Glowing translucent cab...

[ediblegod]

Just wondering, has anyone attempted making a translucent cabinet like this one

http://www.officialgamehaven.com/crystalcade.html

I saw this at a fair about 2 years ago. I really liked the alternating colors it is capable of, it gives it a really nice effect. It can be designed much better though. I think, as soon as  I finish the 3 cabs I have left in the garage, I'm gonna attempt something similar.

[SavannahLion]

It can be designed much better though.

Those are the magic words right there. Don't know if anyone really has designed a better looking cab than that. I'd like to see better photos of the transparent Pac-Man(?) cabinet. But outside of that, translucent and transparent cabinets don't seem to be very attractive to me. A big part of it is the bolt/screw heads prominently featured on all the edges of that cabinet. It gives the cab an industrial look that looks out of place when the entire cabinet is translucent like that.

I think the first step to making a better cab is designing a cab that takes advantage of the properties of the chosen translucent material. Don't build the cab using the same techniques as you would your typical wood cab. For instance, instead of using bolts or screw heads along the visible front edges, round the edges. If bolts are a necessity, hide them, such as around the back. If the bolt MUST be seen, use pins made of the same material as the cab instead. Yeah, you probably lose shear strength, so you wouldn't want to use them on stress areas.

People build massive complex fish tanks using all sorts of techniques to ensure the clarity of the acrylic and glass is unobstructed. A giant translucent box on a box with a box would be an interesting exercise.

[havic626]

Looks kinda tacky to me, i dont like the look

[Danny R]

Not my style either, but another suggestion for the translucent cab would be to definitely use some translucent buttons on it and translucent trackball.  Just having the case being translucent seems to only be half the job.   Put in something like this as well:



Thing might look pretty impressive with multiple colors flashing through it, although you'd want it toned down during actual game play.

[ex_directory]

Wow, where did that led spinner knob come from? 

[Neilyboy]

All those lights would be too damn distracting. I dont know though SavannahLion said it right.. It can be done much better.

Neil

[weisshaupt]

I think this can be done right, and I thought about doing something similar once upon a time when I first concienved of Ghost.. 

But I think the RIGHT way to do it is to inset the "glowing panels"  in a traditional MDF frame. I think having solid, non glowing edges, will set off the lights better, make it much easier to build, and just in general yield a more professional looking result.  Ulta high Molecular wight (UHMW)  or low density Polyethylene (LDPE)  seemed to be the best two generally available  plastics for this  application (that I found)  I bleieve Cornchip's controls (including that spinner) are made out of some type of Vinyl.

The problem I see with the Cyrstal Cade is that you see every one of the supports..I find the bolts less irritating, but still annoying. 
If you are going for all crystal,  I think a support system that is invisible (bolts and all ) is required to really pull it off, and means welding plastics together.. I am sure it can be done, but its way beyond my skill to do it.

[Singapura]

The idea is okay but the whole thing is much too "edgy". It would be much cooler if it had an organic shape like the Computer Space cab. Now that would be cool when translucent. Also, the light isn't dispersed so you actual see the lightsource. Are they using neon tubes or something?

[Turnarcades]

Never attempted it myself, and to be honest I agree with most here, in that if you went with anything close to this, it would look a little naff, as you have to have too many visible studs and fasteners, and safely wiring all those lights could be a pain.

There was a replica DK or Pac-Man cabinet I saw a while back made entirely from perspex so you could see all the internals, but that was cool on a whole different level. Can't find it online any more though.
Anyone know where it is?

[NickG]

Saint has it linked. from the main page go to Cabinets; then go to building cabinets; then click on the "Here's a Picture of My Dream cabinet" link.

[Turnarcades]

Now that's a whole new level of cool! I bet it wouldn't cost that much to replicate either - maybe a couple of hundred in strengthened acrylic and some repro graphics, then add the boards of your choice.

[unclet]

I real do not like the look of a see-thru cabinet .... that PacMan cabinet seems way to messy to me .... does not even seem "done" really.

[IA1NY]

I real do not like the look of a see-thru cabinet .... that PacMan cabinet seems way to messy to me .... does not even seem "done" really.

Yeah, you really need to go all out with clean wiring if you're going to do that.

...I bet it wouldn't cost that much to replicate either - maybe a couple of hundred in strengthened acrylic...

Actually you're looking at about $1000 in acrylic alone, before cutting and shaping. Ouch!

[fjl]

That see through Ms. Pacman does have a cool factor as someone said but I wouldn't want something like that. I assume it scratches easily and fingerprints will always be easily visible. Not to mention all the dust that will stick to it from static cling plus the dust that collects on the inside. Just seems like too much maintenance for such a cab. Plus the inside circuit boards and all, while being kept original clashes with the cool look of the transparency.


And DannyR, where did you get that LED glowing spinner knob?

[Danny R]

And DannyR, where did you get that LED glowing spinner knob?

Not mine. 

Got the pic from this thread:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=76670.0

I believe its a picture of the control panel from Cornchip's Revolver Arcade Project.  Instructions on how he built it are about halfway down the thread:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=62577