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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: mahuti on March 01, 2006, 03:48:05 pm

Title: Best completed "physical design" cabinets
Post by: mahuti on March 01, 2006, 03:48:05 pm: Hey y'all...

I'm looking for some pics of some completed cabinets that are built of non-mdf style stuff... or covered with it.

Anybody have any good reference links to cabs made out of finished wood, or metal, or that have some other non-standard design to them. I'm not interested in cabs with just chrome t-molding or stainless handles... I'm looking for ultra mod stuff... the shape can be normal, but then something about the materials has to be the primary focus of the design. Or it could be made of MDF with a really unique design done strictly for looks, not functionality (ie, not rotating panels, etc)

LIke this cab... The wood & shape makes up the visual interest, rather than graphics.

http://users.coastalwave.net/~buzz/arcade%203.htm

or this
http://www.custom-arcade.com/granddaddy.htm

I'm trying to find some metal cabinets... or cabs with lots of light / neon (Knievels would be a good example)

*edit; added some clarification.
Title: Re: Best completed "physical design" cabinets
Post by: headkaze on March 01, 2006, 07:10:57 pm: I remember seeing a few wood grain cabs on the GameEx forums..

Here they are

http://www.gameex.info/forums/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=444

http://www.gameex.info/forums/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=392
Title: Re: Best completed "physical design" cabinets
Post by: panya on March 01, 2006, 08:10:38 pm: would this count?

(http://www.inversin.com/panya/images/mame/IMG_3071.JPG) (http://www.inversin.com/panya/images/mame/IMG_3070.JPG)
Title: Re: Best completed "physical design" cabinets
Post by: J-Rod on March 01, 2006, 08:57:55 pm: Well, this doesn't really qualify as a cab, but it's finished wood.

http://jrodder.googlepages.com/j-rcade

(http://www.game-art.org/jrod/Frontal.JPG)
Title: Re: Best completed "physical design" cabinets
Post by: mahuti on March 02, 2006, 12:12:29 am: Ok, so we have wood down. What about metal, chrome, plastics, lexan, other interesting materials.

And Panya... that's cool, but that is an example of interesting and useful technical engineering, not really a cabinet that finds its uniqueness derived from the materials it's made of. My example wasn't 100% on target either, but I didn't have much better.

One time I saw a Ms. Pac Man cab made entirely out of lexan. That was pretty amazing, but I can't find a link to it now.
Title: Re: Best completed "physical design" cabinets
Post by: Teebor on March 02, 2006, 04:29:52 am: This is starting to look a hall of crime. I do not deny they are probably very well built, and more than likely better build than mine will be, I just don't like the look of the wood on them. :p
Title: Re: Best completed "physical design" cabinets
Post by: Jess-- on March 02, 2006, 05:11:01 am: another wooden one here (mine.... now sold)
(http://www.rtlmanchester.co.uk/arcade/cocktail1.jpg)
(http://www.rtlmanchester.co.uk/arcade/cocktail2.jpg)
(http://www.rtlmanchester.co.uk/arcade/cocktail3.jpg)
Title: Re: Best completed "physical design" cabinets
Post by: mahuti on March 02, 2006, 07:29:42 am: Right. Wood's done. Anything else?
Title: Re: Best completed "physical design" cabinets
Post by: patrickl on March 02, 2006, 09:34:33 am: The plexi mspac:
(http://www.arcadecontrols.speedhost.com/images/clearpac.jpg)

Or how about white plastic (see attached image)?

There was a Plex CP on eBay a while (years) back too which looked pretty nice
Title: Re: Best completed "physical design" cabinets
Post by: mahuti on March 02, 2006, 12:52:52 pm: Hey, thanks, that was the exact image I was thinking of.

As for the white plastic, it may hold some interest for candy cab lovers, but it wasn't scratch built with beauty or excitement in mind... it was built purely for cost considerations and in my opinion it shows.

I've been searching on and off, I know there've been a few cabs that had crazy metal work on them, and other cool details. Though it's mdf or wood based (whatever) Pixelhuggers cab is a good example of using physical design & materials to build something unique... his cab isn't finished enough yet for me to reference though.
Title: Re: Best completed "physical design" cabinets
Post by: F1r3f1ght3r on March 02, 2006, 01:10:18 pm: Fiberglass...

(http://home.austin.rr.com/valence/images/CPTop.jpg)

Here (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=6122.0) is the thread...

I seem to recall a few other glass projects as well.... I may be confusing this with my other hobby (http://www.jetboating.net) ;D
Title: Re: Best completed "physical design" cabinets
Post by: mahuti on March 02, 2006, 01:30:22 pm: That's somethin...
Title: Re: Best completed "physical design" cabinets
Post by: soulblazer28 on March 03, 2006, 12:13:26 am: Great stuff. that armoir cab has really got me thinking about my own cab design now :( I might just never actually start building
Title: Re: Best completed "physical design" cabinets
Post by: RobotronNut on March 03, 2006, 03:55:06 am: i think a minimalist, open, tubular steel unit, along the lines of an anthrocart (http://www.anthrocart.com/anthrocart.asp) would be cool. i don't have a specific design in mind, i just like the basic idea. has anyone ever seen an arcade cabinet made like that?
Title: Re: Best completed "physical design" cabinets
Post by: patrickl on March 03, 2006, 05:41:48 am: That would look more like an unfinished cab though.
Title: Re: Best completed "physical design" cabinets
Post by: RobotronNut on March 03, 2006, 05:41:43 pm: Quote from: patrickl on March 03, 2006, 05:41:48 am
That would look more like an unfinished cab though.
the control panel and monitor would have to be enclosed, and you'd have to do some careful cable management. of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder...
Title: Re: Best completed "physical design" cabinets
Post by: Knievel on March 04, 2006, 04:14:23 pm: This one knocked me on my arse when I first saw it..

(http://www.said7.com/system7_gallery/images/IMG_1238.jpg)

http://www.said7.com/system7_gallery/ (http://www.said7.com/system7_gallery/)

I've got some crazy ideas along the same lines but they just would not suit my gameroom.
Title: Re: Best completed "physical design" cabinets
Post by: mahuti on March 04, 2006, 06:16:00 pm: Now THAT is what I'm talkin about. Not my cup of tea, per s
Title: Re: Best completed "physical design" cabinets
Post by: kenmelk on March 05, 2006, 11:34:17 pm: how about mines??
It is fiberglass, i will get better pics up! I am currently going to lighted buttons, and i have the cab lighting all done. I have a trackball that hangs on the front of the CP for those extreme GT games!!

(http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/5623/mame4wf.jpg)
Title: Re: Best completed "physical design" cabinets
Post by: mahuti on March 06, 2006, 08:40:21 am: In that pic, it doesn't look quite like it has been completed.
Title: Re: Best completed "physical design" cabinets
Post by: specfire on March 07, 2006, 08:25:50 pm: This might be obvious(and it isn't a home project, it is commercial) but I just saw this on RetroBlast. Pretty cool cab design though.

spec