Laminated upright cabinet. [99.9% done]

[syph007]

Hey guys.  This sure isn't a rush build kind of hobby.  I've been collecting parts for years now and finally now have a garage to work in.  So.. finally I'm starting!

I'm going for a pretty standard upright here, nothing too fancy.  Standard 2 sticks 6 buttons trackball/spinner.  The only thing different about mine is instead of the dedicated 4 way up top, Im going for 2 4way topfires.  Vindicators and other tank games are on my must play list.

So anyway, I gathered together my parts, this is what I've got to work with.

2x u360 (with stiffer spring and circular plate)
2x happ topfire
1 pacman 4way (not likely used in this build)

trackball that is ripped from a golden tee with new bearing kit installed
turbotwist spinner with extra weight

lots of Happ buttons

Happ over under door and mechs
50 ft 3/4 inch dark blue tmolding
200 BYOAC 2006 tokens!!!



So... I started getting building materials this week.  First I found and bought the laminate.  Here is the bringing it home pic. (btw I seem to take pictures of everything just in case during the build something ends up being helpful to someone else)

Laminate is from Home Depot, got 3 4x8 sheets.





Today I was determined to get the plywood.  I had to rent the Home Depot van to get it home, but it's only 20 bucks, so that was not too bad.   I brought home 4 5/8ths sheets of just constuction grade since I'll be laminating.







So.. this is where I'm at just before dinner is ready.  Got the plywood home safe and sound.  After I eat I'm heading out to start marking and cutting the sides.  I also picked up the contact cement for the laminate when I was out returning the van.  

I honestly haven't been this excited about building something in ages... this is gunna be fun!

Cheers!

[GaryMcT]

I look forward to watching how your laminate application goes!  I'm going to have to try to do that sometime.

[drventure]

Cool. Good collection of stuff.

The laminate's not too hard, just smear the glue around evenly, lay the laminate down, press it out as flat as possible (preferably clamp it with c clamps and cross boards).

Then trim it once the glue has set with a router.

be careful drilling from the backside once the lams on though.

I even put a depth stop on my drill, it slipped and the drill punched right though 

No one to blame but me though...

[Ond]

I look forward to watching how your laminate application goes!  I'm going to have to try to do that sometime.

Just a small tip when using contact adhesive, when you have smeared evenly to both sides give it time to dry off until its just tacky to touch with fingers (not wet) this will ensure maximum adhesion when you press surfaces together.

[GaryMcT]

Do you normally laminate plywood, MDF, or either?  I have no idea what the strength of MDF is compared to plywood.

[syph007]

I'm pretty sure you could laminate either.  Laminate counter tops use particle board.   I'm using plywood as I'd rather work with it vs MDF and it's lighter.  I will have to use MDF for the CP however as it routes better.

[syph007]

Well not too far yet, but at least I got a start.  I don't own a good circular saw so I figured I could just router cut.  Worked awesome, the edges end up being nice and smooth and perfectly perpendicular.  Only down side is the extra sawdust, but it's the finished product that counts right?

So I've got the one side cut out following what was shown in the plans of Saint's book.  I see why alot of others toe in the front, it projects out further than it needs to.  I think I might do the same.  Once I'm happy with the profile I was plannting on just using this for a pattern with a flush trim bit to get a second perfect copy.  I love my router!  I took the advice of forum members here and when with a decent quality one and 1/2 inch professional bits... love them!

[saleem]

yes,router is lovely bit of kit but,man,it creates a lot of dust,specialy when working with mdf.

i would love to have excuses to to get it out.i just gotta buy loads of new better quality bits as the ones i got are them cheapo bit sets off ebay.

[GaryMcT]

I don't have a circular saw either, and I'm getting by with my router.  A clamped straight-edge and a router do wonders!!!

I need to figure out what to do about my glasses fogging up every time I wear a dust mask though.

[Bender]

I don't have a circular saw either, and I'm getting by with my router.  A clamped straight-edge and a router do wonders!!!

I need to figure out what to do about my glasses fogging up every time I wear a dust mask though.

I have the same problem get a decent respirator and it shouldn't fog up your glasses and it's better for you

[GaryMcT]

I don't have a circular saw either, and I'm getting by with my router.  A clamped straight-edge and a router do wonders!!!

I need to figure out what to do about my glasses fogging up every time I wear a dust mask though.

I have the same problem get a decent respirator and it shouldn't fog up your glasses and it's better for you

What kind do you use?  Looks like there are some full-face ones that might be better than having to wear goggles and a respirator.

[syph007]

I wanted to try the flush trim bit to make a copy of my first side, so i rough cut the piece with a jigsaw then clamped them together with every clamp I own.  Makes lots of dust but it turns out so nice, perfect second copy.   Now I have to decide in what order to laminate the pieces and assemble.  I dont see why I shouldnt just wait to the end to laminate the very outside parts.  I will do the inside parts that will be visible first though, but really only a few inches needs to get done.

I think this might be all for now, but I will be putting in a few hours a night till I get results.

Cheers!

[ivwshane]

OMG! How did you get laminate from home depot? Did you have to special order it? What was the cost?

[syph007]

OMG! How did you get laminate from home depot? Did you have to special order it? What was the cost?

Most of them carry it.  It's in the kitchen section back of the store.  I paid about $50 a sheet CND.

[syph007]

Sadly only had an hour to work on my new time consumer tonight.

I got a piece of plexi for my cp, and got one piece of laminate cut to size ready for gluing.

What I learned.

1. you can't cut laminate with tin snips.. cracks and spiders like mad
2. I can't cut laminate with a utility knife.. mad props to those of you that can
3. cut laminate edges are sharp!  minor blood loss, and lesson learned.
4. dremeling around the entire edge works.. but takes freaking forever!

Now... my first thought was why dont i just laminate the outside surfaces, but then parts of the inside are visible since the body connecting panels are recessed slightly... but really its goign to be hard to laminte like a 3 inch strip all the way around the inner edge... so now it seems like i may as well just laminate both sides fully.  What do most do?

This is so fun btw.  I overheard my better half on the phone to her family talking about my project... phrases like "it's going to be so cool", and "he even has real tokens and a coin door"... ah warms my heart!

Cheers

[GaryMcT]

Did you use the method of clamping a straight edge as a guide and routing to cut your first side?

Are you planning on putting any art on the outside of the laminate?

[saleem]

This is so fun btw.  I overheard my better half on the phone to her family talking about my project... phrases like "it's going to be so cool", and "he even has real tokens and a coin door"... ah warms my heart!

Cheers

you better not let her down then,wish you luck with your p[roject.will be following your thread to see how you make progress just like a lot of others.

why are you starting on the cp?get your cab standing then work on the cp.

[syph007]

This is so fun btw.  I overheard my better half on the phone to her family talking about my project... phrases like "it's going to be so cool", and "he even has real tokens and a coin door"... ah warms my heart!

Cheers

you better not let her down then,wish you luck with your p[roject.will be following your thread to see how you make progress just like a lot of others.

why are you starting on the cp?get your cab standing then work on the cp.

No not starting on the cp quite yet, just gathering supplies.  I'll be doing a bunch of mockups first as well to dial in the layout, then I need to track someone down in the art forum to pay to do the art.  I tried but I'm not good enough with photoshop to do what I want.

[sealslayer]

If you get a sharp enough blade you can "score" the laminate. Once you've done that bend it and it will snap perfectly. Watch your fingers though, it hurts like hell when bits of laminate find their way underneath your finger nails 

[GaryMcT]

Can you paint on laminate?

[syph007]

ah... things always take longer than I think.  But it's good not to rush I guess.  I really wanted to have one side laminated tonight, but I ran out of time.   I did get the t-molding slot cut, and I did this outside this time, way less dust to clean up that way.   If any of you routed MDF in your house, I assume you regret it?

There were a couple of knot holes I had to fill with wood putty, and I'll have to let these dry before I can sand down and laminate.  Hopefully tomorrow.  I think it will start to feel like I'm making progress when I start to see the shell come together.   Also I still do think it's worth laminating as this way when my shell cab is together, it's done, no painting steps at all.   I suck at painting.

Cheers!

[GaryMcT]

I wouldn't consider routing MDF in the house!!  That would be a huge huge mess.

[Ond]

You will spend much, much longer cleaning up all the dust off of every conceivable surface than you did running the router around the wood.  Ply is not as bad as MDF when it comes to dust but it's still pretty bad.  Work outside and always use a respirator or mask.  I use the better quality paper masks mostly, but occasionally i dig out this beast.



works well but it's a pain in the ass to get on and off/keep charged up.

[Epyx]

Now... my first thought was why dont i just laminate the outside surfaces, but then parts of the inside are visible since the body connecting panels are recessed slightly... but really its goign to be hard to laminte like a 3 inch strip all the way around the inner edge... so now it seems like i may as well just laminate both sides fully.  What do most do?

What you really want is a router and flush trim bit like this one:

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xr5/R-100660651/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

You glue the laminate on with the overlap...then run the router along the entire edge with the bearing running along your plywood...the laminate will trim literally like you are cutting through butter and you will get a perfect, smooth finish that is completely flush with your side.

[syph007]

Yep, I know about the flush trim, I've got one ready to go.  I'll try to explain better what  I was getting at.  If you look at the attachment, you can see where the inside edges of the side panels would be exposed.  So my first thought was oh, I just need to cover up those with laminate so you can't tell from the outside that the whole inside piece isnt laminated.  But now that seems like a huge pain.  So what I was wondering was, do most people just laminate both sides fully as it seems simpler?

[javeryh]

I think most people just seal up the plywood/MDF and paint those interior edges black.  I wouldn't spend all that money on laminate just for that.

[syph007]

I think most people just seal up the plywood/MDF and paint those interior edges black.  I wouldn't spend all that money on laminate just for that.

That does indeed make the most economical sense.  But that means on that side my tmolding will be 1/16inch overhanging... any easy way to trim that one side?  I already routed my slot dead center, so that why im was leaning towards dual side lamination.

[javeryh]

I think most people just seal up the plywood/MDF and paint those interior edges black.  I wouldn't spend all that money on laminate just for that.

That does indeed make the most economical sense.  But that means on that side my tmolding will be 1/16inch overhanging... any easy way to trim that one side?  I already routed my slot dead center, so that why im was leaning towards dual side lamination.

I've seen people trim t-molding like that with a razor with really nice results but I would never go that route (I'm 100% sure my cut would not be straight in spots!).  Hmmm.... is it really going to be 1/16"?  I'd take a scrap of plywood, route a slot dead center, laminate one side and paint the other (remember 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of paint does have some thickness) and see how bad the overhang is.  I'm guessing you could live with it and that no one will notice...   

[syph007]

Finally got time to do one laminate side.  I did decide to laminate both sides which turns out to be a good thing.  This is an inside piece and you can JUST see some of the coarse grain show throw just barely though.  When I do the outside piece I'll give it a good sanding first.  Never used that contact cement stuff before but it was a piece of cake.  Did the flush trim around the edges and then a light hand file.  The surface is beautiful.  I know i made the right move now, now way I could even get something this nice by painting, I just suck at painting.

Very fun hobby!  I think all the reading about doing this for years has engerized me.. I just wish I didnt have to go to work and could keep building!

[GaryMcT]

Very nice!   I've been thinking the same way about painting.  . . I don't think I'd ever do a good job at it, but I figure I can figure out how to laminate.

I've been contemplating building a Defender-style cab from scratch. . . I wonder if you can paint the pattern with the stencil on top of the laminate and have it work well?

[syph007]

Very nice!   I've been thinking the same way about painting.  . . I don't think I'd ever do a good job at it, but I figure I can figure out how to laminate.

I've been contemplating building a Defender-style cab from scratch. . . I wonder if you can paint the pattern with the stencil on top of the laminate and have it work well?

Ya I'm not sure about painting on the laminate, that might be tough.  I'll just be appling adhevise backed graphics.

[syph007]

Man, I'll say this again... this for sure isnt a hobby for the impatient.  I spent 3 hrs today and this is all I got done.  Thats the bottom board pictured.  Had to recut it 4 times to get it exactly 26" width and perfectly squared.  I figured this was an important piece that makes sure the rest of the cab is square.  I manged to get the front edge laminated and trimmed since it will show, and now its quarter to ten... *sigh*  At least it's a long weekend coming up, I just want to get the main body parts assembled and I'll be happy...

Cheers!

[syph007]

Well I've had time to make some more progress.  My goal for today is to get it standing.  I've laminated both interior sides now and 2 other back body pieces.

I bought black angle iron and cut and drilled it to use for custom support strips, works great and that stuff was 8 bucks for an 8 foot piece in the window and door area of home depot.

The bottom base I built separate than attached.   I was super anal about gluing and screwing it together as I want everything square and rigid.  Notice that there is an 8 inch hollow under the back edge for use with my cabinet mover.  Thats right, no casters here, went with removable 10inch inflatable wheels.  This means I cant enter my cabinet in the local soapbox derby, but thats fine, I'll just game with it.  

In all seriousness, I know its personal choice, but the casters on the cab body have always been a pet peeve of mine.  It will never be moved, and when it is, that's what the dolly is for so it seems odd to me to permanently mount wheels.. but anyway, if others find it a big help, then I guess it works for them.

[saleem]

i see your using brackets to hold things together with screws.

i dont like as when you look inside it looks like "oh,i see you used brackets with screws" type of thing.wood or mdf battons look nicer when seen in my opinion.

i used neither screws or battons on my bartop project,i used woodglue and dowelling as screws and there is nothing visible inside that suggests it being held together by anything bar what i used.

screws are not as solid to use on their own but,angled brackets look a bit ugly.even brackets will work loose as they still rely on the screws and it might lead to wobble over time.

suppose main thing is you have started construction of the actual cab and your getting it assembled and this is where it will start to look like an arcade cab.
 

[syph007]

@saleem:  To each his own I guess.  I don't like the look of the wood blocks on the inside, I wanted a clean look and liked the bracket strips.

Managed to get it standing and almost the back panel on.   Lots of hours into this project already, I can only imagine how many more it will take... *sigh*  I don't know how this long weekend got away from me.. but I did get a fair bit done.

[drventure]

I dunno. I kinda like those long black bracket strips. Pretty nice looking if you ask me.

But, if we're talking serious furniture, I wanna see DOVETAILS on those edges! All around! In Walnut and Beech. Yeah, yeah....

 

[syph007]

You know.. I was a lurker here for like 3 years reading everything I could.  You pros out there really make it look easy.  Now Ive built plenty of small things before, but nothing so large.  I'm finding it takes SO much longer than I thought... oh well I'm still having fun!

I spent another whole evening (which really is what 2-3 hrs after work/dinner/quality time etc.) tonight just attaching the back panel to the sides and bottom.  100 screws in each of the long sides.. its rock solid.  Now I see how much easier gluing woudl have been, but the problem was I had already laminated the inside... well you live and learn I guess.  Should it worry me that as Im building this, Im already mentally planning how I'd make it different for my second time?

I did spend alot of time on this part, but the back piece was also a bit bowed, so I had quite an elaborate setup of clamps and boards to hold it straight as I attached it.  I'm very very pleased with the result though, so it was worth it.  I'm starting to wonder what the average build time is for a new guy making a cab.  Im at 2 weeks now.  Honestly I thought Id have the main body done by now and be on to the control panel... *sigh*

[Epyx]

Should it worry me that as Im building this, Im already mentally planning how I'd make it different for my second time?

Nope perfectly normal...move along

[saleem]

i must have missed something,you laminated the insides but,not the outsides.i can see that but,how come no laminating on outsides?

we cant get laminate in uk,its banned as far as i know,therefore,it is not sold or manufactured.being in country that allows the sale,therefore they produce it i would have loved to have been in your shoes and had the oppurtunity to use laminate for the outer sides of the cab.

will be interesting to see what you do with the outer cab,will you just do a generic spray job or a generic roller paint!

if i could have laminate today,i would be using it for my bartop.

i dont have any choice realy,i have to use paint or look for a different covering solution.i will actualy look at a different solution so i can take my cab beyond GENERIC and make it something different.

[syph007]

I didn't put laminate on the outside yet as I'm waiting untill the rest is done.  It would be pretty odd to only laminate the inside.

I'm driving screws threw from the outside for the monitor shelf and a few other things, so laminate on the outside at the start would have made that too difficult.  Plus I'd have to worry about damaging it during the build.

[saleem]

had me stumped.but,i was thinking about how you was using brackets and screws.now you explian,makes more sense.

glad you are using laminate,its not for me to tell you to do it the way i would but,its nice to see someone getting away from the generic paint job.

americans got more choice than us here in uk.

[Epyx]

Saleem,

Isn't this in the UK?

http://www.formica.co.uk

Formica Limited creates beautiful and useful surfaces for many diverse environments and applications. It is the market leader and only manufacturer of High Pressure Laminate (HPL) in the UK, as well as being a manufacturer of a wide range of other interior surfacing materials.

In fact look at the selection of colours available:

http://www.formica.co.uk/publish/site/eu/uk/en/home/collection/plain_colors.0.html

[saleem]

i will look into this,i heard of formica,but,whether the public can buy i dont know.

we cant buy laminate over the counter,i think its because most laminates are oil based and oil based products are banned in uk.

my bandwidth is busy at the mo,so running that site is difficult but,i will look into it as i am keen to buy some alternate covering for my project (and future ones)

i like what your doing there,you sure seem to enjoy it.would have been a shame to see you just roll paint on.
 

[Gamester]

syph007,

Looking great!  Don't get discouraged about the time it's taking...  my project feels like it is going slow too.  But, ya know, you've spent 3+ years building up to this point... savor it...  the joy is in the journey!   

It seems like you're taking the time to do it right and not taking shortcuts, so that's the most important thing.  You'll probably have this thing for many years, and down the road, when you look back on it, you'll see that taking a few weeks longer than hoped to build it right was pretty insignificant in the scheme of things.  That's the approach I'm taking anyway...

Keep it up, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the artwork that I know you're secretly working on comes out.   

[syph007]

Gamester you are totally correct, I'm just an impatient person by nature but I am for sure loving the build process.  Problem is now I've got 10 people constantly asking how it's going wanting to see pictures, wondering when they can come over to play etc... so I get all excited and just try to make progress.

I did make some more progress today though.  First thing I did was make a run for more laminate.  I was paying 50 CDN at Home Depot.  Tried the Rona here and the exact same stuff was 37 a sheet.  No lowes near me so I couldn't check there.

I've been debating the whole cabinet height thing so I used a cardboard mockup screen to get a feel for it.  It was useful though as I concluded I wanted the screen higher than what was recommended.  To smooth the look of this more I shaved 1/2 inch off the marquee area with some vertical routing.  Had to recut part of the t-molding slot but that was no big deal.  I'm very pleased with the subtler change.  It's not a big deal to have the screen a tad higher anyway as I tilted it back by about 5 degrees more than the design called for and I will be adding an admin panel below the screen.

Since I had an idea for screen position now, I test fit the shelf for it and was happy, so it's now firmly in place as well.  Just used 2x2 for this, and its attached with 2 inch screws from the outside.. perfectly solid, no need for shelf brackets.

The tv is going to be used for now as I'm out of funds, but it will be replaced by a 27 inch Neiman arcade screen.  Turns out I live about 4 km from the factory where them make them, so I have to take advantage of that!

Cheers!

[syph007]

Oh, forgot to add that I've been working on all 3 main parts of this build at the same time, that being the cabinet, pc setup and the control panel.  I was trying to do a test layout last night but could not find a good U360 template.  Had to make my own, but a test print confirmed it was bang on.  Added as an svg attachment in case anyone else needs this.

Cheers!

[syph007]

Finally feeling like I'm making headway.  Got the coin door made and laminated with the hinges installed and added a cross brace to support the CP box.

I was really dreading dremmeling out the shape in laminate for the side again, so I said screw it and just spread out the contact cement on the part that would be glued and handled the whole 4x8 sheet.  It worked fine but was more awkward.

It was so nice to stand it up and see a finished side laminated, I love how it looks.  Ran out of time to round the corners off and install the tMolding, but I can do that tomorrow, and hopefully laminate the other side as well.   I have the PC all ready to go, so next is tackling the control panel!

Cheers!

[Gamester]

syph007,

Looking great man!

I was wondering what method you used to cut the hole for the coin door?

I'll have to do the same thing eventually... if it ever stops raining here!   

[syph007]

syph007,

Looking great man!

I was wondering what method you used to cut the hole for the coin door?

I'll have to do the same thing eventually... if it ever stops raining here!   

I hear you about the rain, that's how it's been here all summer.  We're on a dry stretch now though.   For the opening I just marked the size then drilled the corners with a 1 and 1/8th bit (had it for the CP buttons) and rough cut it out with a jig saw.  I used my favorite tool the router after that to get a good clean edge with a guide on all 4 sides.

I really wanted to get the tmolding on last night, but I figured it was better to pace myself and not rush it... but it feels like I'm getting close now.  Had a buddy paint me a vent to go in the back top section.  If I get enough time in the next few days I should be done! (fingers crossed)

[syph007]

FINALLY I got all sides laminated so I started on the tmolding tonight.  It was so fun to put that on since there have been so many steps up to this point.  It's pretty easy to install, I only wish I had got a rubber mallot.  I went ghetto and added some tape to the head of my hammer... worked ok.

[syph007]

And... here it is with the tmolding all installed.  I had envisioned it to be lighter... but I didn't want the really light looking blue... so I'm still not sure.  At first I wanted to rip it off and pick another color, but now it's growing on me so I think it's a go.

Feels great to be making progress.  Still have to attach the front door and mount the upper back 45 degree piece but thats not too bad.  So close so close.... 

[syph007]

Small update.  Got the front door mounted.  I used one of the buckle type closures to hold the door shut.  It works great since it pulls really hard on the door.  No wiggle at all when closed which is how I wanted it.  The idea is that you can't tell its a door, till you reach in to unbuckle it.

[sealslayer]

i will look into this,i heard of formica,but,whether the public can buy i dont know.

we cant buy laminate over the counter,i think its because most laminates are oil based and oil based products are banned in uk.

my bandwidth is busy at the mo,so running that site is difficult but,i will look into it as i am keen to buy some alternate covering for my project (and future ones)

i like what your doing there,you sure seem to enjoy it.would have been a shame to see you just roll paint on.
 

Don't know who told you that but you can buy sheets of laminate over the counter at any good worktop showroom.

http://www.idsurfaces.co.uk/c-1800-international-decorative-surfaces-laminates.aspx

Imho laminating is a waste of time and effort and it works out far too expensive once you've costed in the glue etc.
Your far better off using melamine faced sheet materials.

[syph007]

Imho laminating is a waste of time and effort and it works out far too expensive once you've costed in the glue etc.
Your far better off using melamine faced sheet materials.

Laminating is for sure expensive.  I've spent 50 bucks on glue alone.  I love how it looks though, I'd do it this way again for sure if I was to start over.   My first thought though was to go with melamine boards.  The only thing we have available in this area though is just particle board covered in melamine.  It would be cheap, but pretty crumby to work with.   What I've ended up with (countertop laminate over real plywood) is far superior to that.  It's also easier to work with as you can can cut as normal, then laminate, whereas premade sheets you have to cut and handle very carefully.

[saleem]

i will look into this,i heard of formica,but,whether the public can buy i dont know.

we cant buy laminate over the counter,i think its because most laminates are oil based and oil based products are banned in uk.

my bandwidth is busy at the mo,so running that site is difficult but,i will look into it as i am keen to buy some alternate covering for my project (and future ones)

i like what your doing there,you sure seem to enjoy it.would have been a shame to see you just roll paint on.
 

Don't know who told you that but you can buy sheets of laminate over the counter at any good worktop showroom.

http://www.idsurfaces.co.uk/c-1800-international-decorative-surfaces-laminates.aspx

Imho laminating is a waste of time and effort and it works out far too expensive once you've costed in the glue etc.
Your far better off using melamine faced sheet materials.

then i am wrong.i read somewhere on net,oil based paints and laminates are banned.due to public health risk ie:food preperation surfaces and environmental risks.

whatever.i am readying the bartop for primning,so its gonna be painted internaly and i think outside too.

[syph007]

Wasn't feeling great the last few days so I haven't done much woodworking.  I decided to build the PC part and mount it to keep some building momentum going.  I knew I wanted to use the open air concept to keep the pc cool, so I went and found a board about the right size. 

The one mod I did first was to remove the annoying fan from the video card I was going to use, and I used some arctic silver thermal epoxy to attach a big heatsink I had leftover from an old xbox.  Thermal epoxy is great stuff, held it on very well.

Then I mounted the motherboard to with homemade standoffs made up of a piece of tubing, screw and nylon washer on top.  It worked out great.  I had some spare black angle iron left over so I used that to make mounting brackets for the power supply, hard drive and video card.  I wasn't going to bother supporting the video card at first, but with the addition of that huge heatsink, it needed it.

It's an older PC, P4 2.8 Ghz, but it'll do fine for what it needs to, and if not I can upgrade down the road.  Spent zero dollars on this part as my buddy donated the mobo/cpu/ram and I had the rest of the parts in my spare parts bin.

Well, I hope to finish off the cabinet part this weekend if Im lucky, and then it will move indoors for finishing work and assembly.

That's all for now, cheers!

[brock.sampson]

Where did you get the brace for the video card?  I made a wood version to hold my card but this looks like it would hold up much better.

[syph007]

I made it from aluminum.  At home depot in the window area there are 8 ft pieces of trim.  They are L shaped and already black.  I just cut a piece off and drilled holes, and bent where needed.

[Epyx]

It's an older PC, P4 2.8 Ghz

Yep, they are workhorses for sure and have held up decently over the years. I have one in my bartop and it runs most games with no issues.

You and Kman have served up nice PC platters today!

[syph007]

Ah finally making some real progress.   Got the speaker shelf made and mounted, then I tackled the angled panel at the back.  It was a royal pain to get to fit just right, with the laminate and all, but I got it to where I'm satisfied.

I installed a vent in this panel, and drilled a hole to place my master on/off button.  I need to cut one more hole in the lower back for a second vent and then it can finally move into the rec room!  I can't wait to be actually done this and finally get to play some games!

Cheers!

[ivwshane]

Very nice!


I guess next time for my cab I'll have to go laminate:(

[syph007]

Shhh, don't tell anyone but I opened a tv ... AND I LIVED! 

The front panel buttons were broken so I needed to get to the power board.  I was hoping the front bezel would come off but no luck.  I had to take the entire rear housing off to get to to board.  I rand the wires out the side and recased it so I can now get access to solder some wire extensions on the power button.

[emphatic]

Be aware that that carpet is likely to generate static electricity. Don't place any bare electrical components directly on it.

[Gamester]

syph007,

The cabinet looks great!  Nice clean looking build.

I've got some catching up to do... 

[syph007]

Ok, the cabinet finally got to move indoors to my rec room.  Used a dolly and it was no problem at all.

I mounted my power strip and pc and got them all set up with wires run etc.   After a few failed attempts at getting my tv to respond correctly I gave up and decided I needed 2 on/off momentary buttons.  I really only wanted to have a single power up switch, so what I did was take two momentary buttons and glue them together, then glue that to a Happ button, where the cherry switch normally goes.  One turns on the pc, the other the tv.. works just fine!

And this is how my machine has been for the past couple days, since it turns on and my light gun works, my girlfriend and I have been playing alot of Zero Point!  Once I got the gun calibrated right it is AWESOME.  I was getting perfects on a few of the levels with no problem.  The timing of the aimtrak coming out was just right for me to include this in my build. 

Now I just need to get that control panel done... and the artwork and I'm in business!

Cheers!

[Lewis Black]

Looking nice

[syph007]

Wow I feel dumb for not checking our local surplus store earlier.. they have cheap plexi!  I'm working on the marquee area now so I needed some.  It was kind of pricey at home depot so I checked the surplus store near me.  They had tons of it in odd sizes and they sell it for 3 bucks a pound.  I found 2 that are almost exactly the size I needed and it cost me around 4 bucks total!  

[syph007]

Well I had no luck finding good speaker grills so I just made some today.  Cut the board out the right shape, covered with 3 ply of black screen door screening I had in the garage, and stapled that on.  I bought half inch aluminum trim then bent and attached it with 2 screws at the back.  

I held it up  to the speaker area and I think it looks just fine, you can't immediately tell they are DIY ones.

Cheers!

[syph007]

Well I have some small progress.  Sadly we've actually been gaming on it already which has killed my productivity.  We've been playing lightgun games (zero point 1 & 2) and donkey kong with the keyboard.  Don't even have a real control panel yet!

I realized I had started making my control panel box 1/8 inch too short, so I tried to glue some 1/8 material on the bottom, and that ended badly, it was a mess.  I just said screw it and started over.  Redid the whole box from scratch tonight, and I'm finally happy with how it turned out.  I took my time and made sure each cut was right and everything ended up fitting perfect.  Dimensions are 12" x 32" base, 4 3/8" front and 5 3/8" back with 5 degree slope.

Well it's a long weekend coming up so I really hope I can get a test control panel together and play some games!  

Cheers!

Edit: I also got a 15 w florescent light fixture mounted for my marquee light.

[opt2not]

Sometimes it's best to just start over on a task, I find that it turns out better and faster the second time through! Don't worry about the productivity thing, you need  to give yourself a few "rewards" here and there with some gaming fun!

Great progress so far, I've been watching this thread for updates, mostly because I'm a huge fan of Laminates over painting for scratch-built cabs. Looking forward to more updates!

[syph007]

I was tired of looking at the empty marquee hole, but I was determined to make my own design.  As a temp measure I ordered a standard one from MameMarquees.   I think it looks pretty sweet, for sure high quality workmanship.

I was nervous about cutting the plexigass to fit, but it turned out to be super easy with a router.  My marquee area is 26x6.5.  I cut a board to that exact size then clamped the plexi on top and went around it with my flush trim.  Cut it like butter, no cracks, nothing.  I feel silly for worrying about this, but router cutting was for sure the way to go. 

I have to hit home depot tomorrow and look for something to use for marquee holder, so its just temporaily taped up for now.  What a difference some art makes, its starting to feel more arcade like already... now I just need oh that silly control panel thing...

[syph007]

Ok I finally stopped being lazy and got my marquee mounted properly.  I went with the home depot trim method.  Cut it to size, drilled 5 holes each, and then painted with the hammer texture spray paint.  For some reason it's impossible to find small black screws and hardware stores, so I ended up taking about some old crumby desktop speakers just to harvest the screws.  One other modification I had to make was to add another small board behind the marquee light as there was significant light coming out the back and then lighting up the area about the monitor.

Feels really good to have the marquee on properly now, even thought it's not my 'forever' one.

Well I gotta go back to the garage and finish the CP box... so close I can taste it now!

Cheers!

[syph007]

Finally got the last piece of laminate installed and trimmed on the CP box.  I was worried about how the corners would turn out, like maybe i'd nick the lower part when I was doing the flush trim, but it went totally fine.   I used 4 carriage bolts and bolted it on.   Now I think I have every single piece done accept the actual control panel.  I should be able to have a rough one ready for tomorrow.  I plan on testing a few configurations to make sure I have one I like.

Cheers!

[Bender]

It's really coming together
Nice work on the laminate!
looks great 

[syph007]

Ugh... in a test fitting of my controls I came to a horrible realization.. I didn't make the box deep enough from the monitor.  In my inkscape control mockups I had a 32" by 14" inch box.  For some reason the one I made is 32 by 12.... I really am not sure what happened in my logic here.  The problem is when I test fit my trackball its too close to the screen for good trackball games... so.. yes.. I will be making ANOTHER CP box... *sigh*  3rd time better be right, or I may be the first to shed tears over my misshapen project!

[Malenko]

they say 3rd time is the charm!


dont totally scrap the old one, through it up in the free section, maybe someone local can use it?

build looks really good so far, so don't be discouraged!

[syph007]

they say 3rd time is the charm!


dont totally scrap the old one, through it up in the free section, maybe someone local can use it?

build looks really good so far, so don't be discouraged!

Ya I won't chuck it, but I'm not sure what use it will be... I was just out recutting the parts for the proper size, went faster this time.  The only pain part though is the laminating since it takes about an hour per surface to wait for the contact cement to be ready.

Only positive thing about redoing it is that I can put the surfaces on in the right order this time.  Bottom should go first, then sides, then front and back.  This minimized the amount of edges you see, but its ony a minor issue.

[syph007]

While I'm laminating my third cp box, I had to 'allow' myself to enjoy some games at least.  Threw a u360 and some buttons in a board and mocked up a quick temporary panel.  Darn fun, my only complaint is the my right wrist got really sore.  I guess because I'm tall its not a great angle to hold your wrist at.   I plan on picking up some bar stools though, so at that point it probably won't be any issue.   Has me wondering though if most home arcade users prefer to stand or use stools?

[syph007]

Forgot I was also going to say that I built the DDR pad in the background as well.  More documentation on that is here  http://www.pdainitiative.com/ddrmetal/

It's usb so it can be used with the cab and stepmania as well.  Basically it's made of wood covered with sheet metal.  The button squares are lexan with paper graphic underneath.  The spring action comes from the weatherstripping.  The only modification I did since I first built it was to replace the foil tape (not a long term solution) with sheet metal squares in each corner to serve as button contacts.  Its modeled after the arcade pad, same size just doesn't have a border or back rail.

Cheers!

[opt2not]

  Has me wondering though if most home arcade users prefer to stand or use stools?

For me it depends on the game I'm playing, for some reason I can't play Robotron sitting down. But games like DK or Pacman I have no problem relaxing on a stool. 

Have you thought about a different layout for your buttons? I know that the Japanese style layouts are a bit more comfortable than the North American layout. That could help relieve a bit of stress on your wrist. Or, you could take the whole layout you currently have and rotate it slightly, so it's not completely straight aligned...like, angle it upwards?

[syph007]

Problem is it's not that angle that causes the pain, the height of my current panel causes my hand to be bent backwards towards my arm, thats whats causing the pain, so rotation of the buttons wont help.  If the control panel was angled back the other way so the front was higher than the back, that would work, but it would look retarded.  So that's why Im thinking a stool might be the best option.

[syph007]

So I was finishing off my 3rd try at the cp box today, putting on the LAST piece of laminate.  I even had 3 sides flush trimmed and was doing the last.. so it would have been the VERY last cut for my entire project... and the router starts moving strangely.. I look down and the bearing HAD FALLEN OFF!  I ruined the last piece of laminate I just put down.  After swearing up a storm I realized, oh I'll just pry up the piece I put down, wood fill and redo this piece.

So I use a chisel and pry up the piece I just put down and get that all off.. when I realize the router had gone into the cured laminate pieces on the other 2 sides as well!!! 

So... I had to stop as I'm just having ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- luck today.  Im not sure there is going to be a quick fix for this... *sigh*

[Epyx]

Damn Syph sorry to hear, I feel your frustration. Ya a quick break and some regroup and you will nail this down, no doubt about it.   

[syph007]

I tried to salvage the error, but there was no easy way.  I even tried to shave off that whole surface to the depth of my error cut, but that just cracked the laminate on the other sides.  I spent last night and this morning chiseling/prying off the laminate on all sides except one.  So looks like I will be sanding/woodfilling to get it back to square, then laminating AGAIN.  I think I should just have enough scrap laminate pieces around to not have to buy another sheet.

Someday maybe I'll finally get this thing done... Oh here is what happened to my flush trim, so that others wont make the same mistake.  The bearing got gummed up from the contact cement residue and stopped turning.  But me forcing it around actually caused the bearing to unscrew.  So I cleaned it well with googone and that took it off fine.  So from now on I will be cleaning it after every side and checking tightness.  Well at least now I know right?

I was also thinking, the reason I wanted a bigger CP box was to get my trackball further from the monitor for good rolls to not hit my hand on the screen.  But looking at others projects, like Knievel's, it looks like his trackball is pretty close to the screen on his woody.

http://members.shaw.ca/knievelkustoms/woody/4.jpg

Anyone know what a good distance from the screen is for a trackball?

[Silas (son of Silas)]

Anyone know what a good distance from the screen is for a trackball?

Depends on which trackball games you play and how you play them. I'm a 'thumb flick and fingertip' player, so for me, proximity to the screen isn't too much of an issue. If you play with big palm spins and huge movement, then the further away the better.

[syph007]

I swear I'm making this CP thing harder than it needs to be... I'm now considering sticking with the smaller box I already made, and making mutliple panels for it.  I've been using my test panel with controls in the middle for all my 1P games, and my test mockup with the controls over to the left bugged me more.  I found it much more preferable to play the single player games, with controls centered.  So I'm debating getting an extra u360 controller for a dedicated 1P panel, and a separate 2P panel....  But then, where does the trackball go... on its own? Argg... maybe I should just make a standard typical 2P setup and get used to it.. i dunno.  Is this an issue for anyone else?

[syph007]

Alright, I think I needed that break, I'm back at it with vigor again.  After my CP box issues, I've gone full circle and am back to using my first one, which fits my new control design layout ok.

Now the next stage for me was cutting the CP panel itself.  I knew I wanted the front curved.  From my diagrams in inkscape I have been using a curve with a 6ft radius, so that's what I needed to cut.  I've thought about this for quite awhile and I really could not come up with a simple way of cutting a perfect curve... if there is, I just couldn't think of it.  So what I actually had to do was make a 6ft arm to attach to my router, bolted it all down and made the cut.  This was more of a measure 20 times, screw, align then cut once!  But it turned out perfect!  This isn't the final dimension of the panel, but I cut the curve side first.  At its full depth it will be 15 inches deep, 35 wide.  

This piece is just cut with particleboard since this isn't the actual CP, but the template.  I don't want to be using this technique every time I want to cut a CP, so this is just going to be used for the shape. I will pattern bit the final ones.  I know for a fact I will be making more than one CP. I'm way too picky to get it just right the first time.

Anyways, its nice to be back on the project.  I'll head back out and make the rest of the cuts after a mini break.

Cheers!

[syph007]

I finished the template CP piece just now.  It turned out exactly as I wanted so I'm happy.  I got the corners rounded and all smoothed down nice.  I'm glad I bothered to do the long setup method to get the front curve, if I tried to do that by hand it would been a butcher job.

I test fit the template to my CP box and its all good.  I then used the template to make a copy onto real plywood which will serve as my first test panel.  What I plan is to keep tweaking and cutting panels until I'm happy and one of the test panels will get 'promoted' to the final one.  Next I have to get my template printed out at staples or somewhere so I can do the drilling.

[syph007]

These are the two panel layouts I'm toying with at the moment in my inkscape mockups.  I don't like the 7 button layouts and dont need them so I knew I wanted 6.  I like the look of the straight 2x3 layout best, but on my last test panel that has this I got wicked wrist cramps, so Ive opted to give the ergo layout a try.

My first concept leaves out a dedicated 4 way in place of a topfire stick at either corner for tank games.  Im not sure if this will be comfortable though.

My second is a more traditional with a dedicated 4 way.

[syph007]

Well life got in the way and I got stalled for quite awhile.  Finally I'm back on track though.  For the last month or so I've been messing around prototyping control layouts.  I just about had what was perfect for me, but with one snag.  My CP box was just a bit too narrow to have the trackball far enough from the monitor.  I only needed a couple more inches though. 

So my first though was to build a new box that was bigger, but when I tried that it didn't look right on the cabinet.  So I got to thinking and figured what don't I try to make a tasteful extension to give the trackball a bit of room.  Seemed easy enough, but it took 5 tries and some swearing to get the angles right, and the laminate glued on without breaking the small corners.  I took some pictures of the small triangular piece from hell being made  and you can see how it attached.  Took alot of filing and shaping to get it just right.

I didn't have proper tools to do the small angles so I came up with all these weird braces to screw the part too, so that i could use my router on it to get a straight edge.  I'm finally happy with how it turned out though, and I can actually mount my controls next...  I knew this was going to be a long term project... I started buying parts in 2006.. but whats the rush eh?

If I ever redo the CP box, I'm going to make a rounded front to match the curve of the CP, but recessed.  That way there will be plenty of room for the trackball.

Cheers!

[syph007]

Well it seems to have worked out just fine.  You cant really notice that I made the addition from the top, and it allowed me to move the trackball about 2 more inches from the screen.  I was thinking i might mount usb ports on that part so it looks intentionally done.

[njay]

Good work, you can always think this has been a good learning experience even for some of us here !

[syph007]

Well I finally got my control layout figured.  I was totally against having the spinner above the trackball, but it actually works fine as long as it's not too close.  This was after 10+ test panels, so I picked it based on testing not random guessing and I'm finally happy.

I got the panel drilled and routed last night, so it's getting there.   I laminated the bottom just because I didn't have any black paint, but lots of laminate scraps.  The only goof I made was to drill the laminate from the top without wood backing, so it chipped.  Not concerned since it's underneath, but that did feel like a noob mistake.

Next is to get the plexi cut to size and using the trackball mounting kit as a router guide to cut the plexi hole.

More to come... cheers!

[syph007]

Well I'm making good progress today which is nice for a change.  I used the trackball mounting kit to make a template for the 3 inch trackball hole first.  I then used that to make the corresponding hole in the plexi.  It made sense to me to get that centered and on correctly first, then do the rest.

I then installed the trackball and made sure that fit the plexi hole.  The rest was way easier than i thought it was going to be.  All i did was use a spade bit to drill holes in the plexi for each button, then cleaned up the holes with the router.  I did the trick of installing buttons as I went to secure the plexi in place as well as using clamps.  Once all of these were done, I routered around the edge and it turned out great.  I still have to make the joystick hole in the plexi, but I'm going to whip up a quick template for that too, to make sure it's centered.

It feels great to be finally on to the fun parts of the build!

[syph007]

Well I'm done for the night, was really trying to get it done today, but I'm just out of time and energy.  This is how far I did get though, all the controls mounted and the graphics on and cut, with plexi installed.  

I'm REALLY happy with my final layout, simple and all the controls are accessible and nothing is in the way.   I attached my final drilling template svg file (should be readable in illustrator, but I used inkscape) if anyone else has any need of it.  This did go through many iterations to get to my final version, so maybe my testing and fiddling will help out someone else.  

My goal here was to allow enough space for trackball use, but have the joysticks close enough together so that it doesn't feel like you are standing too far to the side when using them.  I actually like the look of the straight buttons better, but had to go ergo for the feel, I was getting wrist pain.

Edit:  The layout I attached here, didn't seem to work.  I posted it here instead.
http://pdainitiative.com/temp/finallayout.rar

[Dafu]

The panel turned out great! Bit of t-molding here, and there, and you're done!

[drventure]

+1

Nice job on the panel!

[syph007]

The only progress I made last night was to get the wiring under the panel done.  I always admired all the fancy wire routing everyone usually does, so I was determined to do the same and make mine elaborate but neat.

It turned out that if you are using what I am, the wiring is actually very trivial.

I made up a wiring harness for each U360 stick, that interfaces the 6 buttons and the player button for each.  I'm using a turbotwist set on the Z axis so that my happ trackball could be interfaced on the x and y of the controller board.  I made my own cabling to connect it up, and it works just fine.  

So in the end everything is connected and needs 3 usb cables coming out to interface to the PC.

I rolled my own mame build as well last night to modify the Z mouse raw handling as per urebelscum's findings.  I also did the nag screen removal and removed the save/load slot select.  I wanted to just hit one button to save or load and have it work without picking a slot.

All the changes worked perfect and I finally got to play some arkanoid and golden tee.

I added U bolts on my panel as tether points to hold it secure with small bungees from the inside.  I added small guide pins as well to ensure it aligned properly.  So far this works quite well, but I have industrial Velcro to add if needed.

[Dafu]

Neat wiring job! I hope mine will be half as neat;)

What are the two u-shaped bolts for? Some kind of cp<->cb fastening system?

[syph007]

I continued with wiring last night, and tackled one of the last irritating tasks I had to do which was to desolder and relocate the volume knob from my speakers.  I figured it should have 3 connection points, but it ended up having 8.  I used some spare cat5 cable I had around which worked out well since it also had 8 wires.

I'm not great at using those desoldering sucker things, but I eventually got it off and reattached.  I had originally decided to relocate the headphone jack as well, but after doing that solder work, i'd had enough and figured it wasn't that important.

Only 2 pieces left now, admin panel and monitor glass.  I'm going to have to cut out some of the front plastics of the tv to make room for my admin buttons, it's closer to the front than I thought, but I hope that goes ok.

[Hawkweber]

I'm not great at using those desoldering sucker things, but I eventually got it off and reattached.

You might want to pick up some desoldering braid instead. 

[syph007]

I'm not great at using those desoldering sucker things, but I eventually got it off and reattached.

You might want to pick up some desoldering braid instead.  

Ya that might have been a better idea.  After putting the speakers back in and then testing.. turns out I fried the speaker board... These were cheap refurbs anyhow, not a huge loss.. but now I know.

So.... I bought another set of speakers and instead of opening them this time, I decided to follow this guide
http://scarvell.net/wiki/index.php?title=VOLUME_CONTROL_MOUNTING_AND_WIRING

This was a much smarter idea and I wish I would have found this sooner!  I installed a logarithmic 50k dual gang potentiometer in the middle of a 12ft extension cable.  The store even had a nice selection of knobs to try, I got a few different ones (I think I like the middle one best) and the total was still a little over 10 bucks for everything.

And... best of all this actually WORKS!  

[syph007]

Well I was using my panel for quite awhile on saturday, and the position of the player start buttons I chose were bugging me.  I  placed them the same relative position from the corresponding player game buttons, but it looked awkward since they werent equally spaced from the spinner.  So... i printed new graphics and got new plexi just to correct this.   I know it seems minor but it bugged me and I've spent this much time already, a bit more to be completely happy seems fine.

So after a few hours of work yesterday, here is the same panel again, but with adjusted player start buttons.   I've also been working on my admin panel, so its really just the admin panel and glass I need to finish now.

[johnd23]

Looking good!

I am in the planning stages of building my cab. How thick is the laminate? 1/16th? So if you laminate both sides of the 5/8 plywood it'll total 3/4 for the t-molding?

Also do you have the plans for this cab? Atleast for the sizes of the sides. I really like this style, i would like to go with something similar.

[syph007]

It's a bit thinner than 1/16 inch.  5/8 wood plus laminate on both sides was just a bit narrower than 3/4.  My molding overlapped a tiny bit, but I just ran a sharp chisel around the edges to trim the small excess, and it leaves you with a nice clean edge.

[syph007]

I got my admin panel done last night.  Turned out fine the first try, didn't even have to remake it 5 times! I made a 1/4 inch grove on the top to receive the glass.

It's not attached or wired up yet, but that and the glass are all that's left to do now!!

[syph007]

I managed to get the last little bits of wiring and fiddling done last night.  Admin panel hooked up, coin slot works, lights for reject buttons etc. It's now actually complete except for the monitor glass which I still have to order.

It was nice to actually use my BYOAC tokens and play some games!!!

[syph007]

Oh check this out, forgot to post it before.  I had to mangle the front bezel of the tv to make room for the admin panel.   Nothing electric in that part, but it looks pretty nasty I know.

[TheGameFan]

Oh check this out, forgot to post it before.  I had to mangle the front bezel of the tv to make room for the admin panel.   Nothing electric in that part, but it looks pretty nasty I know.

Is there any way to remove the entire front bezel or cutoff that section?

[syph007]

I could have, but would have had to take the tv all the way apart and really didn't want to do that again.  The bezel doesnt come off from the front unfortunately.

[jmike]

  Great work on that control panel. (+1 on the artwork too)

 

BTW I like that DDR Pad on the left. You running Stepmania?

[syph007]

BTW I like that DDR Pad on the left. You running Stepmania?

I don't have it installed yet, but yep that's the plan.  Works better on the arcade vs my normal tv anyhow, since the arcade screen is up higher, you dont have to look down as you're trying to play.

[jmike]

Very cool. I always wanted to make one that lights up when you step on it, but couldn't figure out how to do it. The one I built had Nintendo characters instead of arrows.