My First Arcade Cab: Tattoo Arcade

[Bayne666]

Hi everyone, my name is Bayne

I'm 30 years old and I'm from Norway. (hence my funky english)

After reading the book, Project Arcade, I was like "huh, I can actually do this". I have some experience with computers and a lot of experience with games. Though I have about no experience with carpentry I'll give it a solid go

The first cab I'm going to build will not be the one in the book (the 2 part one) simply because I don't like the design. So I'm going to go for a more classic look. I'm doing my own design for this one simply because I want to It might not look perfect but it'll teach me alot

I'm renting a corner in my friends autoshop so I have a lot of room to do this.  I work as a tattooist in my own shop in Tunsberg, Norway. So the cabinet will be standing there.

Aaanyway, I may have a LOT of questions and I hope you will be patient with me and answer them as I go along the road.

So to my first report of what I've done so far.

The only suitable wood they had at the supply store was MDF. I didn't want to use plywood because I've heard it can delaminate/splint (dunno if I'm using the right term here).

So I've laid out the wood and have started measuring.

Let's see if I can figure out how to post pictures

[Bayne666]

Here we go, let's see if I've done this right

[kombat2014]

HI, are you planning on expanding the control panel out, because it looks abit short, my friend build a cab and he didnt plan anything on paper and once build he had next to no space to place his joystick and buttons. it was a very tight fit.

forgive me if im wrong, and you plan on adding a re moveable control panel.

[Bayne666]

Yes I will definitely have a separate CP that will stick out a bit

[Bayne666]

Ok so here's the update for Day 2 of my build.

Despite the lack of a proper workbench, using tires worked like a charm a bit wobbly but not a problem



Here's one of the sides cut out and with me on the side showing height. I'm 181cm high.

Please feel free to give me some feedback and criticism on not only the height but also the design in general it is my first one after all



Using the first cutout as a template.





Naturally by doing it this way there's gonna be some errors in the cut.

I didn't use a circular saw at all because I don't have one, I've cut the whole thing with a jigsaw.







Some clamps and the beltsander will take care of that (I hope)



Not bad... at least in my opinion...




A bit of rounding the edges with the beltsander and here's the finished result. What do you think?




Next I believe I should have a go with a router i guess? I don't actually own one so I'll have to either borrow one or see if I can find a cheap used one

What would be your next step?

[matt4949]

What are you putting in this?

[Bayne666]

I'm thinking about having a list of classic arcade games like Alien vs Predator, Final Fight, a couple of space shooters, Super Pang... basically about 20 games I remember from my childhood. Maybe I'll use hyperspin but I'm still figuring out new things about how all this works so please, any advice would be great

The cab will be standing at my tattoo shop for friends of my customers that might want to play while they wait for their butty to get tattooed also for me when I have a break

[Bayne666]

Okay, heres the Day 3 update.

I didn't have much time today so I decided to build the bottom frame. I need to stress the fact that I'm winging this and today I felt the consequences of that...

Proof nr 1 that I'm an idiot:



After fixing it here's the finished frame. A bit bulky huh?




aaaaaand proof nr 2 that I'm a complete idiot:



So basically I'll have to re cut the whole thing and MEASURE this time!

I also just bought a cheap router from Biltema, but I have no idea how to make it work so my father in law is going to help me with it.. I'll probably rout the edges for the t-moulding next time too..

[Slippyblade]

Maybe I'll use hyperspin but I'm still figuring out new things about how all this works so please, any advice would be great

While Hyperspin looks amazing and is very professional, it's overkill.  I tried it, didn't like it.  Too many components and it seemed like it should have a book of its own for setup.  I've used Mala for my machines.  Not as many bells and whistles, but MUCH easier to setup.

[Bayne666]

Maybe I'll use hyperspin but I'm still figuring out new things about how all this works so please, any advice would be great

While Hyperspin looks amazing and is very professional, it's overkill.  I tried it, didn't like it.  Too many components and it seemed like it should have a book of its own for setup.  I've used Mala for my machines.  Not as many bells and whistles, but MUCH easier to setup.

Allright, thanks man. I'll look into it

[Le Chuck]

[creepy guy]I likes it when the OP shows himself in the pics hmmummm[/creepy guy]

Looking good man, keep it up.  There are a lot of new FEs (frontends) on here, check out both Arximidis' HTML5FE and the new Attractmode FE, both are pretty sweet and worth a gander.  MALA is a classic goto and I still have a lot of love for it too. 

How's the art coming, anything to show off yet?

[Bayne666]

[creepy guy]I likes it when the OP shows himself in the pics hmmummm[/creepy guy]

Looking good man, keep it up.  There are a lot of new FEs (frontends) on here, check out both Arximidis' HTML5FE and the new Attractmode FE, both are pretty sweet and worth a gander.  MALA is a classic goto and I still have a lot of love for it too. 

How's the art coming, anything to show off yet?

Well... seeing as I am a tattoo artist I'm thinking about giving it a go myself. I might spend the rest of the week doodling in photoshop. It may have a tattoo theme crossed with gaming theme so we'll see

[talkgeek]

A good start, and nothing wrong with using MDF, forgiving and cheap   

I'm looking forward to see the artwork too

I would really suggest before you proceed much further trying to sketch out what you are building - specially around the console size / shape and how / where the screen is going to be placed - and think through how you plan to mount / fasten both and how that relates to the Bezel, marque section (cabling / speakers / lighting) etc.

My first build wasn't even good enough to use to use for fire wood, after thinking I could "wing it" on the fly  .

but only a suggestion - I'm definitely following - all the best

[yotsuya]

... seeing as I am a tattoo artist I'm thinking about giving it a go myself. I might spend the rest of the week doodling in photoshop. It may have a tattoo theme crossed with gaming theme so we'll see

You know what would be cool. If you covered the cab in human skin and tattoo'd your own artwork on it.




Why are you guys looking at me like that? 

[Bayne666]

... seeing as I am a tattoo artist I'm thinking about giving it a go myself. I might spend the rest of the week doodling in photoshop. It may have a tattoo theme crossed with gaming theme so we'll see

You know what would be cool. If you covered the cab in human skin and tattoo'd your own artwork on it.




Why are you guys looking at me like that? 

.....yeah... that'd be.....cool.... 

anyway update from Day 4:

Not a lot done today but a little progress is better than no progress.
I did have to re-cut the previous frame and that took a while.


This is basically an example of monkey see, monkey do. I've seen something similar on a youtube video or something and I gave it a go... I might use a less bulky type of framewood next time tho. The screen I will be using is a flat screen, hence the small space up there. oh, and I'm thinking of having a pretty laid back screen too...




The name's Bond, Multibond.



I do not have enough clamps! Something that seems to be a recurring subject on this forum

[Slippyblade]

You know what would be cool. If you covered the cab in human skin and tattoo'd your own artwork on it.

Why are you guys looking at me like that? 

Meh.  My cousin was covered in tattoos and was dieing due to chronic illness.  He actually wanted his corpse to be peeled and the skin to be used for lamp shades and such so that his thousands of dollars in artwork didn't get buried in the ground.  Needless to say, legalities prevented his wishes from being carried out.  Though I could VERY easily see his hide being used to "skin" a cab.  As long as his face was NOT in the marquee.  Staring at me.  Critiquing my gameplay.

[Bayne666]

So at this point I'm pretty much realizing that this is not going to be my most precious possession. It's more of a learning thing with this cab so I think I'm going to make the art simple.

What's your opinion on something like this?

[Slippyblade]

Nah, if you're gonna go with a splatter art motif, it needs a LOT more splatters in a hippy rainbow of colors.  Or maybe splatter a bunch of hippies on it.  Either way.

Yer a tattoo guy, cover it with some sort of cool tribal or celtic knot.

[pbj]

Bayne666 from Norway, eh?

[Bayne666]

Jeez... ONE guy burns down a couple of churches one the 90s and we ALL get called satanworshipers over 20 years later.......

[Slippyblade]

Jeez... ONE guy burns down a couple of churches one the 90s and we ALL get called satanworshipers over 20 years later.......

Holy what the crap?!?!?!   To the intrawebs!!

[Bayne666]

Yer a tattoo guy, cover it with some sort of cool tribal or celtic knot.

Yeah, but like I said. since it's my first build I'd rather not spend too much energy on the art.


Edit: or maybe I'm just saing that cause I'm tired... I dunno... We'll see...

[BadMouth]

Proof nr 1 that I'm an idiot:

Sometimes it's better to be more persistent than good.
 

[pbj]

Jeez... ONE guy burns down a couple of churches one the 90s and we ALL get called satanworshipers over 20 years later.......

Yeah, well, that's Burzum.  Don't forget about Per Yngve Ohlin.   

[Bayne666]

ANYway...

Here's update nr 5.

Another proof that I'm an idiot:
(This one made me question
if I should procreate or not...)




So I spent some time reversing one and got back on track. With a little help of a chair i connected the 2 and voilą:



And here's how it looks now:

[Slippyblade]

Wow.  It looks so clean.  And precise.  And backwards.   

I make medieval costume for a hobby of mine and that happens pretty frequently with sleeves.  Don't feel to bad, good job on the recovery.