I want to build a Cocktail cabinet...

[Sinner]

I got a really good deal on some NEC 21" monitors...one fore $75CDN and one for $60CDN (has some scratches on the case)..I think they're too small for a full sized upright cab, but I think they'd be OK for a cocktail...I've been playing around with some ideas of how to build it in my head...I know I want to do player 1 controls and a trackball on one side, and player 2 and a spinner on the other, then controls on the side for horizontal games...
I've looked around for some dimensions, but haven't really found a lot...
Does anyone have any suggestions of where to look? 
Any tips?  Is there anything to know when building one of these?

Any help will be greatly appreciated...

[javeryh]

Check out arcadedepot.com for some kits - they even have the 3rd CP like you describe...  if you want to build it your self you could look there to get some ideas at least.  Also check out the Whammocade in the Examples section - it's the best cocktail out there, IMO.

I'll be finishing mine hopefully by the end of the summer and I will be posting pics and everything and I'm building a midway cocktail with 3CPs like you describe....

[Sinner]

Check out arcadedepot.com for some kits - they even have the 3rd CP like you describe...

[AlanS17]

I've got an Arcade Depot cabinet kit on order, and should be receiving it next week. I'll be doing a product review of it for RetroBlast, and I'll be keeping everybody posted. If you want more info on the kit, keep an eye out for my review. I'll also be posting project updates as they come. I plan on doing it all VERY quickly once I gt the parts in, though. I'm going to try and build it start to finish in one day.

[Sinner]

I've got an Arcade Depot cabinet kit on order, and should be receiving it next week. I'll be doing a product review of it for RetroBlast, and I'll be keeping everybody posted. If you want more info on the kit, keep an eye out for my review. I'll also be posting project updates as they come. I plan on doing it all VERY quickly once I gt the parts in, though. I'm going to try and build it start to finish in one day.

Kewl...I'll keep an eye out...

[gotstik]

I've looked around for some dimensions, but haven't really found a lot...
Does anyone have any suggestions of where to look?

[CheffoJeffo]

One potential option for you (IIRC, you are in the GTA, right ?) is that there are a bunch of what look like "conversion" cocktail boxes (box being the operative word) floating around Southern Ontario that can be had fairly cheap and are easily converted for emulation (since they seem to have been designed for exactly that purpose).

I picked one of these up in March (fully-functional Perfect Billiards bought on eBay for C$160 with pickup in St. Catherines) to build a three-sider for the cottage for my kids and sisters-in-law. While they had no interest in trackball or spinner games, the sheer size of the control panels on these things would allow for a multitude of controls (compared to a normal-sized cocktail panel).

I don't seem to have pictures of what mine looked like originally (with hideous pale gray laminate and generic overlays), but here is a pic of one (neither complete nor working) that was at the April Starburst auction:

http://www.kingscollege.net/cooke/NewestMachines.htm

The CPs come off and can be mounted horizontally as well (that was the way mine was originally configured). All I did was prep, paint, drop an ArcadeVGA into a machine, build an extra-long panel for the horizontal and run the controls through an iPac2. Below are some pics of my Plain-Black-MAME-Box in a not-quite-finished condition (still had to finish up the horizontal panel).

It ain't all that pretty, but it sure was a cheap and easy build and is great for the cottage (e.g. if someone steals it, I won't be heartbroken).

Having said all of that, of course, it may be tight trying to get a 21" monitor into one of these ...

Cheers.

[EDIT: I actually played this machine for an extended period this past weekend and am contemplating adding a fourth panel ... I had a Tron craving and trying to play with regular stick and buttons was just wrong. At the same time, I may add a spinner to one of the vertical panels.]

[Quarters]

Only one real tip, design the cab around the monitor. Length, width and especially depth. Figure out where all your PC components will rest. I used a 19 inch monitor in my cocktail. later in the build I discovered I needed to add a pci usb card and I had to find one with a 1 1/2 inch profile. Space is at a premium.

See my www link for more info.