Bartop Arcade

[upcboy]

I've Lurked here for a few months with the plans to build a bartop... After convincing my wife it was "needed" I started building last week.
The Plans:



Source:http://bartoparcade.katorlegaz.com/

I changed a few things along the way... The my arcade is 23 Inches wide and I don't plan to use mdf for the Bezel of my arcade

Cutting the MDF:



Mock Placing the MDF:


Framing:

Added LEDs connected via Molex to PC

Link to LEDs
Next up Prime and Painting....

There is alot wrong with those plans in my opinion but they were a great start...
I ended up with 2 or 3 pieces extra when using everything the plans asked for but i think it has to do with how I'm Mounting the LCD screen.
Also since there weren't any Exact measurements of the side panels (ie width of the top and bottoms parts of the side panel) I've had to ditch using MDF for the control panel because I ended up with too little space for buttons. Over all i'm very pleased with how its turning out.

[Malenko]

looks *really* good. Im assuming youre going to route holes for thejoysticks (or top mount them) there doesnt seem to be a ton of clearance under the CP.  Decide on an art theme yet?

[JDFan]

Another thing you can do to get more clearance for the joystick and buttons would be to cut a channel in the bottom piece -- I had to do the same with my mini bartop I just finished since when using the cardboard mock up I forgot to account for the extra thickness of the MDF over the cardboard was able to cut it down about 3/8ths of an inch (on 1/2 inch MDF) leaving about 1/8" and it is not even visible once built and bought me the room I needed for the microswitch !! Here's a pic that shows the cut out portion I made using the table saw with the blade depth adjusted and making several passes to create the channel

[upcboy]

I haven't decided on a theme yet.. Other than black... with maybe green t-molding. From the top of the base MDF to the top edge i have just short of 3 inches. (that's assuming i use sheet metal and flush mount it to match my MDF. Can someone point me in the right direction for dimensions of joysticks and buttons? I think i'll be going with Sanwa buttons so that I don't have issues under the CP.

[JDFan]

I haven't decided on a theme yet.. Other than black... with maybe green t-molding. From the top of the base MDF to the top edge i have just short of 3 inches. (that's assuming i use sheet metal and flush mount it to match my MDF. Can someone point me in the right direction for dimensions of joysticks and buttons? I think i'll be going with Sanwa buttons so that I don't have issues under the CP.

If it is 3" I don't think you need to use sheet metal ( it would be the same height using MDF ) On my mini bartop shown above there is about 2 1/2" from the desk to the top of the MDF CP where the buttons sit (as mentioned I cut out the channel so most of that is available for the buttons) and it just fits using Happ microswitch buttons which are pretty long.

[upcboy]

If I use my MDF I will lose 3/4 of an inch where as with Sheet-metal I can cut that down to almost no loss. If that makes sense. I found some specs on the Seimitsu LS 32 Joystick and its only about an inch in dept (40mm) If I did my math right i should have no issues.

[JDFan]

If I use my MDF I will lose 3/4 of an inch where as with Sheet-metal I can cut that down to almost no loss. If that makes sense. I found some specs on the Seimitsu LS 32 Joystick and its only about an inch in dept (40mm) If I did my math right i should have no issues.

Math is off a bit ( 40 Millimeters = 1.57480315 Inches ) but still enough room.

On mine the joystick I used ( http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Arcade-Competition-4-8-Way-stick-to-USB-Joystick-For-HAPP-Arcade-MAME-JAMMA-/191086275335?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c7da12b07 ) was shorter than the Happ buttons and as mentioned the Happ buttons used about 2 1/4 inches from the bottom of the MDF (2 3\4 from the top surface) - and the joystick is under mounted on the 1/2 inch MDF and still fits - so it is using only around 2". The Happ competition joysticks I used on my Robotron build use 2 1/2" from the CP panel (Also Under Mounted) so they would be a close fit !

Though as mentioned earlier you could gain another 1/2" +\- by routing out the bottom MDF under the joystick if needed.

[upcboy]

Any one have any suggestions for lighting my Marquee? I think i'd prefer LED Any suggestions?

[JDFan]

Any one have any suggestions for lighting my Marquee? I think i'd prefer LED Any suggestions?

THere is a thread in the main sub forum ( http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,139326.0.html ) that suggests some cheap Daytime Running lights which can be hooked up directly to a 12V source in your cab for about $5 for a pair of them shipped.

[TheDude]

Looks nice. I also used the katorlegaz plans to build mine.

[upcboy]

Added new Pictures to the main post. Any suggestions for a "track" to hold the plexi glass for my Marquee in place??

[JDFan]

Added new Pictures to the main post. Any suggestions for a "track" to hold the plexi glass for my Marquee in place??

3/4 inch aluminum angle works well -- ( http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-3-4-in-x-96-in-x-0-050-in-Aluminum-Thick-Angle-56930/100337439?N=5yc1vZc2gt ) about $10 for 8 foot just cut to size and paint then attach with screws.

[upcboy]

Added new Pictures to the main post. Any suggestions for a "track" to hold the plexi glass for my Marquee in place??

3/4 inch aluminum angle works well -- ( http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-3-4-in-x-96-in-x-0-050-in-Aluminum-Thick-Angle-56930/100337439?N=5yc1vZc2gt ) about $10 for 8 foot just cut to size and paint then attach with screws.

i'd have to use the 1inch since my MDF is 3/4inch. I was thinking about something down the site that would hold it in place (if that makes sense)

[JDFan]

How thick you need it is dependent on the thickness of the PLEXI not the MDF --- It just needs to be thicker than the plexi so that it can be screwed into the MDF and hold the plexi in place it doesn't need to be thicker or even as thick as the MDF ! (mine had to be 3/4 because I was using some 1/2 inch thick plexi that I got free from the local Hockey rink so was much thicker than normal plexi but for the normal 1/8th or even 1/4 inch thick plexi even 1/2 inch would be wide enough -- you just need it to hold the plexi on the one side and be able to screw it into the MDF so needs to be wider than the plexi is thick not wider than the MDF it is being screwed into)

[upcboy]

How thick you need it is dependent on the thickness of the PLEXI not the MDF --- It just needs to be thicker than the plexi so that it can be screwed into the MDF and hold the plexi in place it doesn't need to be thicker or even as thick as the MDF ! (mine had to be 3/4 because I was using some 1/2 inch thick plexi that I got free from the local Hockey rink so was much thicker than normal plexi but for the normal 1/8th or even 1/4 inch thick plexi even 1/2 inch would be wide enough -- you just need it to hold the plexi on the one side and be able to screw it into the MDF so needs to be wider than the plexi is thick not wider than the MDF it is being screwed into)

I'm not sure I understand how its mounted to the cade them care to show more in-dept pictures of how this is done?

[Malenko]

I'm not sure I understand how its mounted to the cade them care to show more in-dept pictures of how this is done?

Same premise as this:


Only applied to a control panel.

Here's a full on shot showing the CP and the Marquee area.

[JDFan]

Yep - like Malenko's first pic but think of it without the MDF top and that being the plexi -- so the screws would still be getting screwed into the MDF that forms the upper and lower portion of the marquee area but the aluminum angle lip only needs to cover the thickness of the plexi (or 2 sheets of plexi if sandwiching art in between 2 layers) not the thickness of the MDF.

Here's a quick pic I made showing how you only need the thickness of the plexi -- figure the screws would go into the wood on the side where my palm is in the pic and the plexi is held by the aluminum as shown

On my build I needed the 3/4 aluminum because I used a much thicker plexi than normal ( since I got it free from a broken sheet used by the hockey rink !) as you can see in the second pic even with the 1/2 inch thick plexi the 3/4 inch aluminum still had room to screw into the MDF behind the plexi. ( I actually used 3/4 x 1/2 inch aluminum so less of the marquee was covered by the 1/2 inch but there was room to screw into the wood on the 3/4 inch side.

[upcboy]

That makes more sense. but I don't think it will work for my build. The top piece is slightly shorter than my bottom piece. The plan was for the plexi to sit on the "shelf"

[JDFan]

How much difference is there between the 2 ? -- IF it is not too much you could glue\screw a small spacer strip of the proper width to the top piece to bring it out even with the bottom - figure there will not be much weight on the top piece and the aluminum would cover the seam so you'd never see it. Or if you have a belt sander you should be able to sand the bottom piece back to match up with the top piece fairly easily ( or cut back with a dremel or jigsaw/coping saw) and then sand.

[yamatetsu]

I don't know if it actually works, but how about routing a channel for the plexi into the lower piece and securing the plexi with an aluminum bar at the top piece ?

[Malenko]

That makes more sense. but I don't think it will work for my build. The top piece is slightly shorter than my bottom piece. The plan was for the plexi to sit on the "shelf"

It'll still work, you can have the plexi at and angle.