CNC'ed Reunion Cabaret

[HaRuMaN]

So I decided to go with the Ms. Pac version of the cabaret, I liked it better than the Pac-Man cabaret.

Material is going to be a pre-finished cherry.  Plywood core, MDF outside of that layer, followed by a UV-hardened cherry veneer.

A couple of mock up renders:





Shout out to Malenko for doing the artwork for me.

[pbj]

$?

[HaRuMaN]

Picked up from the CNC.  So pretty:

[Peabo]

Looks great!  The only comment I have is why so many player start buttons?  I count 4...

[HaRuMaN]

$?

This one is pretty expensive, each sheet of this stuff runs ~$150, and it takes 2 sheets to do the cabaret.  That's not counting CNC programming or cut time.

I hate staining / sealing, so I went this route.

[HaRuMaN]

Looks great!  The only comment I have is why so many player start buttons?  I count 4...

I'm going to be running a Namco reunion board in it, you need 4 start buttons for it.

[jdbailey1206]

Picked up from the CNC.  So pretty:

[Peabo]

Oh, I see.  I'm Not familiar with that, so it's basically 2 separate games on a single board then?

[HaRuMaN]

Oh, I see.  I'm Not familiar with that, so it's basically 2 separate games on a single board then?

Yes.  Galaga and Ms. Pacman (Pacman is there too if you know the secret code).

[harveybirdman]

I'm going to get me one of those reunion boards one day, for all my future guests that say "Does it play Galaga?"

[keilmillerjr]

It's common for me to see that board out in the wild.

Can't wait to see finished woodwork!

[HaRuMaN]

Long overdue update, cabinet is finished, got a TON of play at ZapCon, including a guy scoring 2.4 million on Galaga, followed by another guy rolling Galaga over and scoring 4 million before giving up (with 11 fighters left over).   

Batons installed (wood glue):



Painted some parts black, just used a couple coats of satin black rustoleum:



Started assembly.  Simply used the nailgun to pop nails through the batons and into the panels:



Added corner braces to the bottom for stability:



Test fit the control panel, taped off the speaker cover so I could do another round of paint:

[vwalbridge]

I played on this machine at ZapCon and absolutely LOVED it. The tiny CRT is so good looking and the size of the machine is just perfect. I'd love to have one of these someday.

Oh and the artwork was very well done. Can't say enough good things about this. 

[HaRuMaN]

Standing up for the first time, also test fit the parts donor coin door, fit perfect:



Installed the monitor bezel.  I got the dimensions so tight, it's just pressure fit inside, doesn't move:



Power entry unit and Midway cabinet vent handles installed:



Back door check:



Installed art on the control panel.  Art by Malenko, printing by stpcore:

[HaRuMaN]

I played on this machine at ZapCon and absolutely LOVED it. The tiny CRT is so good looking and the size of the machine is just perfect. I'd love to have one of these someday.

Oh and the artwork was very well done. Can't say enough good things about this. 

Thanks man! 

[HaRuMaN]

Marquee (art by Malenko, print by stpcore).  Looks even better in person, hard to capture by phone.



Closeup on the Galaga:



Control panel and T-molding installed:

[dmckean]

I played on this machine at ZapCon and absolutely LOVED it. The tiny CRT is so good looking and the size of the machine is just perfect. I'd love to have one of these someday.

Oh and the artwork was very well done. Can't say enough good things about this. 

Ditto.

I also loved the material used to build this. It looked fantastic in person.

[HaRuMaN]

My play testers hard at work:



Finalized coin door installed.  Took an old door, sanded, hammered black paint, parts from the donor door, and a new Midway plate:



Profile shot:



Bezel:



Bezel installed:



I have some pictures with the real camera I took at ZapCon, will post those up too when I get a chance.   

[jmike]

Nice, clean build. Loving the style and artwork.
Great job Lee/Thomas.

 

[wp34]

I love everything about this machine.  Very nicely done.

Is that a 13" CRT under the hood?

[HaRuMaN]

Nice, clean build. Loving the style and artwork.
Great job Lee/Thomas.

 

Thanks!

[HaRuMaN]

I love everything about this machine.  Very nicely done.

Is that a 13" CRT under the hood?

Thank you!  And yes it is, 13" WG. 

[RetroGreg]

This cab looked SWEET at ZapCon. Nice job!

[wp34]

I love everything about this machine.  Very nicely done.

Is that a 13" CRT under the hood?

Thank you!  And yes it is, 13" WG.

 

[opt2not]

Wow, this cab looks great!  So fresh and clean! Any thoughts on simple side-art? Or just leave it blank?

[HaRuMaN]

Elvira (courtesy of StarFighters Arcade) playing the cabaret...



Another shot:

[HaRuMaN]

Wow, this cab looks great!  So fresh and clean! Any thoughts on simple side-art? Or just leave it blank?

They typically didn't have side art...  but that's not to say I'm not open to the idea...

[opt2not]

They typically didn't have side art...  but that's not to say I'm not open to the idea...

True dat. Yet I saw someone on KLOV put some side-art on a Centipede cabaret and thought it was pretty tasteful.  Still, great execution on this one brutha. 

[dmckean]

They typically didn't have side art...  but that's not to say I'm not open to the idea...

True dat. Yet I saw someone on KLOV put some side-art on a Centipede cabaret and thought it was pretty tasteful.  Still, great execution on this one brutha. 

The Atari cabaret side art was optional and you had to mail away for it so not too many cabinets have it. I'm not really a fan of how side art looks over wood grain.

[opt2not]

Excellent post. Thanks!
I dig it, personally, but you know me...I like art on all things.

[rablack97]

I have to agree here too on this one, the cabarets posted above are black in the center with art on the side, something about the CP being colorful doesnt blend well with the wood laminate straight down.

Great work as always though man, love the baton nail gun technique 

[yotsuya]

I'm a fan of the unmarred wood grain myself.

[rablack97]

I'm a fan of the unmarred wood grain myself.

I can go without nothing on the sides as well, just the front needs to flow a bit more somehow.

[HaRuMaN]

This was the inspiration:

[rablack97]

This was the inspiration:

ok then its the control panel, you see how its broken up at top from the front....and hidden hinge..

oh since nobody else will say it, elvira is smokinnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!

[dmckean]

Paint the hinge black.

[Nephasth]

Played this more than any other vid at Zapcon. Super cool!

[HaRuMaN]

Paint the hinge black.

Yeah that would probably help. 

[pbj]

Played this more than any other vid at Zapcon. Super cool!

Build the fanciest cabinet imaginable, all anyone wants to play is Galaga.

That will be etched on the tombstone of this hobby.

[yotsuya]

Played this more than any other vid at Zapcon. Super cool!

Build the fanciest cabinet imaginable, all anyone wants to play is Galaga.

That will be etched on the tombstone of this hobby.

Truer words never spoken.

[harveybirdman]

I remember a special I saw on a guy that built his own warehouse of arcade games, and they asked him about Galaga....  His response was so in line with what we all know to be true, "Yeah that's one I don't really remember playing or enjoying back in the day, but I had to get it because so many people kept asking for it"

[Aceldamor]

Played the shiz out of this at Zapcon as did all the others. Very clean build and you should be proud of it man. It's easy to see you put a lot of time and effort in making this look really good without being overly difficult to construct.


The only think I don't like about the Reunion boards is they "fixed" the kill screen on Galaga. Would have been cool to see those two chaps do that.

[Malenko]

The only think I don't like about the Reunion boards is they "fixed" the kill screen on Galaga. Would have been cool to see those two chaps do that.

Creepy guy didn't make it that far

[Aceldamor]

The only think I don't like about the Reunion boards is they "fixed" the kill screen on Galaga. Would have been cool to see those two chaps do that.

Creepy guy didn't make it that far

I had to split shortly after that dude parked, but your stories made me lol. I thought he rolled it.  I was there for the 2nd guy..what was crazy is that dude almost made it look boring he was that good at it.

[HaRuMaN]

Yeah first guy died at like level 230 with 2.4 million score.  Second guy rolled the game, quit at 4 million points and still had 11 ships at that point. 

[pbj]

Galaga is so freaking boring after a couple of levels.... I don't know how those high score dudes endure it....

[vwalbridge]

I've been thinking of picking up a Ms Pac-Man latley and I was immediately reminded of this really great build that HaRuMaN did.

I played it at ZapCon and really enjoyed it. Felt like it was really built by the factory themselves.

If anyone missed this build, it definitely deserves a look.

Yes, I know this thread is over 120 days old, but if any build deserves a necro-bump...it's this one.   

[Malenko]

Yeah the cab was rock solid and a big hit at zapcon. stpcore did a great job printing the art and color balancing the prints. Blending all the MsPac art with Galaga was kinda fun.

[HaRuMaN]

It's probably my favorite scratch build so far...

[yotsuya]

It really is a beautiful cabinet.

[Wyo]

I remember a special I saw on a guy that built his own warehouse of arcade games, and they asked him about Galaga....  His response was so in line with what we all know to be true, "Yeah that's one I don't really remember playing or enjoying back in the day, but I had to get it because so many people kept asking for it"

I think that was the Luna City Arcade guy?

Anyways, how did I miss this? Awesome build! Love the artwork and wood grain....and the fact you used a crt. Just awesome!

[Nephasth]

I've been thinking of picking up a Ms Pac-Man latley and I was immediately reminded of this really great build that HaRuMaN did.

I played it at ZapCon and really enjoyed it. Felt like it was really built by the factory themselves.

If anyone missed this build, it definitely deserves a look.

Yes, I know this thread is over 120 days old, but if any build deserves a necro-bump...it's this one.   

I've been thinking about selling my cocktail...

[Nephasth]

Dupe...

[cj138]

I really like this project! The art looks great!

[vwalbridge]

Since we are bumping old builds that we love...