Custom Cabinets

[Vardelith]

I'm starting a small business; we will be building custom arcade cabinets for use by home gamers!! These cabinets are designed to allow a person to use them as an all-purpose gaming centre. Focus is primarily as a cabinet to house a computer set-up for use with emulation systems like MAME. The only electronic aspects of the cabinet will be its control panel, which will be laid out for connecting to a PC. (Note: cabinets can be built without the control panel. This will be for anyone wanting to use it for a consol station or for other uses.


This product line will consist of the following.

A)   Pre-built or Kit Form cabinets.
B)   Custom cabinet decals and marquees.
C)   Custom control panel layouts for the above cabinets (these will not appear till the primary products in this line are properly established.)


I have a few questions to ask regarding the products we are going to be offering.

1)   Are any of the products or product services something you would be interested in?
2)   What would you pay to have a cabinet made or to get a replacement marquee for your existing cabinet for example?
3)   Are there any mandatory features you would HAVE to HAVE in a cabinet you purchased or built?
4)   If you were to purchase a cabinet would you want it built? If so would you purchase decals or a marquee to go with it?
5)   How long would you be willing to wait to have a cabinet built?


As we get closer to production on these cabinets we will be providing more specific specifications for the different products that will be available.

I will take the time now to thank you for replying to this post, and to assure you that any relevant answers you do give will be taken into consideration as we continue or advancement towards a finished product line.

Thank You,

Richard

Label Studios

[hyiu]

well.... most of the guys who visit here prefer to build their own cab / stick / spinner / circuit / ... and this list goes on and on....

so... asking for opinion for selling completed cabs here..... sometimes... you'll get rather "strict" comments.... (hmmm.... strict might not be a good word....) cos we all compare our personal work with your "production line"....

but there are quite a few different companies out there already doing this.... so.... you might want to compare what they offer to yours....

good luck....

[android]

Price. Price and Price. My first priority, as you may have guessed is price. I mean a fair price, like you would expect to pay for a ready-to-assemble wal-mart type of furniture (although economies of scale may not apply for this). This is what I (and read: *I*) would like:

1. Pre-Cut, pre-drilled pieces
2. Melamine finished fiberboard / mdf. There have been kits out there that are just pre-cut fiberboard. No one, to my knowledge, offers fully finished ready-to-assemble kits.
3. Routed edges for t-molding and/or melamine edging in case I want a furniture look without t-molding.
4. Professionally made, original classic retro-looking design as well as sideart/marquee or an accurate classic reproduction (ability to finish it like a classic one like centipede, dig-dug, etc a plus); full side if possible. Forget about all those x-men / capcom / sf / mk fighter dudes. Sorry snaaake: they're gettin' old.
5. Ability to finish them with a true arcade look. I.e. there are some kits out there that resemble bookshelfs more than arcade cabinets. Bookshelf look is fine, but I want the ability to make it look arcade if I want to by adding coinbox/door panels, bezel etc. I can't emphasize enough this one. I want it to look as if I could put it on location and nobody would notice (i know, i know... but you get the point)
6. Ability to use 2-player (narrow) or 4-player (wide) control panels. Swappable panels a must.
7. Prefer kit rather than fully-built, since shipping would be easier (no crating or palleting like hanaho) and easier to get through a standard-width door.
8. Prefer unfinished CP as I would like to do my own layout, but I would like matching CP art or arcade-like finish for the CP.

For the above, I'm willing to put up with the assembly and some finishing, but I don't want to mess with sanding, finishing, priming, painting, etc. I don't want to handle anything liquid, flamable or toxic.  I'm also willing to give up customizability (is that a word?) in exchange for the ease of assembly, finish and professional look. Otherwise I just might buy an original cabinet and finish it myself.

You may call this lazy, but I guess this is the market that you want to exploit. Otherwise I don't think you have a market with the do-it-yoursefer (just wait and see the bunch of "I can do it myself out of mdf, scissors and duct tape" or "building it is half the fun" replies you will get). Just see what happened to keyboard encoders. In the beginning there was the kb hack and hagstrom. Then the ipac came at a competitive price and sold like pancakes. Then came the oscar spinner, ArcadeVGA, etc.

If you hit the sweet spot, your product may do for cabinet building what the ipac did for the kb hack.

Just my opinion. FWIW. YMMV. IMHO. etc. etc. I guess I've said enough. Now I will shut up and go back to cutting that MDF...

-- Android

[SNAAAKE]

my $0.20 cents..

Make any cabinets like ultiimate arcade 2(comes in 2 pieces).
pre melamine black wood.
complete removeable panel.
have space to mount a tv,atleast 27" tv.
routed for molding.
include t-molding
Include marque glass,retainer and custom marques if possible.
Include monitor bezel and plexi for tv.
and thats about it..

EVERYTHING should be complete so your customer would just have to put the thing together using a drill(shouldnt take more then an hour).


Keep it under $1000 and make it looks nice enough(beat x-arcade) and people will buy..

I honesty would buy If i was rich..considering the cabinet comes in 2 pieces..you could move it around and all..

[Cue-Ball]

I think Android hit it on the nose with every single point he made (except maybe the swappable panels).  I want an arcade roughly the size of an X-Men/Simpsons cabinet.  That gives you a nice, big CP with room for a trackball, multiple sticks, 7 buttons per person, etc.  I want it pre-laminated.  I want it pre-drilled and pre-cut.  I don't care if it doesn't come with a marquee since i'd end up making my own anyway.  And i DON'T want a 2 piece cabinet.  It might be easier to move, but it doesn't feel as authentic.

Basically, if someone had offered something like this at a reasonable price (ie: not $2000 for a plain jane empty cabinet) i would have bought one instead of doing the cabinet refurb that i'm just now finishing.  My refurb Rampage cabinet will end up costing me an arm and a leg and i had to do all the work myself.  I would rather have spent an extra $400 and had a "bookcase assembly" type experience.

[android]

Thanks Cue. I agree with your comments: if you have a mega-huge-4 player panel, then swappable panels are not really needed. But for 2 players I still think that may be needed. It would depend on the size of the panel itself.

[BASSOFeeSH]

After building my CP, I've noticed my severe novice when it comes to woodwork AND my lack of proper tools.  

Still, as daunting as building a whole cab is price/features has always ruled out buying a premade unit.  I haven't looked recently, but all of the options I've seen before either force-fed the WHOLE system(monitor, controls, PC, ...)

[Vardelith]

hyiu: I know I've been looking around and I think you could call it a Hardcore Arcade Scene!   And yes we have been comparing what we want to offer with what is already out there.

1) I'd like to say that we are trying to make the important aspects of the cabinet modular. (The control board box for example is not integral to he design of the cabinet, so a person and go BIG to a 4 player panel or down to a single player small box on the front and it won't matter.

2) I understand a lot of people want to build there own cabinet, but sometime they just don't have the tools or the space, or a dozen other reasons why they can't It's to those people we want to offer our product line.

3) Thanks for the warning!  

Android: Thank you for the complete reply to my questionnaire, you have helped allot for solidifying ideas we are working on, and have raised so very good points as well!

To recap a few of your answers...

>1. Pre-Cut, pre-drilled pieces

Yes, the Kit form of our product will be "ALL" pre-cut and pre-drilled. We will be using screws and glue in tandem to try for the best possible join we can. No screw lock systems or that type of stuff.

>2. Melamine finished fibreboard / mdf...

We are thinking of going Melamine for the primary units we make, we will also provide a cheaper version with just unpainted MDF if that is what a person wants! The material used is not a big deal to change, so we have options available that will suit as many people as possible. At this time though we will NOT be using post laminated sheets, as the cost and the facilities needed to properly do this are currently beyond what we can do...maybe in the future!  

>3. Routed edges for t-moulding and/or melamine edging...

Currently the idea is to go with routed and t-moulding. Again in the future we may do units with melamine edges as well. We will see!

>4. Professionally made, original classic retro-looking design...

We are going to be making a rather retro looking cabinet for our first line of cabinets. There are plans waiting for a cocktail table layout as well. But this will be a bit longer in coming out! we want to have the primary product line solidified and in production, before we start looking into the other.

As for marquees and side art, we are working on being able to provide the buyer with pre-made options (some retro repro's and new designs.) or the option of requesting custom work done to fit their personal tastes. To start we will probably have a few set's available to choose from.

>5. Ability to finish them with a true arcade look....

The cabinet design we are working on I hope will be classic enough that you could add all the extra's you want to it to make it look as authentic as possible! The front of the unit will have a door that a coin door can be put into.

>6. Ability to use 2-player (narrow)....

The cabinet will be built independent of the control panel. You will be able to customize the control panel you want for the machine see my reply to hyiu above.

7. Prefer kit rather than fully-built...

The option is available to those that want it pre-assembled!

>8. Prefer unfinished CP....

The cabinet will ship with or without a finished control panel, at the buyer

[Vardelith]

anyone else with any feedback?

Thanks,

   Vardelith

[Cue-Ball]

Let's see some "beta units" or at least plans and then you'll get more feedback than you can handle.  

[Vardelith]

Fair enough! Plans are being finalized! once done I'll make up some 3d or Cad mockups for people to look at and pick apart!

[Brad Lee]

As mentioned above.. seriously try to model the process as much as you can on the pre-fab wal-mart entertainment center/bookshelf/desk

If the sides will be routed and t-molding included, maybe pre-install it. Kinda like buying a car with these options- have the colors available to choose. Say you've got laminated sides in black, blue and red, and tmolding in the same colors. I may want to order a blue cabinet with black trim, or black on black, etc

Marquee- Include the mounting brackets/channels/whatever as well as a precut clear plexi piece, maybe a "generic" sheet printed with your logo, and a plain white piece of plexi, as well as a paper cut-out template for size, so someone can print the right size, slide it between the plexi's and it's ready

Integrated power strips with a remotely located(door, back, top) power switch for one touch on/off would bea nice touch

[paigeoliver]

If you really want to sell a lot of cabinets, then I suggest making direct copies of classic cabinets.

Reproduction Dragon's Lair cabinets sell at like $600 each, just for the cabinet, and people buy them (Kindercab).

Suggested ones to reproduce, Joust, Pac-Man/Galaxian (The Ms. Pac cab is already reproed), Tron, Donkey Kong and Q*Bert.

The major advantage to this is that the buyer not only gets a good looking cabinet, they get a cabinet that already has wide parts availability.

I (personally) would not pay for a new "Deluxe" sized cabinet. Mainly because that is what all the new games come in anyway, and you can get surplus ones in great condition with games inside for $300-$400 (or much cheaper if you look around more).

[Dexter]

Any plans for a 33" cabinet??

The two piece design does have it's merits though, a standard base with CP mounts and different size top halfs for various monitor/TV sizes.

You Could upgrade the top half if you decide to get a bigger monitor. Ditto for the CP

How about blank CPs in various sizes supplied with cutout templates?

Dexter

[paigeoliver]

Just wonder if you have compared your costs to what a new Jamma cabinet costs from Dynamo?

[mastercave]

i think it should have an option of building it yourself. sorta like an ikea- choose your cabinet, get a flat box with everything inside, follow instructions, finish it in an hour, another allen wrench to the collection.

[JesterDEV]

we will also provide a cheaper version with just unpainted MDF if that is what a person wants!

This is what I would be looking for, but a cocktail cabinet instead.

Not sure if this is covered (too tired to look) but perhaps a kit without buttons, joysticks? I have tons and really wouldnt need any.

One other thing I think should be covered although a little of topic, is payment methods. I would like to suggest paypal or some other form of payment for those of us who dont have/want credit cards, besides check/money oder.

I would seriously consider buying a plain cocktail cab (That is when the plans are complete) if the price is resonable.  

[armad1ll0]

there are plenty of people selling cocktail kits. The cab kits are a nice alternative. I suggest a Pac-man based/sized cab and a 4P NBA_Jam/TMNT sized cab for the second choice.

[rampy]

we will also provide a cheaper version with just unpainted MDF if that is what a person wants!

This is what I would be looking for, but a cocktail cabinet instead.

Not sure if this is covered (too tired to look) but perhaps a kit without buttons, joysticks? I have tons and really wouldnt need any.

One other thing I think should be covered although a little of topic, is payment methods. I would like to suggest paypal or some other form of payment for those of us who dont have/want credit cards, besides check/money oder.

I would seriously consider buying a plain cocktail cab (That is when the plans are complete) if the price is resonable.  

FWIW jesterdev check outhttp://www.arcadedepot.com/kits.html

Vardelith, can't wait to hear more about your kits and pics/design/etc...  (more out of curiosity than anything else, though)

Rampy

[Chris]

I'll bet you could make some money selling Golden Tee kits!  Build a cabinet similar to (but not identical to) a Golden Tee cabinet, and as an option include a Happ trackball, an all-in-one motherboard and hard drive with an OEM version of Windows installed and Golden Tee PC, set up to boot directly to Golden Tee.  You'll need a keyboard drawer on this version because Golden Tee PC requires a KB for name entry.  Your regular cab kits will be of interest to the emulation crowd, but a home Golden Tee rig will appeal to a wide audience!

[PkingRoch]

Fair enough! Plans are being finalized! once done I'll make up some 3d or Cad mockups for people to look at and pick apart!

Any update on this?