The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls

Main => Woodworking => Topic started by: sonirazad71 on March 05, 2021, 09:38:56 am

Title: Must have tools
Post by: sonirazad71 on March 05, 2021, 09:38:56 am

New to this sub. Couldn't find anything in the FAQ about suggested tools. Have always loved the look and feel of wood and always had an interest in building my own things. Figured this might be the time to start down the road. Currently shopping for a router table and compound miter saw, (have a little wedding gift money left to spend.) Curious as to the essentials that everyone who works with wood should have in their garage.

Title: Re: Must have tools
Post by: ericball on March 08, 2021, 08:36:52 am

First, personally I prefer corded over cordless.  I don't use my tools that often so corded means I'm not having to try to keep the batteries charged (without killing the batteries).  Some of my tools I've had for over 20 years and they still work as well as they did when I bought them.

To make my bartop prototype I used:

• circular saw for simple straight cuts
• hand drill for pilot holes & button holes
• jigsaw to cut out the hole for the joystick body
• router to cut the recess for the joystick mounting plate
• mitre chop saw to cut the angle for the control panel (easier than trying to set up a fence for the circular saw)

I'd love to have a drill press as it it would make it much easier to drill the pilot holes straight.  (For the pilot holes for the buttons I used a bushing jig, but for screw pilot holes I'm going by eye & feel.)

Then there's all of the other stuff like a work bench, clamps, eye & hearing protection, square, etc - and a work space where you don't have to try to clean up the sawdust!

Title: Re: Must have tools
Post by: Ond on March 08, 2021, 03:22:12 pm

Must have tools:

Title: Re: Must have tools
Post by: fablog on March 08, 2021, 11:18:25 pm

This kind of threads are old. I found everything I needed in post older than 2010. My favorite tool for an arcade cabinet is my plunge router.

Title: Re: Must have tools
Post by: thomashenry on June 04, 2021, 03:18:37 am

There is no one set of 'must have' tools that everyone will agree on. The suggestions so far are all reasonable. I made my cab without any power tools though, as I like working with hand tools.

Title: Re: Must have tools
Post by: Mike A on June 04, 2021, 05:23:29 am

I am interested to see your process.

Could you post a build log for that cab?

I would also like to see what tools you used.

Title: Re: Must have tools
Post by: eds1275 on June 17, 2021, 10:33:03 am

Quote from: thomashenry on June 04, 2021, 03:18:37 am

There is no one set of 'must have' tools that everyone will agree on. The suggestions so far are all reasonable. I made my cab without any power tools though, as I like working with hand tools.

We're all wanting to see this!