Time to build my own Arcade Cabinet!...

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Hi all,

I have been doing my research for a while now on sites like BYOAC/arcadecontrols.com and mameworld etc. and i think its time to build my own full size arcade machine.

Ive okayed putting it in the spare room with the wife and my son is dying to get this project started, so i have my first steps covered.

I have an electronics backround, so soldering and wiring it should be no prob (no x-arcade controls for me!) and i am pretty handy enough with woodwork so all bases covered so far.

I have finalised that i will use the Maximus arcade front end with mame as i have other console games i would like to emulate too... and maximus looks the nicest to me for a simple front end so that any of my friends or my sons friends can use it without a half hour instruction lesson from me!


Where i am finding it hard is now, as i am only in the start of planning this build and the only thing i have for this build so far is the pc it will run on. (my pc specs are higher than mame requires with plenty of memory and storage - so covered there).

I would love to get advice from the arcade cab users and owners on here... basically for advice on what thickness and what particular timber to use, which of the many sites to purchase buttons/joysticks from, advice on the dos and donts of the build and for general advice on the build that is ahead of me.

I am based in county Meath and can travel to see cabs and builds as i would love to take some pics and get advice on my future build face to face if possible.

The sort of style/design/shape i am thinking of at the moment is along the lines of this...



Funds are tight, so im trying to keep costs down on this build, so all advice is and will be appreciated. I will post pics as the build goes on.

Thanks.

sengoku

Typically, they have been made with 3/4" chipboard. In the last 10/20 years metal/plastic cabs have appeared e.g. Sega Naomi and Atomiswave.

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i was thinking 3/4" myself... and jesus those plastic/metal cabs are ugly and too futuristic IMO.

Retro upright (like pictured above) is the way i think i will go.

Optimus Prime

Hey There!

Im in the process of building my one myself, thread here, might be worth a read through just to pick up on things i didnt think of along the way.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056152726

I used 3/4 mdf, you will need a lot of primer when painting, at least 3 coats sanding in between before you paint it black.

You will need to route the edges for TMolding so you will need a router, the correct bit and the tmoulding which you can get here:

http://www.t-molding.com/store/home.php

I bought mine from this site.

I would suggest you take a look at Hyperspin for your front end, i originally went with max arcade myself but its not as nice looking, once you get all the themes etc up and running its great to look at it. plus it has a lot more support than max arcade does. The themes are a bit of a processer hog but its worth it. it supports all the emulators and a jukebox etc too.

I bought my buttons etc from a combination of ultimarc.com and gremlinsolutions.co.uk

You need to decide if you are just going to use an lcd screen, a tv, or an arcade monitor. Originally i bought an arcadevga card and was trying to get it to work with a tv put i gave up and am just using a big lcd with scanlines to simulate an arcade monitor. its a personal choice though so explore all options.

Your best bet for arcade art for it is probably gameongraphics, im going to be getting mine from there soon enough.

Good luck with it! and enjoy building!

K.O.Kiki

Build a Vewlix clone:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/donovanmyers/sets/72157615957035070/
14. Play Street Fighter IV! by Donovan Myers, on Flickr

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K.O.Kiki wrote: »

Build a Vewlix clone:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/donovanmyers/sets/72157615957035070/
14. Play Street Fighter IV! by Donovan Myers, on Flickr

Ahhhhhhhhhh............ no.

Too modern!