing a completed cabinet as our design is very unique among cocktail designs, instead focusing on horizontal games and side-by-side play to offer the same 2-player experience as our other designs. As vertical games can be played fine on a horizontal screen anyway, our design can be appealing to both classic enthusiasts as well as the casual gamer. Here are the few pics we have so far, with a 17" monitor just dropped in temporarily to give an idea of proportion. The finished item will have a 19" monitor fitted in it's place:

gonzo90017 · « **Reply #51 on:** March 10, 2009, 05:32:30 pm »

Looks very nice but not too much leg room.

Turnarcades · « **Reply #52 on:** March 10, 2009, 07:06:55 pm »

Alhough it doesn't have an overhanging control panel like many seen on these forums, the playing position is still fairly comfortable and the design means that each player can put one leg at the side of the cabinet if necessary. The inward-angled front also gives foot room at the base so you don't have to tuck your feet right back as you would if the front was completely vertical. The steeper-angled control panel also helps as it stops you having to reach so far forward to reach the upper row of buttons or push up on the joystick.

Turnarcades · « **Reply #53 on:** March 13, 2009, 11:39:00 pm »

Progress rapidly made with the 2 slimline 'Master' cabinets means they are not far from finished:

and this pic with mock-up side-art illustrates the shallow side profile well...

This design is growing on me so I hope to have more orders for this design. Being lighter and easier to work around they are a pleasure to build, and I am even considering building an upright racing cabinet for myself using this shell design - primarily for the Crazy Taxi series.

Turnarcades · « **Reply #54 on:** March 19, 2009, 05:11:35 pm »

The first of the two slimline 'Master' cabinets is complete. The cabinet has turned out well and the customer is very pleased with the result. I've found from building these that the machines could easily go much slimmer but to retain sturdiness and a good overall look it will stay at 16" deep.

Turnarcades · « **Reply #55 on:** April 24, 2009, 11:37:54 am »

Finally found time to post a completed picture of the 'Cocktail' we were recently working on. Looks great with the smoked, shaped and polished acrylic surface;

Turnarcades · « **Reply #56 on:** April 29, 2009, 10:07:47 pm »

It's been a long time in coming but the Turnarcades website is now undergoing a complete re-design by one of our very own BYOAC members and should be ready in the next month or so.

The new website will include:

Our complete new product line-up, with more models, options and upgrades and our 2009 prices
New pictures of older cabinet designs and more examples for inspiration
A completely redesigned page layout and navigation system
An instant, simple 'quote generator' to give a quick idea of what your custom cabinet will cost
Full terms and conditions, payment instructions and delivery options
Links to third-party software documentation and Turnarcades' instruction and support files

The development website is currently found at the following link;

Turnarcades development website

but please bear in mind the site is still in development and will change frequently in the coming weeks. Any queries should continue to be e-mailed direct to me or sent by PM in the BYOAC forum.

Craig

Blanka · « **Reply #57 on:** June 29, 2009, 10:29:52 am »

See you have the site live allready.
1 hint:
Try to keep the menu open when you browse the products. Now you have unfold the menu every time again from the collapsed state.

Turnarcades · « **Reply #58 on:** June 29, 2009, 10:11:12 pm »

Quote from: Blanka on June 29, 2009, 10:29:52 am

See you have the site live allready.
1 hint:
Try to keep the menu open when you browse the products. Now you have unfold the menu every time again from the collapsed state.

Live yes, complete no. It's taking much longer than I'd like but the author has many projects ongoing. A big part is being done now with the quote builder page, and that collapsing issue with the products is being taken care of.

megrog2 · « **Reply #59 on:** October 08, 2009, 03:21:18 pm »

Hey Turnerarcades I really like your pedestal, since you probably can't ship a kit of that size to the states would you be willing to sell your plans for it.

HaRuMaN · « **Reply #60 on:** October 12, 2009, 01:36:37 pm »

Quote from: Turnarcades on March 06, 2009, 12:40:47 pm

Now complete with cigarette smoke pre-installed for that authentic arcade experience!

Ummon · « **Reply #61 on:** October 14, 2009, 12:49:44 am »

Quote from: HarumaN on October 12, 2009, 01:36:37 pm

Quote from: Turnarcades on March 06, 2009, 12:40:47 pm

Now complete with cigarette smoke pre-installed for that authentic arcade experience!

Hah hah hah hah hah hah hah. Brutal. But honest.

Turnarcades · « **Reply #62 on:** October 18, 2009, 08:05:38 pm »

Would be even more hilarious if it were actually as it appears - but this fella doesn't even smoke! That's actually a pencil you see there.

Turnarcades · « **Reply #63 on:** May 24, 2010, 10:54:33 pm »

Just realised it's been a long time since I posted any updates after I've received many e-mails asking if we are still in operation, but for any more newcomers who have just discovered us be assured that this is a good sign and we are still in business. There has been a huge increase in demand over the last 12 months so opportunity to post new project pics has been scarce!

We understand the website issue has been dragged out for some time so if you think you can help then drop me an e-mail, but until then there is still much info to be found on the website and most current information can be found on our current ebay listings so search for us on ebay UK to view a lot of key information and prices.

As a reminder, we will also be attending the R3play retro gaming expo in Blackpool in November and will be offering some sizeable show-exclusive discounts for orders placed on the day. Frequent visitors to BYOAC and experienced cabinet builders may be interested in buying a flat-pack kit as we will have several ready and packed to take home on the day, whilst deposits can be placed for shells and full machines with up to a £50 discount off our normal prices. I will be there in person to answer any queries or discuss custom build possibilities and as a hobbyist will enjoy the opportunity to meet and greet other BYOAC members at the show!

Turnarcades · « **Reply #64 on:** August 03, 2010, 09:10:26 pm »

As we were approaching our Summer break and I will be reviewing our advertising and online presence, I decided to take the time to take some constructive videos of the last couple of machines we built. Many people were also asking to see what our current front-end and software revision looked like, so I've created a dedicated Turnarcades youtube channel and uploaded a varied selection of videos there. The channel can be viewed at:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Turnarcades

I have also added 'favourite' links to other youtube member's videos that may be of interest, such as those of a previous customer as he put the finishing touches and modifications on his machine. Here is a selection of some of those videos, so if you like them them please check out the others:

Turnarcades · « **Reply #65 on:** September 23, 2010, 06:17:27 pm »

Developments have been slow over the last few months whilst we were sorting out our premises move, but I'm pleased to say we have now completed the move and will be starting back doing custom build orders from next week. In light of our expansion and increased requests to visit by potential customers, the new premises has a separate office and viewing area to view working demo machines and custom builds approaching completion. Customers will be able to visit and discuss aspects of their custom build and draw inspiration from working models for those who are a little more indecisive.

The new premises will not be cosmetically finished for quite a while yet as we have a large backlog of orders in the run-up to Christmas, but this sketch shows the intended layout of the new premises:

In line with our premises move and expansion, we have now made arrangements with numerous international couriers and can once again offer not only our kits, but full machines and other custom projects to customers in Ireland, mainland Europe and the rest of the UK we previously did not cover (non-mainland). This will be good news to former enquirers from the continent who until now have not been able to order from us and have not found a good value alternative elsewhere in Europe.

We will be aiming to improve our lead times as soon as we start back and hope to fit in more orders before Christmas this year, with the hope of halving our current lead times by early next year. We are also in talks with several arcade supply companies about commissioning kit lines for them so you may start to see some new alternatives on the UK market, and for those unfussy customers we will be creating stocks of pre-made and ready-to-go cabinet kits of our most popular models, ready to purchase with no lead times.

2011 should be a big year for us and hopefully we will continue to see support from the online community.

Turnarcades · « **Reply #66 on:** January 12, 2011, 08:55:18 pm »

Business has picked up to a point where our online forum presence has suffered, but our facebook page and youtube channel are proving very popular, with many updates being posted on the facebook profile.

On a side note, we have during the course of the last few months acquired a couple of additions we normally wouldn't and although we'd love to be collectors, our business is in custom-built machines and so we'd prefer to let originals go to collectors and gamers who really want them. We have coming up a Silent Scope 2 arcade machine (unknown condition) but right now we do have a bit of an oddball classic in the form of an original 1955 Bally 'Miami Beach' bingo pinball machine. It's in average shape and is listed as non-working, but we're actually unsure of it's condition and rescued it from being skipped by the previous owner who wanted rid of it by any means. It has all original parts including a decent backglass with original artwork, original rubbers and playfield glass and original wooden top rails, so even if it's not working these parts alone are ideal for another resto project!

It may not be for everyone, but I know there's a few collectors out there so if you know anyone who has a use for it, You can view the machine on the ebay listing here: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280615257473

saint · « **Reply #67 on:** June 30, 2011, 02:51:13 pm »

Is this still an active thread? If not I'd like to de-sticky it.

Turnarcades · « **Reply #68 on:** October 02, 2011, 04:28:35 pm »

I still monitor it Saint and it's referred quite frequently from other, but I've just been saving up info for posting and not had chance to add anything for a while. Please leave it stickied if possible.

Ortizimo · « **Reply #69 on:** October 30, 2011, 06:44:15 pm »

if u dont ship to the US then do u sell the plans so we can take them to get build in the local hardware store? i like the laptop bartop.

Turnarcades · « **Reply #70 on:** November 27, 2011, 08:52:30 pm »

Quote from: Ortizimo on October 30, 2011, 06:44:15 pm

if u dont ship to the US then do u sell the plans so we can take them to get build in the local hardware store? i like the laptop bartop.

Sorry haven't checked into this thread for a while - we'd love to be able to supply plans but unfortunately we only work from general guide plans and dimensions ourselves as everything is cut from scratch by hand - unique machines like the Laptop Bar-Top we literally created as we went along, so I'm afraid we don't even have any sketches for that one!

FlowState · « **Reply #71 on:** March 11, 2012, 09:56:50 pm »

Hey, I'd definitely be interested in discussing a purchase to be shipped to the Isle of Man (yeah, that'll be cheap). What would be the best way to communicate? There wasn't a 'contact us' link on your site (that I saw), so I wasn't sure how you'd want to discuss a possible order. Thanks for the help!

HaRuMaN · « **Reply #72 on:** March 19, 2013, 03:07:30 pm »

Still active? De-sticky time

Gray_Area · « **Reply #73 on:** March 20, 2013, 03:10:09 pm »

Quote from: FlowState on March 11, 2012, 09:56:50 pm

Hey, I'd definitely be interested in discussing a purchase to be shipped to the Isle of Man (yeah, that'll be cheap). What would be the best way to communicate? There wasn't a 'contact us' link on your site (that I saw), so I wasn't sure how you'd want to discuss a possible order. Thanks for the help!

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