How much money do you have in your project?

[Jack Burton]

I think most of the time when people say "MAME cabinet" they expect it to be a fully finished, slick looking product, with at least a trac ball, spinner, and a way to operate in 4 way mode.  

This may be the source of confusion when people think that a working MAME cab can't be built for less than $600 dollars.

I have no trackball and I built my spinner for about $6.00. I converted an old Track and Field cabinet using a free monitor and free PC.

My cabinet is very basic and is not very polished.

Yet I have $800 so far in it. (Headin' for $1000)

I'm curious, what is the bulk of cost in your cabinet then?

[Flake]

I think the base line for a fully finished, slick looking product is around $1500.  I consider mine to be slick looking (still could use a couple cosmetic touches) and I purchased my control panel from Arcades R Fun - which is much more expensive than building your own control panel.  The control panel in my case cost me about 1/3 my total project costs.  

Now that number assumes you can get a old cabinet from an auction or something and refurbish it.  Building one from scratch is pretty expensive from what I understand.

[Ginsu Victim]

I'm curious, what is the bulk of cost in your cabinet then?

Side-art, marquee, Happ universal joysticks (replaced by 2 x U360s), Minipac, buttons, new video card, paint, tools, t-molding, new speakers, plexi, cabinet wheels, lighting, wire and connectors, USB hubs, soon a new PC, Logitech trackball mouse, coin mechs, etc

This is from the older thread where I was only up to $680

cabinet itself - $50 (trashed Track and Field)

emdkay - $32 (Tron-style Mame marquee plus lexan)

mamemarquees - $36 (side art from bargain bin)

Divemaster - $103 (2 x Happ universals, 4 x wheels, 17 x buttons, 35ft black t-mold, pcb feet, button wrench, miniature momentary pushbutton)

Mike's Arcade - $36 (2 x coin mechs, coin door lock)

Ultimarc first order - $60 (Mini-pac with wiring harness and ground harness)

Ultimarc second order - $177 (2 x Ultrastik 360s w/balltops, 2 x medium spring, 2 x restrictors, 1 x encoder wiring)

Radio Shack, Lowes, Ace, Wal-mart - ~$100

Newegg.com - $80 (250 GB hard drive)

Total = ~$680 (my wife and I agreed on a budget of $300   )

The computer and 19" monitor were given to me free from the local hospital. (733mhz w/ 384 MB ram)

[leapinlew]

sometimes there isn't a "bulk"...

but artwork, tools, computer/monitor and controls seems to be the biggest offenders. I get dinged pretty hard by all the small stuff: t-molding, screws, brackets, hinges, paint, paint supplies, carriage bolts, marquee light, casters, marquee retainer, plexiglass, led's, fans, power entry module, and surge protector.

[shmokes]

I stopped keeping track.  But there have been endless trips to the stores for things like screws, bolts, usb hub, bits, blades, hinges, dust masks, wire, molex power splitters, etc., etc., etc.  It adds up.  And it seems like the day after I order anything online I'm cursing myself for forgetting to order that one other thing I need and will now have to incur brand new shipping charges for.  It is just really rreally hard to know everything you're going to need right at the beginning.  If I did it again I'd probably save at least $100 in shipping alone.

[miles2912]

2 Deal breakers for me. 
 
-  Less than a 27" monitor?  Need at least 27".  19" is just too small as far as I am concerned.

-  No spinner/trackball?  Come on.  Tempest, missile command, centipede!

With 2 people on a store bought standard 1 player cab it gets a little cramped.  If you just want a 1 player then you are fine.   I think all in my cab was close to $2500 or so.  That includes tools.


Here is the break down

http://www.donsnet.net/cab/Cab%20Cost.htm

[leapinlew]

-  Less than a 27" monitor?  Need at least 27".  19" is just too small as far as I am concerned.

I like a big monitor too, however for classic games - I prefer the 19". Many of the classic styled cabs won't even hold a 27" monitor.

If the 27" is your minimum... how much bigger of a monitor can you put in it?

[miles2912]

Cool thing is on a 27" monitor mounted horizontally vertical games measure 19".  So they looks just like they did back in the day.

If you build your own then in theory any size monitor you want.  27" or 29" tube based are prolly your best bet.  A flat tv just isn't going have that 'classic' look to it.

[Ginsu Victim]

but like leapinlew said, some of us can't support a 27" monitor because our old cabinets aren't made big enough. My Track and Field is made for a 19", and the way it's setup, it looks great.

[Turnarcades]

A couple of hundred pound in my first arcade conversion, then since then I've been building for everyone else! If only I knew then what I know now though, I'd have built from the ground up for even less.

I've had enough of watching everyone else's builds come up now though, so this Autumn I will finally be building a replacement cabinet for myself, exactly how I want it this time!

[georgemcfly]

I cant' justify buying a 27" monitor, nor can I spend 2500$ on a toy. At least not on my first build. Like I've said from the get go, if I figure out this is what i want to do, later i can build one the way I want. If its not, I'm not out 2500$ on something I don't use or enjoy.

[javeryh]

I cant' justify buying a 27" monitor, nor can I spend 2500$ on a toy. At least not on my first build. Like I've said from the get go, if I figure out this is what i want to do, later i can build one the way I want. If its not, I'm not out 2500$ on something I don't use or enjoy.

I think 99% of the people on this board know for a fact they will use and enjoy the finished cabinet - it's a little crazy to build these things to begin with otherwise.  That said, $2,500 on one cab is at least $1,000 more than I'd probably spend... unless I had the money to burn.    

Everyone's economic position is different and everyone's definition of what is good enough to have on display in their home is different.  I have a wife and two kids to support so money is tight but my wife wants "professional looking" craftsmanship if it is going to be in the house so there's a balance to strike for sure.

[leapinlew]

I cant' justify buying a 27" monitor, nor can I spend 2500$ on a toy. At least not on my first build. Like I've said from the get go, if I figure out this is what i want to do, later i can build one the way I want. If its not, I'm not out 2500$ on something I don't use or enjoy.

Who are you trying to convince? You or us?

You said

I can cheaply build this for about 175$ my cost. If I buy the software or spend more somewhere else I'll still stay around 250$.

The $175 number seems totally off base. Tally it all up, and let us know where you end up. 

[Zeno]

Lets see, for my first MAME...

Empty NBA Jam Cabinet - $50
Wood for CP - ~$25
New 24" TV - $125
Computer - Free (old one)
Joys, PBs, Encoder, etc from Ultimarc - ~$200
T-Molding - $20
Bezel - $2 (thank you BYOAC forum)
Laminate - $80
Tools from Lowes - $50
--------------------------------------
TOTAL ~$550


I have also found a knack for parting out, flipping and trading to re-coup some costs.

For example... I picked up a 4 player cabinet for $175 with D&D II board installed.  I sold the D&D board on Ebay for $250 to some guy in France.  Thank you weak dollar!

I also picked up a lowboy arcade with Pooyan installed for $100.  I sold the Pooyan PCB for $85.

Stuff like that to get my costs down. When it comes to the boss lady, I found that the key is to be modest about purchases and to toot my horn every time I sell one for a profit.

[shmokes]

Tools was big for me.  I basically had none.  In the process of building mine, especially in the beginning I purchased a router, jigsaw, jigsaw blades, circular saw, staight edge, clamps, squares, tape measures, level, router bits, calipers, pens, pencils, dust masks, eye protection, drill bits, a mallet, chisels, wire strippers, a big tool box, saw horses, a file, a wet/dry vacuum, electric sander (which I'd gone orbital), utility knife, work light, extension cord, and other things which currently escape me.  I'm easily $500+ into my project on tools alone.  

Of course, the tools have been used in countless non-arcade-related situations since I got them, so it's probably not fair to count them explicitly as costs of my arcade cabinet.  Also, I am more of a man since I got all those tools, so it was really quite a bargain.  

But I'm well over $1000 on materials too (my PC was free).  Off the top of my head I have (all purchased new):

Joysticks x 7
Mounting plate for Ms. Pac joystic x 1
Act Labs TV light guns x 2
Buttons x 35-40
Coin door x 1
Monitor bezel x 1
Marquee retainer x 1
Fluorescent marquee lamp x 1
Logitech MOMO Force wheel and pedals x 1
Act Labs shifter x 1
Cabinet handles x 2
Fans x 2
27" tube TV x 1
4'x8' 3/4" Melamine (prelaminated MDF) x 4
4'x8' 3/4" Plywood x 1
4'x8' 1/4" Masonite x 1
Laminate (a sheet of metal laminate was over $100 by itself!)
Replacement coin reject buttons x 2
3" Happ trackball x 1
Trackball mounting plate x1
2" generic PC trackball x 1
Aluminum t-molding x I don't remember -- enough to cover all my edges
7-port USB hub x 1
Quick disconnects x 200
Button wrench x 1
Smartstrip power strip x 1

And, of course, countless screws, bolts, lights, hinges, brackets, casters, wood glue, contact cement, epoxy, brushes, dowels, heat shrink tubing.

Good lord, listing it all out like that makes it seem pretty obscene.  Thank god I got it all years ago when I didn't have a kid and wasn't in school and had expendable income.  There's no way I could spend even a small fraction of that to build a cabinet today!  

[Paul Olson]

I spent about $5000 on tools, but now I have pretty much any tool I need for whatever project I am working on. I originally started buying them to work on my cab, but now I can use them for everything, so I don't really count those into the cost of the cab. It is really nice to have the tools to work on things around the house.

[wbassett]

Seriously?  $5G on tools?

Wow and man am I in the wrong line of work!

[georgemcfly]

Seriously?  $5G on tools?

Wow and man am I in the wrong line of work!

I say if you got it, spend it... then loan it to me

[wbassett]

And I thought I was 'stylin' when I bought a rotozip with all the attachments for $150!

I rarely if ever count the cost of tools as part of a project if I know the tools will be used for other things and many times.  Projects are just a good excuse to buy some tools!

Still though, that's a lot to spend on tools!

[extendedplayarcade]

Don't think of all these post as discouraging.  Think of them just being really honest (brutally honest).  But they are telling ya like it is.  This is a very addicting hobby.

Just start small and leave room in your control panel for upgrades.

Only advice I can give ya.

Brent
www.extendedplayarcade.com

[Zeno]

Don't think of all these post as discouraging.  Think of them just being really honest (brutally honest).  But they are telling ya like it is.  This is a very addicting hobby.

Yeah... that is an understatement.  I started out looking to spend under $150 on an x-arcade stick for my computer.  Today I have 4 machines in my gameroom (plus the ever present project cab)!  My $500 was just for the MAME.  I'm over $1000 easy on the entire hobby.

It's all about the hunt.  Looking for those diamonds in the rough that can use some TLC.  It's great finding that perfect working cab for $100.

[Paul Olson]

Seriously?  $5G on tools?

Wow and man am I in the wrong line of work!

I drove old beat up cars until a couple of years ago. There was a lot more cash for hobbies without a car payment. 

I actually started out buying cheap tools, and I hated them all. Quality tools are just worth the cost to me. I hated my table saw when I got it, but after I added a Biesemeyer fence, I love it.

[Loafmeister]

It's been a while, so I might be remembering my $$$ wrong but:

Bought mini-cab (Excellent shap!  Came with crappy 2 player 6 button setup, with a 14" CRT and with old pc)=$300

added (includes shipping where relevant):
- spinner ($100)
- trackball ($100)
- various buttons/joysticks ($50)
- got a friend to help me with redesign and build of new CP (thanks Sparky!), personalized Marquee, speaker array/sub woofer, extra CP stuff like trigger stick, pinball accessories,  ($300)
- 19" LCD monitor ($150?)
- upgraded PC ($150 when factoring in selling of older pc)
- GGG steering wheel (works great!) ($30)

So that comes too (AGAIN, looks around to see if wife is looking over the shoulder...): about $1200, give or take a few.  But it's been worth it, play it a lot more than I thought I would.

[bigredsk10]

Im going to agree with the original poster and say that a $250 cabinet is very possible if you are wise about how you spend your money. I built mine for about that much and I am very happy with it, especially the way it looks. You just need to be okay without every bell and whistle there is. A good design sense will keep it from looking like something that was just slapped together.

My cabinet is a 2 player cabinet/ 6 buttons each player

gutted cabinet - $20 (craigslist) (it still had the coin door)
21" monitor - $20 (craigslist)
i-pac - $40
Happ joysticks and buttons - $50
t-molding - $20
computer - used my old one
speakers - $20 (logitech 2.1 something or other that work plenty well enough)
Print of control panel and side art - $30
various paint and wire and stuff - $30 ish
_______________
$230

And thats all I bought and Im perfectly happy with my arcade machine. Granted, Im not a purist in any sense, but I couldnt afford to spend $1000 on my arcade machine. So I built one I could afford and havent regretted it for a second. I still get that authentic arcade feeling when I play it.

Craigslist is an awesome resource. If youre not seeing anything on there just put up a request for what youre looking for and how much you can spend. Who knows, sometimes it works. Thats how I got both the cabinet and the monitor.

Im missing all the specialty controls (trackball, spinner, lightguns) but it just comes down to whats worth the money to me. I would love to have a track ball. I would really love to have one. But not $100 love to have one. I put that $100 towards buying a wii instead.

So if you want to build a cabinet for $250 go for it. Make sure you dont skimp on the joystick or buttons but dont think you have to buy every control option there is out there. Expect to put MONTHS of work into building/programming/tweaking it. Its all fun though.

[Ginsu Victim]

I would love to have a track ball. I would really love to have one. But not $100 love to have one.

Though I don't normally recommend Xgaming products, this is the one exception. On sale for $49.95 right now. Just take it out and put it in your CP.

X-Arcade Trackball Controller

I know there are cheaper trackballs on eBay right now, but those aren't PC ready. However, if you want a $20 trackball, just go here:

Betson 3" Trackball

[georgemcfly]

bigredsk10: Thanks for the info and encouragement.

This week has been a bust. Sinus infection, and headaches have kept me in the recliner watching the Food network, and old movies like Blues Brothers. If I feel well enough this next week I hope to make some more progress.

[leapinlew]

My cabinet is a 2 player cabinet/ 6 buttons each player

gutted cabinet - $20 (craigslist) (it still had the coin door)
21" monitor - $20 (craigslist)
i-pac - $40
Happ joysticks and buttons - $50
t-molding - $20
computer - used my old one
speakers - $20 (logitech 2.1 something or other that work plenty well enough)
Print of control panel and side art - $30
various paint and wire and stuff - $30 ish
_______________
$230

This reeks of someone who didn't keep track of how much they actually spent. 

[TAG]

This week has been a bust. Sinus infection, and headaches have kept me in the recliner watching the Food network, and old movies like Blues Brothers.

Sounds like an excellent opportunity to work on configuring the computer and software!   

[georgemcfly]

So far:

Cab: 50$
Controls: $56.17 (2 Happ joys, 2 player buttons, 1 wrench, and 20 Happ buttons shipped)
IPac2: $46.85 shipped
Have monitor, speakers, wire, and desktop. Cost to me: $0.

So so far I have spent 153.02$
BUT I get ~ $19.80 back from Microsoft Live Ebay promo. Will take a few weeks but it makes my cost of controls and IPAC less than $85

Only things that I plan on buying:
T molding will be 17.99$ on eBay.
I have wood left over from cab project, enough to make CP and fix 2 pieces on top.
Will have to buy no tools, a friend will do the wood work for me.
I plan on panting the cab black but I still have black paint left from a project last month. Didn't have plans for the paint but I kept it anyways.
Piano hinge for CP


SO. $85 + 50 + hardware supplies

[Jack Burton]

It helps tremendously if you have friends who are into this hobby.  Buying joysticks and buttons might cost $50 new with shipping, but I know I could scrounge them up for free from my friends here in Lexington, or at least for fraction of the cost. 

I'm sure most of us have boxes and bins of old used parts that we keep as backups.  I know I do.  If someone here in Lexington wanted to build a MAME cabinet on the cheap I wouldn't have any problem giving them some old Happ Super Joysticks and concave buttons.  I'm probably never going to use them.  But they are fully functional and you could have a lot of fun with them. 

Same goes for other parts like monitors, wiring, overlays, t-molding, etc.  Getting involved in this community can help cut down on costs tremendously.

[Spaced Ace]

Budget?  Whats that?   

[ahofle]

So far:

Cab: 50$
Controls: $56.17 (2 Happ joys, 2 player buttons, 1 wrench, and 20 Happ buttons shipped)
IPac2: $46.85 shipped
Have monitor, speakers, wire, and desktop. Cost to me: $0.

So so far I have spent 153.02$
BUT I get ~ $19.80 back from Microsoft Live Ebay promo. Will take a few weeks but it makes my cost of controls and IPAC less than $85

Only things that I plan on buying:
T molding will be 17.99$ on eBay.
I have wood left over from cab project, enough to make CP and fix 2 pieces on top.
Will have to buy no tools, a friend will do the wood work for me.
I plan on panting the cab black but I still have black paint left from a project last month. Didn't have plans for the paint but I kept it anyways.
Piano hinge for CP


SO. $85 + 50 + hardware supplies

Yeah, well I have you beat.

Betson Multisync arcade monitor - 0$ (bought before the cabinet was built and was just lying around unused)
wood - 0$ (left overs "borrowed" from nearby construction site)
PC - 0$ (stolen from Best Buy)
Wires/connectors/fasteners/screws/paint - 0$ (I don't count that stuff)
Artwork/t-molding - 0$ (birthday present)
Arcade controls - 0$ (Xmas present)
Cup holders - $5.99
Marquee backlight - 0$ (ripped out from kitchen cabinets)

Total cost to me: $5.99!!!

 

[georgemcfly]

 

[Flake]

So far:

Cab: 50$
Controls: $56.17 (2 Happ joys, 2 player buttons, 1 wrench, and 20 Happ buttons shipped)
IPac2: $46.85 shipped
Have monitor, speakers, wire, and desktop. Cost to me: $0.

So so far I have spent 153.02$
BUT I get ~ $19.80 back from Microsoft Live Ebay promo. Will take a few weeks but it makes my cost of controls and IPAC less than $85

Only things that I plan on buying:
T molding will be 17.99$ on eBay.
I have wood left over from cab project, enough to make CP and fix 2 pieces on top.
Will have to buy no tools, a friend will do the wood work for me.
I plan on panting the cab black but I still have black paint left from a project last month. Didn't have plans for the paint but I kept it anyways.
Piano hinge for CP


SO. $85 + 50 + hardware supplies

Yeah, well I have you beat.

Betson Multisync arcade monitor - 0$ (bought before the cabinet was built and was just lying around unused)
wood - 0$ (left overs "borrowed" from nearby construction site)
PC - 0$ (stolen from Best Buy)
Wires/connectors/fasteners/screws/paint - 0$ (I don't count that stuff)
Artwork/t-molding - 0$ (birthday present)
Arcade controls - 0$ (Xmas present)
Cup holders - $5.99
Marquee backlight - 0$ (ripped out from kitchen cabinets)

Total cost to me: $5.99!!!

 

So where they X-mas presents from your wife or where they from other friends/family.  If they are from your wife I assume the money comes from the same pool?

[ahofle]

Oh in that case, they came from friends.   

[Flake]

Oh in that case, they came from friends.   

Your logic sounds flawed to me but whatever floats your boat.  Personnally I think that generally speaking people have more $$ in their cabs than they think they do but in the end does it really matter?  Well I guess if you have to take a loan out to finance your project then maybe it does............

[ahofle]

I guess I need more smileys in my post, it was supposed to be a joke.

[ivwshane]

I've posted this before but I've definitely spent more than whats listed and I haven't even gotten to the artwork and paint yet!:o I also need another gp-wiz and plexi:(
UltraStik 360 Oval Top with USB cable Color: Black               2x   $59.00    $118.00
UltraStik Button / Encoder Harness                       2x   $8.00    $16.00
Electric ICE™ Lightable Horizontal Pushbutton - Microswitch None         14x   $2.25   $31.50
RGB-Drive™ Pushbutton Lighting module
- Configuration Installed RGB LED, Resistors and 24" 4-conductor cable         14x   $3.95   $55.30
   Micro-Leaf™ Arcade Pushbutton Switches                     14x   $2.75   $38.50
LED-Wiz™ 32-port USB Lighting and Output Controller
- Device Number 1 (Use if FIRST or ONLY device of this EXACT type)         1x      $44.95
LED-Wiz+GP™ 16 Output + 16 Input, Output and Gaming Controller
- Device Number 2                           1x      $39.95
Electric ICE-T™ Deluxe RGB Arcade Trackball V2.0
- Trackball Size 3 inch
- Default Port & Cable Type USB
- USB Device Number 1 (Use if FIRST or ONLY of this EXACT controller)         1x      $116.95
Electric ICE™ Lightable Horizontal Pushbutton
- Microswitch Cherry™ w/ RGB-Drive and 2' cable                  4x   $6.49   $25.96
1.125 Inch Wood Boring Bit                        1x      $2.99
Samsung 27" HDTV 4:3                           1x      $399.99
40-0055-00   DOOR ASSY,SMALL, 2 SLOT, $.25
PLASTIC (HP) MECH                           1x      $68.20
42-0517-07    Reject Button Assembly - Red                   2x   $4.80   $9.60
49-1000-00   Retainer for Video Game Marquee                  1x      $13.35
Triple red leds                              2x   $3.49   $6.98
3/4" White T-Molding                           40x   $0.37   $14.80
Whiteside Slotting Cutter 1/16" 3-Wing                     1x      $17.95
Whiteside Slotting Cutter Arbor 1/4" Shank, 2-3/8"OL               1x      $9.95
One day glass 25 5/8" x 23 7/8"
Shape: Square/Rectangle
Glass Type: Tempered
Glass Thickness: 3/16"
Glass Tint: Solar Gray (Light Gray)
Edgework (Step 1): Seamed Edge                        1x      $51.67

                                             
Sub total                                    $1069.24