My first Cabinet Project --Killer V

[KillerV]

Well, I'm your typical 70's - 80's child that grew up in the greatest time for cheesy TV shows, horrible clothing, and great video games. So naturally I want to relive it all! Well, just the arcade games.
My goal was to have an arcade game that reminded me as much as possible of the classic cabinets. I don't care too much for the huge control panels that a lot of people make. All that extra room for buttons and stuff would be nice though.
My experience with woodworking is as extensive as my aircraft piloting, zero-zilch!. But my career has always been in technology. So, the PC-MAME-electronics parts are all good. But operating sharp blades spinning real fast, not so good. But anyways, lets give it a try.
Luckily I know a few good carpenters with excellent advice (and tools.)
I already have a Centipede upright & vs. Super Mario Bros. So this Cab will fit right in.
I shall call it Killer V, I think. Maybe Max. I'm not really sure yet.

I started off with a plan in my head. Then changed it 23 times. Then I got 3 sheets of MDF wood.

I clamped 2 of them together, traced out the design I wanted, then cut with a table saw & jig saw.




Here's the side panels cut out




I then measured the correct distance and all to place some sliced up 2x4's (about 3/4 in thick) to support the top, back, and bottom pieces.




Then, I cut out the tops & back pieces

[KillerV]

Now here I started screwing in the bottom front, back, and bottom to one side panel. I discovered that it's really important to have everything squared. Also, make sure your cuts are nice an straight.





Next, I attatched the other side panel.




And then the top pieces (notice the gaps, I have since re-cut those pieces)




Allright! Finally starting to look like something! (a fort for my boy  )



Next up, my CP

[mahalos]

Looking good buddy,  keep up the good work.

[TOK]

Looks real good! The kid is gonna LOVE that! 

[KillerV]

Looks real good! The kid is gonna LOVE that! 

Yes, I  will love that!
Oh, you mean the little kid. 
More to come later.

[GAtekwriter]

Do you have any concept art - colors? sideart? graphics?

The shape looks nice, but I'm curious about your control panel - any existing design that you're referencing?

Jim

[KillerV]

Do you have any concept art - colors? sideart? graphics?

The shape looks nice, but I'm curious about your control panel - any existing design that you're referencing?

Jim

I'm pretty much doing everything as I go. I originally was going to base the whole cabinet on a Defender cab, but I then decided on the Street Fighter II - Champion Edition cabinet design, with a CP modification.
As for the art work I have some ideas, like having a guitar theme, or maybe a Maximilian theme (the red robot from the movie The Black Hole). But I also want a lot of old classic game characters in my art. My Father-in-law is a tattoo artist who offered his artistic abilities to me. So I am planning on having him paint the side art, which will probably be a mixture of wizzards, dragons, naked ladies, and Donkey Kong, while I will do the rest with printables and stuff.

[KillerV]

Now on to the control panel. I originally was going to build a Defender cabinet because the cp looked really easy. But I wasn't happy with the edges on the cab. I wanted rounder edges. So I build a Street Fighter II - Champion Edition cabinet. However, the cp was made out of steel & had a really odd shape at both ends


So I had to figure out a control panel that's big enough for 2 joysticks, 12+ buttons, and a trackball & spinner. I also wanted it to "flip" out nicely so I can work on it if needed. Well, I wanted it similar to my Centipede cab. I am lucky to have a full sized Centipede game in my basement. I used this for reference many times. I kinda used Centipede's cp as a guide in my design.

Here, you can see how the Centipede cp opens up.





So, after many tried at it, I finally get a design I liked.

[KillerV]

And now, the monitor.
I used an old SONY 20in I got from a buddy a while ago.

I took it apart



Now I had to decide if it was going to be a horizontal or verticle cab. I chose verticle, because a lot of my favorite games are verticle (1941,1942,pac-man,galaga,etc..). And also because I have a Vs. Super Mario Bros. (horizontal) I plan on converting to a MAME.

Verticle it is.
**well it seems I lost a bunch of pictures
At least the ones with the monitor mounting. Anyways, it was a pain in the butt, but I finally got it properly mounted.

[KillerV]

I then cut out a hole in the back for a cooling fan for the monitor. I probably don't need it, but I like my electronics to be cool.


Then 2 more holes for the speakers. I'll be using some small pc speakers with a subwoofer for now. I can always upgrade later.




Primer time. I sanded a little, but it really isn't necessary for my taste.

[KillerV]

My control panel will be simple at first. 2 joysticks, player 1 & 2 start buttons, an exit (PANIC! ) button, and 6 buttons for each player.
I first made a cardboard template. It came out great.

Here's the stuff


Here's the cardboard


Here's the cardboard prototype in the cab






Next up, drilling and routing and cutting and coughing

[Kajoq]

Make sure you playtest that 2p side some.  It looks like it might be a bit close to that right edge and end up with your hand boxed in somewhat.  Looks like you could move p2 about 1/2-3/4" left and make it fine though

[shiftybill]

dont forget about menu, select and exit buttons

[KillerV]

Make sure you playtest that 2p side some.  It looks like it might be a bit close to that right edge and end up with your hand boxed in somewhat.  Looks like you could move p2 about 1/2-3/4" left and make it fine though

Well it felt pretty good with the cardboard. Plenty of room.

[KillerV]

dont forget about menu, select and exit buttons

Oh yeah, I forgot about those. Thats why you guys are great.

[Jdurg]

If the cab is going to be mostly vertical games, I would suggest that you reduce the number of buttons per player since most vertical games ony require up to three, maybe four buttons per player.  This would allow you to move a trackball and/or a spinner onto there since each player wouldn't be taking up as much room.  Just a thought.

Oh, by the way, the tite of the project bought my mind in a completely different place as "Killer V" sounds like how I described my ex-girlfriend.   

[KillerV]

If the cab is going to be mostly vertical games, I would suggest that you reduce the number of buttons per player since most vertical games ony require up to three, maybe four buttons per player.  This would allow you to move a trackball and/or a spinner onto there since each player wouldn't be taking up as much room.  Just a thought.

Oh, by the way, the tite of the project bought my mind in a completely different place as "Killer V" sounds like how I described my ex-girlfriend.   

Yeah, I thought about that too, but it will be playing horizontal games until I get my next project going.
Killer-V is anything but an ex to me. It's my first Wife. Now I have 2. But this one sounds a lot better 

[ivwshane]

I think you need to move player two to the left as well, the distance from the last button on the right should be equal to the distance of the left of player ones stick to the side of the cab.

[TOK]

Nice... I figured you were a Machine Head fan when I saw your avatar. Looks like the Phil Demmel Jackson.
 

[KillerV]

Machine Haed is cool, but I'm more of a Megadeth/Slayer fan. I just love V's.
So I might just have a guitar themed cab.

[KillerV]

OK, I'm back. I've been on vacation so I'm doing the family thing. But I was able to squeeze some work in on my cab.

Now back to the control panel
I started off testing my router skills on a scrap wood.

This is for the joystick



It aint pretty, but good enough for me.


After all that fun stuff I took the cardboard template/ prototype I made and traced all the holes onto my cp board wood. A little hard to see, but it's on there.


I then drilled out the button holes using a 1 1/8 paddle bit, it worked well.
Then I traced out the opening for the joystick to sit flush in the board, cut it out, then routed out the outer part of the hole. This looked like crap because I suck at routing, but it's all good cause no one will see it.


So here it is after some primer


Next I cut some plexiglass to the same size as the cp. Layed it over the top and traced the holes.



I prefer cutting anything I can with scoring. Thats how I cut my plexi and it worked great.


I cut out the holes while the cp board was clamped over the plexi. I used the paddle bit for this. Now this is tricky, because it can crack the plaexi very easily. What I did was rin the drill at it's fasted speed and did'nt push down at all. The wieght of the drill was enough, and it just melted the plaexi holes out.

[KillerV]

OK, now lately I haven't been taking a lot of pics of my progress. I'm sorry, but when I get on a roll I can only think about what I'm doing. I wish I took more.
So anyways, I made the cp, bought a MARVEL comics poster and cut it out to fit underneath the plexi. It came out great.





The cp feels and looks great. I was really shocked at how cool it looked.

Now on to the color of the cab. I went with purple. Why? I don't know. I ordered purple t-moulding a while back and figured why not all purple.



With cp and t-moulding (and casters on the bottom)





Well that's all for now. Now the fun part, getting into my basement and wiring.

[walls83]

Looks good acouple things I would do is.


Put T-molding around the front of the CP and around the bottom of the CP.

[KillerV]

Looks good acouple things I would do is.


Put T-molding around the front of the CP and around the bottom of the CP.

Thanks. I thought about that too. I still may add it later. The whole cp will eventually be totally re diesigned and replaced.

[GAtekwriter]

Personally, I really dig that purple!  I think it does go with a Marvel theme - and nice use of a Marvel poster! 

Keep posting -enjoying seeing your cab come together.

Jim

[jeffhlewis]

Personally, I really dig that purple!  I think it does go with a Marvel theme - and nice use of a Marvel poster! 

Keep posting -enjoying seeing your cab come together.

Jim

IT'S MAHHVEL BAYBEEE!

[TheRed]

that's very cool!

If it were mine, I'd use white buttone, balltops, and t-molding....it would fancy it up a bit, imo....but that cp art is awesome and the cab has a nice shape. cool stuff! Love the purple!

[KillerV]

that's very cool!

If it were mine, I'd use white buttone, balltops, and t-molding....it would fancy it up a bit, imo....but that cp art is awesome and the cab has a nice shape. cool stuff! Love the purple!

Yeah, I'll probably change them. Maybe. It's finally in my basement, now it runnin' wires time

[Havok]

You've got to put a coin door in there - all that space on the bottom just doesn't look right!

[SNAAKE]

IT'S MAHHVEL BAYBEEE!

I know EVERY single one of these "marvel playas" in person..random fact 

oh and nice cabinet

[KillerV]

You've got to put a coin door in there - all that space on the bottom just doesn't look right!

Oh yeah, I plan on it.

[TheRed]

  ....ms paint I also think luminated purple buttons and sticks would look awesome in there. Can't do that with ms paint though, lol.

[KillerV]

....ms paint I also think luminated purple buttons and sticks would look awesome in there. Can't do that with ms paint though, lol.

Kinda looks like something from TRON. Which isn't a bad thing.

[Havok]

You've got to put a coin door in there - all that space on the bottom just doesn't look right!

Oh yeah, I plan on it.

Good - it's more fun using it anyways, plus gives you an excuse to buy BYOAC tokens!

Two more things: I would add t-molding to the front and sides of the control panel\shelf assembly you have there. I think it would give it a more finished look.

Secondly - have you seen European hinges?

http://www.hardwaresource.com/newsdetail.asp?ID=12

It would replace that piano hinge you have there that  ruins the lines of the control panel. Just some suggestions...