The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls
Main => Project Announcements => Topic started by: jfunk on March 17, 2005, 03:59:03 pm
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I was _FINALLY_ able to make some good progress on my new arcade cabinet!! My dad graciously volunteered to help (and provide tools and a workspace) over his spring break :)
We ended up building 2 Ultimate Arcade II cabinets. One for him, one for me. (We actually built my little brother one several months ago, too...)
And to think it all started with buying "the book" and never having heard of this forum.. Several months later, and I've got my cab well underway! :)
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/mine.jpg)
As you can see, mostly standard fair. The majority of the cab is 3/4" lauan.. There are some 1/2" pieces across the top/back to make it a bit lighter. :)
The plexi is already cut to size and ready to go! I've since then got my control panel all drilled/cut out, and the coin door hole cut out too. More pics on that in a little while.
Now, all that's left to do is to paint and finish it! Unfortunately, my dad lives several hours away, and only the base of the cab would fit in my CR-V.. Unless I wanted to leave my 2-yr-old behind :) So the top portion is still sitting there waiting to be hauled here. *sigh*
I've got the computer all set up and ready to go, as well. More details on it, later. All the controls are bought, and some are mounted in the control panel. Have some SERIOUS wiring ahead of me :)
Painting is going to be a pain. Not sure, yet, how I'll pull it off. I don't have any room besides the garage, and it gets too cold out there right now to do any serious painting. I _REALLY_ don't want to wait until spring, though.
I'm going to name my cab 'INVADER'.. It has that "classic" sound without actually being a real game (although lots of games INCLUDE the word 'invader'..)
My controls are all green/black. I'm thinking of painting the base of my cab green and using black t-molding and then the top black with green t-molding. I've got a green 2 1/4" trackball on its way from Bob Roberts, too, to replace my white one :)
Another BIG task still to accomplish is art design. I have a general idea of what I'd like to see for sideart and a marquee, but I'm NOT an artist by any stretch.. Will probably be hitting the artwork forum, soon, to post my thoughts and get recommendations.
Anyways, just thought I'd finally post a project thread! I'm SOO excited to have this under way!
Will definitely be posting more, soon. Thanx for reading!
(And sorry for the jumbled nature of this post.. Just wanted to get something out there! I'm so excited! I'll try to be more coherent in the future.. Hope to add details about my computer setup and about some of tools my dad and I used to help out with the build :) )
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Are you going to make a site to document this? I love the Ultimate Arcade II cabinets -- they look so much better than a bulky straight one. Congratulations on your progress...lookin good.
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Will eventually have a website, yes.. It'll be at:
http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/
Right now, it's just housing pictures.. As soon as I get time. Trying to get my daughter's website up and running, first, and the another website up for our next daughter who'll be born around May 3rd!! :)
Here's another pic, while I'm posting. This is the first work I did COMPLETELY on my own after I got the base of the cabinet back home.
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/coindoor.jpg)
I got the coin door off of another cab I own. It's currently a Twin Eagle (converted from a Stern Astro Invader). Gonna get rid of the cab, eventually, but scavenged the coin door, first :)
Anyways, I dremmelled (sp?) out the coin slots to allow the MAME tokens to fit in, so they'll be accepting tokens! :) Other than that, it was a pretty easy hole to cut/door to install :)
Thanx for looking!
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i am gonna make one of these too...but mine is gonna be molded out of titanium. :P
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That would be very.. erm.. sturdy..? ;D
Yet another pic.. I made a LOT of mistakes making my CP, but fortunately most of them will be hidden by artwork, plexi, mounting plate, etc, etc.. :)
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/cp.jpg)
You may notice the lack of admin buttons. They'll actually be on the cabinet itself under the monitor. I've got P1/2 coin and starts, pause, and exit. My start buttons are those great black buttons that I got from Peale! They're awesome! The coin buttons will be black, as well, with pause and exit in green.
And again, replacing the white TB with a green one...
All of the controls (besides the buttons from Peale) are Ultimarc. The joys are T-Stik Pluses with black ball-tops.. 2 1/4" Ultimarc trackball. Have my I-Pac and Opti-Pac ready to go.
Eventually I'm going to have swappable panels. I've already got the parts to make a GREAT fighter panel (2 P360s and corresponding competition pushbuttons).. Will want a spinner panel, too, I think. But for now, I'm going to do some quick & dirty wiring to get things up and running :)
Then have to do some artwork design.. I'm struggling with CPO ideas :(
Thanx for looking!
P.S. It won't be blue.. That's just the protective cover on the plexi :)
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Whoohoo! Got my control panel all wired up today! Of course, I'll have to take it apart again to do the painting and artwork, but it was great to make some more progress. :)
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/wiring.jpg)
Plus, I commited the cardinal sin of cab building... I started playing games on my working panel.. ;D
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/working.jpg)
You'll notice some other things in this pic. You can see the speakers I'll be using (got in on that $20 deal recommended here on the forum) and my 21" KDS monitor.. :) Not the biggest/best, but it's great for me right now. And the price was DEFINITELY right.. (With all of the hassle computer surplus outlet put me through, I actually ended up getting it totally free!)
Also, you can see the computer I put together. I'm hoping to take a video of the startup sequence on it, soon. It's almost perfect! It's SO great to see it all coming together!
And finally, you can see my new green trackball from Bob Roberts. I CAN'T RECOMMEND HIM ENOUGH! Even with having to mail a check, I got my package faster than many places who use credit cards!! The trackball isn't quite the color I hoped for, but that's my own fault :) It's still much better than the white one I had, though. I might eventually try a black one. Unless anyone has any suggestions on where to get a green one to match the buttons?
Thanx for looking!
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How big is the ball and how much did it cost...I always get lost on his site :-\
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I plan on doing the same thing with the admin buttons on an UA 2 as well. Could you get some close up pics of the area that you plan on doing this in? Under the monitor is what I planned as well but I haven't planned enough in that area yet to know how the plastic bezel and glass will fit in there.
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How big is the ball and how much did it cost...I always get lost on his site :-\
The ball is 2 1/4".. He has lots of colors:
http://www.dameon.net/BBBB/tbcolors.jpg
Mine was $13, but he has some at $6 and some at $15.. :) Looks like he has some similar color availability in 3", but at slightly higher prices..
Again, you can't go wrong with him :)
Thanx.
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I plan on doing the same thing with the admin buttons on an UA 2 as well. Could you get some close up pics of the area that you plan on doing this in? Under the monitor is what I planned as well but I haven't planned enough in that area yet to know how the plastic bezel and glass will fit in there.
Unfortunately, I won't be able to get that pic for you for a while. Like I said, the top of the cab is still 4 hours away :(
I have the part that'll house the buttons, though. I'll try to get a pick of it. If you look at my first pic, you can see the wood under the monitor plexi. That's where we'll put the buttons. It's a piece of 3/4" lauan.. To get the monitor plexi/bezel to fit in there nicely, we just used the table saw to cut a 1/4" section out of it. So the plexi and bezel will sit in that cutout and be covered by a strip of aluminum to hold 'em in place. Then the button holes will just be drilled into the wood under them.
If that doesn't make sense, I'll try to get a pic or 2 soon..
Thanx for looking!
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Where are the buttons, or have you put them on yet?
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Where are the buttons, or have you put them on yet?
Not yet.. They're going to go right under the monitor.. They'll look great!! :D
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I've started my work on art and design.. If you're interested, thread here:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,33854.0.html
Thanx!
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Whoohoo!
I'm currently in the process of routing for t-molding, puttying, and sanding the bottom half of my cab. I'm picking up the top half (meeting my dad half way) this weekend, so will be able to do the same to it and attach it, soon!!
Got my t-molding in, finally :) Now I can go color-match the paint :)
My marquee is all but designed. See my artwork thread for more. I really like it! Now, on to my CPO!
And finally, my dad made our marquee retainers! Here's a pic:
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/marqueeholder.jpg)
Very nice! I'll get those this weekend, too!
Thanx for looking!
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Great name, cool looking project. Been itching to use that funky green t-mold myself.
I always put my admin buttons on a panel under the monitor, you'll love them there...and it looks slick.
You should experiment with white/green LEDs under that trackball. I'm pretty sure you could get it to match those buttons if it was lit.
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Great name, cool looking project. Been itching to use that funky green t-mold myself.
I always put my admin buttons on a panel under the monitor, you'll love them there...and it looks slick.
You should experiment with white/green LEDs under that trackball. I'm pretty sure you could get it to match those buttons if it was lit.
Thanx! I've been looking at ways to light some things up (LOVE your cab, btw) and that might be just the ticket :)
Nothing as original as what you've done, but it's unique in that it's mine :)
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Well, slow but steady progress... And I'm just about ready to paint!! I should be able to apply the first coat of primer tomorrow! Here's what it looks like, currently :)
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/ready2paint.jpg)
Almost everything is in place. The keyboard drawer is the only thing that won't be attached when I'm ready to paint, but it's easy to paint/attach later.
I'm trying to make some progress every day.. I'm running out of definite free time.. Our 2nd child is due any day!!
@armax: Here's a closeup of the panel under the monitor installed:
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/panelclose.jpg)
That routed edge provides a little less room than necessary for the plexi and a thin cardboard bezel.. But it'll be plenty when covered up with a strip of alumnium to keep it in place :)
Thanx for looking!
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You should experiment with white/green LEDs under that trackball. I'm pretty sure you could get it to match those buttons if it was lit.
That's a great idea. But I think you should also experiment with blue LEDs.
Darryl
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How big is the ball and how much did it cost...I always get lost on his site
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Wow. Erm.. Looks like he changed sites :)
Try this one :)
http://www.homearcade.org/BBBB/tbcolors.jpg
:)
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You should experiment with white/green LEDs under that trackball. I'm pretty sure you could get it to match those buttons if it was lit.
That's a great idea. But I think you should also experiment with blue LEDs.
Darryl
Why the blue?
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First coat of primer!!
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/primer.jpg)
Not sure at this point whether or not I'll add another coat of primer or not. Going out, soon, to get my paint!!
Thanx for looking...
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You should experiment with white/green LEDs under that trackball. I'm pretty sure you could get it to match those buttons if it was lit.
That's a great idea.
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I hadn't thought about that.. Good call. I'll have to give it a try :)
Thanx.
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Almost 6 months later!! FINALLY MORE PROGRESS!!
We are/were trying to sell our house. I had packed everything up because we didn't want things to appear cluttered. Was planning on starting up again after we moved in (hopefully getting a 3-car garage). UNFORTUNATELY, the housing market in Indy is really horrible right now. So, we're pulling our house off the market for the holidays. Going to put it back up during the spring market and hopefully sell faster.. So, my plan is to get the cabinet done before that! :)
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/1st_coat_front.jpg)
As a first step, I've applied the 1st coat of black and green to the cabinet. I sanded down my primer and applied the 1st coat. It seems to have gone on well.. Not sure if I'm just going to apply a second coat or if I'm going to sand again, first. I'll see how it dries.
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/1st_coat_side.jpg)
There's some HARSH sunlight in the picture.. And you can see it's only a first coat because of the blotchiness of it.
Hopefully will either sand again or put a second coat on tomorrow.
So excited to be starting up again!
Thanx for looking.
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Lookin great! ;D
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Your "admin panel" is going to look pretty close to mine:
(http://www.ogredog.com/images/MAME%20Construction/Admin%20Panel%20-%20Complete%20-%20Volume%20-%20Front.jpg)
If you haven't done so already, I highly recommend putting a volume knob on there. I use it ALL the time!
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Your "admin panel" is going to look pretty close to mine: (img)
If you haven't done so already, I highly recommend putting a volume knob on there. I use it ALL the time!
My speakers have a wired remote that I'm thinking I'll just leave in my keyboard drawer for now. I don't feel like trying to hack it, and it doesn't have a really friendly knob on it for something like you've done :)
Thanx for the comments/compliments! One more coat of black was applied (one more should do it).. And hope to get another coat of green on today. My goal is to have the cab itself painted and t-molding/corner protectors installed by this weekend so I can take it into the house.
I've decided against sanding between paintings. I'm impatient, but I'm also digging the more textured look. Seems to work well for it :)
After the cab is finished, I'll spend the time working on the control panel. It's got its first coat of black on, but I may need to do some sanding/touch-up now that I look at it.
More, soon, I hope!
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I got my last coat of paint on and my t-molding installed over the weekend! Whoohoo!
(Just a warning, the resizing done by the forum software makes the straight lines of my t-molding look all jaggy and uneven.. They're not.. Check out http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/ for the full size pics :) )
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/tmolding.jpg)
It was actually a lot simpler than I had thought. If it weren't for the paint in the grooves and some hack-job slot-cutting, it would've been EASY. :) As it was, had a lot of scraping and hot-gluing to do. But the great part is, you can't tell that now that the evidence is all covered up! :D
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/tmoldcloseup2.jpg)
I actually found the sharp internal angles the hardest to do. Don't know why. One of them turned out pretty bad, but it's not noticeable without close inspection. And it's obviously not perfect. Some places aren't EXACTLY centered.. But again, most people won't notice..
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/tmoldcloseup1.jpg)
I wish my camera didn't wash out the colors so bad.. Probably shouldn't have used the flash. Oh, well..
Also installed corner protectors on the front corners. I _HAVE_ them for the back corners, but didn't realize they'd be too big :( So I'm hoping to have some smaller ones made that will mimic at least the look of the front ones. We'll see.
Hopefully, now, I can move the cab into the basement for the winter and be able to continue working on it when it's cold..
I've got the coin door all taken apart and ready to be sanded/painted. Shouldn't take too much sanding, but there're some rough spots that need it. Hopefully that'll be done soon. Then, need to desolder the switches on the mechs.. They're a mess.. But they'll be fine for the limited token use they'll see :)
On my list of semi-immediate things to work on:
- Touch up paint on cab (rubber mallet left some scuff marks...)
- Coin door sanding/painting
- Control panel painting
- Control panel and keyboard drawer final assemblies
- Install speakers and marquee light
That should last me a while :)
Thanx for looking!
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Not much done today.. Just had some time over lunch so finally figured out how I want to install the speakers.. And installed them :)
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/speakers.jpg)
Just some small bungee cords, some 'cup hangers', and voila! Holds them surprisingly snug.. And they're easy to remove/install.
The cabinet's not going to take much abuse, so I'm not terribly worried about them coming loose. Besides, as I said, they're very snug with this setup.
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/speakers_bottom.jpg)
And they fit the holes I drilled surprisingly well :) I hadn't realized they'd work so well. I'm really excited to keep going!
Now to install the speaker grills, and I'm one step closer!
I've also got my flourescent light.. That gets installed next.
Progress is slow but steady :)
Thanx!
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No pics, but a small update:
Got the following done:
- Installed fluorescent light
- Installed speaker grills
- Took apart, sanded, and began spray-painting coin door
- Assembled keyboard tray
Still on my semi-immediate todo list:
- Touch up paint on cab
- Sand/Prime/Paint keyboard tray
- Finish painting/assemble coin door
- Finish painting/assemble control panel
- Move cab to basement...
:)
Thanx for looking!
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Very nice! Looks like you're making great progress.
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Looking good!
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Well, got quite a bit more done this weekend! Seems like there's a thousand and one little things left to do, though...
My parents were up visiting, so I bummed tons of help from my dad :) We:
- Moved the cab to my basement - WHOOHOO!
- Assembled the control panel box
- Installed the coin door
- Figured out how to install the monitor
- Added the lock to the keyboard tray
- Readied most of the other pieces for assembly
- Figured out how to mount the monitor plexi/bezel
- Misc other odds and ends
Here're a couple of pics of it mostly assembled:
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/assembling1.jpg)
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/assembling2.jpg)
This is before I fully assembled the coin door. You can see the admin button panel under the monitor. And see how nicely the monitor is going to fit in there.
I was hoping to get the marquee installed, but it's going on 3 weeks, now, since I placed my order with Emdkay.net, and still hasn't been shipped.. Getting frustrated.. Hope it'll come soon..
More pics in just a bit :)
Thanx!
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Advice: Uncase your speakers and bolt them to the wood. This will enhance your low-end sounds.
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A couple more pictures.. First, my fully installed coin door. Made my own plexiglass inserts and desoldered the mess on the switches. Just have to wire it into my ipac, and I can accept my cool new tokens!
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/installed-door.jpg)
And, since my corner protectors wouldn't fit the back corner of the cabinet, my dad made me some new ones (shown here unpainted)...
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/small-protectors.jpg)
AWESOME! They're 2.5" tall (as opposed to the ones I purchased which were 5" tall).. I've got them painted and installed, and they're perfect!!
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/installed-smprot.jpg)
Here you can see that I still need to paint the screw heads, but overall, I couldn't be happier with them. A small touch, but one I really wanted..
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/smprot-closeup.jpg)
RayB, what does decasing the speakers gain me? I'm not much into the sound stuff, yet, unfortunately.. And, haven't listed to the speakers installed as they are now.. I just figured anything was better than the mono-speakers that most of the classics came with originally :) Will the average player (myself) hear much difference one way or another? I was thinking of placing the speakers on some black foam weatherstripping to dampen any speaker-on-wood vibrations that may occur...
Thanx!
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RayB, what does decasing the speakers gain me?
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Hrm.. I probably won't worry about it for now, then.. Since I'll have a subwoofer as well.. But I'll add it to my list of 'someday when I have time' fixes.. Unfortunately, that list is getting longer...
:)
Thanx!
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I am really digging that green & the black looks quite striking against it.
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fantastic color scheme
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Thanx for the compliments! As you can imagine, going with something so "different" took quite a bit of thought.. Didn't want it to turn out badly. But, I could always just paint the bottom black if it looked bad, so I thought I'd just go for it :)
Bones, your project is one that inspired me to keep going with the bold colors! :) My green cab's got nothing on your orange!!
And NOW, my initial design is becoming reality. ARTWORK IS APPLIED!! First the marquee:
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/marquee_installed.jpg)
And the obligatory 'lit' shot...
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/marquee_lit.jpg)
The marquee was printed by emdkay.. Besides the lengthy delay, I COULD NOT be happier with the marquee. It's EXCELLENT QUALITY!
(Hard to get good pics in a dark basement.. Either the flash causes bright spots or it's too dark to see :( )
I have to say, even my wife said "Wow" when she first saw the marquee installed. I think it finally hit her that I was building a "real" arcade machine, not just a big hunk of wood that would be taking up space in the basement. I don't know whether she was just being nice or not, but she seemed genuinely impressed. Funny how different people are impressed by different things... :)
Pics of sideart coming up!!
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thats a sick marquee, i really like the green and black theme.
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The sideart was printed by MAMEMarquees. Not only did they do a fantastic job (the quality is GREAT!), they were EXTREMELY fast. Sent it to them on a Friday, they printed it on Saturday (even with having to repair some issues they were having with their printer), shipped it on Monday, and I got it on Wednesday. SERVICE!! THANX SCOTT!!
Here's the full-on sideart view. I like the 'simple' approach. A very iconic and bold image without much clutter. I love how it turned out :)
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/sideart_applied.jpg)
And here's a shot showing everything! (Including my messy basement and cluttered workspace):
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/cab_art.jpg)
(Again, sorry about the picture quality. I'm not a professional *cough*markrvp*cough* :) )
I think for the control panel artwork, I'm just going to cut some green overlay material I have into outlining shapes. I think the CP is going to be the first thing I change after I'm all done to incorporate 49-ways rather than the T-Stik Pluses I have right now.. Now I just need to find black balltops for Midway 49-ways :)
Anyways, let me know what you think!
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Don't worry, you're pics are fine. That's a real nice pinball restoration. ;D
Just kidding. Really nice looking cab. Congrats! The marquee design is superb.
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Thanx! I'm particularly happy with the marquee.. I had additional ideas and input on it from my artwork forum thread, but decided to stick with what I had. And I'm glad I did. Couldn't be happier! :)
Now, if I can just figure out where the plunger is, I can put a ball in play and test 'er out... :P
THANX!
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that thing is looking awesome...
I like those inserts... the marquee looks fantastic
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Looks great, that sideart is begging for a dropping invader missle.
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The marquee was printed by emdkay.. Besides the lengthy delay, I COULD NOT be happier with the marquee. It's EXCELLENT QUALITY!
(Hard to get good pics in a dark basement.. Either the flash causes bright spots or it's too dark to see :( )
I have to say, even my wife said "Wow" when she first saw the marquee installed. I think it finally hit her that I was building a "real" arcade machine, not just a big hunk of wood that would be taking up space in the basement. I don't know whether she was just being nice or not, but she seemed genuinely impressed. Funny how different people are impressed by different things... :)
Pics of sideart coming up!!
Looking good! I'm glad you really enjoy the marquee! ;D
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That marquee looks good can't wait to see mine mounted. Now if it would only warm up outside so I can get it done..........
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Bones, your project is one that inspired me to keep going with the bold colors! :)
Mwwahhhhaaaha..... Everything is going as I have forseen.
Put me down as another fan or your marquee.
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Well, the control panel isn't as nice as the other artwork, but I'm pretty please with how it came out. Besides, the issues I have with it will just keep driving me to upgrading it with my 49-ways :)
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/cp_done.jpg)
It's not a full piece of artwork. All of the pieces are cut to size and placed over the painted black surface. With plexi over it all for good measure. It actually looks good in person, as well, which kinda surprised me :D
The only problem I have is this: I installed the artwork and controls and plexi and THEN decided to put my t-molding on. Easy enough. But apparently, the slot wasn't deep enough in one spot. While trying to tap it in with my rubber mallet, the thinner side of the slot apparently busted. You can BARELY see the crack under the plexi, so it's not a huge deal. HOWEVER, it caused several small wood chips to also come out under the plexi which are VERY obvious.. to me.. I'm not sure they're a big deal, but I have no desire to remove all the controls to take the plexi out to clean it off. So, I'm going to live with it for a while. :)
Everything's wired, as well. Now, I need to install it on the cabinet, which shouldn't be a big deal :)
Thanx!
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Oh, and the trackball isn't NEARLY as yellow in person as it looks in the pics :)
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Lots of little stuff done this weekend..
- Wired the "admin panel"
- Wired the coin door
- Wired a switch to turn on/off credit buttons
- Created "coin chutes" for coin door
- Installed control panel
- Installed monitor
There's VERY little I still want to do to call it complete (for now).
- Create monitor bezel
- Install bezel/plexiglass
- Install computer
- 'Fix' keyboard drawer (it sticks a BUNCH now that the cp is installed, so I need to sand it down and fix the lock..)
- Paint keyboard drawer
We're putting our house on the market, again, in January. Once we sell, we'll be moving someplace with a bigger basement. At that point, I'll have to disassemble it to move it, so I'm waiting on final work until after the move. At that point, I'll do things like making the control panel easily removable, tidying up the wiring, making the computer more secure, etc, etc. But since I'll be (HOPEFULLY!) pulling it all apart again in a couple of months, I just want it playable! :)
No pics this time, unfortunately. I'll try to get pics as soon as I figure out how to do a bezel. Not sure if I want to go the easy route and just cut a big hole in some foam board or if I want to create a $2 bezel... We'll see.
Tomorrow my goal is to hook up the computer and play some games!!!
Thanx.
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I likes it! ;D
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w00t!!
IT LIVES! I plugged everything in, and with the press of ONE BUTTON, it all came to life!
I have to tell you, after all this time, it almost brought a tear to my eye :)
Everything worked right from the start (actually, I _did_ have to tweak an IPAC setting to register pause and escape, but...)
My admin panel wiring works, trackball was installed in the right orientation, coin door works, and my coin switch (to turn off the credit buttons) works, too!
Played a little Marvel vs. Capcom, Centipede, Dragon's Lair, and Donkey Kong!
Can't WAIT until someone visits to join in the fun!!
I should probably get some pics up with the monitor in place, but that can wait..
Now I'm just hoping I finish what still needs done :) Too much playing, not enough working :)
Maybe I don't NEED a bezel and a painted keyboard drawer.. Hrm...
:D
OK, now for REAL work.. *sigh* Real life keeps getting in the way...
THANX!
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Here are a few pics as requested by some friends watching my thread:
First, the monitor installed!
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/its_alive.jpg)
Here, you can see my makeshift coin chutes. Hey, they do their jobs!! I just cut apart and taped together some of the clear plastic packaging from one of my daughter's Christmas gifts :) It's worked on every quarter and token I've tossed in it!
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/coin_chute.jpg)
Here's my credit switch. Flip it, and no more coin buttons! :)
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/credit_switch.jpg)
And finally, here's INVADER next to my dedicated Alien Syndrome. I think they look nice together! :)
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/2cabs.jpg)
I'm thinking about converting my Alien Syndrome into a MAME monstrosity... Thoughts?
J/K!!! Just happened to stumble upon this today LINK (http://mame.dockingbay.net/) and shed a little tear. At least it looks like nothing was destroyed...
Anyways, thanx for looking! Hope to get that darned keyboard drawer painted soon, as well as make the bezel. Until then, at least I'm having fun playing it!!
Thanx.
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:D really nice cab, well done . if i was you i will keep alien syndrome as a dedicated cab. :angel:
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Great cabinet, you did a nice job!
That Green is a BOLD statement, but really sets off the Invader theme, good choice.
I may have missed it, but can you attach a shot of the "Admin panel" and explain it (sorry I'm a newbie).
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Looks good but I find the white section on your keyboard draw a little distracting. The CP looks great though!
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I may have missed it, but can you attach a shot of the "Admin panel" and explain it (sorry I'm a newbie). Is it the 1 & 2 player buttons and credits?
Again, great job! Looks Awesome.
THANX!
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/admin_panel.jpg)
It contains escape, pause, start buttons, coin buttons...
The "admin panel" (for lack of a better name) is good for me for several reasons:
- Doesn't clutter up the CP. Let's me add instructions and gives me a place for my pile of tokens :)
- IMHO, it looks nice :) Adds something 'interesting' under the monitor where there was just going to be a blank space.. Also, since it's only a 21" monitor, it 'takes up' some of that area making the monitor look a bit bigger :)
- I was _thinking_ of making swappable control panels. Still might. This meant 6 less buttons I'd have to duplicate between panels :) Even if I don't make swappable panels, I am planning on redoing my panel, so this still makes it easier..
- I LIKE it! It's a little bit different (not a LOT different.. Others have done it, too) and I think it looks great :)
I especially love that I was able to get away with no white buttons. Peale's black start buttons look awesome. I'm debating on whether I should 'highlight' them with some green paint behind them rather than the black, but for now, I'm leaving it as is...
Oddly, the only thing that's awkward for me right now is selecting games in MAMEWAH. Reaching up to hit P1 start to start the game just doesn't feel natural, for some reason. However, hitting it WHILE playing a game to continue is fine..? I'm sure I'll get used to it :)
Looks good but I find the white section on your keyboard draw a little distracting. The CP looks great though!
Yeah, yeah :P If it would stop raining so I could get outside to do some sanding, I could paint it that lovely shade of green!! Also, it's grey primer, not white ;D
Thanx, all!!
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Wow.. Been a while..
Finally installed a bezel.. It's only temporary, but since people have been playing it more, lately, I want to give it a more finished appearance...
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/bezel.jpg)
It's just black poster board sitting in the same groove as the plexi.. Had to trim down the plexi a bit to make it fit.. Apparently, was a bit off when measuring for the cut.
Overall, it looks fine, but I defintely will want something different, eventually.
Also, hot-glued the speaker grills on.. They're the kind that snap onto a base so there are no visible screws. Unfortunately, when jostled, they'd fall off :( The hot glue should help :)
Another pic...
(http://www.e-funk.net/arcade/invader/images/bezel_side.jpg)
All that's left to do, appearance-wise:
- Paint the keyboard drawer door green
- Paint some silver screw-heads black
- EVENTUALLY, new bezel
- Mount some black strips across the top/bottom of the plexi to keep it in place and tidy it up a bit.
Someday, I'll redo my control panel, but it's fun to play and looks fine, for now, so it'll be this way for a while.. Besides, my next project is starting :) See my Galaxian/Classics project for details.
Thanx, all!
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Am I done?!?! :)
(http://www.homearcade.us/album/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=270&g2_serialNumber=2)
I took the day off work today to try to do some things I haven't had a chance to do over the weekends or in the evenings. I'd been working on painting the last pieces, and today got the chance to assemble them!
(http://www.homearcade.us/album/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=268&g2_serialNumber=2)
I think it looks nice! I finally painted the keyboard drawer and the scratches that were on the outside.
Speaking of the scratches, I noticed this thread hasn't been updated in like 6 months?!? Yikes! We moved this summer, and the scratches are from that. I've now got a nice bonus room upstairs holding my arcade games. SOMEDAY, I'll be able to finish the new, big basement and make a nice game room. Until then, the bonus room is good :) The move doesn't explain the lull in progress, but it's part of it :)
After the move, the 21" monitor I HAD in INVADER went out. Started having issues. I just recently picked up a new monitor. A 21" Dell. My old, haphazard bezel wasn't working, so I "created" a new one. I taped off and painted my plexiglass and then used the old bezel, taped to the monitor, behind it. It looks nice on the outside and hides the insides quite well. I'm very pleased for now :)
(http://www.homearcade.us/album/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=272&g2_serialNumber=2)
Anyways, it _IS_ done, but there are some future enhancements I'd like to make:
1) Replace T-Stik Pluses with UltraStiks.
2) Install one or 2 of the new GGG TurboTwist2 spinners
3) Get Dragon's Lair II installed and running through Daphne
4) Clean up game lists
But, it's completely playable right now and looks great! I need to finish up my webpage at:
HomeArcade.US (http://www.homearcade.us)
But plan on submitting my project for the news section, soon.
Please let me know what you think!
THANX!!!
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That looks fantastic. you did a great job with it!
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Is it ever really finished ???
Looks fantastic, and it a unique cabinet.... :applaud:
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Looking at your own work and the nice custom pieces you made, I'm afraid to even start my own monstrosity. :)
Great job!
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Thanx! It's a relief to have it presentable. You're probably right, it's never REALLY done.. But I've had an old crappy monitor just sitting in it uncovered for SOOO long.. Now I'm not embarrassed to show it off :)
As far as 'custom pieces' and 'monstrosities' go.. I figured mine would be a monstrosity, too.. And some may still consider it such. But _I_ like how it turned out :) And people that play it do, too :) I'm fortunate in that my dad is a mechanical engineer and has skills and access to some pretty cool stuff :) I was mostly just art and software :D
All I can say is be patient and don't rush. There's a couple of places I DEFINITELY wish I'd slowed down on.
Thanx, again, for the compliments!
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I like it very much, great work !! I agree with the guy who mentioned that the invader on the side should be releasing a missile.....would make it more "action" like :D
(not sure if still possible of course)
But I really like the shape and colors...theme well applied to all parts !!
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Well, the control panel isn't as nice as the other artwork, but I'm pretty please with how it came out.
I think your wrong. Negative, yet positive praise. ;D
The artwork goes very well with the rest of your theme.
Also, Is that a jar of tokens on the control panel in one of your pics? If so, nice touch.
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sweet! and colour co ordinated :)
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Awesome looking cab! I'm really now considering making one myself now that I'm getting closer to finally having a house to call my own! (Though I'm sure with everything else I need to get done the cabinet will be on the back-burner).
I really like how the artwork is simple, yet not too simple. Nice combination of items there. Must be a blast to play one!
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INVADER has its final home :) After many years, a move, and FINALLY finishing our basement! Was a REALLY tight fit getting both games down our stairwell, but worth it!
Sorry that build pictures have disappeared.. The website those were on is long gone. I may try to re-link them at some point. Until then, I've attached a pic of it in the basement game room :)
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Looks good! You guys aren't really drinkers too much eh? That looks like one of those "gets used once a year" bar setups instead of the "I passed out there 2 times this week" setups like I have :)
It needs a bar rail along that back wall so you can rest your drink while you play ;)
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Looks good! You guys aren't really drinkers too much eh? That looks like one of those "gets used once a year" bar setups instead of the "I passed out there 2 times this week" setups like I have :)
It needs a bar rail along that back wall so you can rest your drink while you play ;)
The basement was just finished so I don't know how often the bar will get used, yet :D I guess we'll see.. We're still doing finishing touches (bar rail! good idea!) but it's MOSTLy done for now :D
INVADER got quite a bit of playtime this week when my brother and nephews were here. So much more than it did in our upstairs bonus room. ALMOST makes me want to build another! (I've got a cocktail shell in my office that I'm slowly piecing together.. VERY SLOWLY...)
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I like it! Enjoy....
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I like it! Enjoy....
Not sure if you can make out that big bowl of tokens on the back right corner of the bar, there.. I miss those design contests :)
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Hmmm. It has been a while hasn't it? Maybe I will look into that this spring - things are personally crazy right now however.