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Slim scratch build almost done

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shatteredzman:
Since I got all my information about how to build arcade machines from this website I figured I would give back to the community by posting my project. I am still currently working on the project and I am waiting for groovygamegear.com to get some more novagem pushbuttons in stock. The project has pretty much come to a stop due to lack of part availability and money. I am currently in college and work so I have mostly spent about 4 hours a day after work on the project so progress is slow.

I really dont know what to do for the side art, marquee art, or the control panel art. I dont know how to work photoshop to make my own graphics to scale. I dont even know how to get the dimensions into photoshop! I just had to make a complicated control panel that would be hard to add graphics for. I really do not want to go with the generic mame theme or plain black. Any suggestions?

I also dont have a name for the machine, I am hoping at some point it will just come to me.

The planned part list is:
24" wide screen LCD
* dell gx280 (I got a couple for free)
* sony xplod car speakers
* motorcycle amp
happ competition joystick
GGG novagem push buttons
GGG ice-T trackball
* coin door from ebay
keywiz
* t-molding
side art
marquee art
control panel art


Item with * I have.

So here is 9 days worth of progress on the project.

Day 1:

shatteredzman:
Day 2:
I spent most of the time putting the support boards on side of the machine. I also added the power outlet on the bottom so I could use it to plug my power tools into...sorta like a mobile outlet. It turns out I only had 1 outlet so I rigged it temporarily to the outlet box. I also bought some casters for the bottom. I did not realize how heavy my cabinet would finally be and would eventually regret buying rubber wheels.

shatteredzman:
Day 3:
I bought a second outlet and added a main power switch to it. I also started working on the back panels of the machine. I wasn't sure what size I needed to cut so I kind of winged it. My measurement was pretty close and with a little sanding it was acceptable. I will have to use some wood filler later on though to close the gaps. :( I forgot to mention but this is the first time I have ever worked with wood before so this is all 100% new to me. I got tired and called it a day early because I had a tough day at work. I do manual labor so sometimes I get some exhausted. Thats why I am in college though because I don't plan on doing manual labor my entire life.

I enlisted my brother for help in the project so thats the other person you see in the picture. The neighbor also came over to see what I am doing. The more I work on the project the more people that drive by and stop to look.

shatteredzman:
Day 4:
Day 4 was another goof off day and I didn't get a whole lot done. I worked on the control panel a little bit. I made a lot of bad cuts that had to be sanded. Also here is another picture of the back panel that I mentioned in my last post.

shatteredzman:
Day 5:
I had a lot more energy on day 5 and got a lot done. I did the whole back side of the cabinet as well as de-constructed my florescent light fixture and mounted it. I also cut a slot for the marquee to slide in from the top of the machine. I learned something strange about my light and my garage. It turns out this particular light needs a ground to work. Otherwise you can wave your hands near the light and it turns on magically! It was difficult troubleshooting this problem due to the fact that it was not my error that was causing this problem. As it turns out the crack head who put the outlets in the garage NEVER GROUNDED ANYTHING! This house is fairly old and not all outlets have a ground but what really frustrates me is these outlets were ghetto rigged to another outlet inside the house which has a ground but it was never connected.  :banghead:
I also constructed the control panel after finding the second hinge that I had lost a couple days ago and temporarily put it inside the machine to see how it looks...and to make sure I got my measurements right.

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