Scratch Build Donkey Kong MAME Cab (completed 10/23/09)

[LeedsFan]

This is looking really cool! You've done a really good job replicating that cabinet design. I read somewhere that the inside slots of the speaker grille are supposed to be black. I reckon that would be awkward and niggly to do. I certainly didn't do that with my bartop... I painted the insides blue to match. Some might say don't bother painting them at all.

[jmike]

It came out great, the instruction card is 100% clear and ledgible. Thanks again!

J

Yes really awesome work on the cab Jason.  You can really see the dedication that went into this project.

Sledgehammer awesome work! You know I was thinking of doing a mini DK machine for my twin boys, maybe you wouldn't mind helping me in the future?

 

[Sledgehammer]

Thanks for the kudos guys.

I don't plan to paint the inside of the speaker slots. My painting skills suck and I can just see myself painting the slots black and bleeding black paint onto the blue front panel, then having to touch that up. No thanks...

I wanted to post some updated pics.

I got the coin door wired up after multiple attemps on both the lighting and the mechs. One mech worked fine, the other didn't. Turns out I did a crappy crimp job on a couple of my wires on the Coin 1 mech. Fixed that then starting messing with the lights.

I didn't understand that daisy chaining the lights had to be done a very specific way. I basically came out of the molex connector on my PSU (12V line) to a wire that I split into two leads...one for each light (12V plus ground). When I fired everything up, the lights worked...but when I shut down the PC, it tripped my GFI on the outlet in the garage.

I rewired the lights so as to properly daisy chain them (12V and ground straight to the 1st light, then out of that connection and into the second light) and all was well.

Nothing like spending 2 hours working on the coin door at 8pm at night! Sometimes you get so far into these cab projects, you forget this is an arcade game and you're supposed to play the thing and have fun. I think I like building cabs more than I like playing games! (same with guns...I like reloading my own ammo more than I like going to the range to shoot!).

Anyways, everything is done except for mounting the bezel and wiring up power to the marquee light. I am waiting on bezel artwork from Scott and also need to track down a top marquee retainer (I only have the bottom one so far) in order to finish up.

Here are some updated photos:

Rear shot with the door installed:



Interior shot (what a mess) with the PC and coin door wiring:



Coin door from the outside:



Back of coin door (prior to fixing my wiring woes):



Running some DK. Need to get a bezel around that monitor so it doesn't look so naked:



A blurry shot but you can see the underside of the CP:



Running GameEx, and awesome front end!:



Once I get the bezel artwork I will post some final pics of the completed project.

I am going to be bored to death once I am done with this. I have been thinking about building a Future Pinball cab....just haven't had the guts to buy a 40" LCD yet....maybe soon...

Jason

[smalltownguy]

Thanks for the kudos guys.

I don't plan to paint the inside of the speaker slots. My painting skills suck and I can just see myself painting the slots black and bleeding black paint onto the blue front panel, then having to touch that up. No thanks...

Here's an easy way to get your black slots, if you can get behind the grille: put painter's tape over your grille, and spray it from the back. Just make sure the tape is pressed on well, and spray lightly with a few coats, from a few directions (stay 12" away if you can). You should get the effect you need.

[Silas (son of Silas)]

That's looking really good. Job nicely done!

I have always tinkered with the idea of a scratch build look-alike cab, but worried that if i didn't get it quite right it would bug me. I think you've pulled off the allusion really well.

[Sledgehammer]

Ok after a long wait for my bezel artwork, my cab is now 99% complete (I say 99% because I have a few upgrades to make like accessible usb ports for my NES and Genesis modified controllers).

Here are some shots now that I have the bezel art in.








The flash on this shot makes the bezel color look faded but it's not...it's very bright....





I had fun building this cab and maybe one day hope to build another scratch built replica...maybe a Ms. Pac Man or something like that. For now I think I am going to get started on a Pinball cab with a 40" LCD to run some Future Pinball.

I hope you guys enjoyed my thread about this build.

Jason

[Chicken McNobody]

Looks familiar. . .

I love at as you could probably guess, I'm glad the whole thing came together as you had hoped in the end. 

Great job!

[Sledgehammer]

Looks familiar. . .

I love at as you could probably guess, I'm glad the whole thing came together as you had hoped in the end. 

Great job!

Thanks again for your help with the CP artwork!!!

Jason

[IG-88]

Got a pic of the bartop and fullsize side by side?

[Sledgehammer]

Got a pic of the bartop and fullsize side by side?

Sure, here is a pic....kinda blurry but it gives you an idea of the bartop size vs. the full size cab.

J

[danny_galaga]

Excellent work! Certainly looks the part (",)

[hayabusa_fmw]

damn that's an amazing job you did there sir! , Simply wow ,

have fun!

[jeff412]

What are the dimensions on the speaker grill slots?  I've got an old cabinet that I need to redo the front of the CP box.

Jeff

[Sledgehammer]

Jakobud.com has a drawing of the DK speaker grill slots with dimensions

If you have trouble finding it just PM me and I will email you the file.

Jason

[ccmathome]

I used to have that cab but it was converted to excitebike had to toss the cab it was so beat man that thing was heavy still have the vs. excitebike board and marquee paid 20 for it anyway looks like the real thing