Completed Cabinet (Repro Galaga with changeable Control Panels)

[myrmidon]

Hi Guys,

So I have finally completed my cabinet.  I was originally planning on building the entire thing, but soon realized that I don't have the space, the tools or the time to build it such that I would be 100% happy with the result. Therefore I followed this approach:

Cabinet
Purchased a repro Galaga cabinet from Mike's Arcade. The service was excellent, and the cabinet is very very nicely built.

Control Panel
I am not a fan of the '747-cockpit-style' control panel with dozens of joysticks and buttons. Being a bit of a purist, I fall into the 'changeable-control-panel' camp. I can play 90% of the games that I am interested in with 3 control panels:
Control Panel A (4-way joystick, 2 buttons)
Control Panel B (8-way joystick, 2 buttons)
Control Panel C (2 x 8-way joysticks, 3 buttons per player)

In theory I could combine panel A and B, but being a purist, I find it much less work to simply replace the panel, than fiddle with the little circlip at the bottom of the joystick.

If you look at the pictures below, you will see that I am using leaf buttons for control panel B, and I have both leaf joysticks and buttons on Control Panel C. (In case you are wondering where the heck I got them - I purchased them back in South Africa from a local arcade supplier - who imports them from somewhere in China) Growing up in South Africa, all machines had leaf buttons and joysticks, so when I first moved to the US, and played Ms Pacma, I found the click click click microswitch sound (and feeling) to be very strange.

The Guts
The cabinet has a JAMMA harness, a Happ Controls CGA Arcade monitor and a Happ Power Supply (all comes standard from Mike's Arcade). I've added an XBox (running MAMEox), and the Ultimarc XBox->JAMMA solution. Whilst it is not perfect (I was expecting better video quality), it is quite an easy plug-n-play style installation.

The Pics
I am not quite sure how to upload pics into the posting itself, so I have attached them in the attachments section. I have also included the PDF file for Control Panel C which you are welcome to use if you want to build a multiplayer panel for a Galaga/Ms-Pac cabinet. Please contact me if you want the original Visio diagram.

Cheers
Olaf

[brandon]

looks nice!  just out of curiousity what does Mike's Arcade charge for one of those?  Also, was it empty or did it include a monitor?

[myrmidon]

looks nice!  just out of curiousity what does Mike's Arcade charge for one of those?  Also, was it empty or did it include a monitor?

Mike's Arcade charges $950 for their 'Basic' machine. I ordered mine in December, so mine was still $900.
http://www.mikesarcade.com/cgi-bin/store.pl?action=url&page=prod/cabs/cGalaga.html

The basic cabinet comes with
- Cabinet
- JAMMA harness
- Happ Controls power supply
- coin door (with 2 coin mechs)
- Vision Pro 19" CGA Monitor
- Coin Bucket
- 1 Control Panel (including joysticks, buttons and harness)
- Monitor Bezel
- Marquee Light (but no marquee)

I then purchased these extras:
- Galaga Control Panel Overlay
- Galaga Marquee
- 2 Additional Control Panels
- 2 Additional Control Panel Harnesses
- Additional Monitor mounts (so that I can mount the monitor horizontally).

All in all (including shipping) it came to around $1400. So it wasn't a cheap option, but the results are awesome.

Cheers
Olaf

[Wetworks]

I would like to buy one of those cabs but shipping to Australia would make it to expensive. So I have decided to build one (one day!) I actually asked them if they would sell the plans but they didn't reply. Do you have any pics of the inside of cabinet ? Particularly the monitor and glass support area.
 
Very nice cabinet BTW love the changeable control panel .Might have to incorporate that into the build!

[myrmidon]

I would like to buy one of those cabs but shipping to Australia would make it to expensive. So I have decided to build one (one day!) I actually asked them if they would sell the plans but they didn't reply. Do you have any pics of the inside of cabinet ? Particularly the monitor and glass support area.
 
Very nice cabinet BTW love the changeable control panel .Might have to incorporate that into the build!

Sure, I'll take some pics of the inside and post them. Getting hold of the MsPac/Galag a plans is very easy. Simply browse to http://www.jakobud.com. There are tons of cabinet plans there.

Regards
Olaf

[AtomSmasher]

Looks good, but needs sideart

[myrmidon]

Looks good, but needs sideart

Ha ha, good point.

I intentionally followed the 'phased approach' with the wife. Yes, I know that certain posters think that using that as a reason is cr*p, but seeing as the cabinet is going into the 'media room', I wanted something that (more or less) blends in with the furniture. Once she has kinda forgotten about it, the time will come to make the cabinet look 100% authentic.

Cheers
Olaf

[Fuzi]

I very recently received two Midway uprights from MikesArcade.com.

Mike Haaland is unquestionably building the best repros currently available.
His attention to detail is staggering. Even the back door is accurate.
I would venture to say judging by my other (different) cabs from ArcadeShop and ArcadeGames4U.com, Mike takes the cake.

We need to get him to build other cabs now as well.

Very, very close to the original.

[arcadefever]

i really like mike's arcade , good services , i bought the nintendo video inverter.
nice cab by the way

[Wetworks]

I would like to buy one of those cabs but shipping to Australia would make it to expensive. So I have decided to build one (one day!) I actually asked them if they would sell the plans but they didn't reply. Do you have any pics of the inside of cabinet ? Particularly the monitor and glass support area.
 
Very nice cabinet BTW love the changeable control panel .Might have to incorporate that into the build!

Sure, I'll take some pics of the inside and post them. Getting hold of the MsPac/Galag a plans is very easy. Simply browse to http://www.jakobud.com. There are tons of cabinet plans there.


Regards
Olaf

Thanks that would be great! I have the Jackobud plans but just a bit confused on the monitor and glass mount. They seem to be on different angles. And does the glass ( that covers the monitor ) supported by the control panel, or does it have its own brackets?  Sorry for all the questions but finding it hard to to work out the correct angles for the monitor support and the cover glass.
Thanks again

[squire]

in this image the control panel did you purchase like that with the holes drilled?
or were able to find a blank one and drilled the holes yourself?

[myrmidon]

in this image the control panel did you purchase like that with the holes drilled?
or were able to find a blank one and drilled the holes yourself?

I purchased a blank one from Mike (Mike's Arcade), and drilled the holes myself. (I made a scale drawing in visio, and layed out the controls so that they are quite comfortable)

[Havok]

Looks good, but needs sideart

I intentionally followed the 'phased approach' with the wife.

Once she has kinda forgotten about it, the time will come to make the cabinet look 100% authentic.

Umm Olaf - I hope your wife isn't a member on this board. Never give away the strategy!

 

[squire]

what type of bit did you use to get the holes that big?
i think its 1-1/8" hole right?

ive been looking but nothing that big for a metal bit..

thanks again

and that cab looks good

[ktulu]

what type of bit did you use to get the holes that big?
i think its 1-1/8" hole right?

Yes the size is right. I use a metal/wood hole saw I got from Sears.

[Wade]

I would like to buy one of those cabs but shipping to Australia would make it to expensive. So I have decided to build one (one day!) I actually asked them if they would sell the plans but they didn't reply. Do you have any pics of the inside of cabinet ? Particularly the monitor and glass support area.
 
Very nice cabinet BTW love the changeable control panel .Might have to incorporate that into the build!

Sure, I'll take some pics of the inside and post them. Getting hold of the MsPac/Galag a plans is very easy. Simply browse to http://www.jakobud.com. There are tons of cabinet plans there.


Regards
Olaf

Thanks that would be great! I have the Jackobud plans but just a bit confused on the monitor and glass mount. They seem to be on different angles. And does the glass ( that covers the monitor ) supported by the control panel, or does it have its own brackets?  Sorry for all the questions but finding it hard to to work out the correct angles for the monitor support and the cover glass.
Thanks again

I can't vouch for the accuracy of Jakobud's plans, because I know of TWO significant flaws with his plans for the Galaga/MsPac machines and the T&F cocktail...

However, in reality the monitor is at a slightly steeper angle than the monitor glass, on a real Galaga.

Wade