The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls
Main => Project Announcements => Topic started by: benll64 on November 21, 2015, 03:50:29 pm
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It's been a few years since I finished my first build, a from-scratch Ms. Pac Man. I've since finished two more and am working on another. So, I thought it was about time for an update.
Street Fighter II styled upright
This is the second in my series of planned replica (with some modifications) cabinets. Each is based on my favorite game of a particular genre or controls type, and they all run off tokens. This one, obviously, is for all of the 2-player versus and cooperative fighting games.The cabinet shape itself is copied from a Smash TV cabinet that I found wondering through the local nickelcade. I liked the feel and height of the control panel better than the actual SFII Capcom cabinet.
I did a really bad job taking pictures for this one, but here's a few of the construction of the box:
(https://db.tt/r7mEYuwW)
(https://db.tt/cUtNYKwr)
(https://db.tt/wtrWKS3j)
(https://db.tt/177avtmb)
For the artwork, I modified a couple of different sources from the web - I forgot where now, but full credit to the original makers. I also used some of the "official" newer character images from Capcom, since I liked the more cartoon-y look. Here's the finished product, with Hyperspin as a front-end, a 25" standard resolution monitor and a pair of new 8-way/rotary joysticks from Happ (so Ikari Warriors, etc can be played). Overall, I'm quite pleased with it, and it took less time and money than my 1st project.
** Warning: upside-down pictures follow. **
(https://db.tt/qIw2QF8i)
(https://db.tt/AESVvkOY)
(https://db.tt/OLd4fR2G)
Galaga Cocktail Cabinet
And here's machine #3. This is a straight-up, traditional Midway cocktail style cabinet. I found a nice 19" HP monitor in real 4:3 aspect ratio, since I didn't want to deal with squeezing a CRT in there. Plus it runs several vector games which look pretty great via Mame's latest HLSL update. The control panels use 8-way leaf sticks from Groovy Game Gear, which are awesome. I did have to cut the shaft length down a bit to allow enough clearance to the top of the table glass.
Cabinet
I used a sheet of plywood with a really straight grain pattern to it for the cabinet pieces. I've never stained plywood before, but I really like how it turned out. Lots of sanding, lots of pre-stain wood conditioner, 3 coats of "gunstock" stain, and 2 coats of clear polyurethane:
(https://db.tt/KKUIN4Nx)
Once it was assembled, I added leg levelers, speakers, and the coin door to the box.
(https://db.tt/cc3wMUKK)
(https://db.tt/dYniGlNJ)
(https://db.tt/s2wmV0gN)
For the tabletop, I used two sheets of different thicknesses to make a sandwich with the necessary "reveal" to hold the smoked plexiglass. This took a lot of sanding to smooth out the curves left by my crappy jigsaw skills. I only took pictures of the thicker sheet:
(https://db.tt/3brEAbLq)
(https://db.tt/CSy7wT6s)
Control Panels
These parts came from Mike's Arcade in UT. My first time dealing with metal control panels. Two challenges were the extremely tight tolerances of fitting all the pieces together perfectly with the wood cabinet pieces, and drilling the holes for the joystick and buttons. After much use of the neighbor's drill press, a stepped drill bit, and a set of tiny metal files, they turned out like so:
(https://db.tt/0uHppXXX)
(https://db.tt/KCLYNEhV)
(https://db.tt/8MBLOW0j)
Finished Product (nearly)
And here it is all together, except of course that the glass is not on yet in these pictures. To my surprise, this one gets way more play than the other two machines. I guess the novelty of it??
(https://db.tt/BQ1KfUmN)
(https://db.tt/PKXXpd52)
(https://db.tt/zl9f57aq)
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Was that just normal pine plywood or did you go oak or something? That came out looking great!
I think I would have put the dust washer under the panel though.
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I think I would have put the dust washer under the panel though.
Or maybe a clear acrylic dust washer would do the trick.
BTW: The build looks awesome! Great job! :applaud:
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Or maybe a clear acrylic dust washer would do the trick.
Oh yeah, I keep forgetting that that is an option!
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fixed your pictures...
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Thanks all.
Yep, it was plain old pine plywood from Home Depot. This particular sheet just had a very straight grain to it.
Thx for the picture update.
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The cocktail looks really nice! Great job!