R.I.P. Horizontal MAME

[FrizzleFried]

It is with great sadness and some inner turmoil that I announce that my first baby...the cabinet that started me on this hobby/habit/craziness....has been gutted and sold.



I have run out of room...and well,  I wanted a 25" monitor in my Horizontal MAME rig and it would have been too much of a pain in the ass converting this cabinet.   I already have a good cabinet that will make a great MAME rig and a local guy was looking for a gutted cabinet.  He actually offered me $200 + a semi-working 25" monitor (nanao) for it.   I couldn't take it.  Karma stipulated I give the guy a break.  I took $120 + the monitor for the stripped cabinet.

I now have some room to add another cabinet should I come across a great deal...plus I have a project to work on.  This is going to become the next Horizontal MAME cabinet:



The monitor is in decent shape (slight flicker in the top right corner...I am guessing a CAP KIT will rectify that)....the cabinet is in decent shape...and my current marquee will fit!

I'm already missing my first though...and it's been less than a day.

[leapinlew]

I do not miss your first cabinet at all! All I ever see is that curved marquee design for sale.

Good luck and have fun. What, if any, changes are you going to make to the new one?

[FrizzleFried]

I do not miss your first cabinet at all! All I ever see is that curved marquee design for sale.

Good luck and have fun. What, if any, changes are you going to make to the new one?

I am considering going with a 7-button layout ...though I am not sure.  I am also going to have more room for the trackball (no more hitting the friggin' P2 joystick with my pinky finger when I am trying to get that 10 pin in bowling).   I am also going to put the spinner in a different location and because I have the room I am CONSIDERING a dedicated 4-way stick.

I'd like to adjust the angle of the monitor to make it more "Golden Tee" friendly...but I am not sure how possibly that is until I get the monitor out and take a look at the mounting method.

Going to 25" should be a huge difference...

I will be eventually painting the cabinet as well (and removing the side art).  I am considering retiring the "BIGDAWG & BOO'S ARCADE" marquee as it doesn't really fit well now that I have 8 other cabinets....I'd have to come up with a name and then perhaps make a lighted box for the BIGDAWG & BOO'S ARCADE marquee and put that above the door to the game room or something.    I am also considering going with 2 spinners for some Blasteroids action (anyone know of any other games that use 2 spinners?). 

[leapinlew]

I do not miss your first cabinet at all! All I ever see is that curved marquee design for sale.

Good luck and have fun. What, if any, changes are you going to make to the new one?

I am considering going with a 7-button layout ...though I am not sure.  I am also going to have more room for the trackball (no more hitting the friggin' P2 joystick with my pinky finger when I am trying to get that 10 pin in bowling).   I am also going to put the spinner in a different location and because I have the room I am CONSIDERING a dedicated 4-way stick.

I'd like to adjust the angle of the monitor to make it more "Golden Tee" friendly...but I am not sure how possibly that is until I get the monitor out and take a look at the mounting method.

Going to 25" should be a huge difference...

I will be eventually painting the cabinet as well (and removing the side art).  I am considering retiring the "BIGDAWG & BOO'S ARCADE" marquee as it doesn't really fit well now that I have 8 other cabinets....I'd have to come up with a name and then perhaps make a lighted box for the BIGDAWG & BOO'S ARCADE marquee and put that above the door to the game room or something.    I am also considering going with 2 spinners for some Blasteroids action (anyone know of any other games that use 2 spinners?). 

I was considering dual spinners for blasteroids as well. I played some blasteroids and the game just doesn't have the same charm for me as it did in the arcade. Primarily because of the continue option. Off The Wall is decent 2 spinner game and there are some really fun driving games (offroad, Super sprint), and if you can get puzzloop style games to run well - their is a competition mode.

I totally agree about the trackball... I manage to hit the P2 joystick also. I am considering a dedicated trackball cabinet - showcase with a 30+ inch screen. The bowling, golf, shuffleboard games get the most play when I have people over.

[FrizzleFried]

Oh yeah...and because the CP is "rectangle" instead of the odd shape of my last one,  I am going to add 2 buttons to each side and get a pinball emulator going as well...the wife's excited about that...

...and this cabinet is getting casters damnit...it's huge and heavy.

[bluevolume]

Bad dudes, bad dudes, whatcha goona do when they gut and sell you...

[FrizzleFried]

Bad dudes, bad dudes, whatcha goona do when they gut and sell you...

`twas a gutted Street Fighter when I bought it..

[bluevolume]

Sounds like the 'Dudes weren't bad enough to steal enough quarters.

BTW -- Where did you get your avatar?  There's something freaky about it!

[danny_galaga]

yeah, forget the cab, we need to know about your avatar 

[xmenxmen]

yeah, forget the cab, we need to know about your avatar 

[FrizzleFried]

yeah, forget the cab, we need to know about your avatar 

Oh that's just my mistress saying "SEGA" over and over again...of course SEGA is photoshopped in as it'd be unrealistic to expect a floating sega IRL...

 

[TOK]

yeah, forget the cab, we need to know about your avatar 

Oh that's just my mistress saying "SEGA" over and over again...of course SEGA is photoshopped in as it'd be unrealistic to expect a floating sega IRL...

 

Looks like shes saying "stop".

[FrizzleFried]

yeah, forget the cab, we need to know about your avatar 

Oh that's just my mistress saying "SEGA" over and over again...of course SEGA is photoshopped in as it'd be unrealistic to expect a floating sega IRL...

 

Looks like shes saying "stop".

She is foreign...yah...that's it!

[FrizzleFried]

Alright...so I am done with the cutting of the control panel... I need to paint it and cut some Lexan to match.  I will also be painting the underside of the lexan so as to hide the trackball mounting plate which is flush mounted.  I also counter sunk the joystick carriage bolts for a clean look.

[johnm160]

Hey thats funny, I have that same cabinet I am going to turn into a fighter machine....I will be watching your control panel conversion closely. 

[bluevolume]

Hey thats funny, I have that same cabinet I am going to turn into a fighter machine....I will be watching your control panel conversion closely. 

Which cabinet do you have?  The one he is getting rid of?

[bluevolume]

Alright...so I am done with the cutting of the control panel... I need to paint it and cut some Lexan to match.  I will also be painting the underside of the lexan so as to hide the trackball mounting plate which is flush mounted.  I also counter sunk the joystick carriage bolts for a clean look.

Frizzle -- How are you doing the routing, and being that precise?  Are you using a table mounted router or going freehand?  I'm probably going to have to take out some material on both sides of my control panel, one to accomodate the trackball and the other to make the Competitions sit at proper height.

I don't know how I could be confident enough in the router to do the trackball though, and have my overlay still sit level.  Unless you are going to use some type of fill on top of the mounting plate?

[theCoder]

A 25" monitor is going to look great in that cab. 

bluevolume; I recently bought a table mounted router.  I'll never go back. 

Good luck on the build.

[GameOver]

Frizzle -- How are you doing the routing, and being that precise?  Are you using a table mounted router or going freehand?  I'm probably going to have to take out some material on both sides of my control panel, one to accomodate the trackball and the other to make the Competitions sit at proper height.

I don't know how I could be confident enough in the router to do the trackball though, and have my overlay still sit level.  Unless you are going to use some type of fill on top of the mounting plate?

Hey Blue for what it's worth I'm not router savy either but managed to handle the flush mount track ball freehand.  I made a template, clamped it to my CP, then routed away.  Not hard at all, tricky part is making sure you have the measurements right when u make the template.  I didn't use any 'fill' over the mouting plate and think it came out just fine.  Good luck!

p.s.  don't mame a Rampage!  I love that game!    Give me that game & I'll build you a cab!

[johnm160]

Hey thats funny, I have that same cabinet I am going to turn into a fighter machine....I will be watching your control panel conversion closely. 

Which cabinet do you have?  The one he is getting rid of?

LOL, no the Rampage World tour machine

On second look though the back of mine is shaped different.

[FrizzleFried]

This Rampage is a conversion...so I can MAME it without penalty!

I free handed the routing.  It was only the second time I ever used the router too.

I simply used the mounting plate as a template and drew the edges...

If I was going to use a CPO I'd likely use putty to fix the very small gaps I ended up having,  but since I am dropping a piece of Lexan across the top it doesn't make a difference.

I actually have the panel "done" but only about 80% operational.   Beer got in the way of completing all the wiring.

[FrizzleFried]

Here is a shot of the control panel I put together over a couple days last week.  Sorry for the crappy angle,  but I am working on my VS Unisystem (as seen on the left) and I am too achy to move crap around for a photo.  Mo better pix coming soon.

[KDOG]

why yellow?

[FrizzleFried]

I am 90% sure I am going with a "Steelercade" type theme...though I am not 100% sure.  I'm considering painting a yellow stripe down the middle....and adding a steelers logo to one side of the cabinet.

But no worries because I have plenty of Lexan should I decide to change colors...

If I DO go with the Steelercade idea I will go with blue, yellow and red buttons as well...

[KDOG]

That's cool, I just thought it was odd to have a yellow cp and black painted cab.

[bluevolume]

I am 90% sure I am going with a "Steelercade" type theme...though I am not 100% sure.  I'm considering painting a yellow stripe down the middle....and adding a steelers logo to one side of the cabinet.

But no worries because I have plenty of Lexan should I decide to change colors...

If I DO go with the Steelercade idea I will go with blue, yellow and red buttons as well...

I'm going along a similar line, I've decided on Sabrecade (Buffalo Sabres) for my cabinet.  Let me know who you get to do the decals, I've found one guy but I'd like to shop around.

[Havok]

Dude - that control panel is way to small. You should triple it in size...

 

[bluevolume]

Dude - that control panel is way to small. You should triple it in size...

 

PAC-MATT! PAC-MATT! PAC-MATT!

I doubt you could land even a small helicopter on your CP.  And where is the dog supposed to sleep?

 

[theCoder]

You might want to consider putting a 1/2" or so radius on the edges of your CP.  Sharp corners like that tend to leave deep dark bruises in your thigh/hip.  Or worst yet, on the thigh/hip of your mistress.

[FrizzleFried]

Alright...I am trying to come up with a name/theme for this new horizontal cabinet.  Half of me wants to make it a "Steelercade" or something similar with a Steelers football theme.   The other half of me is horrified at this idea as that side laughs at McCoy's football themed cabinet. 

That half wants to go with a "MAME" theme since that is exactly what the cabinet it....a MAME cabinet....perhaps something like HorizontaMAME but with less cheeze?!?

Finally...a very very small part of me just wants to name it "Cindy" and be done with it.

HELP!   I need (A) Steeler sounding names (SteelerCade is pretty weak)...or (B) MAME sounding names...or (C) Cindy.

[JimmyU]

HELP!   I need (A) Steeler sounding names (SteelerCade is pretty weak)...or (B) MAME sounding names...or (C) Cindy.

How about Steely McMame:

[arcadefever]

Dude - that control panel is way to small. You should triple it in size...