4 Player Cocktail cabinet

[trcroyle]

I've finally started contruction on my cabinet (pics to follow). It's roughly based on the Track and Field cabinet (the two ends look like big wooden t-shirts) only using modular control panels. Since I'm still in the early stages of assembly, I thought I'd throw some options out to the community and see what people thought.

1. Cocktail Mode

I bought a Betson Imperial 27" monitor. The original plan was to install it with standard orientation (like for a Warlords cab) and then have additional control panels on the ends which would make it look like a six player cab (2 on each side, 1 on each end). That was before the monitor arrived. I'm thinking now that the screen is plenty big enough to just add a set of player 2 inputs over on the P3/4 side. Thoughts?

2. Coin Door

The lesson here is to never order parts right before you go to bed. I accidentally ordered the 3 slot coin door from Happ. I can return it and get the 4 slot, or I can just wire slot 3 to give credits for both player 3 and 4. I doubt I'll often have 3 people rather than 4. Does anyone see any issues I'm overlooking if I do this?

3. Control panel

I need to decide how wide to make the cabinet. Probably 3' at a minimum to accommodate the monitor and the internals and 4' maximum just because that's how I cut the MDF. Is there a happy medium for two player side by side? I need a couple of inches for the start buttons.

[infinty]

Change the coin door or it will probably bug you until the day you die!!

Otherwise I guess you could parallel the coin 3 on the coin door mech into both coin 3 and 4 on your IPAC (not sure as I've never used one but if it's a simple contact closure then it'll work).

[rackoon]

I'm working on a three sided cocktail and my long third side is 37"  this was enough room for four joysticks two sets of six buttons and a 3" trackball.

   I designed this thing out of cardboard before I made final cuts. The long side did look like a t-shirt so I redesigned it to look more like a V. Then I recessed the 1st person and 2 person sides in order to keep the whole thing at 37".  All my CPs are 5" deep because I like to rest half my palm on CP.

I second the vote to get a 4 person coin door, if it will fit. You WILL sleep better at night.

[squirrellydw]

trcroyle, any pictures yet??  I am getting ready to start mine this week and would like to see some pictures of what you guys have.

rackoon, you have any pictures of your??