The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls

Main => Project Announcements => Topic started by: Typefighter01 on August 10, 2012, 09:08:39 pm

Title: Look PBJ, not a Weecade clone!!!
Post by: Typefighter01 on August 10, 2012, 09:08:39 pm
Hey Guys,

Couple pics of a bartop cab that I made for a friend of mines son (he is 7). It has a somewhat military theme, couple of bullet holes, stars and caution signs. I am running a 6 year old DELL Dimension 1100, 2 Mag-Stick joys, buttons are standard HAPP, I-Pac interface and Mgalaxy for the front end. This is my 3rd MAME cab and I have also built a Hyperpin pinball machine. I can print on adhesive vinyl upto 11 x 17, that is what drove the design. I had to keep each panel smaller than 11 x 17, so I ended up having to do a 2 pc cab.

I will put out a couple of flames before they get started.

1.The name of the cab is "Corbins Arcade", yes, naming a cab after a person is a sin, but he is 7. Every 7 year old wants an arcade named after themselves.
2.I used "MAME" in the marquee, yes, putting MAME in the marquee has been done a thousand times. The only emulator on it is MAME and I didn't feel like coming up with a different name.
3.Yes, your eyes don't deceive you, buttons 1 and 2 are in the buttons 4 and 5 position. Other than KOF and Street Fighter, all other games on it use 1,2 and 3 buttons. I don't like my hands resting on the unused buttons.
4.Yes, I have a 6 button, 2 player on a small bartop. Even though most of the games only use 1 or 2 buttons, Street Fight was a must for his dad.

Here you go....

Just fooling around Pinballjim, actually hope you like it.
Title: Re: Look PBJ, not a Weecade clone!!!
Post by: Typefighter01 on August 10, 2012, 09:12:43 pm
Here is the rest of the pics.... ;)
Title: Re: Look PBJ, not a Weecade clone!!!
Post by: opt2not on August 10, 2012, 09:49:31 pm
Is there a PBJ fan-club or something?
Don't know what's the point of calling out PBJ in your first post here, but the cab looks nice.
Title: Re: Look PBJ, not a Weecade clone!!!
Post by: Typefighter01 on August 10, 2012, 10:05:33 pm
No PBJ, you don't know me, I just enjoy reading some of the comments you post, funny stuff.

 If you live near Barrie, Ontario, Canada, I have no problem helping you print your side art. I am by no means a professional, I probably wasted $50 worth of stuff getting this little bartop right.

opt2not: I think you technically need more than one person for it to be a club 8) Might be my first post, but I have been snooping around here for over 6 years, thought it was time I gave back. Just having a bit of fun.....
Title: Re: Look PBJ, not a Weecade clone!!!
Post by: TopJimmyCooks on August 10, 2012, 10:24:20 pm
Very nice design and execution.  I also use the bottom row as my primary buttons.  Good work.  It's ok for me to say so now that PBJ has chimed in.   :laugh2:
Title: Re: Look PBJ, not a Weecade clone!!!
Post by: 404 on August 10, 2012, 11:30:24 pm
Legit laughed out loud at the subject ;D
Title: Re: Look PBJ, not a Weecade clone!!!
Post by: PL1 on August 11, 2012, 04:47:12 am
Don't know what's the point of calling out PBJ in your first post here, but the cab looks nice.

I didn't think it was calling him out so much as a joke/humorous shout-out.   :dunno

Is there ANYONE who has read the forums for more than 2 weeks that doesn't know about PBJ's disdain for Weecades?   :laugh2:
My first post (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,112129.msg1257412.html#msg1257412) actually did call out PBJ. :badmood:

PBJ -- I see you're living up to your well-earned reputation of being helpful, informative, and positive as always. </sarc>    ;D

John(darkkniyt) -- E-mail sent.

The same day that PBJ smacked him, (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,112129.msg1257166.html#msg1257166) John wiped his posts and disappeared off the forums.

Less than a week later he stopped responding to business e-mails.

My belated apologies to PBJ.  He spotted something that the rest of us missed.


Scott
Title: Re: Look PBJ, not a Weecade clone!!!
Post by: opt2not on August 11, 2012, 05:54:23 am
Your dad insisted.
That guy's an idiot, and don't listen to a word he says, it's all lies!

...and tell him he still owes me a car for what he did to mine, the drunk.  :lol
Title: Re: Look PBJ, not a Weecade clone!!!
Post by: Le Chuck on August 11, 2012, 07:28:07 pm
I like the attention to detail on the back.  It helps create a total package and shows the care you took in construction.  The profile is nice and does harken to some fullsize cabs.  I am not a fan of the t-molding across the front of the CP in this execution.  It works and looks okay but I think a single piece integrating the CP into your kickplate area would have been sharp. 

Great job!
Title: Re: Look PBJ, not a Weecade clone!!!
Post by: Typefighter01 on August 11, 2012, 09:44:39 pm
Taking the post off the tracks is where all the fun is PBJ >:D I have to say, when it comes to the actual building of the cab, the woodwork and hardware, that is a breeze for me. The problem I found (at least on my first 2 cabs) was finding free high quality artwork and then finding someone (other than Staples) to print the stuff at a half decent price. When I first started building, the only graphics program I ever touched was MS Paint. But as more cabs got built, the more I learned. I moved up to IrFanview first, as it was free and the computers at work had this program installed. It did not do anything in vector, and was only good for cutting up big jpegs I found on the net. I now use Inkscape (also free) and bought a large format printer. I ordered 20 sheets of Inkpress adhesive vinyl and started to print my own. I don't like relying on anybody, and now I decide what I am going to print and how I want it to look. I give the graphic artists and printers on here much respect. It is actually a fairly long process from start to finish if you want it to look good....

@Le Chuck, First off, your Darkade build is sick :notworthy: I must have looked back at your build post 5 or 6 times. It has inspired me to do the auto-switching joysticks next build. I would have liked to have the front look just like yours, but practicing the bends on a scrap piece of plexi didn't give me the warm and fuzzies. Also, I don't think my art work would have reached all the way down to the front lip. Here is a couple more pics showing the CP in action.

Couple of notes and a question. I used a 19" 16:10 Acer monitor, it was on sale for $89.00, so I thought what the hay. Now, before I bought it, I researched how MAME games would look on this aspect ratio, and I was under the impression that the horizontal 4:3 games would have black bars on the sides. None of mine have these black bars. I know that MAME is stretching these games (some ini setting somewhere), and that is probably a no-no to the purists. But, if I did not tell anyone that it was displayed wrong, they would not know. The games, IMO look fantastic. Just thought I would share that in case anyone was sitting on the fence. 1944 Loop Master is displayed in a few pics below...

My question is: I am using Mgalaxy as my front-end and I was going to do an instruction card and stick it to the bottom of my bezel. After I installed the bezel, it looked too nice and I did not want to clutter it up. So, (and I am probably not the first to do this) I came up with a really neat solution. I noticed that Mgalaxy was listing games that I did not have ROMS for, so being a smarty pants, I made up an instruction card in Inkscape (using the same artwork I used on the CP) and I dumped it into the snaps folder and named it "005" which happened to be the first one listed in Mgalaxy. Lo and behold it worked perfect. What I want to know is, where is Mgalaxy pulling these game names from. They are not in my "ROMS" folder or my "Snaps". I am guessing they are default game names that are downloaded with the front-end. Of course, I don't want my instructions to be called "005", since the games get listed alphabetically, I will probably call it "0Instructions0", that is if I can find where this list is stored and modify it. Does anybody know? Instruction pictures also below...

Title: Re: Look PBJ, not a Weecade clone!!!
Post by: DaveMMR on August 12, 2012, 09:26:59 am
This build impresses me for a few reasons:

1. Unlike PBJ, I actually do like the look of the Weecade. But I do understand his gripe with them, particularly that everyone's using that design (heck, I even started drawing up plans for one before deciding to go with a full size.) Your cab's profile and artwork is fairly unique among other bartops and looks quite professionally done.

2. Based on what you mentioned in your first post (and even the thread title), it seems you did tons of research on these boards before jumping in. You made reference to such controversies such as naming your cab "MAME" or some variant thereof, which buttons should be "button one" and PBJ's dislike of Weecades - stuff you'd only learn by lots of reading. That research really shows in your final product.

3. The attention you put in the back of your machine is impressive. I understand it's for someone else so that's almost a requirement but it's fairly common for others (myself included) to pay zero mind to anything on the back since "no one looks there anyway."

4. The front USB ports and headphone jack is a really nice touch.

 :applaud: :applaud:
Title: Re: Look PBJ, not a Weecade clone!!!
Post by: Typefighter01 on August 12, 2012, 10:44:33 am
Just wanted to thank you guys for all the kind words. I have at one time or another looked at all your builds. I have to respect the opinion of guys (and at least one girl I know of) that have not only built and restored arcade machines, but have taken the time to post on here "Thousands" of times. I am starting a juke box project next, I will attempt to document this one start to finish. ;D
Title: Re: Look PBJ, not a Weecade clone!!!
Post by: emphatic on August 12, 2012, 05:47:39 pm
Looks great!  :cheers:
Title: Re: Look PBJ, not a Weecade clone!!!
Post by: ark_ader on August 12, 2012, 07:11:04 pm
I think the cab is a really good design.

You have done a grand job on the details of the cabinet, that gives other cabinet builders some great ideas to incorporate.

Congrats.  :applaud:
Title: Re: Look PBJ, not a Weecade clone!!!
Post by: Woodshop Flunky on August 13, 2012, 10:25:37 am
Nice build!  :applaud:

There's a lot to like on your cab.  I like the theme... with a little war damage! And I think the colors all work nicely.

Very professional looking.  :cheers: