The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls
Main => Project Announcements => Topic started by: doggyfred on December 09, 2010, 07:54:01 pm
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Hi all,
I had been wanting to build a Mame machine for years. This summer, after spending much time in research (and reading a lot from this board), I came accross the Taitorama design: http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/steptaitorama3.htm (http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/steptaitorama3.htm)
That design, based on the Taito cabinets from the eighties, was exactly what I had been looking for.
I reused the profile from the plans in the Taitorama, however I made my cab deeper because I wanted the monitor to be mounted at a 45 degres angle for optimal viewing. I spent a lot of time finalizing the plans before getting started. Thanks to that preparation work, there were no big surprises when it came to putting the pieces together.
The cabinet is entrely built from 3/4" plywood. My father in law was nice enough to help me with cutting the pieces (I would never have been able to get the round cuts right myself).
The orientation of the monitor can be changed from horizontal to vertical in minutes (by sliding the glass out, unlatching the monitor from the vesa mount, then rotating the mount).
I used a minipac to interface the controls. The artwork was printed by gameongrafix. I used a piece of lexan to cover the CPO.
The PC runs SDLMame on Xubuntu Linux, with Wahcade as a frontend. I used car speakers (the exact same as on the Taitorama) driven by a Small 40W Lepai amp. I also use the machine as a file server, hence the UPS inside the cab.
I named my machine "Alconoid", a contraction of "Alcon" and "Arkanoid".
The only thing that is missing is a bezel around the monitor. I haven't got a chance to work on that yet.
I hope that my project will inspire others to get started with their cabs, the same way I was inspired by reading this forum.
Mike
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_uLL1K9IdE3Q/TQFt43pvtpI/AAAAAAAAAGk/xa8tStLRoXU/s800/IMG_9569.JPG)
The base is glued and screwed together.
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_uLL1K9IdE3Q/TQFt47FjrXI/AAAAAAAAAGo/dj6colcwG2Y/s800/IMG_9580.JPG)
View of the back
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_uLL1K9IdE3Q/TQFt44DpUUI/AAAAAAAAAGs/ho1-0rIG2eE/s800/IMG_9589.JPG)
First time standing up
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_uLL1K9IdE3Q/TQFt5AhpADI/AAAAAAAAAGw/eFQvUIwvwR8/s800/IMG_9676.JPG)
Painted, bathroom light + mirror for the marquee.
Kitchen cabinets hinges are in place for the front door.
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_uLL1K9IdE3Q/TQFt5InvqrI/AAAAAAAAAG0/tkBQotMgFIg/s800/IMG_9727.JPG)
Monitor in place (shown in vertical position).
Front door and coin door installed.
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_uLL1K9IdE3Q/TQFuBqZNGkI/AAAAAAAAAG4/aaIWnyof38w/s800/IMG_9736.JPG)
Layered control panel (made of MDF) with mount plates for the magsticks.
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_uLL1K9IdE3Q/TQFuB5pEXbI/AAAAAAAAAG8/Dvrl5zZv5bE/s800/IMG_9759.JPG)
Early test, playing a video.
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_uLL1K9IdE3Q/TQFuB9WbTRI/AAAAAAAAAHA/vJGeu0YN6EA/s800/IMG_9775.JPG)
Controls wired to the minipac and ready to install on the cab.
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_uLL1K9IdE3Q/TQFuCI3dv8I/AAAAAAAAAHE/DQeRppSeI20/s800/IMG_9788.JPG)
Alconoid is finally up and running!
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_uLL1K9IdE3Q/TQFuCJL-TSI/AAAAAAAAAHI/pWOk8KuI83k/s800/IMG_9790.JPG)
Still missing a monitor bezel at this time.
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_uLL1K9IdE3Q/TQFuKHR1oSI/AAAAAAAAAHM/HsE-G_Wwrp8/s800/IMG_9793.JPG)
Control panel.
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_uLL1K9IdE3Q/TQFuKcV1deI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/QtIiXvW-40I/s800/IMG_9796.JPG)
One more view.
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_uLL1K9IdE3Q/TQFuKcKZBWI/AAAAAAAAAHU/HhHEAmYXLu8/s800/IMG_9814.JPG)
The entire front panel is a door.
I did not need a keyboard try on my cab. A wireless keyboard and mouse are inside just in case, but I never need them.
The machine is networked: any software maintenance can be done remotely from another PC.
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_uLL1K9IdE3Q/TQFuKTWxlVI/AAAAAAAAAHY/TWr6KqTybE8/s800/IMG_9816.JPG)
Here is what makes it tick!
Stored inside on the left side are a spare glass and the extra monitor "mask" for vertical orientation.
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Nice wood! What is it, fine-sanded pine faced plywood? Looks like it turned out excellent - why is it your last build? Or did you mean just the last one you have completed [to date?] 8)
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That's a great looking cab!
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How bogus the monitor? Beautiful, I always liked the taito cabs
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How bogus the monitor? Beautiful, I always liked the taito cabs
I too am a fan of Taito cabinets. I'm not sure what came first, taito styled cabinets, or Williams cabaret designs. But clearly they have a similar design scheme that appeals to me!
Nice looking cabinet, and great name. I like that you used plywood, and it looks like a very solid clean construction. Well done! All it needs is some more artwork (side art, bezel art) and you're set!
:cheers: :cheers:
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Thanks for the feedback!!
How big is the monitor?
The monitor is a standard 4:3 aspect ratio. I'm not sure if it is a 20" or 21". The the actual picture diagonal is a bit over 20".
What is it, fine-sanded pine faced plywood?
Not sure what it is. My father in law helped me pick that. It has a nice clean surface on both sides, which save me a lot of time in finishing. I had enough with 2 sheets of 4x8, with a little bit to spare.
why is it your last build?
Because I ran out of space in the rec-room :P. Plus, that machine is exactly what I wanted. I can't think of anything I'd like to change, or of anything I would have done differently (actually, it would have been nice to have a trackball, but I could not find a way to squeeze it on the relatively small panel. I don't miss that feature too much).
Cheers,
Mike
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Very nice/clean build.
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Good looking first and last cab. :applaud: :applaud:
How did you finish the plywood? Is the coin door for decorative purposes only?
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Man that is one sweet cab.... :applaud:
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Very nice. Super clean on the inside too!
Any chance of you sharing the CP art? I've got a Taito in my garage that is going to be next summer's project...
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looks great. i have to wire up my control panel soon.. man all them wires sure is intimidating. heh.. thanks for sharing..
chris.
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thats really nice i like how clean and neat it is :cheers:
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It is nice and clean. Is that a curved piece of plexi you have on the CP?
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How did you finish the plywood? Is the coin door for decorative purposes only?
I painted the cab with two coats of Alkyd primer/sealer, and two coats of "grand piano" semi-gloss black Melamine oil-based paint. That's supposed to be very strong a resist scratches. The staff at the paint store helped me pick the right stuff. I applied it with disposable foam rollers and foam brushes. It went really well.
I already have the acceptor for quarters but it is not installed. The door (from happ) is in need of a coin switch (I didn't realize that it wouldn't come with it).
Any chance of you sharing the CP art?
No problem javeryh, email sent!
I have to wire up my control panel soon.. man all them wires sure is intimidating.
Here is what I bought: http://www.ultimarc.com/minipac.html (http://www.ultimarc.com/minipac.html)
The minipac came with the wiring harness and the USB cable. That saved me a lot of time. As for other part of this build, careful planning helped a lot.
Is that a curved piece of plexi you have on the CP?
It's a piece of Lexan. Yes, it is bent to the contour of the CP. I bought the flat piece from a glass & acrylics shop, drilled all the holes, and then brought it back so that they would bend it for me (they have a special tool for that).
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yeah the minipac looks like a nice solution. i went with the ipac2.. not knowing any better as i bought it when i first started my cab. my 4 way stick came in the mail today ( the last piece i needed, minus the spinner *not decided on which one yet* but that will run off USB so i can start with out it) so looks like this weekend ill give this wire stuff a try.. once again, nice build.
chris.
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I love your cabinet, it's extremely well build and it's nice to see t-moulding.
I really hope to see more Taitorama based cabinets, I have waited for quite some time to see the first one (yours).
Well, I hope to post my next cabinet soon, as I will start building it this month :) Already got all the items for it :)
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Nice work! :cheers:
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Awesome cab, doggyfred! I saw it on the koenigs website. I just did my own build of 2 Taito-rama inpired cabinets. It's really cool to see yours and the different directions you took.
Here's mine, "Time Waster"
(http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/5461/img14960.jpg)
(sorry for dark picture)
Full details of the build here: http://www.hyperspin-fe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9782 (http://www.hyperspin-fe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9782)
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I just did my own build of 2 Taito-rama inpired cabinets. It's really cool to see yours and the different directions you took.
That's fantastic! I'm very happy to see that I'm not the only fan of those old Taito cabs!
Cheers,
Mike
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What did you make your bezel out of?
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Wow Talking about attention to detail Great looking Cab! :cheers:
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Excellent work, one of my favorite two player cabs I've seen on here. Good job.
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What did you make your bezel out of?
I used a piece of black foam board (bought at Michael's), with a rectangular cut-out the size of the monitor. It was easy to work with, and it's just there to hide the inside of the cab.
It doesn't look too bad behind the glass, and it's a temporary solution. I will work on some graphics for a real bezel, to be applied to the glass as a sticker.
Mike
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That is such a clean build. Great job!
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Just stumbled across this one. Very nice build! :applaud:
I hope you're still enjoying it. :cheers:
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Hi all,
I had been wanting to build a Mame machine for years. This summer, after spending much time in research (and reading a lot from this board), I came accross the Taitorama design: http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/steptaitorama3.htm (http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/steptaitorama3.htm)
That design, based on the Taito cabinets from the eighties, was exactly what I had been looking for.
I reused the profile from the plans in the Taitorama, however I made my cab deeper (...)
Very nice build !
I've planning a build based on the Taitorama plans as well and I was wondering about the following:
- What size monitor did you fit in this?
- how much deeper did you make this?
- Did you add to the width also?
/Nano