First build, tentatively 'Hangout One'

[MidnightClubbed]

Long time lurker, first time poster.

My build is nearing completion, or at least I think it's past the point of abandonment so figured I should run the gauntlet and post progress so far.

3 years ago I spent some weeks buying 'stuff' and building a test control panel. The initial plan was to build a 3 stick machine, somewhat based on Rampage cabinet and big cabs of that era.

I got as far as designing, spending several hundred bucks, making a test control panel and cutting out the sides.
Life, work and a lack of power tools gave me a 3 year break...

[MidnightClubbed]

My plan was to route slots on the side panels to hold the front/back panels in place rather than building a frame.  I suspect I may have spent 10x the time doing it this way over making a frame but it sure is strong!
Sides and shelves are 3/4" MDF, back 1/2" mdf to try to keep the weight manageable.  There is 2x4 lumber around the bottom to left the sides a little from the ground (and to hide the heavy duty castors it is sat on).

Monitor will most likely be a 27" LCD horizontally mounted, with tinted tempered glass over the front.
I am tempted by doing a vertical screen though, will drop in a small LCD I have already to see what is most practical before buying the target sided screen.  Is doing a vertical screen worth not being able to play my old consoles?

[rablack97]

Depends on what your building a MAME cabinet or a dedicated cab to a certain genre.

I would go with horizontal and don't stretch the verticals when you play them.

I am a fighting game guy though, you need to think about what your gonna play more.

Horizontal and 4:3 you can do both, a vertical screen will limit you to vertical games only.

[MidnightClubbed]

MAME and originally wanted to be able to play my PS1/DC/N64/PS2 games on there too.
However pretty much everything I would want to play on Mame was vertical (3:4) and I think I can get at least a 32" vertical mount 16:9 screen in there (with slots in the top/bottom of the screen 'box' whereas a 28" screen is the absolute most I can fit horizontally.
I'm most likely going to go with horizontal and no stretching, as you suggest, but the 'wasted' real-estate kills me!

[harveybirdman]

Good job so far.  It is possible to have horizontal games on mame on a vertically mounted screen, just takes a bit of a software learning curve.

However your talking consoles, I won't try to talk you out of that cause there is plenty of discussion on the topic here at the forum, happy reading.  So horizontally mounted is fine, might try to find a 16:10 aspect ratio.

[yotsuya]

Have you cut your t-molding slots yet?

[MidnightClubbed]

I have.  Not having a router to cut the t-moulding slots was my excuse for taking the 3 year break !
Once I got a router I didn't really have any more excuses (and a wife who was weary of a pile of unused wood in the garage).

[MidnightClubbed]

If I can find an appropriately sized (and reasonably priced) 16:10 monitor that may well be the way to go.
I really should have bought the monitor before building everything - all part of the learning process

Getting Mame to co-operate with video scaling etc isn't too much of a problem (outside of time), woodwork is alien to me but software is what I do for a living so that side of things should be ok.  I'm playing around with using a Raspberry Pi to drive the whole thing - it'll certainly be used to control the button lights, fan and marquee light.  I really dont want to have to put a windows box in there if I can help it.

[MidnightClubbed]

First pass of paint.  More progress pics to come.

[MidnightClubbed]

More pics of build in progress.
Painting took way longer than expected, actually everything took longer than expected but that's kinda normal for my projects.
Unfortunately I don't have too many painting-in-progress pics but I followed the general consensus from these fine forums...
Little bit of wood filler, 2 coats of Kilz oil based primer over the MDF, left to dry for 2 days, sanded with 220 grit, 2 coats latex paint, left for 2 days, light sanding with 220 grit, 2 more coats, 2 more days, light sanding with 400 grit, final coat.

Using a roller and paint pad worked out pretty good, I'm sure spraying gets things done quicker but I already covered the garage with a fine layer of MDF dust, I don't need to add a layer of overspray to the mess.

Designs/colors for vinyls on the side/front, control panel and marquee are still TBD.  Electric blue T-moulding ready to be installed once I have everything else done.

[MidnightClubbed]

Control panel work in progress.
I threw out the 3 stick layout after playing and discovering that angled sticks is a VERY bad idea.
More traditional control panel - 2 sticks, 6 buttons plus start.
Plan is for the control panel to be 'removable' so I can easily redesign and change the controls at a later date if I want.  I'm regretting not thinking through how the controls mount to the body of the cabinet before chopping wood, but I think it will be ok!!!