Defender Cab Project

[gilby4runner]

I know...its a sin to mame such a classic.
  I came across the cabinet in a storage building and inquired about a price.  Free sounded good to me so i loaded her up along with a Vigilante (Centiped Cab) and took them home.  The defender was missing the original computer board and you can tell it has been many different games over the years.  Superman was the last game the cabinet hosted.  I had designed a few different versions of the cab but i just couldnt bring myself to do anything other than restore the exterior back to her former glory.  From the outside she will be as close to original as possible. The inside will get a modern update. (Keeping all parts if i ever want to attempt an original restore). I am wanting to build a machine that my son will enjoy in the future and my youth group (i am a youth pastor) can enjoy and learn that there is more than just xbox 360...

What has been done so far-
*vairous holes and chips have been repaired
*sanding is at about 50% right now

Wish list-
Defender Stencil Kit (ordered from gamestencils.com)
Computer (P4 w/xp)
Mame extermal hard drive (ordered Tiptonware.com)
19' LCD monitor
Defender Marquee
Defender Bezel
I-pac2



Here are a few questions that I have. 
CONTROL PANEL LAYOUT
I have read a lot of builds and threads reguarding the CP layout.  I do not want to hack or chop into the cab to make the panel bigger.  Would a p1/p2 layout  with six buttons per play the majority of the games?  Would it be to cramped?  Would I be better off going with a 1 player set up with 6 buttons / 1 stick /  and a track ball?
COIN SLOTS
From what I understand with the mame program you will need a coin insert / credit button.  Is it possible to fit a square button in the coin door where the  25cent window is?  (I hope that made sense…forgive the noobieness)  I can fit a round button but there is a gap in the corners.  I would like to get a square button that is illuminated with a 25 cent decal.
…I am sure there will be plenty more questions to follow.  Thanks to everyone who has posted on this forum.  It has been a wealth of info and given me the courage to tackle this project!

[Nephasth]

I know...its a sin to mame such a classic.

Thank you for your confession. I want you to say 2 "Our Father's" and 3 "Hail Mary's".

Welcome to the forum!

[wp34]

Welcome to the forum!

You may want to think about turning it into a Multi-Williams.  That seems not to offend the cabinet gods near as much as a true maming. 

If you can get a hold of a JROK board it makes it easy.  They are hard to find and expensive at the moment though.

http://www.jrok.com/hardware/wsf/

[yotsuya]

I know...its a sin to mame such a classic.
  I came across the cabinet in a storage building and inquired about a price.  Free sounded good to me so i loaded her up along with a Vigilante (Centiped Cab) and took them home.  The defender was missing the original computer board and you can tell it has been many different games over the years.  Superman was the last game the cabinet hosted.

It's usually only a sin if you Mame a working cabinet. The Multi-Williams is a nice idea.

[gilby4runner]

[Well Fed Games]

I know...its a sin to mame such a classic.
 

Welcome to our den of sin! 

[Rando]

From what I understand with the mame program you will need a coin insert / credit button.  Is it possible to fit a square button in the coin door where the  25cent window is?  (I hope that made sense…forgive the noobieness)  I can fit a round button but there is a gap in the corners.  I would like to get a square button that is illuminated with a 25 cent decal.

Don't know if it fits the current hole, but this is nice:

http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=295

[gilby4runner]

Rando- YOUR THE MAN!  Thats what i am looking for.

[gilby4runner]

I tinkered in MS Paint for a while and came up with this.  I used a convereted vector image of the original and tweeked it some...opionions?

[TopJimmyCooks]

. . .  That seems not to offend the cabinet gods near as much as a true maming . . .

The Deities of KLOV say:  thou shalt not Mame.  You should spend $1000 to restore it . . . . . then we'll sneer at you when you try to sell it and offer you $150.

[gilby4runner]

. . .  That seems not to offend the cabinet gods near as much as a true maming . . .

The Deities of KLOV say:  thou shalt not Mame.  You should spend $1000 to restore it . . . . . then we'll sneer at you when you try to sell it and offer you $150.

Restore it and only play one game... have a killer looking cab and play thousands.  Hmmmmm....lol  For the time and effort i want a little more than Defender gameplay.

On another note.  What are some opinions on a controler layout.  I have limited room and two players might be a little tight.  I was leaning towards a one player with 6 buttons and a trackball.    Opinions?

[t3design]

On another note.  What are some opinions on a controler layout.  I have limited room and two players might be a little tight.  I was leaning towards a one player with 6 buttons and a trackball.    Opinions?

what are the actual dimensions of the CP?

[gilby4runner]

Off the top of my head i want to say its 24 inches wide and 7.5 inches tall.  I will get the exact when i get home tonight.

[matsadona]

Even though you persist going the MAME way, at least put a CRT monitor in it.
Yes, it will limit you to horizontal games but will look so much better

And it is a good reason to have as second cabinet with a vertical monitor...

[t3design]

Off the top of my head i want to say its 24 inches wide and 7.5 inches tall.  I will get the exact when i get home tonight.

Here is a 2 player layout with a trackball. There is room along the top for admin buttons. It is tight but should be very playable. This is also using a 3" trackball. If you were willing to go smaller you would have a little more wiggle room.

[gilby4runner]

T3- thank you!  That is awesome.

[t3design]

You won't hurt my feelings if you don't use it. But if you do, I can give you dimensions or a vector drawing to use. Just let me know.

[gilby4runner]

The measurements would be great! I am new to all this and this is a wonderful help!  Thanks for your time and efforts.
Gilby

[t3design]

Here is a jpg with dimensions. Let me know if you need anything else.

t3

[LeedsFan]

I don't see anything wrong with Mameing it at all... so long as you keep the original panel and boards etc. to one side so it could be returned back to original. I would draw the line at painting over that original art though. That is restoarable but at the same time still doesn't stop you Mameing it in general.

[gilby4runner]

Leedsfan- it didn't come with much of the original hardware.  I am keeping everything " just in case".  I am going to restore the exterior to it's original glory.  New stencils have been ordered and I am waiting on them from gamestencil.com.

[gilby4runner]

Sanded, patched, primed.... Gamestencil.com order arrived today.
Pics coming...

[gilby4runner]

Need some opinions...
I have sanded primed and painted the cab with gloss black rustoleum.  The black really brings out any blimishes the cab has.  I know its 30 years old but i am a little ocd with some things. I am going to sand her down again and start over.

 I realize that i am destroying a classic... i can live with that.  I have recieved the stencil kit for the cab and i am considering a different color scheme.

(Silver base with red and blue) / Blue base with silver and red)... any ideas. Defender is a cool looking cab but i want to update the look a little.  I realize that this is my cab and it will be eventually my sons.Its not going anywhere.  Any ideas for a different color scheme?

[opt2not]

My opinion: Keep the colours original.

*snip*  I am going to restore the exterior to it's original glory.  New stencils have been ordered and I am waiting on them from gamestencil.com.

^^ this.

and...

Even though you persist going the MAME way, at least put a CRT monitor in it.

^^ this.

LCD's will not outlast a CRT.  If you're planning on having this in your family for a while, do yourself a favour and think about the repair-ability of it come 5, 10, 15 years.
CRT's are easier to repair, and components are easy to find.

[gilby4runner]

After a light sanding, priming and 3 coats of rustoleum i decided to start over.  I know its 30 years old and it will have dents and dings but i preach to my kid about doing it right so here i go again... The finished looked great from 3 ft away but when you got close you could see various spots that were uneven and some dents and scapes that i never knew were there.  The gloss black looks great but it sure shows and blemishes you have. The stencil kit is just sitting there waiting for the perfect finish. 

[gilby4runner]

[gilby4runner]

Back on track with the project.  Took it down to the bare wood after painting it black the first time.  A big thanks to game stencil.com.  Great products!  Only problem I have had is that my dog jumped on the pool table and chewed up part of the stencil....  It has been a fun project so far but next time I will not build one that requires so much painting.

[gilby4runner]

Another addition to the arcade area.

[yotsuya]

Another addition to the arcade area.

Where's you find that, man? I want one of those as well!

[gilby4runner]

Found it in the back of an old hardware store.  Offer a few bucks for it and it was mine.  A little cleaning, wiring, and some new letters and there you have it.

[yotsuya]

Nice. Whichever one I find, it HAS to have a soda sign on it!