My First Cabinet

[penguinpc]

I've had the Project Arcade book (1st ed.) for a year or two now, but have never been motivated enough to start.

That changed a few weeks ago when I purchased three sheets of MDF along with some tools I would need to get started.

I've been working on it for a few weeks now and have made quite a bit of progress (and mistakes!) along the way.

Now I have the 2nd ed. of Project Arcade, so I may be making a few modifications to my cabinet.  I'm sure I'll have lots of questions to ask as I feel a long way from completion.

I'll be back later to post pictures.

[TopJimmyCooks]

Welcome.  I need to order that 2nd edition and check it out as well.

[penguinpc]

Took me a while to get back. Here are various pictures from the last few weeks.


IMG_0594 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr


IMG_0596 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr


IMG_0597 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr


IMG_0598 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr


IMG_0601 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr



IMG_0519 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr


IMG_0520 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr

[penguinpc]

A few more.


DSC_4524 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr


DSC_4527 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr


DSC_4819 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr

[penguinpc]

Pictures of my monitor shelf. At the time I mounted it, I had not yet decided on what kind of monitor I would be using.  Now as it turns out, I don't need the shelf since I have decided on LCD. 


DSC_4828 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr


DSC_4829 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr


DSC_4830 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr

[penguinpc]

With LCD mounted.


DSC_4964 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr



DSC_4965 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr

Faux coin door installed.


DSC_4966 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr

[yotsuya]

Looking good so far!

[Ond]

Looks like a nice clean build so far and good progress pics.  Have you thought about a theme for this cab yet?

 

Ond

[dugg8]

Is that Lusid's arcade rev. 7? I just started building mine last week, its going to be a street fighter theme. Also, why did you decide against the crt?

[penguinpc]

Looks like a nice clean build so far and good progress pics.  Have you thought about a theme for this cab yet?

 

Ond

Thought about it a little.  Gameongrafix has a marquee that has six mini-marquees (Ms. Pac-Man, DK, etc) that I have thought about using as a basis.  I also found on this forum someone's files for doing a Space Paranoids themed cabinet.

[penguinpc]

Is that Lusid's arcade rev. 7? I just started building mine last week, its going to be a street fighter theme. Also, why did you decide against the crt?

I'm not sure which rev it is, but I am using the plans from the first edition of the Project Arcade book.

As for why I decided not to go CRT, there are many reasons. First is just ease of set up. I'll be able to hook it up directly to the computer without much fuss. Second is weight. I was leaning CRT at first, but now that I've seen some pictures of cabinets with LCD's that looked nice, I just decided it would be easier.

The LCD I am using is an HP LP2065 20.1 inch that I was highly recommended on these forums.

I also didn't want to have to re-mount my monitor shelf so that a CRT could be angled properly. 

[TopJimmyCooks]

Let me be the first to say that I hate suggestions about major changes in midstream on a large build.     That being said, If I had converted from CRT to LCD on this cab, I would consider cutting about 12" of depth right off the back of the entire cab.  It will still have a good look, but way less dead weight and still tons of room for any hardware you have.  With your WW ability you could do it even if your intermediate shelves are already glued in.

[penguinpc]

Let me be the first to say that I hate suggestions about major changes in midstream on a large build.     That being said, If I had converted from CRT to LCD on this cab, I would consider cutting about 12" of depth right off the back of the entire cab.  It will still have a good look, but way less dead weight and still tons of room for any hardware you have.  With your WW ability you could do it even if your intermediate shelves are already glued in.

I see the wisdom of what you are saying, but at this stage, I really don't want to change it.  Maybe I could put a beer fridge on the monitor shelf now that I don't need it. 

[TopJimmyCooks]

Put your pc and stuff high behind the lcd and a Kegerator in the bottom.   

[penguinpc]

Got putty applied to all of the counter sunk screws, still need to sand it down.  Cut out the top and bottom of the control panel, waiting to go to a friend's house to cut out the sides so he can do it with his table saw.

I have all the controls I need for my my panel except for the spinner, and I think I've settled on the TurboTwist 2, but will have to wait for another paycheck before I can purchase it.

[penguinpc]

Now that I've put on the first coat of primer, I really feel like I am getting somewhere.  Here are some pictures from the last couple of weekends.


DSC_5054 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr

Decided to do one coat of primer on the inside, but probably won't paint any more after that.  This weekend I will sand and put on the second coat of primer.


DSC_5055 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr

Hear are the speaker holes cut out.  I'm repurposing a 5.1 Creative labs set up I have.  I'll only be using the sub and the front left and right channels.


DSC_5056 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr


DSC_5057 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr

Worked on the control panel tonight.  Still needs blocks and velcro on the inside to keep it together.


DSC_5059 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr

I think it's actually starting to look like an arcade machine.  Haven't settled on a theme yet.  Really need to start thinking about that.

[sapro]

Looking nice 

[penguinpc]

Got the blocks and velcro installed.  Also got the top routered for t-molding.

Does anyone know if there a populated version of the Project Arcade/Lusid control panel that can be printed at full size?

Thanks.

[penguinpc]

Cut the holes in the control for the buttons and joysticks, but not the trackball. But I made a few mistakes. When I taped the template to the control panel, I didn't notice that some of the overlap of the pages screwed up my button spacing.  That God for Bondo.


DSC_5100 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr


DSC_5102 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr


DSC_5103 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr


DSC_5104 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr

[penguinpc]

Here is the populated template I created in GIMP (from templates provided on the disc from Saint's book) if anyone would like it. You can follow the link to Flickr for the full size version.


control_panel_100 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr

(Please delete if this is violation of Saint's copyright or intellectual property. Just wanted to be helpful.)

[penguinpc]

A few more pics. I need to sand some of the Bondo off of the underside of the control panel, but did get the hole cut out for the trackball and I routered the areas for the joysitcks.

Also test painted one of the back panels. I used two coats of Kilz (oil based) and will be covering it with semi-gloss latex. Didn't look so good with the first coat which I applied with a foam roller. However, I applied the second coat of black with a short nap roller (3/16") and it looks great.


DSC_5105 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr


DSC_5106 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr


DSC_5107 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr


DSC_5108 by Alvis Elledge, on Flickr