Bartop/Counter Top Plans...

[WCBoudreaux]

Hey guys, I'm awaiting my final parts for my Space Ace cab, and I think my next project will be a bartop... I have a 13" TV sitting in my shop, that is dying to go into something... I don't have a use for it for anything else...

I want to build my dad a cabinet, to play ms pacman as it was his favorite game... I was thinking about building him a cocktail, but, to me, it just seems like overkill since he'd only play ms pacman...

Could some one point me to some bartop style cabinet plans please? I've seen a LOT of dead links, and not a whole lot of useful info out there... I saw a pacman themed bartop that I really liked, but I can't find any info on it...

Any help will be much abliged!

Thanks!

[Kaytrim]

Check out the bartop I did for my Dad. (link in sig)  I based mine on centipede but you can use the same method in designing yours.  Just take the JackOBud plans for the full size Mrs. Pacman, cut it off just below the control panel, then scale it down to fit the monitor.

TTFN and remember this is a fun hobby.

[BobA]

Here is a link to a bartop that I am currently building.  There are plans in the thread.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=67679.0

[WCBoudreaux]

Kaytrim ~ I love that bartop... The only problem I have, is scaling the plans down... I'm not a math wizard, and quite frankly, I just hate numbers...  I'll try and find some kinda tutorial on how to scale the plans down... Thanks!

BobA ~ Thanks for that link... It's funny, because last night, I started designing a bartop in SketchUp, using the exact same cabinet for refrence... That's the "Dreamauthentics" bartop isn't it? Any way, again, thanks for those plans! I knew if I couldn't find plans to those pacman/ms pacman bartops, the "DA" bartop was one I'd attempt to replicate... You just saved me a ton of time! 

[Kaytrim]

I didn't really scale down the plans for my project either.  I just flew by the seat of my pants on that one.  I just laid the monitor on the MDF and drew a rough outline around it and went from there.  Dad is real thrilled with it so it all worked out in the end.

Good luck on your build.

[WCBoudreaux]

Yea, I can tell by the pics, that he was super excited! I hope I get the same response from my dad when I take him his new bartop... Ms Pacman is the only game he ever played, and he was freakin' awesome at it... I thought about loading it with ALL of the pacman/ms pacman games... But I'm not sure they'd ever get played... So I'm not sure what I wanna do in that area right now... I might go ahead a load all sorts of stuff on it, and who knows? He may grow to love the others as much as he loves Ms Pacman...

Deadline is Christmas... I have to finish my Space Ace project before I start another one... So it'll still be a few weeks before I'm able to devote my time and energy the bartop... I was just hoping to look through a few different plans and pick out the nicest one... 

[BobA]

Yes the bartop was modeled after the Katana.  Not a prefect copy as I could not find straight on views of the side so it is an approximation in certain areas.
 
PM me if you want the cad drawing.  It is done in a freeware program called cad std.

[leapinlew]

I'm pretty sure your talking about Bishmasterb's bartops. He doesn't have his pics up anymore, but his design is attached. I recently built a mini-galaga which is the same cabinet as the mini-ms.pacman cabinet.

Here are some photo's:




Heres a link to my thread:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=68683.0

If it were me, I'd hack a Jakks for the old man. It'll work perfectly with the TV right out of the box.

[WCBoudreaux]

I do like the design that they used for the Katana... I always said, when I build one, I would try to model it after that one...

Here's some plans I found, which every one may already know about...

http://www.katorlegaz.com/arcade_cabinets/bartops/index.php

There's a lot of different styles on that page...

Just thought I'd share...  

[WCBoudreaux]

LeapinLew ~ That's exactly the one I was talking about! Those are some nice little cabs there...

So, each block on the grid is 1" right?

I may build my dad one of those, and then a Katana style for myself.... hehe

[leapinlew]

No...

The plans on the grid are from Bishmasterb, they aren't mine. What I normally do is draw a design and print it out the size I need (usually requires scissors and tape since it's multiple sheets) and tracing it onto a MDF template. Once I get the template smooth and looking right, I use the MDF as a template with the router.

You'll want your cabinet to be large enough for the television, computer(or whatever your using), etc.

Don't forget to consider airflow.

[WCBoudreaux]

Ahh great idea, and paintshop will allow you to print "by size" which is a cool feature! Also, I could get some carbon paper from an office supply store, or art store, and use it to transfer my layout as well... You actually gave me that idea when you was explaing how you do yours... So thatnks for that as well... 

[WCBoudreaux]

If it were me, I'd hack a Jakks for the old man. It'll work perfectly with the TV right out of the box.

I want the authenticity of the original... I've seen vids of those "Jakks" boxes, and they don't look quite right... Of course I may be wrong... Can u point me to some useful info on your suggestion please?

Thanks!

[leapinlew]

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=68940.0 McFreak used a Jakks
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=60603.0
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=36591.0

That ought to keep you busy for a while...

[WCBoudreaux]

Ok... Maybe I'm missing something here... But I don't see anything on any of those posts about how to hack a Jakk's box... Did I over look something?

[dmworking247]

My work-in progress bartops (2 models), if you're interested.

LINK

[bishmasterb]

wcb,

My site is offline for a while because I moved recently, but if you're still interested in the plans just PM me with your email address and I'll send them to you.

It's been discusses a lot on the forums, the Jakks units are definitely not perfect, but they are pretty close, and they don't have any boot-time, and no possibility of messing up the configuration, so they are perfect for some environments. Hacking them is really easy, the circuit board is even labeled (left, right, up, down, fire, etc.).