Cost?

[payment_due]

I don't have Saint's book yet, I'm planning on buying it on payday (monday) so I'm curious as to the cost of the materials for the cabinet. 

Lets say I got average building materials when it came to the wood, etc?  I know buying the buttons/joys would run me about $60 from Happ, and a computer monitor is gravy since I can find billions of them on Craigslist.  Can some one give me a rough average as to what building say, the Ultimate Arcade II would cost? Also, this is not including tools.  Just the actual building materials.

I'm in the US, btw, so USD, not  Pounds.

[javeryh]

There's just too many variables unless you give a LOT more details.  $60 for all the controls sounds insanely cheap too.  I mean just the buttons on a 2P setup can run you $50 depending on what you want.  Are you painting or staining?  Wood good enough to stain is more expensive than something like MDF you can paint over.   You can cut corners everywhere but it's not going to look as nice.  Coin door?  Artwork?  Specs on the computer?  There are also so many hidden costs you just don't think of - wires, quick disconnects, t-molding, etc.  I would say the lowest you can build one of these things for is $500 and that's stretching it.  I always make a list and keep a running tally of everything I buy on a project just to try and keep things under control because it can get away from you in a hurry.

[payment_due]

I appreciate the input, javeryh.  I'm going to try and make it nice, but not extravagant. 

I guess what I'm most concerned with cost-wise at this point in time is the cabinet (meaning wood) itself, rather than wiring. As far as my c-panel is concerned, its going to be a basic 'street fighter' config. 2 joys, 6 buttons per player, 2 start buttons and maybe a few others like test mode, coin, etc.  I'm not planning on going all out and having every possible configuration on the c-panel.  I thought about a coin door but it's probably going to be moot for my situation since everyting will either be set to freeplay via the test mode or I'll have a coin button (or configuration via ipac, etc).  The computer I can just mutate from several pc's I have around the house so that's technically free.

When it comes to cabinet make up, I'm considering MDF and just painting and then maybe ordering some side art, no staining.  I guess I could have just asked "how much will the wood cost?", heh.   I understand the bits and pieces for wiring and other parts like an IPAC, etc will add up,  but again I'm just trying to get a rough estimate of how much it would cost to drive over to home depot and order the wood pieces I need.  I figured around what you mentioned, $500 so that's nice to hear.  Its just that at this point I don't know exactly what pieces I would need to buy since I don't have the book in front of me.

[TAG]

If you're going with MDF, expect to pay around $25 per 8x4 sheet (I suppose costs may vary depending on the area).  You'll need three sheets for a standard cab, and I'm not sure if the plans you mention call for more.  If you follow Saint's book, you'll also need to buy a few 2x2's, which I recall cost in the neighborhood of $10 (I'm working from memory here, sorry).  So I'd say less than $100 for the wood.

[Benevolance]

It cost me $92 for three sheets of 5/8" MDFand $8 for a 2x4 just three weeks ago, so that's a pretty good guess TAG.

I'm surprised at how quickly the little miscellaneous costs are adding up. It seems every time I run down to the hardware store, it's a $20 bill for this, that or something. I figure I've sunk about another $100 into the project on things like glue, paint, carriage bolts, screws, piano hinge, etc.

[payment_due]

Awesome. Thank you all for the input.  Originally I was just going to restore a cab I came across for free but I've decided to jump in full force and build my own cab.  The UltArc II is probably going to be much too large so I'm hoping there are a few different plan sets in the book.

Thanks again fellas!

[javeryh]

Awesome. Thank you all for the input.  Originally I was just going to restore a cab I came across for free but I've decided to jump in full force and build my own cab.  The UltArc II is probably going to be much too large so I'm hoping there are a few different plan sets in the book.

Thanks again fellas!

The book is fantastic and it gives a great overview of how things work - definitely read it - but as far as plans it is a little dated.  There are a ton of unbelievable scratch built cabinets from people on this site that make use of newer parts.  Check out ARTIFACT's cab, lokesen's Project Mame cab and anything Knievel has built for some of my favorites...

[miles2912]

Awesome. Thank you all for the input.  Originally I was just going to restore a cab I came across for free but I've decided to jump in full force and build my own cab.  The UltArc II is probably going to be much too large so I'm hoping there are a few different plan sets in the book.

Thanks again fellas!

The book is fantastic and it gives a great overview of how things work - definitely read it - but as far as plans it is a little dated.  There are a ton of unbelievable scratch built cabinets from people on this site that make use of newer parts.  Check out ARTIFACT's cab, lokesen's Project Mame cab and anything Knievel has built for some of my favorites...

I agree %100 here.  Do some browsing on the site there is a ton of good info here. 

[mameotron]

I agree with the estimates given for the cost of the wood, but you gotta remember lumber prices can change daily.  With the aftermath of the hurricane, prices may shoot up quickly.

[shmokes]

Those little unforeseen costs will bite you hard.  Got a 1 1/8" drill bit?  *Ding* there's $8.  Oh, what's that?  you want to be able to open your CP.  *Ding* piano hinge - $15.  You plan to paint it?  *Ding* $20.  Oh, you're gonna laminate it instead since it looks so nice and the laminate is only about twice as expensive as paint.  Wrong, cos now you need a bucket of contact cement, throwaway brushes for applying it, a J-roller and some a bunch of dowels, not to mention a flush trim bit for your router.  *Ding* add another $60 to the cost of the laminate.  You're installing t-molding, right?  Wrong!  At least, not without a slot-cutter bit for your router -- $20.  Want a keyboard tray?  Drawer slides will run another $15.

Screws, glass clips, hinges, wires, casters, glue, clamps, files, chisels, drill bits, sand paper.  And this is mostly just for supplies.  You'll likely end up buying yourself a couple of tools if you don't have them already.  Got a router?  A jigsaw?

One thing that has got me loads of times is buying hardware that ends up not working.  I run into a problem and think of a potential solution in my head.  Then I wander around Home Depot or Ace Hardware looking for whatever I've imagined up in my head.  I'll find something that looks like it will do the trick, only to get it home and test it out and find out that it's not going to work after all.  Then it's back to the hardware store to spend even more money on another solution that *might* do the trick.

[ChadTower]

It cost me $92 for three sheets of 5/8" MDFand $8 for a 2x4 just three weeks ago, so that's a pretty good guess TAG.

Did you just say $8 for a 2x4?  Was it 50' long or something?

[Chadwick]

Like others have said, plan on low end of $500 and high end near $1000.  Then add the cost of the computer and you'll have a close estimate.

[Benevolance]

Did you just say $8 for a 2x4?  Was it 50' long or something?

It was titanium-plated, reclaimed Ginko wood. Perfect for planing into a 2x4 and hiding in the bottom of an arcade cabinet. 

Naw, it was just...10' Western Fir, I think. They didn't have any cheap 2x4's left in stock, so I took what I could get.

[ChadTower]

Did you just say $8 for a 2x4?  Was it 50' long or something?

It was titanium-plated, reclaimed Ginko wood. Perfect for planing into a 2x4 and hiding in the bottom of an arcade cabinet. 

Naw, it was just...10' Western Fir, I think. They didn't have any cheap 2x4's left in stock, so I took what I could get.

I bet if you head to Texas right about now you could find quite a few 2x4s lying around.

[payment_due]

Did you just say $8 for a 2x4?  Was it 50' long or something?

It was titanium-plated, reclaimed Ginko wood. Perfect for planing into a 2x4 and hiding in the bottom of an arcade cabinet. 

Naw, it was just...10' Western Fir, I think. They didn't have any cheap 2x4's left in stock, so I took what I could get.

I bet if you head to Texas right about now you could find quite a few 2x4s lying around.

hey! we resemble that remark!