"Arcade Replay" - Slim LCD cabinet. Now with CABINET LIGHTING.

[Santoro]

Edit - March 2010

I am sharing the Arcade Replay Slim LCD Cabinet Sketchup model with a few Lawyerly caveats.
- If you use the model please credit me in project announcements and webpages about the project
- You may not, under any circumstances, sell the sketchup model
- Let me know in a PM or in this thread if you use them as the basis for a project, only for the sake of my curiosity.
- If you sell cabinets substantially based on it and you appreciate my contribution you should kick me back a point or two of the profit.  It's the honor system, I am not going to lawyer up and come get you or anything.  PM me for a PayPal address.
- These are not precise nor complete plans.  The model is intended to give you rough dimensions only.  It is up to you to double check everything you do and make sure it makes sense. You need to be sure the machine is safe, balanced, etc. I am not responsible for any bad things resulting from the use of these plans. 
- Other than answering a question here or there in this thread, I don't plan on supporting people trying to recreate it.  BYOAC search is your friend.

If you agree to all this, you may download the sketchup model >>>> here <<<<<


Credit goes to Xylosesame for creating the Sketchup models for the buttons, spinner, trackball, Joysticks, and coin door.

The model has evolved. here is the final design:





Original Post:
--------------------
I have finished my rough plans for a new cab to replace Mamenation, which I will probably sell locally.  I have borrowed heavily from Kneivel's Woody Design, which set the bar for the rest of us.

My goals and improvements over Mamenation are:
Wife-friendly design, without being too furniture-like
When turned on, there will be sufficient 'arcade bling' to overcome the wood design.  More on that later. (not on mockup yet)
Keyboard Drawer
Easily accessible DVD drive (not on mockup yet)
External USB ports (not on mockup yet)
Small size so as not to portude too far into the room.
Smaller but still comfortable CP.  I will be doing something similar to my "Classic Gamer" CP from last year. I am very happy with that design.
LEDWiz
Jukebox, n64 Emulation
Light Gun


It's going to take a while to complete because I am busy, but it probably won't take as long as the Mission Control cab.   


Edit - CP layout will be slightly different in terms of layout and art.  This is the only CP art I had to use for the mockup.

[mccoy178]

How is it going to take tokens?

[Santoro]

LOL.

Stoll looking for a suitable Sketchup coin door model.  Otherwise I need to do it myself and that won't be pretty.

Edit: I will need to build/improvise a smaller metal box. I have to hear that metal 'klink' sound when I drop tokens into a machine. (Cue the Hogan's Heroes jokes.)

[Santoro]

Some more details, I am undecided on which LCD I will use.  I am leaning toward an LCD TV in the 32" range (ouch$) but am not sure.  It's a shame to waste space, but the 20-inchers out there are pretty small after using a D9200 for so many years.  I am going to do some tests on my home 32" and 19" LCDs to see if I can live with the smaller.

I will probably use Wilsonart Laminate - I like this one (the sample I have is a much richer color than the pic has):


I was hoping for some opinions on the black center.  It was intended to reduce the furniture feel a bit, and make it so that when you are standing in front of it you see 'authentic black.'   I like the way it looks but I can see how it might elicit a "WTF" reaction from some.

[XyloSesame]

LOL.

Stoll looking for a suitable Sketchup coin door model.  Otherwise I need to do it myself and that won't be pretty.

Edit: I will need to build/improvise a smaller metal box. I have to hear that metal 'klink' sound when I drop tokens into a machine. (Cue the Hogan's Heroes jokes.)

Hey, Santoro, I wasn't planning on uploading my over/under coin door model as it is very (and I mean very) rough, but I went ahead and dumped it in my collection. It's scale, based on a Happ dual; feel free to use and abuse as you see fit.

http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/search?uq=12848648007109192528

[spacies]

I like the machine design but I think you need to bring the rear up a little and match the angles around the bezel area. ATM it looks a bit messy up top.

[ARTIFACT]

i like it!

nice marquee art

love the short depth

good to see more sketchup action on your end as well!!! (check my project thread)

good luck with it

[Santoro]

Thanks guys, I'll play around with the angles.  I originally had the underside of the marquee level with the ground, I must have dragged a point somewhere along the line and not noticed.

Artifact, you motivated me to learn Sketchup.  I am still not adept at it and it is slow going, but I'll get there. 

XyloSesame - thanks! I'll use it on the next iteration.

[Santoro]

Forgot to mention, I got some of my 'goodies' in the mail today.

Novamatrix LED Marquee Light
Micro-Leaf switches
Turbo Twist 2 Spinner
2 Ultimate 360s

This stuff always motivates me to get building!

[Silhouette]

I have a question that's kinda related to this project. Is there a way to hook an actual arcade PCB to an LCD PC monitor?

[Santoro]

Ack, that's way outside my expertise... the monitor forum probably has the answer.  I think there is some sort of Jamma adapter..

[Santoro]

Hey, Santoro, I wasn't planning on uploading my over/under coin door model as it is very (and I mean very) rough, but I went ahead and dumped it in my collection. It's scale, based on a Happ dual; feel free to use and abuse as you see fit.

Hey I just noticed - I am already using modified versions of your buttons, trackball and joysticks.  Nice work, and thanks again!

[spacies]

I have a question that's kinda related to this project. Is there a way to hook an actual arcade PCB to an LCD PC monitor?

Yes, you can buy a CGA to VGA adaptor.
You run the RGB and sync from your JAMMA loom into the adapter and it converts it to VGA. Plug in your LCD and GO!

[XyloSesame]

Hey, Santoro, I wasn't planning on uploading my over/under coin door model as it is very (and I mean very) rough, but I went ahead and dumped it in my collection. It's scale, based on a Happ dual; feel free to use and abuse as you see fit.

Hey I just noticed - I am already using modified versions of your buttons, trackball and joysticks.  Nice work, and thanks again!

NP, hope they help... I've updated the coin door, and hope to add a TT2 soon.

[Santoro]

I have tweaked the model quite a bit.  I also added the Coin Door, DVD and USB port.   The angles are a little better up top now.  I am not trying to completely imitate the 'Woody' cab - I am going for a slighty more retro-shape on the top.

The entire speaker panel above the glass will be black speaker cloth.

[Santoro]

I am going to be working backwards from what I usually do - I am going to get the PC all configured in advance.  The parts came today; here's what I am putting together

AMD Athlon A64 X2 3800
Foxconn Mobo with integrated Geforce 6150 Video, gigabit LAN
1 GB RAM
120 GB PATA Hard disk

I am still working on the details of the door on the bottom.  I saw the "Solocade" and I really like the "roll-out" concept:



So I may do something similar, I am not sure yet.  Here is what I was thinking of:

[TOK]

I think you should copy the Solocade profile more. Being just a bit chunkier makes it look much better to me... I understand most people are building these due to space constraints though.

[bfauska]

It doesn't look like there is room on that drawer for the coin-mechs and coin box.  I would think that if anybody had a machine set up to work with tokens it would be you.  Are you using a small form factor PC to allow room for the coin requirements?

Looking good.  I know that you  said you've been reworking the top a bit, but it seems like maybe it's still a little top heavy looking.  I'm not saying physically top heavy, but visually.  I wonder if the angle on the top to the back were even deeper would it look more proportionate.  OR, and I realize this may compromise the art and not be worth sacrifice, but what if you made the marquee a little shorter, it would do a lot to make the top look more slim like the rest of the camera.

[Santoro]

I know what you are saying, and I can see it too. It is 'bigger' on purpose - I am trying to make the entire cab look 'bigger than a slim LCD cab."  While I greatly appreciate the balance and design quality of the woody cab, it looks a bit too 'skinny' on the top for my tastes.  I never played cabs that looked that sleek.

I am still playing a bit.  I may keep the top as it is, I am not sure.  Or I may be able to shave an inch or two off and mainain the efect I want. 

It doesn't look like there is room on that drawer for the coin-mechs and coin box.

Yup.  I am already planning on building a custom, shallow token box.  The PC mobo is going to be a micro-ATX mounted sideways in the drawer.  You can see it - it's the green square.  Probably not exactly to scale at this point though.

Keep the feedback coming though, thanks.

[bfauska]

Yup.  I am already planning on building a custom, shallow token box.  The PC mobo is going to be a micro-ATX mounted sideways in the drawer.  You can see it - it's the green square.  Probably not exactly to scale at this point though.

That's definitely the important part. 

[Santoro]

I think you should copy the Solocade profile more. Being just a bit chunkier makes it look much better to me... I understand most people are building these due to space constraints though.

You got me thinking a little here - I am wondering if the problem is that the bulkier top is not stylisticly consistient with the angled bottom.  I am going to try a version without the angle. 

[GadgetGeek]

I'd be concerned with trying to make the inside turn with the t-molding.  See the faint red circle in the crop below.

[Santoro]

I am not so hot in Sketchup yet, I have been meaing to learn to do curves. 

I want to see what it would look like with all the angles having small-raduis curves.  Maybe I'll try to figure that out tonight as well.

[Santoro]

I am getting much, much closer to the look on top I was trying for from the start.  I still need to lower the CP a smidge and clean things up, but the general shape is just what I wanted.  Learning Arcs in sketchup helped a lot.

Much to the dismay of some asshats I know, I am going to use Laminate.  I have never been very good at finishing, and my kids are brutal on cabs.  Laminate was the natural choice.


 

[leapinlew]

I am getting much, much closer to the look on top I was trying for from the start.  I still need to lower the CP a smidge and clean things up, but the general shape is just what I wanted.  Learning Arcs in sketchup helped a lot.

Much to the dismay of some asshats I know, I am going to use Laminate.  I have never been very good at finishing, and my kids are brutal on cabs.  Laminate was the natural choice.


 

Love it. It's well balanced.

As far as the laminate... I don't have a problem with it. I used it on a cabinet, and I have a couple more 4x8 sheets ready to go on the next project. I only use black though - you going with some wood grain?

[bfauska]

That new shape looks great.  Nice job reworking it.  When laminate gets done right it is a really nice finish for a cab, good choice if you ask me.

[theCoder]

I like your new top design.  The change is slight, but it looks better proportioned.

[Santoro]

OK, final design here.  (edit: except I need to fix the shelf thickness.) Construction starts this weekend. 

[Santoro]

Note that the CP is not finalized yet. 

[superbigjay]

That's a pretty nice design Santoro!

I like the rolling drawer with the keyboard shelf.

Can't wait to see more pics!

Jay 

[javeryh]

That's really nice looking.  Make sure you take plenty of pics when you build the pull out computer shelf/coin door panel.  I'd love to incorporate something like that in mine...

[blueznl]

Stylish laminate is ok 

(Some people manage to screw it up badly though, making things only looking cheaper :-))

[GadgetGeek]

No fair starting on the cabinet until our tokens are ready!  I don't want to hear any "I've rec'd the tokens from the mint, but all my time is being spend making sawdust" comments in the future.
 

[Chris G]

Wow, great design pics Santoro!  So is this finished yet?
















How about now?   

[Santoro]

Bumping and re-starting my on-hold project.  We start cutting wood tomorrow; here is the final design.

[leapinlew]

 

[Santoro]

Hey - wood had been cut.. made some good progress today.

Sides Done:



In the process of laminating the visible parts on the inside.  Bottoms yet to be done.


http://Look how slim this is going to be compared to my second machine!!

[leapinlew]

That laminate looks awesome. Where'd you get it?

[Santoro]

It's special order Wilsonart from Lowes.  I will try to find the number for you.

[javeryh]

It's special order Wilsonart from Lowes.  I will try to find the number for you.

How much was it?  I ordered some black laminate from Home Depot and it was $42 for a 24"x96" strip!  If Lowe's is cheaper it might be worth the extra 5 minutes in the car next time...  It looks great by the way - makes me wish I didn't stain my slim upright...