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| StLouisRod:
Would I do it again? Well, since I've built 5 Mame cabinets so far, I'd have to say "Yes, as long as people keep paying me for them ;)". Things I've learned: 1. Plan on 2 to 3 times the time you THINK it will take to build your cabinet :o 2. You CAN get a$750.00 Wells Gardner D9200 27" monitor for $465.00 if you talk to the sales rep long enough. And once you have that monitor (which supports an undocumented 800x600 SVGA mode) you'll never go back. 3. Build your cabinet from a kit or from scratch. Hacking a perfectly good Arcade cabinet is just plain wrong. Not to mention ugly if you keep it's original artwork then slather on a Mame logo ::) 4. Make marquee by printing graphic on backlit film at kinko's, then sandwhich between 2 sheets of 1/16" plexiglass. That way you can swap out the marquee down the road if you choose a new design, or a customer wants to put their own in. 5. Don't assume a local Glass Company can actually cut glass or plexi properly. Mine made some 90 degree cuts at 91 or 92 degrees, but I had no time to return it, so that's what my customer had to live with. 6. Go with either a 27" VGA monitor (SVGA if possible), or a real arcade monitor hooked through Ultimarc's ArcadeVGA. Loading software drivers to display on an arcade monitor CAN work, but they can also clash with game graphics drivers, directX, etc. What would I LIKE to do differently? 1. Continue to build control panel with laminated MDF. But then print a custom graphic overlay at kinkos and sandwhich it down with a custom piece of plexiglass or lexan. This graphic would contain function items (Coin 1, pause, Favorites, Joystick arrows, etc.) 2. Get the weight down!!! My 4-player cabinets, with PC inside weigh a TON (well over 300 pounds)! Very tough to move around. |
| Shieldwolf:
any suggestions on how to bring down the weight |
| TalkingOctopus:
--- Quote ---1. Plan on 2 to 3 times the time you THINK it will take to build your cabinet --- End quote --- Yeah I learned that one real fast. The only warning I will add is be VERY careful with lexan. It may be 10 x stronger than glass, but it still cracks! |
| anthony691:
Wow... I have had so many let downs... Crappy arcade monitors need to be avoided... Even though you think you have made the Plexiglass your bit**... you haven't! Those are probably my best two lessons... |
| TalkingOctopus:
--- Quote ---any suggestions on how to bring down the weight --- End quote --- When it comes down to it...arcade cabinets are always going to be heavy. Here are a few suggestions I can think of off the top of my head. [*]They sell a lightweight mdf. I cannot think of the specific name of it, but they had it at the home depot near my house. I did not use it either so I do not know if it makes a difference. [*]Take off the tv/monitor case. [*]Don't use a computer case. Some of those cases can be really heavy [/list] |
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