The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls
Main => Project Announcements => Topic started by: phishpac on June 01, 2008, 08:48:06 pm
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OK, I'm finally done, so here's the story. Thanks to the BYOAC community for all the help you've provided. Without this website, there is no way I could have completed this project, so thanks to everyone. Big ups to waveryder for the motivation to teach myself graphic design. Big ups to Timoe whose project I stumbled upon and inspired me to build a cabinet. Big ups to TOK, urebelscum, MK3FAN, and all the other folks who have provided great info. Here she is, the Grateful Arcade (I know some of you hate that being in the title.. but I happen to LOVE it :D )
First cuts:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=102246;image)
Beginning to take shape:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=102248;image)
More progress, monitor shelf, speaker shelf, etc... :
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=102232;image)
Front door on hinges:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=102250;image)
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all painted up:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=102230;image)
marquee light installed and lexan cut:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=102254;image)
I bought an old coin door on ebay. Physically it was fine, but the paint was awful and the mechs were covered in smoke/bar grease. I cleaned it up really good and gave it a paint job:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=102269;image)
Then I cleaned out the coin mechs by hand. Looks like it was once on part of "house of the dead"
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=102236;image)
Once the paint dried, I put it all together and installed a couple of locks I bought at Lowe's. If you ask me, I think it looks perfectly new. I was very happy with the restoration:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=102256;image)
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I soon realized I was unhappy with a flat monitor shelf like the book called for. I couldn't figure out a way that I could mount the television and provide enough support for it to ease my mind. So I ripped it out and reinstalled it. You can see on the side of the cabinet where I had to go through my wood putty and beautiful paint job to remove the screws from the monitor shelf and reposition it. Major pain in the :angry: but it was worth it:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=102262;image)
Next it was time to drill. I had kinkos print me out a black and white. I held it down with clamps and drilled with a 1 1/8" forstner on my big 1/2" drill:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=102270;image)
Here's how it looked when I was done:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=102242;image)
Here's the underside:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=102278;image)
I wanted to see what it would look like with buttons in place, I couldn't resist. Almost playable!!! :
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=102228;image)
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Next I put in the speakers. The speakers were some really cheap ones from Fry's. The cord didn't have one plug that was thicker than the other (helps it stay in the wall) so the connection was really crappy. I ended up having to hack the cord just to get a good plug on it:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=102272;image)
Here's the worthless plug:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=102280;image)
Next I installed the bezel. Since the television was a flat tube, I just put the lexan over the tv and taped off the viewable area. Then I covered the rest in newspaper and spray painted the whole sheet of lexan with textured black spray paint. This picture sucks, but up close it looks REALLY good. I was very happy with the results.
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=102234;image)
Oh yeah, here's what the speakers looked like. I ripped the decorative plastic part off the outside of the speakers and attached some black nylon window screening to the inside of them, effectively making grilles for nothing. I applied those the speaker shelf outside, and they look great (sorry for the crap picture):
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=102276;image)
All that was left by this time was to install the control panel overlay.
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Here are a few shots of the finished product (accidentally left some tools on top of it):
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=102252;image)
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=102244;image)
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=102240;image)
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51525.0;attach=102264;image)
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Excellent build, love the artwork too! :applaud:
I expect to notice your absence from the forum for the next few weeks whilst you splay that sucker! :)
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Looking good! Nice job!
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Hey now! It looks like it's really Built to Last. Don't Feel Like a Stranger, I have a jamband themed Jukebox and a Phish inspired Cocktail. You Might as Well do a Dead frontend layout too.
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sleestax, I would love to see some pics! send me a pm!
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Very nice job!
And thanks for putting that long forgotten song in my head
"I will get by, I will get by, I will get by, I will survive." do do do do do do.
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Thanks for the kind words everyone. I can't wait to build the next one!
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bump for sleestax pics