First CAB - Woody/Galacade Inspired

[otsep]

Excited to start my first cab!

It's inspired by Knievel's Woody & the Galacade.

Here is a profile shot. I'm not very good with 3-D renders.

I'm planning on using a 23" Apple LCD display and I'm still working on the spec's for the computer.

Thought about using a Mac Mini I have around running Win7, not sure yet.

I'll post more as it starts to take shape.

[kahlid74]

Best of luck!  Slim cabs are fun but don't forget they can be teetery at the top so make sure people pay attention when around them.

Set clear concise goals.
Set a budget.
Be happy.
Enjoy the build.
Try your best not to mock it up and play it before it's finished.  We all fall for this and it greatly extends how long it takes to finish said project.

[otsep]

Thanks for the notes.

I'm creating a scale model first, in-cm, to get it figured out. I plan on using very heavy wood in the base to help stabilize the unit. Hopefully should have something new to post in a couple of days.

[a1pharm]

Congrats on taking the plunge, you're in for a lot of fun problem solving, good luck!  I am almost finished with my scratch slim cab build, if you are interested, I have posted my side-panel measurements in my build post (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=129725.0)

[otsep]

Ugh. Had a rough time of it. 

Regrouping.

[a1pharm]

Ugh. Had a rough time of it. 

Regrouping.

What happened?

[otsep]

Bad mix of materials, workspace and tools.

Got it all sorted out now. Traveling on business this week, so I'm going to have to pick it back up next week.

[kahlid74]

Bad mix of materials, workspace and tools.

Got it all sorted out now. Traveling on business this week, so I'm going to have to pick it back up next week.

Here's another piece of advice, there's no rush.  Don't stress it.  This is meant to be fun and enjoyable.  Rock the journey like no bodies business.  Do it the way YOU want it done.  If it doesn't look right or doesn't feel right REDO it.  If you don't and keep pushing through it when you finish you're going to kick yourself (I always do) because you didn't spend the elbow grease upfront to fix it right.

[ark_ader]

Looks like a good design, and you have been given some excellent advice too.   

I am looking forward to your build and let us know how you get on. 

[otsep]

Sync'ed up with my Step Father who is a custom kitchen, cabinet, furniture maker. We're going to work on this together since he as all the tools and 30+ years of experience.

He is throwing a lot of options at me from using high end slides for the keyboard drawer, to custom molding options.

I don't want to go overboard, but I'm leaning strongly towards a wood grain look. He even wants to do one for his house and wants to paint it like a car, since he has the paint booth.

The only thing I haven't nailed down is what to do about the doors. I'm thinking two in the back, top/bottom, but I'm on the fence as to whether or not the lower front should be solid.

[Drnick]

I would go with Lower Front solid and install a coindoor unless you plan on using it for storage.

[otsep]

I would go with Lower Front solid and install a coindoor unless you plan on using it for storage.

A solid front is the way I'm leaning. Not sure about the coindoor.

[Drnick]

You could always do a fake coindoor and use the Novagem Coin buttons.  See the follwing thread.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,63988

[otsep]

I've moved some thing around on my schedule and I'm hoping to go down to South Florida for a couple of days to get started.

Now that we've worked through the material issues, I need to look at the PC build.

I have a new-ish Mac Mini running Win7 Pro, but I was concerned that would be enough for all the non-MAME emulators.

Anyone out there provide some guidance?

[otsep]

Quick Update:
- Got HyperSpin mostly running right now. The 1.3 update messed some stuff up.

-Need to order the controls soon and I think I've settled on a layout. (See image)
    The canvas size is 28"x12.75"
    Two-player setup, six buttons for player controls and a trackball. The flat front above the control panel will have the player, coin and control buttons.

I'd love to know what joysticks and trackballs anyone has experience with and/or recommends.

[maffewl]

Try your best not to mock it up and play it before it's finished.  We all fall for this and it greatly extends how long it takes to finish said project.

Where was this advice when I started?  I could have been finished months ago... 

[otsep]

The mock up went well. The one major issue I'm having is choosing a display. I can go 27" LED LCD, with a thin side bezel or a 24 with a larger one.

[maffewl]

You won't regret a bigger screen if you can make it fit...

[otsep]

You won't regret a bigger screen if you can make it fit...

Yeah. Go big or go home. lol

[a1pharm]

You won't regret a bigger screen if you can make it fit...

Yeah. Go big or go home. lol

+1 for the bigger screen.

As for the question you asked above about sticks:
I ordered some Zippy fight sticks from www.groovygamegear.com and am happy with them (they were around $15 each).  I got undermount long sticks, so they are easy to install, but have a slightly longer pull.  I also got the keywiz and some illuminated buttons from ggg too.   As for the trackball, I went with the 3" undermount model from ultimarc w/ the USB interface (pretty expensive, but no alternatives for solid undermount).  It works good, and doesn't take up additional slots on my keywiz.

[otsep]

You won't regret a bigger screen if you can make it fit...

Yeah. Go big or go home. lol

+1 for the bigger screen.

As for the question you asked above about sticks:
I ordered some Zippy fight sticks from www.groovygamegear.com and am happy with them (they were around $15 each).  I got undermount long sticks, so they are easy to install, but have a slightly longer pull.  I also got the keywiz and some illuminated buttons from ggg too.   As for the trackball, I went with the 3" undermount model from ultimarc w/ the USB interface (pretty expensive, but no alternatives for solid undermount).  It works good, and doesn't take up additional slots on my keywiz.

Thanks for the stick idea. I figured I'd have to go the same route on the trackball. I was thinking about the iPac for the controller interface. Any bonus to using the keywiz?

BTW, any issues using those sticks with MAME 4-way or the other emulators?

[a1pharm]

The bonuses to the keywiz over the ipac2: It's cheaper and it has more inputs.

As for the sticks, they have a switchable plate that converts the stick from 8way/omni to 4way to 2way.  You have to get to the underside of the stick and use a phillips screwdriver, but the process is simple.

I hope to have my CP created by tonight/tomorrow afternoon, and configured by tomorrow night/saturday morning. 

I can't imagine a problem with the sticks, as long as the switches attached to them work, and the keywiz works (I haven't had time to test either in a real environment).

I'll post in my build what my impressions of each of my components sometime this weekend.

Have you thought about illuminated buttons?

[otsep]

My wife is looking for a wood look similar to knievel's. Knowing that, I'm going with all black buttons.

I really wanted a modern/retro look with light up buttons and sticks, laminate sides, etc. Perhaps if I show her the options she'll change her mind. 

[maffewl]

I personally think that the illuminated white buttons would look quite a bit better than standard black ones on a woody cabinet.

[otsep]

Started the build today. Refining the silhouette and laying out the controls.

[otsep]

Design is now being tweaked a bit, but it's coming along nicely.

[kahlid74]

Did you clamp the two sides together and flush trim router cut them?  If your step-father has lots of wood working skills he may not need to do this but for the rest of us, without it the dimensions may be off resulting in things not lining up long term.

Looks good.  Keep up the work.  I'm not a fan of "woody" looking builds but I've seen some really nice ones.  I'm looking forward to seeing your finished build.

[otsep]

Picked up a set of Sony SRS-D4 speakers. Good bang for the buck.

[otsep]

Did you clamp the two sides together and flush trim router cut them?  If your step-father has lots of wood working skills he may not need to do this but for the rest of us, without it the dimensions may be off resulting in things not lining up long term.

Looks good.  Keep up the work.  I'm not a fan of "woody" looking builds but I've seen some really nice ones.  I'm looking forward to seeing your finished build.

We actually screwed them together. It was easier to and it's being covered with laminate so we aren't concerned about the little holes.

[otsep]

I want to order my CP components today. Any feedback on the Ultimarc UltraStik 360? Should I use it for my eight buttons or use a dedicated component like an iPac?

[otsep]

Need to start a new cab since I lost this one.

Luckily it wasn't too far along.

[yotsuya]

How did you "lose" it?

[otsep]

I was storing the incomplete cab in my step father's warehouse. Parents divorced and it was thrown away out of spite.

Good times.

[yotsuya]

I was storing the incomplete cab in my step father's warehouse. Parents divorced and it was thrown away out of spite.

Good times.

Bummer. Hopefully it was just wood and not components.

[otsep]

Bummer. Hopefully it was just wood and not components.

Luckily it was just wood. Going to use my holiday break to start a new one.