Newbie Needs Help Kicking off A Project (need help tracing out jakobud plans)

[barrel_hopper]

First of all I want to say hello to all! This is as awesome forum here filled with quite a few interesting people. I am trying to build a project not unlike the one found at http://mariobrosarcade.blogspot.com/

I am going to a donkey kong/nintendo cab replica based on the draft/plans found on www.jakobud.com

Here is where I am having issues. Being new at wood working trying to lay down the shape of the cabinet based off the measurements is proving to be quite the challenge! It really frustrates me when I set out to do something and cant accomplish it. But I am very stubborn as well as determined. The two go hand in hand I am told.

I am having alot of trouble making sense of all the measurement (as if the decimal stuff was not bad enough) I follow the measurements to the best of my ability and draw the line and it just does not look right.

The owner of the http://mariobrosarcade.blogspot.com/ site has been very informative but I don't want to bug him to much.

If anyone here can offer me some guidance I would really appreciate it. There are alot of curves in the cabinet and that is what makes it really hard. If this project does not go to horribly wrong I would like to attempt a galaga style cabinet next.

I am really looking forward to hearing from you guys and gals....nothing is more bothersome that being able to see something in your head and not get it out onto paper so to speak.

I am not so much worried about making the cuts as I am just getting down the shape.

Thanks in advance,

Adam S.

[barrel_hopper]

anyone?

[javeryh]

I'm not sure where you are having difficulty but here are some tips...

You should be able to lay everything out with a T-square and a compass.  Make sure you start with a piece of plywood that has one straight edge on the side which will be the back edge of the cabinet.  Use the T-square as close to the bottom edge as possible and draw a line - this will be the bottom edge of the cabinet.  Cut the wood along this line so you can use the t-square on the bottom edge as well as the side.  Now that you have the top and bottom edges cut, make all of your measurements off of there.  I usually layout all of the points and then connect them after the fact.

Curves are simple too.  If you know the radius of the circle (for a curve) plus the end points it is really easy to plot.  Grab your compass and make it the radius of the curve you are plotting.  Put the point of the compass on the end point of the curve and make an arc roughly where you think the center point of the circle is.  Do the same thing for the other end point.  Where ever the arcs you just made meet is the center point to the circle.  now without adjusting the compass, place the point of the compass on the point where the arcs meet and draw your curve.  If your compass is too small use a pencil and some string.

 

[barrel_hopper]

wow the bella's arcade machine is beautiful. Thanks for the tips. I am jealous of your skills 

[javeryh]

wow the bella's arcade machine is beautiful. Thanks for the tips. I am jealous of your skills 

Heh, thanks.  All of my "skills" were developed from these projects.  I've never really built anything else before and I'm always thinking if I can do it anyone can.  Laying out the cabinet side is a pain but once you get a system going it should be easy - for me cutting perfectly straight lines on the tablesaw is the hardest part believe it or not...

[barrel_hopper]

Thanks again for the advice. Anyone else?