*Insert name here* Upright MAME Project **56k unfriendly**

[mwatson]

Alright, I think its about time I posted up some details of my first cabinet project.

I'll start by thanking all the guys in #byoac, they've been really helpful and provided a lot of insight and clarification into various aspects of the whole project.

I started the project hoping to learn a few things about woodworking, I had my dad oversee any cuts I was unsure of and he played a great role in helping assemble everything properly.

Unfortunately I only get to work on one or two weekends a month; the cabinet is being built at my parent's house as I don't have any of the right tools (I'm living at college two hours away).

Panels were cut at the beginning of April, and pretty much everything is assembled now. The only concern I have at the moment is cutting the plexiglass for the CP and getting a nice paint finish. I'll try to post a list of things I still need to do and update this first post with pictures as I upload them. Any comments or suggestions would be great!

Components/Credit:

Cabinet Design - Sasquatch (arcadeparadise.com - AP3) Thanks!

Control Panel Design -  Personal design with ideas taken from many I'd looked at on here
-Spinner: GGG Turbo Twist 2
-Trackball: Happ 3" Highball w/ USB kit
-Buttons: Happ Concave w/ Horizontal Microswitch
-8 way joysticks: Happ Competition
-4 way joystick: GGG Omni-Stik Basic
-Encoder: Ipac4 (in hindsight I would've been fine with an Ipac2, rookie mistake)

Computer: (a lot of these are from my normal desktop, as I'd wanted to upgrade to a core2 for awhile )
-MOBO: Abit IL8
-CPU: Intel Pentium D 945
-RAM: 2x 1GB Patriot PC5300 667MHz
-GPU: Asus GeForce 7300GT 256mb
-HD: Seagate 320gb

TV: JVC 27" (with a broken component output  )

Speakers: Creative I-Trigue L3500 2.1

Switches: Rocker switches from Radio Shack


To do:
-Mount  shelf for subwoofer
-Drill plexiglass holes for CP
-Cut coin door hole
-Mount coin door (thanks cw  )
-Sand/Paint (and lots of it)
-Install t-molding
-Mount foot levelers
-Install TV
-Install tempered glass (light grey tint, considering adding some auto tint later if its not dark enough)
-Get marquee art printed <--- could use some ideas for a cabinet "name"
-Mount marquee art
-Mount surge protector
-Wire coin door
-Wire coin door/trackball LEDs, fans, marquee light, and cabinet power switches
-Finish skinning windows and configuring MALA (nearly completely skinned, but close enough for now )

I'm probably forgetting a few minor things, but I'll add/edit later

Now for some build pictures:

Here's my dad holding freshly cut side panels:



After Assembly:





Primed:





First Coat:





Switches/Fans/Power Inputs:





Rear Door:





Speaker Panel:





Control Panel:


with bolt holes patched:


mounting bolts:



Test fit with CP and Speakers:




If there are problems with picture sizes let me know and I'll try to resize them 

[Stobe]

Looks like a great start.  I love the Srcade Paradise site and plans.  That place helped me a bunch on my projects.

Keep it up.  Looks great so far.

-Stobe

[mwatson]

Thanks Stobe, and thanks for the hook up with the LCD Top Guns 

For kicks I drew up a quick photochop with the planned t-molding colors and a generic mame logo marquee (I'm having a graphic design friend draw me up a real one later):



I'm not sure if the orange strip will stay or not, I'll have enough blue left over to do it in that, but it may end up going black or white to tie in the white buttons. 

[Stobe]

I like the orange accent.  Especially if you tie it in with orange in the marquee.  It would change it up from the standard black/blue color scheme.

-Stobe

[mwatson]

Just a quick test mockup with orange behind the MAME logo (again the final product will be completely different).



I still need to figure out a name to call it

[superbigjay]

If you go with the orange t-mold, you need the orange in the logo, else it seems like it wouldn't fit.

Looking good do far!!

Cheers
Jay

PS: I also got some lcd top gun on the way.  Can't wait to ty them 

[theCoder]

Great progress.  I love the big rounded edges.  Are you planning on putting any artwork under the CP Plexiglas?

[mwatson]

superbig: yea there will definitely be some orange in the marquee if I go with the orange tmolding

Great progress.  I love the big rounded edges.  Are you planning on putting any artwork under the CP Plexiglas?

As far as artwork under the plexiglas, I thought about it for awhile and I think I'm going to go for a polished black look. I debated with making an overlay and getting it printed, but I made the mistake of cutting holes before I designed one, and I think a generic overlay without any button markings wouldn't be as neat so I decided to save the $50 (damn huge CPs and high printing costs ).

Thanks for the comments guys, I really appreciate it

I've been doing a ton of painting this weekend. It's frustrating having a great coat only to find one imperfection after it dries . As far as the wood grain, I think I may end up giving up on trying to get rid of it soon. I've done 6 coats/sands without much luck 

[mwatson]

Nearly done now! I've been playing it for the past few days and I'm loving every second of it. I really need to make a decent game list   still. It's been a big hit with my parents, my mom doesn't want to let me bring it back to my apartment at college  . I'll get some pictures up soon with the most recent progress.