Mountain's Fantasy Cab

[mountain]

Hey all! Time to start documenting my next cabinet. This one will be a scratch build. My first cabinet was an old kangaroo that I chopped and converted. In the back of my mind I couldn't help but think that I should have scratch built it. I spent so much time, stripping the paint, cleaning the inside, stripping the sides, sanding the sides, calculating where I should cut, etc. I think that a scrach built machine will be a lot of fun and a little more streamlined.

This new cabinet came about when my brother asked me to build him one after seeing mine for the first time. A few weeks ago, just as I was beginning the planning stages of "my brothers" cabinet, I found a WG D9200 locally in the BST for a great price. From the beginning of my last project, I had a suspicion that the 21" computer monitor wasn't going to cut it for me. I was right, it wasn't big enough and the games just didn't look the same as I remembered. So, after a lot of thought I decided to give him my first build and create another. He could care less about the authenticity of the monitor and needs the machine quicker than I can produce it.

This time the machine will actually have a name!  

I decided to name it Fantasy. I will get into how that came about later I suppose.

Time for some pictures. Last weekend I purchase the MDF and created a template out of 1/2" material. After it was all smoothed out I traced it onto the 3/4" material.



I did a rough cut around the mark and screwed the template to the 3/4" material.



After using the router with my flush cutting bit.



All done with the slats installed.



Another shot showing the cardboard template I made of my monitor.



On my last machine the slats behind the marquee created a shadow on the marquee and drove me nuts everytime I looked at it.

I beveled them to solve that problem.

[mccoy178]

Sweet!  I can't wait to see how this develops!

[Thy]

After how impressive your last one was I'm looking forward to seeing how you go on this one.

[Franco B]

Quality of craftsmanship is excellent. Looking forward to seeing some more 

[sparcade]

After using the router with my flush cutting bit.

Nothing quite like the look of a fresh router cut! 

Looks good.  I will definitely be tagging along for the ride on this build.

[javeryh]

Looking good mountain!   I can't wait to see what you come up with for this one. 

[Kaytrim]

So the master craftsman is at it again.  Don't for get to take plenty of

TTFN
Kaytrim

[mountain]

Hmm, well lets hope my Sophomore attempt can size up. I really wasn't planning on anything crazy. I just want this machine to be very clean looking with a few head turning features. I have a few ideas that I want to try. I have been working on the artwork for it with a little success. I am having a hard time knowing when to stop tweaking it. I guess I am afraid of commitment. 

To me, the best part of the machine will be the 27" arcade monitor sitting behind the smoked glass, on the same plane as the upward angle above the control panel. The cabinet is going to be 27" wide and 30" deep at the base.

Don't worry, many pictures will follow.

[BORIStheBLADE]

I can't wait to see this one.

[Timoe]

another "cant miss" build 

[frytex]

I am trying to build one for myself keep up the great notes.

[mountain]

I found some time to complete the speaker panel above the monitor. I forgot to take a picture of the speakers. I am using a set of homemade speakers I made several years ago. I found an old set of cast aluminum enclosures on ebay a long time ago for next to nothing and built a crossover for some infinity 4" midranges and a set of Cliff Designs 1" soft dome tweeters. I will post pictures of them later as well as specifics on the rest of audio components.


I used a router with guides to cut out the openings.



I laminated the piece and trimmed it. Then I flipped it over and used my router to take some material out, leaving room for the speaker grill. I left the laminate untouched.



Here are the grilles cut from a sheet I found at McMaster-Carr. I painted them black and masked the bottom for the next step.



Here are the grilles in place waiting to be attached.



I mixed up some Bondo and placed it in a baggie. I cut a hole in the corner of the bag to place the Bondo excactly where I wanted it. Using my finger, I pressed the Bondo into the corner. Before the Bondo began to dry, I removed the masking tape.



Here is a shot of the completed panel.



A little more detail.

[Lutus]

looks factory to me     

[Neilyboy]

damn nice man!!! I cant wait to watch this project progress!!

Neil

[Bender]

Nice work truly an inspiration
Love all the little details you include like the bondo in the baggie. I love those simple but clever solutions that you come up with.
Thanks for sharing!
Can't wait to see this all the way through!

[golfboyusa]

I feel like I'm back in school, looking over your shoulder and copying exam answers. I'm stealing that speaker grill idea. I wish I thought of it 1st. Great work!

[mountain]

Thanks guys!

I made some progress this weekend. The wife and kids were gone all day Saturday and half of today. I get so much more done when there are no distractions!

The speaker system I decided to use is the Altec Lansing FX4021.



Here is the control unit that comes with the system.



I plan on modding this so that it is integrated into the admin panel. It has green LEDs in those clear plastic pieces. They follow level of volume as well as the amount of treble and bass when selected. I obviously will be replacing the green LEDs with blue ones. I have big plans for this baby, I sure hope it works.

The sub in this system is an isobaric design. There are actually two 5 1/4" speakers used for the sub they are mounted face to face and the top speaker is wired out of phase so that they both move together in the same direction.



I want to mount the sub out of the way and firing down through the bottom of the cab. It just barely fits between where the coin door box and left side of the cabinet.

To mount it correctly I had to completely dismantle the sub.



I took the face plate and traced it onto the bottom panel of the cabinet.





I cut out around where the speaker would be placed and beveled it 45 degrees...just because.





After making some adjustments, I reassembled the sub and mounted it to the bottom plate.

[mountain]

I was also able to build the base for the cabinet this weekend too. I am using four 1/2" threaded leg levelers in the corners.

[somunny]

Man, that is one clean build.    These are the kind of results you see when woodworkers join the mix.  Suddenly I feel like I may as well be using and axe and a chisel to build my cab.

That grill installation looks seriously nice.

[DaOld Man]

Great work!
Very professional!

[mccoy178]

Mountain, it looks fantastic!  I would like to note that I am beginning my trip to NY to pick up the CNC machine, so give me a call if you have any ideas!   

[javeryh]

I love this thing already.   

[Franco B]

Awesome dude, just awesome

[mountain]

Mountain, it looks fantastic!  I would like to note that I am beginning my trip to NY to pick up the CNC machine, so give me a call if you have any ideas!  

I am rubbing my hands in anticipation!  Man, if I would have only waited a few more weeks to get started. The possibilities are endless with a CNC machine. With a little programming, cutting out the joystick and trackball recesses will be spot on. I had some ideas for the sides that could have used it too.

[miles2912]

You do some clean work there.  It is going to sound great.... heck I bet you could do some serious Karaoke on it too!


D-

[mountain]

Well, I am finally able to give an update on the progress of this project. I have been traveling a lot for work the last few weeks. Tonight I was able to finish up some sanding and other minor work. I got the cabinet off of the sawhorses to stand it vertical for the first time since I assembled it. I was anxious to do this considering the time I spent measuring the height and width of the cab and the orientation of the monitor. Everything turned out the way I wanted...thank god!

Here are some pics





Here are two pictures to show the angle of the monitor. I decided on this angle because I think the laid back approach is more comfortable. I didn't want to go too far because the kids might have a hard time viewing it.





I made the monitor bracket out of pine. They are strengthened with vertical and horizontal pieces as well as internal blocks on the side and in the center.



Here is a shot of the monitor from the back.



I made the cabinet depth as short as possible, thanks to the monitor template I made. With the back panel installed, there is about 5/8" distance between the rear bracket of the monitor and the back panel.



The slat behind the speaker grill is where the front smoked Plexiglas bezel will rest.



Here are the custom made speakers I mentioned earlier.



A shot of the base mounted to the cabinet.



I hope to get enough done this weekend to post another update.

 

[mountain]

Here some pictures of what little progress I made this weekend. I finished sanding screw heads that I filled in with Bondo in the back and top. Next, I decided to tackle the marquee light. I am using a GGG NovaMatrix LED light. After deciding on the layout of the cabinet, I realized that the light was going to have to be very close to the marquee. Because I want the front monitor glass to be flush with the front edge of the cab, the speakers are forced forward. On top of that, the speakers are relatively big. The NovaMatrix LED light will be sitting about 8 inched from the marquee, so I was afraid that there would be a hot spot in the middle.

To help prevent this, I pieced together an enclosure with PVC pipe and an old diffuser from an overhead office fixture. The goal is to disperse the light more evenly. The diffuser has mirrored 45 degree angles in it that force the light to the left and to the right.










I was also able to get the inside edges primed and painted. I want to laminate the whole thing next weekend so I can get it in the house to begin wiring the computer up.



I need to get the artwork over to Scott at mamemarquees. The control panel art is almost done but I'm a little burnt out on Photoshop at the moment. That learning curve is a ---smurfette---! Can someone give me an idea what the turnaround time is at mamemarquees?

[whoozwah]

turn time from my experience is around a week plus shipping.

[csa3d]

To help prevent this, I pieced together an enclosure with PVC pipe and an old diffuser from an overhead office fixture. The goal is to disperse the light more evenly. The diffuser has mirrored 45 degree angles in it that force the light to the left and to the right.

Awesome Idea with the NovaMatrix light!  When I finally got mine installed, I thought that the cool color of the LEDs wasn't quite the glow I had remembered from way back when.  For light dispersion, I spray painted the inside of the marquee box with reflective, metallic silver paint.  Doing it over, I might have tried a gold metallic instead, or messed around with a faint yellow film of some sort.  I think also, that I might have used two lights instead of just one.  Great product, just my opinions on final product.  I'm anxious to see how the diffusion tube works for you!  Great stuff.  You make it appear effortless.

-csa

[mountain]

I was able to mount the light fixture and test it tonight. I had an old marquee from my first project to test to see how uniform the lighting would be. Below is a good shot of what it looks like lit up. The picture is sort of deceiving because the background image is bright in the center and fades from left to right. Also, the MAME logo has ALOT of light shading behind it as well. It gives the appearance that there is more light in the center. However, there are two strips of blue painters tape that I put on the sides to fill the gap because the marquee was not wide enough for the new cab. Notice how they glow really well. I am confident that final marquee will be evenly lit.

[patrickl]

Clever trick with the led strip. Have you tried a before and after picture to check the effectiveness of the reflector and diffuser?

[mountain]

Clever trick with the led strip. Have you tried a before and after picture to check the effectiveness of the reflector and diffuser?

Good idea. I will have to wait until the new marquee shows up because I trashed the one in the picture.

[golfboyusa]

Mountain, I'm going to router a speaker grill similar to yours tomorrow. Can you give me an idea what you used for a guide to cut those rectangular holes? Thanks!

[mountain]

I use 3/4" x 1" pine. You will need to measure the distance from the edge of your router base to the edge of the cutting blade. I always do a test run before I committ to cutting the piece.

Draw it all out before hand. I like to used brad nails to secure the wood guides, making sure they are short enough to pull out easily. The tiny holes patch easily enough, so it works for me.

Good luck 

[golfboyusa]

That's how I figured you did it. I'll let you know how it turns out.....

[Franco B]

Bloody hell! Slow down boyo, you will have finished before your package gets there! 

Think you could have built ten in the time taken to build mine! 

[mountain]

I was able to get the cabinet laminated this weekend. I like the universal appeal of black on a cabinet and you just can't beat the durability and appearance on laminate. Below are some shots of the process that may help those who want to laminate their cabs but were a little intimidated by it. It is very easy as long as you plan ahead and follow the directions.

Here are the two surfaces with the glue already applied. Make sure you use a tack cloth to get all of the dust off.




I taped the laminate piece to a large sheet of cardboard to keep it from sliding around while rolling the glue on.



Once the two surfaces are ready (barely tacky, almost dry feeling), I placed some 1/4" dowels on the cab side to allow me to position the precut piece of laminate.





Pull the dowels out from the center and press the laminate to the cab so it doesn't move and use a j-roller to apply pressure, forcing the two glued surfaces to bond.






All done, now I just need to decide on the T-molding!



I also got my coin door panel cut and laminated this weekend. It won't be too long and I will be moving this baby into the house to begin wiring it.



 

[Bender]

I just want to say it again, Thanks for the great documentation, and fantastic work really an inspiration!

by the way that is the cleanest workshop I've ever seen, so jealous, mine looks like a tornado hit when I'm working in there

You Should Have A Show "This Old Cab" or "The MAMEY Workshop"

I'd watch!!!

[mountain]

I just want to say it again, Thanks for the great documentation, and fantastic work really an inspiration!

by the way that is the cleanest workshop I've ever seen, so jealous, mine looks like a tornado hit when I'm working in there

You Should Have A Show "This Old Cab" or "The MAMEY Workshop"

I'd watch!!!

Bender, don't be fooled by the white cabinets and walls, my garage is always a mess. By the end of this build, every tool I own will be out of its place and it will take a week to get it back in order 

[Neilyboy]

very clean man!! this thing is beautiful!! I cannot wait to get back in the garage and start working myself!!

keep them pic's comming!

Neil

[Kaytrim]

I just want to say it again, Thanks for the great documentation, and fantastic work really an inspiration!

by the way that is the cleanest workshop I've ever seen, so jealous, mine looks like a tornado hit when I'm working in there

You Should Have A Show "This Old Cab" or "The MAMEY Workshop"

I'd watch!!!

Bender, don't be fooled by the white cabinets and walls, my garage is always a mess. By the end of this build, every tool I own will be out of its place and it will take a week to get it back in order 

It takes you a whole project?  It takes me only a week to get the workbench full of stuff and sawdust over everything.

Looking good,
Kaytrim

[mountain]

So it's been awhile since an update and Franco is getting impatient 

I have mainly been standing out in the garage staring at the machine for the past two weeks. I did figure out how to mount the two top coin door pieces last week. The inside shape of these two pieces prevents using screws from the back side of the panel. So I pulled out the router and made a ...well... I don't know what you would call it.







I made up my mind what to do with the monitor bezel ...sort of. I wanted the monitor to have a laid back style because of it's size but I didn't want the cabinet's overall look to reflect it.

This is what I came up with.








The center hole in the above bezel is for the volume and audio controls and indicators. The holes to the left and right are for admin functions but they are not going to be arcade switches. More on that in a later post.

Franco has been kind enough to offer his services to this project. He is by far the nicest and most helpful member I have had the pleasure to work with. He pumps out some incredible stuff at very reasonable rates.

Here is a peek at what Franco has been doing lately.





That's it for now, off to the garage to stare at my cabinet.

[Franco B]

Thanks for the kind words   

Need I say awesome work as per, cant wait to see it all together 

[superart]

Wow, wow, wow, wow.  :notworthy:Did I mention Wow. Sorry to say that I will not be looking at any of your threads any more Mountain, because whenever I see your work I keep staring at the computer for hours and then I want to throw my cabinet in the garbage becuase your looks so much better. In all seriousness marvelous cabinet and its not even finished yet (Enough said).

[BORIStheBLADE]

waiting for more pictures....

[mountain]

Thanks fellas!

I am waiting for some more parts to come in before i can move much further. My CP overlay template and admin panel artwork should arrive next week so I should be able to focus on those two areas next weekend. I am very anxious to get on those two areas because they are what will give the cab the most character.

 

[Doctor Ugs]

great project, I myself am doing the same thing with marquee led lights, using pvc tube I cut in half.

Did you try it without the diffuser sheet? I imagine the light spreads out more evenly with it on there.

I've been keeping my eyes open hoping to find an old piece of diffuser from ceiling lights, but no luck yet....

[mountain]

great project, I myself am doing the same thing with marquee led lights, using pvc tube I cut in half.

Did you try it without the diffuser sheet? I imagine the light spreads out more evenly with it on there.

I've been keeping my eyes open hoping to find an old piece of diffuser from ceiling lights, but no luck yet....

Thanks!

I mainly did this to the led strip because of the relatively short distance from the back of the print. I finally have the marquee printed. I will post some shots with and without the diffuser when I get time.

Unfortunately this project has been put on the back burner for most of the summer.  I have way too many projects around the house to get done.

[thatitalian]

Franco has been kind enough to offer his services to this project. He is by far the nicest and most helpful member I have had the pleasure to work with. He pumps out some incredible stuff at very reasonable rates.

Yep, he certainly is!!!

AWESOME JOB AS ALWYAS!!! You and Knievel should get together and make a cab!..... or possibly to have a spawn of ultimate arcade creating babies.....

[clockwork]

Excellent looking cab. I really love that bezel. Is that 1/2" MDF or something else?

[mountain]

Excellent looking cab. I really love that bezel. Is that 1/2" MDF or something else?

Thanks!

You are correct, the bezel is made from 1/2" MDF.

[thatitalian]

Was just wondering what happened to you mountain? Did you take my advice and hook up with Knievel? 

Also forgot to say well done on the Mamey for the Juke!

[mountain]

Was just wondering what happened to you mountain? Did you take my advice and hook up with Knievel? 

Also forgot to say well done on the Mamey for the Juke!

I am still here. I had to take a break on this project over the summer in order to remodel two bathrooms and the kitchen. I can't wait to get started on it again though, I have had a lot of time to think about it and have a plan on the rest of the project. I am also looking forward to loading Hyperspin and watching it on the D9200 monitor.

My man Franco is helping me by finishing up a few more stainless steel accessories so there is some slight progress being made

Thanks for the congrats on the MAMEY!

[thatitalian]

Was just wondering what happened to you mountain? Did you take my advice and hook up with Knievel? 

Also forgot to say well done on the Mamey for the Juke!

I am still here. I had to take a break on this project over the summer in order to remodel two bathrooms and the kitchen. I can't wait to get started on it again though, I have had a lot of time to think about it and have a plan on the rest of the project. I am also looking forward to loading Hyperspin and watching it on the D9200 monitor.

My man Franco is helping me by finishing up a few more stainless steel accessories so there is some slight progress being made

Thanks for the congrats on the MAMEY!

Is there anything that Franco won't do!?

Jesus! Remodelling 2 bathrooms and a kitchen and building another sexy cab! I haven't even got round to cutting yet! I feel slow..... like...... a very old turtle......

[mountain]

****This is the old for sale post****

[Kaytrim]

Sorry to hear you doing this mountain. 

[leapinlew]

holy crap...

I was just  thinking about this cabinet the other day. First September 11th, and  now this.

[Franco B]

Gutted to hear this bud 

I know your new project will more than make up for it though if its what I think it is 

[thatitalian]

Why don't I live in Ohio!?

[Bender]

 

[mountain]

bumpy 

[DaOld Man]

Dont do it Mountain.... dont sell it..
How can you be sure it will go to a good home?

[MameBox]

I was able to get the cabinet laminated this weekend. I like the universal appeal of black on a cabinet and you just can't beat the durability and appearance on laminate. Below are some shots of the process that may help those who want to laminate their cabs but were a little intimidated by it. It is very easy as long as you plan ahead and follow the directions.

I'm new to lamination techniches and your guide was very helpful 

I have a few questions though 
1. What type of lamination do you use (vinyl? d-c-fix? formica?)
2. Could you please post a link to a site offering this type of lamination?
3. Which glue is most suitable for this sort of job?
4. What type of tools are required to cut holes or other shapes after performing the lamination?

[Encryptor]

mountain,

Is the artwork all custom? I love the round gear looking side art with the ship in the center.



Encryptor

[mountain]

I found the background online, tweaked it a little and added all of the chrome borders. The Galaga ship I made in Photoshop.

[Encryptor]

Do you still have it? If so would you be willing to share?


Encryptor

[Encryptor]

mountain,

Do you still have your original artwork files from this build? If so could I get a copy of them? Thanks.



Encryptor

[mountain]

This cabinet has been sitting in my garage, in the way, since I stopped working on it 3 1/2 years ago. Well, I have had the itch to get it done lately so I drug it inside to complete it.

I have redesigned the monitor bezel. Having a CNC now, I can do it a lot better, and a lot faster. Here are the first cuts, still on the table.






I left the center material attached in order to give a nice solid base for the hand routing of a 45 degree bevel around the openings.



The lower opening is for an admin switch panel. Once I finalize the design, I will do the reguired machining for the back side.






I also got the neon lighting installed under the cabinet. It puts a nice glow under the machine.

[Green Giant]

Welcome back.  Sounds like you will really be rolling since you have your own CNC....lucky bastard.

Now keep the pics coming and tell the kids to leave you alone so you can work.

[leapinlew]

Woohoo!

Rock on.

[Le Chuck]

It liiiiives!    Can't wait to finally see this come together!

[Woodshop Flunky]

I really like the lines on this cab.  Glad it's back on! 

[wp34]

Wow!  That is some bezel.  Nice work.   

[mgb]

This cabinet is looking great. 

[emphatic]

I like it when a plan comes together. 

[mountain]

I finally was able to get some work done on the cabinet this weekend. The monitor bezel is done other than final paint and some wiring. There will be backlit lettering below the admin buttons. I made "light pipes" that will take the LED light and evenly distribute it to the text. More on that later.

Here is a shot of the current state of the cabinet. The control panel top is cut and ready for some artwork. The acrylic overlay is done too. The plan is to complete the control panel next weekend and move back to the monitor bezel.

[wp34]

I'm anxious to see more about your bezel.  I've been kicking around doing something similar for my project but I'm not to that point yet.

[mountain]

I have been working on the cabinet on and off the last few weeks. I had a few old coin doors that were beat up pretty bad. I had to use both to get one working unit.

The top door was a mess due to some dents and rust. I forgot to take a before shot but here are the parts after some sanding and filler.



And some paint



With all of the parts laid out ready to re-assemble.



Ready to be wired.



The flash shows all of the built up dirt and grime on the black plastic parts. I scrubbed them good too. Not too bad in person, but after painting the monitor bezel (see below) with some Rustoleum Professional flat black, I am going to give these the same treatment.





Here are a few misc. shots of other progress.

Finally got the back painted.





The WG 9200 plastic bezel and custom bezel fitted to the cab.

[mountain]

The admin panel that fits in the opening right below the monitor has been a slow work in progress. I finally got it figured out and snapped some shots.

I machined the basic frame out of 1/4" aluminum.







I am using some proprietary capacitive touch sensors (discontinued product at my work, given to me by my boss) for the control of these functions: Pause, List, Coin, and Exit, as well as the power button. The parts below will go together with the .040" acrylic first, then the art work, paper diffuser, and milled .075" acrylic for the LEDs. The pockets in the acrylic are for the circuit board for the capacitive touch sensors. I have yet install the LEDs in the acrylic, but I'm confident these buttons will be evenly backlit when all together. Otherwise it is on to plan B.

[wp34]

Saw this at work when I couldn't post.  I can't believe nobody has responded yet.

Simply stunning.  That is one awesome looking admin panel.  I'm anxious to see it put together.

  

[mountain]

Thanks wp34,

Last night I sprayed the final coat of satin black enamel on the monitor beze. I also prayed the aluminum admin panel with a coat of clear laquer to help protect it.

Here are some previews.

[Le Chuck]

  That is hot man.  Your metal work is unbelievable, can't wait to see more.  Looking awesome so far. 

[wp34]

That aluminum really pops against the black.   

[Nephasth]

I'm generally not a fan of admin panels, but this is amazing! Top quality work!

[mountain]

Tonight I cut, drilled, and polished the aluminum angle for the marquee and got the artwork installed. It was pretty tricky trying to convince the artwork to lay flat. It has been sitting in the tube mailer for over 4 years!

With flash



Without flash

[wol-nz]

Yip~ HOT very HOT! I likey a lot 

[opt2not]

OH my. This project is looking great! I like all that is going on in this thread.  

[Bender]

Makes me so happy to see you back at it!
Unbelievably awesome as usual!!!!

[Woodshop Flunky]

Love the use of aluminum... VERY hot! 

[chuck78]

WOW this thing looks like it is going to fall apart at any moment!!!
What a piece of junk!

[Le Chuck]

^ Brother in law or coworker?

[wp34]

^ Brother in law or coworker?

 

Jealous BYOAC'er?

[mountain]

^ Brother in law or coworker?

Nailed it! Idiot co-worker   

[Drnick]

I for one defy him to do better.  Oh well that's co-workers for you. 

[chuck78]

 

[wp34]

Since he fessed up that's actually kind of funny.

[Le Chuck]

I put a darkade link up on my FB once it was complete.  You know how many of my friends opened an account for the soul purpose of busting my balls?  Zero.  Stands to reason that Mountain has some good friends and his build is better than mine 

[PIZZ]

Cool art,very Giger/Aliens

[Ond]

Very slick work on the admin panel and marquee! 

[Santoro]

Amazing. Wow.