Custom Cocktail Cabinet (Thanks Crazy Canadian): Finished!

[melarky]

Ever since I saw the "Crazy Canadians Custom Cocktail" (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,27612.0.html) I wanted to make one for myself.  I am actually not a big fan of cocktail cabinets (like the full size ones better), but his design looks so nice, by far the best one I've seen.  The best part is he offers his plans for FREE from his website (http://quarters.ca/).

I got the plans programmed for my CNC machine, and it only took about an hour to get it all cut out (that includes the time it took to change out the sheets and zero out the machine each time etc..., actual cutting time was probably more like 40 minutes tops).

I decided to go with Oak plywood (3/4"), and it looks great so far.  All of the pieces cut great from his plans (he was worried there may be some errors in his plans, but they are great, you can trust them).  I did modify them a little (got rid of the drawer and coin door cut out, not sure if I will put a coin door on the machine, but if I do, I'll just cut out the hole with a jig saw or something).

We decided to make metal control panels instead of the wood ones that Crazy Canadian made.  Since my brother-in-laws dad has a metal shop about 2 hours away from here, it was pretty easy to throw together 3 metal control panels (the machines in that shop are amazing, just seeing the shear cut the metal was worth the trip up there alone, cut through our sheet metal like it was butter).  After cutting the metal to the right size, we threw it in the brake (not sure if I'm spelling these right and bent them to the correct shape (we originally wanted to bend little channels on the back so we could use the lip to attach them to the cabinet, but we decided it would be easier to weld on little brackets instead, but in the future, if we make any more, I would definately try to go with the additional bends, I think it would be a cleaner finish).

Now we have to sand and clean the control panels down, drill the control holes, and then prime and paint them black.  Will also need to drill holes in the brackets and the cabinet to attach them.

As for the cabinet, it's just dry fit right now, we still need to glue and screw it all together and then stain it (probably going with a nice merlot stain).  Still not sure how we'll mount the monitor (probably going to decase it and figure something out from there).

I have been calling around to glass places to see if I can get a good deal on a nice piece of dark smoked glass or plexi (it's really expensive for 1/4" greylite 14 plexi, and glass is just a little bit more, so not sure what I'll do yet).  I also have to track down some glass clips (or make my own).  The shear and brake at the metal shop is capable of doing something like that, but don't know if it's worth the price of gas to go up there to do it, when you can get a set of 8 for like $40.  Spacies look really nice, but I think I'll try to get some nice black ones to go with all the other black parts.

This has been a really fun project, and I'm really excited to get it all finished.  I have a few pics of our current progress (forgot to grab the camera when we were cutting it out).  The wood on this is really expensive (was like $160 just for the wood), but I think it will be worth it when it's finished.

[Kaytrim]

Looking Good so far.  Just clean up the CPs with a wire wheel on a drill then cut the holes.  Smooth out the burrs from the drilling.  Then get them anodized.  that will be a nice clean and durable finish ready for any or no artwork.   

[melarky]

From what I can tell, you can only really anodize alluminum, and these control panels are Steel I beleive (they were scraps left over from other projects in the machine shop).

I was thinking of priming and painting them with some rustoleum, I know it won't hold up to alot of abuse, but I think powder coating is too expensive.  I remember reading a thread on here someplace about someone painting their coin door with some rustoleum spray paint and then paking it in an oven to make the finish more durable.  Will that work?  I don't know much about paints, so I'm not sure if you can just bake normal rustoleum spray paint and make it "tougher".  Anyone have some insight on this?

[(+_+)]

Those crazy Canadians. Hey wait a minute. I am one.

I like the shape of it. CNC. I'd kill to have access to one of those. Can't wait to see some more. Good luck!

[melarky]

Thanks, I agree, I like the shape of this cocktail too.

And I don't have anything against Canadians (My moms from the great white north, and I've spent quite a few years up there)

I looked up on the forums trying to find where it talked about baking the coin doors after painting them, but it looks like that was just to cure them faster and doesn't seem to actually make them more durable.  I will probably check with some local places on a price coat for powder coating, but i'm just assuming that it will be too expensive (I've never actually gotten anything powder coated, so I could be pleasantly suprised, knock on wood).

It has been really nice to have the CNC machine.  We finally got most of the kinks worked out of it, and it's running great now.  I look forward to cutting out many more arcades with her

[(+_+)]

Hey Full of, 

Do you really need to go to that extent (baking the coin door). Normally, people add their coin door for that complete retro look. Are you going to use it so much that it requires that much resilience. I've seen some posts here where the coin door was simply sanded down and painted or spray painted black. That should be good enough.

[rackoon]

Dont trip dude, I thought of having my coin door sandblasted.

[melarky]

I only mentioned coin doors because that is what the article talked about baking the paint onto, I don't even have a coin door on this machien (may add one later, but don't really see the point).  I am just interested in the technique since it's for the control panels (which will see alot of traffic and abuse, much more than a coin door).  I called the local guy today that does powder coating, and he said he can do it for $3.50 a square foot, so it may not be as bad as I thought to get it powder coated.  I will probably be drilling the actual control holes tonight and then take the cps to him later this week for an exact quote.

[melarky]

Oh, I also forgot to mention, we got this thing glued together this past weekend.  We took some 2x2's from lowes and cut them in half (long ways diagonally) so we had some long triangle shaped pieces.  We then fit the pieces together in the slots and glued the cut 2x2s into the inside corners (so we don't have to worry about patching or sanding anything down).

It was really slick and turned out great, this is a great cocktail design (I'll try to get some pics later to better explain how we assembled this).

We also decased the monitor, but only so we can run some bolts through the front case, then we'll stick the back of the case back on.  We're just going to attach the monitor to the top piece so it will lift out of the machine when you lift the top off.

[melarky]

Well, I finally decided on powder coating.  I found a local guy in town that just started powder coating (he had a HUGE oven and is looking for more business, so he was really great to work with).  He was willing to just powder coat the front side that will be showing to save on money, and when all was said and done, I was actually under the $50 minimum cost he has to just fire up his ovens, so I just said lets do it anyways (so all three panels powder coated semigloss black for $50, pretty good I think).

I should get those back on Friday, and I'll take some pics of them.  We also routed out the area where the panels will attach to the cabinet (we were slightly off on the metal cp measurements, so they stuck out slightly too far, but with the area routed, it's perfect).  Things are really moving along now, I'm really excited to see this project done.

[Kaytrim]

Sweet find on the powder coatings.  Get us some pics of how things are going... 

[melarky]

I got distracted by another arcade project, so this one has taken a bit of a back seat at the moment (we're converting an old virtua fighter cabinet to a mame cabinet for someone as a trade for a driving cabinet).

We got the control panels back, and they look awsome.  I really need to grab some pics, and I will try to remember the next time I'm near the cocktail, but it is shaping up great (we have it assembled, stained, and the first coat of varnish on it).

I'm hoping to finish up the virtua fighter cab soon (probably by next weekend) and then get back to work on the cocktail cabinet.

[melarky]

Man, I should really keep this thread more updated.  I found some pics we had taken a while ago (these pics are already outdated as we've got more done now, but still more complete than the above pics).  I took these pics right after we stained the cabinet, and there is a really bad pic of one of the control panels unpopulated but powder coated.

We pretty much have everything done now but need to finish up a little wireing and get the top glass finished (I have some clips on the way).  It's really turning out nicely.

[shardian]

Is it just me, or does the last picture make the cabinet look horribly crooked?

[melarky]

That's because the top is just resting on top crooked (it's not attached on straight yet).  It was just thrown on top to get a picture with everything

[theCoder]

Did you decide whether to go with Plexi or glass.  I'd vote for glass.  And for 10-20 bucks more, you can get it tempered and significantly reduce the chances of it shattering.

Look'n good.

[melarky]

I'm going with tempered glass.  For some reason I thought it would be cheaper to go with Plexi, but it was about $20 more than the tempered tinted glass (weird huh).

[melarky]

I'm really nearing completion now .  I just made a post in the main forum for advice on what MAME I should install on the computer I have for this machine (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=69233.0).

[melarky]

I finally got the cabinet put together.  I am attaching some pics of the completed cabinet (I'm still working on some front end issues, but the cabinet itself is done).

I really like this cabinet, but unfortunately my wife tells me we have to sell it.  I just recently got a star wars arcade that needs some major restoration (you can read a little about that here:  http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=74490.msg771086#msg771086) so she said it was time to make some "sacrifices" and one of the cabinets has to go (we currently have too many, and I'm out of room in the garage even to store them).

I think the cab came out great, and would love to build another some day just like it when I have more space to keep it (we are in a condo right now, so there really is no way to keep it right now).  I will say though, that I'm more excited to get the Star Wars restoration project started and have a minty fresh Star Wars UR when I'm all done (gotta prioritize I guess).

[Quarters]

Hi melarky and all.

Sorry for resurrecting an old topic. Sorry for the late reply.

Imitation is the best form of flattery. Your cab looks great. Love the colour.

I've been off the grid for a few years. I mean really off the grid (no electricity)

CNC machine! sweet!!

My cab is still in use. I've been keeping it at my brothers place. He has no complaints.
will be posting again soon.

[mach2000]

I would like to build this cabinet.  I tried to follow the link to the plans, but it is dead .  Does anyone still have these?

[barkman]

I would like to use these plans as well, any one have a copy of them.

Thanks

[Shortbus]

I would like to use these plans as well, any one have a copy of them.

Thanks

Me Too....send them to me as well...

thanks.
SB

[mwong168]

I would like to use these plans as well, any one have a copy of them.

Thanks

These were posted in the other thread, go to the very last post for the plans with dimensions.  I saved them to my hard drive in case they aren't hosted and I decide to build one  for myself

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=27612.0;all

Nice job to the OP!   

[Tiouko]

Thank You for the template I will save this for a rainny day