Author Topic: Seattle Seahawks themed cabinet - DONE! 6-13-07 (Read 13877 times)

btp2k2 · « **Reply #40 on:** April 05, 2007, 05:22:02 pm »

Just got the marquee today.....looks great.

bfauska · « **Reply #41 on:** April 05, 2007, 06:18:40 pm »

The marquee looks good. I guess that's a perk of your job schedule, when goodies are in the mail you're there to get them.

btp2k2 · « **Reply #42 on:** April 05, 2007, 08:00:59 pm »

Here are some progress pics from today......

side view....

The wood for the joints would normally be 1X1s, but I had to use wood left over after I took apart the first cab I did. So I am stuck with those 1.5x2s. I am using urethane glue and drywall screws to secure everything together. Unfortunately, I am working solo and tend to get in a groove, so I forgot to stop and take pics as I am working.

Paladin · « **Reply #43 on:** April 06, 2007, 09:09:02 am »

My first (and only) scratch built was also a solo job because I was too impatient to wait for my wife to get home and help. I had the base finished, and connected the sides and coin door panel to the base. At that point it looked very much like yours does now.

I then stepped onto the base and balanced the topmost crosspiece on my head while screwing it to the sides.

I guess that makes me "level headed".

btp2k2 · « **Reply #44 on:** April 06, 2007, 06:35:48 pm »

Not alot to add today....put on the bottom and casters today (I have thick shag carpet in my game room, so casters are a must if I want to move it at all.). I also added the bottom part of the marquee box and bored out the holes for the speakers to go.

I cut a bunch of pieces, but need to get some hardware to mount them first. I like to use L brackets on the top and around the control panel areas. One of the first cabs I made used a 1x1 slat in the joints around the control panel and it was actually restricting the joystick movement, so I have just always gone to the brackets.

I am seriously considering getting a gallon of Glidden's "Team Color" paints, so the cab would be in Seahawks blue. But I am not sure how tough that paint is....

btp2k2 · « **Reply #45 on:** April 10, 2007, 02:16:37 am »

Got paint today....ended up with "Sea Blue"....the darker of the two blues on the Seahawks jerseys

btp2k2 · « **Reply #46 on:** April 21, 2007, 08:28:18 pm »

Got a lot of work done today.

decased monitor
completed all router work on the CP and drilled button holes on CP (trackball is mounted directly in wood CP, no mounting plate.)
competed rear access door
began building mounting brackets for monitor

Tomorrow I am going to the Seahawks pro shop to try and find some window clings and various stickers or something that will look cool for the bezel.

also started work on the dreamcast cab. The guy across the street does contractor work and said he had a better method for cab building that would be lighter and stronger. He agreed to pay for new materials if it didn't work out so I agreed to try this one his way. We used polyurethane glue and a nail gun with the little finishing nails in it....the holes are so small! If this works, I might have to go out and get a compressor and a gun...There will be next to no prep work for painting, the holes are so small I had trouble even finding them to spackle

btp2k2 · « **Reply #47 on:** May 05, 2007, 12:43:44 am »

I installed the monitor today and nearly crapped my pants when it didn't do anything upon power up.

This is the first one I decased. Got it mounted OK...plugged it in and only the LED power light came on and turned amber....nothing else, tube didn't make noise as it normally does, nothing.....

After sweating bullets, I noticed one of the metal brackets in the corner of the screen was seperated from the bracket on the frame. I pushed the two together and all the sudden, the monitor jumped to life. There was a little brass ground tab that wasn't connecting. Once that connected by pushing them together, it turned on the tube!

YEAH!

Also, I was at the Seahawks Pro Shop the other day and found some great vinyl stickers. They are perfect for the sideart and ended up costing me 5 bucks a side!
Pics coming soon.

bfauska · « **Reply #48 on:** May 05, 2007, 01:01:07 pm »

Sounds like good progress. Great deal on side art. I saw a commercial for some life sized vinyl football players that people are supposed to decorate their houses with

seemed like a silly idea to me, but for a cab they seemed perfect, I thought of your project but I think the price was either ridiculous or they didn't show it so I didn't bother mentioning it to you, I hate ads without prices.

Edit:

In case anybody was curious I found the product that I saw the ad for it is Fathead, they have other cool stuff though and the prices are high.

btp2k2 · « **Reply #49 on:** May 05, 2007, 06:51:29 pm »

Here is the pic I promised........

The T-molding in the pic is just a mock up....it is left over from another cab. The actual t-molding for this project is much a much darker blue. The plexiglass that is in place will be sprayed from the back to create the bezel. The glass lays almost completely flat against the monitor currently, maybe 1/8 of an inch between them, so besides spray painting I won't have to do any adjustments to it. I got the die cut sticker from the Pro Shop, that will be applied to the inside of the bezel just before painting.

I still need to find a way to mount the lightgun when not in use. I wish I could do something about the cord hanging out all over the place. Maybe I will leave it just inside the coin door and open the door and pull it out when I want to play Area 51 or something.
Yeah...fathead....they are very expensive. Like 200 bucks a pop!

btp2k2 · « **Reply #50 on:** June 07, 2007, 11:44:07 pm »

I completed the control panel today, and finished all construction of the cabinet.

I just need to sand do some paint prep and then I can paint and put in the t-molding.

I took some pics of the control panel, put I might have packed the USB cable...or my wife took it to work. If I find the cable, I will post a pic.

Prediction for completion....next tuesday (weather permitting)

ChadTower · « **Reply #51 on:** June 08, 2007, 10:20:19 am »

Nice. Looks good.

Chris G · « **Reply #52 on:** June 08, 2007, 02:08:31 pm »

Weather no look so good, but that's cool you got the finish line in sight.

btp2k2 · « **Reply #53 on:** June 10, 2007, 04:33:49 am »

Looks like I lucked out with the weather. I got all my sanding and prep work done before I left for work friday afternoon when it was still dry out. The only thing that needs to be done outside is spray paint the plexi for the bezel. I can paint inside using latex.

Still on target for tuesday I think.

bfauska · « **Reply #54 on:** June 10, 2007, 07:17:28 pm »

Too bad you aren't at home today to do some work, it's quite lovely outside, as I'm sure you noticed.

Good luck with the finishing touches, I am sure that the finished product will be great.

ChadTower · « **Reply #55 on:** June 10, 2007, 08:47:10 pm »

Latex is awfully soft... for a cab, I'd suggest at least an oil... an enamel if you can get it locally would be perfect.

btp2k2 · « **Reply #56 on:** June 11, 2007, 03:42:44 am »

Quote from: bfauska on June 10, 2007, 07:17:28 pm

Too bad you aren't at home today to do some work, it's quite lovely outside, as I'm sure you noticed.

Good luck with the finishing touches, I am sure that the finished product will be great.

Oh, I was home....just in bed!

I work at nights (at work now), so I sleep during the day on the weekends.

@ ChadTower - I use a latex from Kelly Moore made just for cabinets and apply it with a foam roller. The paint is a little thinner than most latex paint, has very similiar consistency as oil. The end result is a smooth as glass finish that is pretty tough and protective.

I lost my grip on a 2x4 and it hit on of the cabs square in the side and then slid down, and it didn't make a scratch.

btp2k2 · « **Reply #57 on:** June 12, 2007, 11:22:44 pm »

Well, I was off by a day.

I got a little lazy yesterday and did very little, so I painted today. The Glidden Team Colors went on really smooth, the Seahawks blue looks really really good on the cab. Dropped a total of five coats for maximum coverage. I sprayed the glass for the bezel with a blue spray paint that almost perfectly matched the blue t-molding. So, tomorrow all I have to do is install the CP and bezel and t-molding and marquee. Everything is already wired and ready to go...I predict maybe 2-3 hours of work tops

My wife took the camera to work (the downside to being married to someone in real estate)...I should have pics tomorrow when she brings the camera home.

leapinlew · « **Reply #58 on:** June 13, 2007, 09:26:10 am »

You've gone cabinet crazy! Your making them pretty fast.

Lets see some pics.

ChadTower · « **Reply #59 on:** June 13, 2007, 09:38:47 am »

How do you drop 5 coats in one day?

btp2k2 · « **Reply #60 on:** June 13, 2007, 01:57:49 pm »

Quote from: ChadTower on June 13, 2007, 09:38:47 am

How do you drop 5 coats in one day?

Start really early and end really late.

leapinlew - I am working on the pics....waiting for the camera to come home. I had to work double time to get these cabinets done cause we are moving in 2 weeks. I wanted them finished so the have the protection of t-molding on the edges and corners and everything was in one handy dandy heavier than hell carrying case

Ran into a small snag. I mounted the glass today....it was about a 1/2" off on the sides. So I need to go in and adjust the mounts on the monitor by 1/2" to line up the monitor with the bezel. DOH!

ChadTower · « **Reply #61 on:** June 13, 2007, 02:00:08 pm »

Did you sand in between? They take a while to cure properly.

btp2k2 · « **Reply #62 on:** June 13, 2007, 02:04:47 pm »

Yeah, a light sand. latex sets a lot quicker too. I started about 5:00 in the morning. I got up really early yesterday and couldn't get back to sleep so I figured....screw it, let's go paint.

ChadTower · « **Reply #63 on:** June 13, 2007, 02:06:09 pm »

Nice. I'm paranoid about curing times. Too many times I've waited the time listed on the can only to find it coming up in blotches on the sandpaper.

btp2k2 · « **Reply #64 on:** June 13, 2007, 04:39:09 pm »

It's finished.

I just need to have the camera to take some pics.

I used to do ding repair for a surf shop....you learn a lot about how long something takes to cure real fast working with fiberglass resin.

I am going to the wifey poos work so I can get the camera and stamp a big "DONE" on this thread!

btp2k2 · « **Reply #65 on:** June 13, 2007, 06:36:21 pm »

I finished it! Moved the monitor over so it matched up with the bezel...

The speaker covers are the only thing missing. I am going to order a set from Happ, but since I am moving soon I will just do that from the new house to make sure I get them.

So, it uses two Magstik Pluses and an imperial trackball. The sticks and buttons are going through a minipac and the trackball hooks directly to USB. The panel is a little odd, cause I intend on running Madden 2006 on it. So I had to add a seventh button (above button 1). It also has a ACT Labs lightgun. I didn't like the way the holster for the lightgun looked, so the gun just comes through the coindoor when you want to shoot stuff. The screen is a 21" NEC monitor that I decased, I got it for a buck at work. The IT dept was selling all the old CRT monitors after upgrading to LCD. The CPU is a Athlon XP 2600 with a Geforce 4 TI 4800. Speakers are just El Cheapo PC speakers that I took apart. I am using Maximus Arcade for the front end. I made a custom Seahawks skin for it. The cool thing about the front end is it supports all sorts of emu's and has batch file support. So I wrote a batch file and can run Madden directly from the front end.

bfauska · « **Reply #66 on:** June 14, 2007, 01:07:17 am »

Another nice looking cab. I like the contrast between the two, the colors and shape. Since they are different it looks more like a real arcade than it would if you built 2 identical cabs.

I bet you could get some cheap speakers with grilles from a car audio store and use the grilles instead of ordering from Happs. Some car audio place that does installs would probably have a pair of grilles they would give you for free, most speakers come with them and most people just put the speakers behind the stock car grilles so the audio store would usually throw them away. At the very least it wouldn't hurt to ask, there is a little "mom and pop" car audio store a few miles north of Thrashers Corner called "Great Vibrations" I bought some stuff there years ago and seem to remember the staff being fairly friendly, you could give them a try.

What's next?... after the move I mean.

btp2k2 · « **Reply #67 on:** June 14, 2007, 02:34:18 am »

There is a third behind the camera that has light blue t-molding and was made from a Centipede layout....it was my first cabinet, so it is kinda rough....it just has a bezel and no glass! a little work, and I could have the start of a pretty decent little arcade though.

Anyway....back to the speaker grills....I searched high and low...called all the car stereo shops I could think of, tried Fry's (they looked at me like I was on drugs)....nothing. I could get the grills, if I wanted to buy the way overpriced speakers that came with em. My neighbor suggested I try a marine store for a vent cover. Might be worth a peek.

bfauska · « **Reply #68 on:** June 14, 2007, 08:35:30 pm »

Keep us posted about the speaker grills. If you let me know what size your speakers are I can keep my eye out.

ChadTower · « **Reply #69 on:** June 15, 2007, 11:29:39 am »

Those are good looking cabs. So pristine it almost looks a little odd.

shardian · « **Reply #70 on:** June 15, 2007, 11:38:31 am »

I like it. Question though, why not use an over/under coin door?

btp2k2 · « **Reply #71 on:** June 15, 2007, 12:01:43 pm »

Thanks Chad. I hope to preserve that "pristine" look after the move......

In regards to the coin door question.....There are two answers to that question....

one - as it is just a MAME box and a over/under didn't really do anything other than look cool, I went with the single entry.

two - my wife made me get a cheaper door (honestly....that is the only reason)

ChadTower · « **Reply #72 on:** June 15, 2007, 12:26:52 pm »

Damn wives and their "single entry" rules.

btp2k2 · « **Reply #73 on:** June 15, 2007, 03:03:33 pm »

How true, how true

javeryh · « **Reply #74 on:** June 15, 2007, 03:58:31 pm »

Other than the fact it's not a NY Giants cab you did an amazing job. I especially like the profile and the off-center coin door. Very nice work!

btp2k2 · « **Reply #75 on:** June 16, 2007, 10:06:10 pm »

Thanks. I used the Assault layout from Jakobud and modified it a little to fit my needs. The original was only 16 inches wide, I increased it to 25. The CP on the original machine was about 5 inches lower then this one...when I first measured, I followed the blueprints exactly, and then stood it upright to gage where everything was...I had to bend over like the Hunchback just to reach the controls, so I brought it up 5 inches.

Not really sure why I did the off center door. I just decided that is where I wanted it on a whim. It turned out a blessing, because the computer was too tall, so I ended up laying it on it's side. WIth the off center door, it lines up perfectly with the power switch

Now I just have to convince some of the players to come over to my house and sign it. Training Camp is about 5 blocks away from my house, do you think I could wheel it down there and have them autograph it?

Chris G · « **Reply #76 on:** June 18, 2007, 07:41:41 pm »

Sounds like you want speaker covers, but in case you hadn't thought of it, you could also get speaker cloth and cover the whole panel. Just a thought. (I actually have some extra...)

Seems like some kind of tough-looking kick plate would go well on that cab too...

Great job, though - looks really good!

bfauska · « **Reply #77 on:** June 18, 2007, 11:03:11 pm »

Javeryh just posted some pics of his progress w/ speaker grills on his little pink cabinet. They look nice and the price is REALLY hard to argue with (although I don't know if they have a minimum order or how expensive shipping is). He posted the link to This Site Way cheaper than Happs and really nice looking too. He may be able to offer some insight if you have any questions.

theCoder · « **Reply #78 on:** June 19, 2007, 01:05:29 am »

Quote from: btp2k2 on June 16, 2007, 10:06:10 pm

Now I just have to convince some of the players to come over to my house and sign it. Training Camp is about 5 blocks away from my house, do you think I could wheel it down there and have them autograph it?

Perhaps if you sent the team a half page letter with pictures and an invite for burgers and drinkables, they might show up. You never know.

Another one down. Great job.

ChadTower · « **Reply #79 on:** June 19, 2007, 09:12:20 am »

As someone who also lives within throwing distance of an NFL team, I'd have to say they would ignore that type of invitation. They get about 500 of them a week.

The only way I would assume it may work would be if you had built two and offered the other to the team in exchange for having yours signed.


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