Getting started and getting buy in from wife?

[javeryh]

I've done both (build and restore) - it really depends on how anal you are about the finished product.  I think restoring is much quicker but you can make yourself nuts with the bondo, sanding and painting.

As for the wife thing, I don't have the answer.  Mine has learned to accept my hobby although she probably wishes I didn't do it. 

[DNA Dan]

If you like to work with your hands and have the time/money, I'd say build one. That is half the enjoyment of owning such a machine - to say you buillt it. Just depends where you are at right now in your life. If you think holding off a bit until things are more settled with the baby and you have your heart set on building, then I would wait and save your cash. To put this in your wife's perspective, she is mothering your child. Her needs and wants revolve around the baby. So anytime you can offer her say a break from the child, or ease a certain financial worry about being able to care for a child, the better her mental state and will score you points. In terms of getting her to accept your desires, you just need to tell her that it's important to you. Marriage is give and take, and if she approves of you taking the time and money from your child/budget to do this, then you should reciprocate and allow her the same. Pehaps she wants to take a "girls weekend getaway" with her friends? or buy some shoes! If you are willing to allow her the same, then any understanding companion will allow you to have yours. It's not like you are asking for some crazy XXX act or something. You're basically asking for money and time away from the family.

Now in regard to the timing, I must say I've been on the fence for about 10 years now regarding building my own cabinet. I recently got settled and financially able to finally do it. The state of availability of all the components is increasingly getting tight. CRTs are almost no longer being produced, Original leafs are hard to come by, other parts carry a premium, etc. While great strides have been made to reproduce parts or create new ones, the bottom line is if you want 100% authentic origial parts, it's quite difficult to make it happen today. So if that is the goal, I suggest you start sooner than later. If however you can accept an LCD monitor, microswitches and the like, then you can wait until time/money/wife permits.

My qualifications: We have twin girls and no family living nearby to "watch the kids".

[jmike]

Not sure if anyone suggested it but how about building a bartop? 
If you've never build anything before the last thing you want to do is start building an upright and have trouble finishing it.

I always tell me wife and family for x-mas and b-days gifts I'll take gift cards so I can purchase all the arcade parts (I've got plenty now maybe too much)

2 elo touch screens
4 sanwa joysticks
GGG led wiz
x-arcade trackball
60 plus lightup buttons...
lots of t-molding

but hey once I do manage to get some free time, at least I'll have plenty of parts.

[javeryh]

So awesome.  Did you have a build thread for this one?  What are the sides made out of and what did you use for the corners?  Man this thing is nice looking.

[leapinlew]

So awesome.  Did you have a build thread for this one?  What are the sides made out of and what did you use for the corners?  Man this thing is nice looking.

Thanks Javery. No build thread. It was a rare space invaders cocktail from Midway. The shell was in good shape when I got it and it already had an encoder. It was a steal! You can see it really looks like the Galaga\Pacman style cabinet but it's just a bit different. I sold this cabinet. I'll probably make another cocktail cabinet someday to keep.... although I have no idea where I'd store it.

Here is a flyer for the SI


I also butchered a Williams cocktail too... it was empty.




I think the midway design is my favorite.

[javeryh]

Wow that is a cool design.  I like the light colored wood and the black plastic rounded corners - it's unique.  I haven't seen one of those before...  You did a nice job on the restoration - too bad you got rid of it!

[Rando]

1) Set up your mame pc and software.  Show your wife how cool it will be, get it all set up with the roms, the emulators you want, the front end looking nice.  This is also the cheapest way to go.  You can get a mame adequate pc for anywhere from free to 100 bucks.

I echo this statement.
My wife was lukewarm to the idea but wasn't getting in my way as I had most of the components (other than cabinet) already on hand.  I wiped the PC and loaded with emulator and games.  Set it up in the Dining Room to work on it.  Once I got the speakers hooked up and games running, my wife heard the familiar noises and curiously walked in.  After some Berserk! Defender and Robotron, she began complaining about using the Keyboard controls.

I explained that to get the controls setup I needed to build the cab, install the components, and then build the CP.  She asked what was taking so long and that was my green light to continue. 

[jlfreund]

You have to make her think it was her idea (see Inception)

[DNA Dan]

FYI- A bottle of tequila and a fist is no longer politically correct. 

Have you started your cab yet?

[newkillergenius]

What's going on with this?  Status?

[DNA Dan]

Maybe the wife said "no"?