New Cocktail Cabinet project

[kcoleman]

My brother and I are working on a pair of cocktail table mame machines. I am keeing a blog at http://megarcade.blogspot.com/ documenting our efforts.

[GameOver]

You're off to a great start!  Looks good, and nice job on the blog.  It's also fun to read others stories of their arcade days (Sega Center).  Growing up in Buffalo, NY we didn't have, or at least I never heard of, Sega Centers.  There is also a 'Sega Park' 3D-Arcade.  Have you seen the Emulaxian/3D-Arcade stuff?  If not, check it out! http://3darcade.mameworld.net/  It's terrific eye candy for your cab.  Basically a virtual arcade stocked with all your favs.

Keep up the good work!

[kcoleman]

I have made some great progress on the cocktail cabinet and posted some new picts of the control panels and cabinet top with a monitor bevel made out of wood.

[Flinkly]

after months of looking at peoples arcade cabinets, i've got to say, your the best woodworker i've seen yet.  great looking cabinet, and even better idea to make your own bezel out of wood that you sanded down specially for that.  oh, and i've definately got to get me one of those drill guides for the pocket screws.  they cost a pretty penny though, almost makes me want to byo one.  anyways, just wanted to tell you how relieved i am that there is another good woodworker out there.  i was afraid we were a dying breed.  good luck on finishing the cabinet.

[dmsuchy]

Looks great, I love cherry. I made two chest of drawers the same way your making your cabinet, with 2X2'' legs cut out for 1/2 in ch ply.

[kcoleman]

[dmsuchy]

You can get the Kraig hard plastic with brass sleves and the bit for around 20 bucks and they do sure come in handy for diffrent projects.

[markrvp]

The company name that makes the pocket hole jig is:  KRIEG

You can get these from WOODCRAFT or online from ROCKLER.

Pocket Screw Joinery for cabinets is fantastic and makes for a much sturdier construction than L brackets.  Make sure that you get plenty of pocket screws when you purchase the jig, because Home Depot does not carry them (and waiting 3 days for screws when you want to screw something is awful).

[Flinkly]

k, now that you've got that question answered, i was wondering if you could tell me a bit more about the metal screw inserts you used.

[kcoleman]

I found the metal screw inserts at Ace Hardware so they are very common.

[rchadd]

Wow - you manufactured a wooden monitor bezel !!!

like how you made the CP - i just covered mine in sticky vinyl

the recessed plexi is great idea

you clearly enjoy routing

[kcoleman]

I made some good progress on the cabinet today.

[KenToad]

Nice work kcoleman.  I really want a cocktail.  Gotta love the ability to sit across from your playing partner and have a drink while you're waiting for your turn, not to mention having a nice place to put your drink and/or breakfast plate.  Also, a lot of my friends learned to play games on the old Ms.Pacman cocktails.  I'm off to work.

KenToad

[rchadd]

are you going to light the control panel?

take a look at how i did mine with bright white LEDs...

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,25687.0.html

[kcoleman]

are you going to light the control panel?

take a look at how i did mine with bright white LEDs...

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,25687.0.html

Thats way cool. I was thinking about doing that but have never done any kind of electronics work so i wouldnt know where to begin putting the LED lights together.

[Flinkly]

if your interested in something like that, you might want to look into cold cathode tubes.  they come in all kinds of sizes and they produce very little heat and are usually all ready to connect to a computer power supply.  look at this dream arcades cab a local BYOACer hooked up with cold cathodes. 

http://www.codinghorror.com/mamecocktail/

[Craig]

What is the size of the side panels? How high is it?