My Own Arcade - More than just a pile of wood

[clockwork]

Okay, I think I'm just about ready to start my cab. I have a couple images of my plans. Sorry for the size of them but I made them big so the dimensions were visible. This is the best my very limited drafting skills can manage.

My cab is modeled largely after GSXRMovistar's cab, pictured in Chapter 18 of Project Arcade. I made slight height modifications and added an area for a keyboard drawer. I'd appreciate any comments or general advice. Particular things I'd like comments on:

1. Overall dimensions. I made the base slightly shorter than the Project Arcade/LuSiD design to fit the height of seats I'll be using. I don't plan on standing for hours on end. 

2. The 2.5" vertical edge at the front of the cab is where I plan to put a keyboard drawer. Is this a good size?

I don't know what I'll do about artwork yet. I love the look of GSXR's graphics, but I don't really want to copy him exactly and I suck at graphics. For colors, though, I am thinking of either a graphite gray or dark gray-blue on the base, with the sides done in a black base with some bluish graphics.

I'm hoping to buy my materials today or tomorrow and get started on the cab. Wish me luck!

[fixedpigs]

2 1/2" is what i have my keyboard drawer at...it's about as short as you can get...nice and minimalistic...

you may want to angle the platform that the monitor will be sitting on back a bit...so the theory goes...

[clockwork]

Actually I wasn't intending that to be the platform. The monitor shelf would have been in between, angled back. But it's a much better idea to put it right on top of the base walls. I'll adjust my pic to angle it. Thanks for the input.

[Dmod]

Wish me luck!

Good Luck, Bremil!  About time you got to work.

I'd be a little careful about the angle at the front of the base.  You've got it 6" deep and only 5" high in your plans.  I think it might be easier to keep this a 45 degree angle.

[clockwork]

Good Luck, Bremil!  About time you got to work.

I'd be a little careful about the angle at the front of the base.  You've got it 6" deep and only 5" high in your plans.  I think it might be easier to keep this a 45 degree angle.

You think that won't be strong enough? I was trying to keep it short to leave some leg room under the CP. I guess another inch taller won't make a lot of difference. Thanks.

[clockwork]

Well, couldn't get my boards. Can't find a truck to borrow and Home Depot's were all rented. 

Just so I at least felt like I accomplished something I did get a sawboard made. Even that was more of a PITA than I expected. But, my circular is no longer a virgin. 

[Dmod]

You think that won't be strong enough?

I'm sure it's strong enough.  All I meant is that it might be a little more difficult to match up the angles where the angled piece in the front meets the keyboard drawer and front panel.

Really not a big deal, it just means you can't simply cut 45's on the ends to have the pieces meet flush.  You'll need to plan out your angles and set the bevel appropriately.

[clockwork]

Yes! I got wood today. It was a serious problem. I've been trying for three weeks. Oh, uh, MDF sheets, that is.

And my controls arrived today! Thanks, Divemaster!

Tomorrow I start cutting, and hopefully not my fingers.

[Donkey_Kong]

Yes! I got wood today. It was a serious problem. I've been trying for three weeks. Oh, uh, MDF sheets, that is.

And my controls arrived today! Thanks, Divemaster!

Tomorrow I start cutting, and hopefully not my fingers.

Leave the controls in the box in case you cut your fingers off in which case it would be easier to ship them to me. You could carry a box with nubs, but maybe not run a tape gun you see.

Good luck Brem...Hit us up if you need any help!!

[clockwork]

Leave the controls in the box in case you cut your fingers off in which case it would be easier to ship them to me. You could carry a box with nubs, but maybe not run a tape gun you see.

lol. Thanks, DK. You're one of the good ones, man!

[clockwork]

My project has officially begun. I wanted to get both sides and bases done today, but oh well. I'm pleased with what I've done. Images below.

[Dmod]

Looking good, Bremil.  That curve came out nice.

Keep going!

[clockwork]

Thanks. I was quite surprised how well the curve came out. I cut the straight lines with my jigsaw then a coping saw to finish the curve.

I tell you what, these things look a lot smaller than I envisioned. After I measured these a cut them I rechecked all my measurements and even went back to check Project Arcade again. They seem so much bigger in images.

[Dmod]

Just wait... it looks smaller before it all goes together. 

When I first assembled mine, I thought... uh-oh... this thing is huge.  Now I'm getting used to it and it looks right-sized, but with a wide CP it still seems bigger than the actual arcade cabinets.

[Donkey_Kong]

Thanks. I was quite surprised how well the curve came out. I cut the straight lines with my jigsaw then a coping saw to finish the curve.

I tell you what, these things look a lot smaller than I envisioned. After I measured these a cut them I rechecked all my measurements and even went back to check Project Arcade again. They seem so much bigger in images.

Careful of these curved cuts they can be very dangerous.

You got any of the project yet? any missing limbs?

[clockwork]

Thanks for asking, DK. Nothing more yet than the two side panels I posted. Last weekend was too busy. This weekend I'm hoping to get cracking again.

Still have all my limbs so far, but I'm going to have to watch my jigsaw. It appears not to have any safety lock, and the only way to lift it is the handle, with a button that's very easy to hit.

[clockwork]

Hello, BYOACers! After a long absence, I'm back and working on my cab again. It has been a fairly busy year for me, but neglecting my cab was just laziness. I had the time but lost the ambition. Last October I made a huge move from Michigan to Illinois, where I bought a house with a nice, large garage, already setup as a workshop. So much better than the cramped garage of my condo. Granted moving was a huge thing (I've never moved out of state before), but even after getting settled in, that sweet garage that was the primary determinant in my choosing this house sat unused.

Well, no more! I spent the weekend cutting the remainder of the pieces for the cab, which was most of them. Okay, I'm a newbie woodworker, but somehow I did worse this time than my first time! This included a mistake that forced me to recut the angle (monitor area) and curve on my side panels. But it looks good now and I'm pleased with it.

I did learn a couple of valuable lessons:

1) My circular saw CAN cut my metal sawhorses very well. Ah, metal shavings. Thankfully at the time I was wearing my safety goggles--always do--although that brings me to my next lesson:

2) Safety gear is dangerous! I decided to wear the lab goggle type with an elastic strap. While putting them on, the goggle slipped from my fingers, snapped back, and hit me in the eye. Ouch! But, better that than pieces of metal.

So now I am ready to assemble the cab, which I will probably do next weekend as I won't likely have time during the week. After that, a friend will be helping me rig up a rotating monitor mechanism. I'll be using a 21" Sony computer monitor that I got free.

I spent a total of nine hours this weekend and every part of me hurts, but overall I feel good. I'm glad to be back at it and wish I hadn't put it off for so long!

Cheers! 

[clockwork]

Weekend update. It's finally starting to look like a cab.

[clockwork]

Another weekend behind me. I spent a looooooot of time plotting my CP and probably still won't be happy with it. I haven't decided exactly where I want to place the 4-way joy or the spinner. Outside of a minor slip of the router, I'm fairly pleased with my first real use of a router.

Opinions and suggestions would be appreciated.

[8way]

That control panel looks way too cramped, in my opinion. I would suggest making it longer, and bring down the 4 way joysticks. Basically space everything out farther.

[clockwork]

Wow, really? It's already 38" x 18". Similar panels I looked at were smaller. What do you think would be good dimensions? I admit I've been using mostly guesswork.

[jban4us]

The Simpsons and TMNT panels were 36'' by 14'' but without a trackball and less buttons per player. You should be fine, the only real way to know if you are comfortable with it is to get 4 people around it and try it out.

[clockwork]

The Simpsons and TMNT panels were 36'' by 14'' but without a trackball and less buttons per player. You should be fine, the only real way to know if you are comfortable with it is to get 4 people around it and try it out.

*sigh* If I must. 

Thanks for the feedback.