Author Topic: Pseudo Pac Cab Project - COMPLETED (Read 8027 times)

flampoo · « **on:** April 09, 2004, 02:49:09 pm »

After seeing me work on one of my cabinets in the garage, one of our friends approached me with an question. Evidently she had always wanted a PAC MAN cabinet and wanted to know how much one would cost. She was a new friend to me and my wife and her USMC husband had just left for Iraq.

I told her she could buy a working cab in decent condition for <b>at least</b> $500 or she could hire me to build one to play most of her favorite classics. Within two days I had a check and a green light to begin construction for her custom cabinet.

She gave me creative license on the aesthetics of the actual cabinet, but because I know PAC MAN was her favorite game I wanted to model the cabinet loosely after an original PAC MAN style cab. The measurements aren't even close to an original cab, but I think it's the general look that will spark nostalgia. Afterall, it's going to be a MAME cab.

As you can tell it's 3/4" MDF and it's roughly 5' tall. I didn't want the backside to open up like a traditional PAC MAN cab for two reasons; particleboard isn't meant to endure the same kind of abuse as ply or real wood. If she were to open the back door and let it drop or apply too much pressure, the screws would pop right out of the MDF. Also, I think a traditional swinging door will make access easier.

It'll be a black cab w/ PAC MAN art, yellow t-molding, a yellow Happ 4-way ultimate, an 8-way red balltop and a 3-button config. I think I'm also going to add a few admin buttons on the front side under the CP. Actually I pretty much have to seeing as how I'm using a keywiz for this project.

If all goes according to plan, the CP will be flush with the bezel. It's actually going to be big piece of MDF with a hole cut from the center to accomodate the 17" monitor. I'll cover it all with some high impact acrylic Duraplex with the CP and bezel art underneath.

I'll be sure to post more pics as the project progresses. I told her I'd have it to her by the end of the month.

Daniel270 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 09, 2004, 06:14:27 pm »

Impressive work!

Is your work based on plans or are you working it out as you go along?

Daniel

flampoo · « **Reply #2 on:** April 09, 2004, 09:30:57 pm »

I'm working as I go along. Probably not the best method, but it's working out fine so far. My biggest hurdle is not having a circular saw. Long precision cuts are a bit more difficult with a jigsaw.

hyiu · « **Reply #3 on:** April 12, 2004, 11:11:58 am »

well.... spend $20... get a nice metal ruler (4 ft long ones...)
and a couple of spring clamps...

then clamp the ruler next to your cut so that the jigsaw can be guided by the ruler.... this will make you cut really straight.... jigsaw or circular saw....

(since I see you already cut the sides.... I think most likely you won't need longer than 4ft cuts.....

flampoo · « **Reply #4 on:** April 17, 2004, 04:37:53 pm »

It's been said before, but colored t-molding makes a black cab look so much better.

flampoo · « **Reply #5 on:** April 21, 2004, 01:46:35 am »

Since the cp is flush with the bezel, I used one large piece of high impact acrylic Duraplex. Is this stuff the same as what most others use? Regardless, it did the trick. All the graphics were printed on a $10k 44" wide HP plotter. This was a hook up so I saved some serious cash. The graphics came out perfect.

Drilling holes through the plexiglas was scary. I remembered reading on several occasions to always drill in reverse. Knowing that saved me lots of time, frustration and money. Even drilling carefully there were times where the boaring bit would catch and I feared of a crack. Didn't happen, though.

The red balltop I ordered off of ebay and it works like a champ. Unfortunately it only has 8-way mode. I would have liked the balltop to be the 4-way js, but I didn't want to spend any more money. I purchased a Happ Ultimate Joystick and set it to 4-way play.

I've still got to mount the monitor (15") add some sideart and finish the wiring, but it's almost there.

Zathras · « **Reply #6 on:** April 21, 2004, 09:26:43 am »

Looking good - The yellow molding really does add a lot

PedroSilva · « **Reply #7 on:** April 21, 2004, 06:10:37 pm »

Looks great ...

I think that any color of t-molding looks good on black cabs ...

MameMaster! · « **Reply #8 on:** April 21, 2004, 07:03:38 pm »

...wow she's beaut.

Why so short....is the person buying it a midget?
(sorry, I'm just kidding).

Great Job. I like your design and control panel.

MameMaster!

SaiNRuB · « **Reply #9 on:** April 21, 2004, 08:58:01 pm »

I like that 1 piece of plexiglass for the cp and bezel. Makes it look very uniform and stylish.

Great job!

flampoo · « **Reply #10 on:** April 22, 2004, 12:03:43 pm »

I don't know exactly why I opted to make it 5'... Easier to transport maybe? Save on supplies? Come to think of it, the people I'm making it for can't be but a few inches over 5'.

pathdoc2 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 22, 2004, 03:19:12 pm »

Looks great. I love the bright colored T molding. Very nice indeed.

Knievel · « **Reply #12 on:** April 22, 2004, 06:47:19 pm »

BEAUTIFUL JOB! That is really top-notch, very professional looking.

Hope you'll be sharing that marquee with everyone

I'd love to use that.
I really think you should spring for a matching 4-way balltop though, would really finish it off nice.

FYI This guy's still got some NOS Wico's left...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=13718&item=3286022737

flampoo · « **Reply #13 on:** April 23, 2004, 12:57:36 am »

I'd love to purchase another js but I'm already over budget for this project. I can't afford to put any more of my own funds in. It's going to be hard enough to let this one go.

~edit: Just put the marquee up on Arcade Art Library. Hopefully it should be up soon.

Knievel · « **Reply #14 on:** April 23, 2004, 11:27:41 am »

That's understandable. You can go all out when you build one for yourself...5 minutes after this one goes out the door

Thanks for sharing the marquee, nice job!

fredster · « **Reply #15 on:** April 23, 2004, 02:05:21 pm »

You have GOT to post those graphics somewhere!

fredster · « **Reply #16 on:** April 26, 2004, 09:39:32 pm »

Does your joysticks stick out under that panel? Can you take a pic of under the control panel? That front plate hides them right?

flampoo · « **Reply #17 on:** April 26, 2004, 11:14:34 pm »

No, the joysticks don't stick out under the panel. The lip between the cp and the front-side isn't even an inch. However, the carriage bolts do... But I cut them down a bit. You can't even see them unless you get down on the ground and look up and under.
Here's the clearance inside the cab:

I had to shave a few cm's under the cp as it's 3/4" + 1/8" thick plexi.

fredster · « **Reply #18 on:** April 27, 2004, 02:45:55 pm »

A work of Art. You really did a nice job. I wanna build one of these. I think it's beautiful.

When you went to kinkos, what kind of material did you have them print that bezel/CP on? It's just a piece of vinyl sheet (or mylar) isn't it? It's not stuck to the plexi is it? I assume it's just under it.

If you don't mind me asking, how much did all of that printing cost?

You should put this in a showcase webpage man. This is excellent.

Stingray · « **Reply #19 on:** April 27, 2004, 03:18:00 pm »

Very, very nice looking cab. I'm sure the folks you built it for are going to love it.

-S

flampoo · « **Reply #20 on:** April 27, 2004, 11:55:59 pm »

Actually, I didn't go to Kinkos. I had it printed at work. We purchased a 44" HP plotter. I love this machine so much it hurts. I loaded some double weight roll paper and printed it all on one sheet. Because I knew it would be covered w/ plexi I didn't bother to laminate the print.
Cost= $0
Thanks for the compliments. I'm very happy with how it's coming out. And I just finished the computer. It's a 566MHz Celeron w/ 312MB RAM and a 64MB graphics card.

Daniel270 · « **Reply #21 on:** May 02, 2004, 12:41:42 am »

Project been delivered yet? Any pics of the final work?

flampoo · « **Reply #22 on:** May 02, 2004, 10:59:25 pm »

I just completed it tonight. I've got to find a dolly so I can get it to her (a few doors down) sometime tomorrow.

The final product was a P2 533Mhz | 2GB | 64MB gForce | 312MB RAM. It does the trick. I know the graphic card seems a bit like overkill, but I had an extra I got for free. It's got a 15" monitor because that's all she paid me for. Overall, I'm happy with it. There are things I'd change if I had to do it all over again, but I think she'll be satisfied.

SirPeale · « **Reply #23 on:** May 03, 2004, 08:31:27 am »

I think a larger monitor just wouldn't look right in that cabinet. Probably why you built the smaller cab.

How did you get the bezel graphics on there? Are they glued to the glass, or is it on foam core, or what?

Santoro · « **Reply #24 on:** May 03, 2004, 08:33:52 am »

Wow, that is just awesome looking. I love the one piece bezel/CP. Nice workmanship all around.

A+!

pathdoc2 · « **Reply #25 on:** May 04, 2004, 12:15:33 pm »

I'm going to use some of your ideas on my next project.
Thanks.

nipsmg · « **Reply #26 on:** May 04, 2004, 02:28:25 pm »

I'd like to hear what kind of reaction you got from her.. (Not positive if she had seen it throughout the process).

--NipsMG

flampoo · « **Reply #27 on:** May 04, 2004, 05:56:22 pm »

I'm wheeling it over to her house tonight. She's already seen it, though. She was very pleased. Let's put it this way; if my wife wasn't standing right there I think she might have dry humped my leg. Very rewarding to know that someone appreciates your work that much.

GSXRMovistar · « **Reply #28 on:** May 11, 2004, 01:55:40 pm »

Thats an extremely nice cabinet, very professional. I think that has just solved a few problems I have with the design for my vertical cabinet

swede · « **Reply #29 on:** May 23, 2004, 10:47:21 pm »

Awesome work! Can you please post some of your artwork?

GSXRMovistar · « **Reply #30 on:** May 24, 2004, 07:32:05 am »

swede, most of that artwork is available from the vector art library.

steve_pss · « **Reply #31 on:** May 24, 2004, 02:39:36 pm »

nice work. loving the trend away from monster cabs.

pcdoctor · « **Reply #32 on:** June 24, 2004, 06:23:15 pm »

Flampoo.
Very good work!
Do you have anymore pictures of your work?

pcdoctor · « **Reply #33 on:** June 24, 2004, 06:25:02 pm »

Nevermind.
I'm looking at your website right now!


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