Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Project Announcements => Topic started by: evitagen on March 27, 2009, 06:28:03 pm

Title: My first MAME cabinet.
Post by: evitagen on March 27, 2009, 06:28:03 pm

Finally finished my first cabinet and here is a somewhat disorganized set of pictures taken during the course of the building process.

A local place was throwing out an old NBA Jam cab that was almost unsaveable, but I took it anyway figuring it would save me on some wood.  I ended up having to rebuild close to half of the cabinet anyway, but whatever.

(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/n514168782_2012717_6323.jpg)

So I primed it a couple of times and began to paint:

(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/n514168782_2012722_7853.jpg)
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/n514168782_2020310_8893.jpg)

That's pretty much it for the cabinet, except the control panel, which is something I made from new MDF.  Here are a couple of pics of the CP and plexi:

(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/n514168782_2012719_6834.jpg)
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/n514168782_2012718_6574.jpg)

A coat of paint or so:

(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/n514168782_2020299_4984.jpg)

Once the painting was done I brought it inside to work on and added the T-molding:

(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/n514168782_2034623_982.jpg)
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/n514168782_2034625_1797.jpg)

Then began work on the control panel:

(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/n514168782_2034628_2726.jpg)
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/n514168782_2034626_2099.jpg)

Had to replace the plexi above as it was scratched and I just could not tolerate it for some reason.  So I recut a piece and replaced it.

Now for the TV and computer.  I used these:

(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/n514168782_2034632_4148.jpg)
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/n514168782_2034633_4494.jpg)
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/n514168782_2034636_5686.jpg)

Onto actually mounting the TV... I didn't really feel like decasing it completely, so I just ripped it to shreds instead.  It looks absolutely stupid, but the TV is not going anywhere.  Also excuse the wall paint... new house and we're in the process of repainting because the other owner was apparently an idiot.

(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/1.jpg)
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/16.jpg)

Wiring the control panel pics:

(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/6.jpg)
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/7.jpg)
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/8.jpg)
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/9.jpg)
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/11.jpg)
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/13.jpg)

Two buttons on the side:

(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/12.jpg)

Making the bezel... well, after I cut the plexi and began to paint it and installed:

(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/17.jpg)
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/3.jpg)

And done:

(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n238/idzen/Picture044.jpg)

Thanks for this place for answering pretty much every question I could ever think to ask.  Hope my first attempt won't find its way into the Crapmame website!

Title: Re: My first MAME cabinet.
Post by: IG-88 on March 27, 2009, 07:32:52 pm

Crapmame  ???  Hardly.  :cheers: Nice job! I love how clean that wiring job looks. Makes me want to go redo one of mine.

Title: Re: My first MAME cabinet.
Post by: Richie Rich on March 29, 2009, 04:05:13 am

Nice Work, Like how that TV just fit in the cab.

Title: Re: My first MAME cabinet.
Post by: pinballwizard79 on March 29, 2009, 10:25:17 am

where did you get the chrome bat tops @?

BTW it looks clean, that last pic is very  nice

Title: Re: My first MAME cabinet.
Post by: evitagen on March 29, 2009, 08:49:58 pm

Thanks for the compliments guys.

The joysticks I purchased from dragonjoystick.  I prefer them WAY more than the original happs competition bat-tops.

Title: Re: My first MAME cabinet.
Post by: TOK on March 29, 2009, 09:51:16 pm

Plexi painted from the back looks excellent. So clean and polished on your uncluttered panel.
I've done that on a couple of panels as well, and always love that jewel-like finish.

Nice work!  :cheers:

Title: Re: My first MAME cabinet.
Post by: cmoses on April 02, 2009, 02:27:57 am

Any chance of getting a full picture of the completed cabinet?

Title: Re: My first MAME cabinet.
Post by: severdhed on April 02, 2009, 12:26:14 pm

looks really good.  i've always been a fan of the painted plexi look...nice and glossy and clean looking...plus it's cheap and easy to do.

Title: Re: My first MAME cabinet.
Post by: evitagen on April 02, 2009, 08:44:28 pm

Quote from: cmoses on April 02, 2009, 02:27:57 am

Any chance of getting a full picture of the completed cabinet?

Yeah, no problem at all.  I actually need to add the plexi to the marquee and just pop in the coin doors, which are purely there for cosmetic purposes.

I'll post an updated ASAP.

And yeah, the painted plexi was just more affordable than artwork this time.  It doesn't look bad though at all, imo.

Thanks for all the kind words.