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Help me decide which cabinet to use

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BradC:
Hello everyone, been lurking here for a little bit and I thought now is the time to post. This is a great forum, full of tons of useful info.

This past weekend I picked up my first arcade cabinet, with a view to making a MAME cabinet. Actually I picked up two cabinets, which is why I need help deciding which one to use. The other one is going to my brother, who is also going to make a MAME cabinet, but I get first pick.

The first cabinet was a Magic Sword (as I can tell by the control panel overlay) but I don't know what it originally was. It looks however like the previous owner started drilling extra holes into the cabinet at random. :'( But they already installed a pull-out keyboard drawer. :)


The second cabinet had the control panel completely removed and they started to install a custom one on hinges so that you can open up to get inside the cabinet. Other than that it's completely blank so the layout is totally customizeable.


I have uploaded some more pics of the two cabinets here if you want to see them (and if you can identify what the Magic Sword used to be):
http://www.bradnkristy.com/cabinet/


So my dilemma is which one do I want to keep? I must state that I have NO hand-craft skills, and no power tools either although I can always have my father help me out with those for drilling button holes and such. I am not looking to make something as fancy as all the MAME cabs in the projects forum. Those things are mostly gorgeous and I have neither the skills nor the patience to make mine look like those. I don't care about authenticity either. I will be buying and installing the joysticks and buttons myself (I'm handy enough with wiring and such) and I just want to get a decent two player setup (probably 6 buttons each.)


That was a long first post, but hopefully I can get some suggestions and/or info. Thanks in advance.

vidmouse:
It would help to know a little more about what you're planning on putting in it.  What kind of monitor do you plan on using?  The size of that might dictate what you use, although these two cabs are pretty similar in size (however if you have a large screen size then the Magic Sword cab's bezel might get in your way).  It does look like the wood grain one goes back deeper though... so if you use a standard TV you might have better luck there...

ElfShotTheFood:
I would probably take the woodgrain one.  an old Zaxxon cab maybe.

More Cowbell:
I like the lok of the second one too. The first one has a giant random hole under the control panel that could be tough to fill. Also, the coin door is practically on the floor.

ArtMAME:
First one used to be a Stargate cabinet:

http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=&game_id=9780

Second one is a Centuri cabinet which could have housed a Phoenix, Pleadies, Time Pilot, etc.:

http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=P&game_id=9004
http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10119

I would say keep the second one because it is less hacked up.  All you would have to do is drill holes for the buttons and joysticks, install monitor, make a basic bezel and marquee, a little paint or overlay on the control panel and you are ready to go.

Plus, if you are going to play two-player fighter games, the Centuri cabinet will provide more elbow room than the Stargate (Magic Sword) cabinet. 

The Stargate cabinet would require a good amount of patching up, especially the CP.  I hope your bro has some woodworking skills...  ;)

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