Arcade project in Estonia

[Allan Bernard]

Hi Folks.

There are tons of good (and even better) looking arcade cabinets/control panels/controllers etc. etc. on this board. So mine isn't going to be that special.

The idea of this thread is (hopefully) to get in touch with Estonian console builders, who might be browsing this forum (like me). There is only one other Estonian arcade hobbyist that I know of in forum - but his thread ended in a small flame war.

Jah ma olen tõesti Eestist, Tallinnas täpsemalt. Kui sa teemast huvitud ja seda lugema satud - võta ühendust. Ma olen suht kindel, et ma pole selles hobis üksi ja lahe oleks teada mida sa teinud oled/teha plaanid. Nõu ja jõuga saan oma võimete piires vabalt aidata.

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I have made some small things on the arcade front before, but my latest project is a portable control panel, based on Knievels awesome work (once again - no surprise there).

This is a work in progress and it's slow going (arcade isn't currently one of my top priorities). Still the top is almost complete and functional and I'm working on the box itself.

(Layout HEAVILY inspired by Knievel, overlay from MameMarquees, controls from Ultimarc)



All credits for the layout will have to go to Knievel. My only modifications are:
* Removed the dedicated 4-way (since I'm using Ultimarc's switchable joysticks)
* Minor changes to artwork.


Soldered ratsnest, before cleaning up




Cleaned up wiring


I added a MOLEX connector to the trackball, using hot glue. Its 12V pin is wired directly to the trackballs led (12V). Also the control button led's (menu, pause, mouse etc.) are connected to its 5V pin. I can either power it, using a PC or a external supply unit with a molex plug. (I could have used 5V LEDs for the trackball but since I'm going to use an external power source anyway, I went for a (brighter) 12 one.)


Ready and lit up.




(The Plexi is a bit dusty on the picture.) I meticulously polished _all_ edges of the plexi (including the button holes). This way, light from the translucent buttons, passes through the glass and makes the edges of the panel "glow" - in life, look's even more stunning. (The edge HAS a T-Molding which overlaps the plexi but a well polished edge shines despite of that.)

[DaOld Man]

Wow! Nice job!
Neat cleaning up the wiring too..

[Franco B]

Yep, very nice indeed! Kudos on the wiring job too 

You have gotta love that artwork, I used the same image on my 1st build.

[DaOld Man]

I do love that artwork!
I wonder if there is anyway to put that on black laminate? (Not intending to hijack this thread, just wondering.)