Almost finished with my first home made arcade! Pics!

[kynrek]

I've spent the last 2 days trying to finish up my first arcade cab. It's a 60-in-1 board (hence the multiple character decals). I decided to make my own tabletop cabinet because I didn't want to destroy an original cab and I wanted to save space.

Here I a before pic:



And after:

[dominoid]

Great work there, it looks ace.

Sent from my X10i using Tapatalk

[thedevilbunny]

Very nice work! That'll be handle and mobile...a good choice of design.

[oddword]

Nice job!!! What did you use for the monitor? I have been thinking about building something like this so I can play and sit with the wife while I watch tv.

[Brumisator]

I'm sorry to be "that guy", but if that were my work, I'd scrap it and use what I learned from building it to make a better cab.



1) The sawing on your marquee, the thing above the screen, is all wobbly. I suggest you use a good old fashioned handsaw to get a cleaner, straighter cut.

2) Try painting the parts before you assemble them, that way you won't get those ugly bits around the control panel where your painting utensil didn't reach.

3) Try assembling the pieces around the screen like this (nevermind the hole in the middle, it's just a pic from google images):



That way, the seam will be easier to hide and it won't look as clumsy even if the seam is visible.
Also, why did you leave the edges surrounding the screen white? I guess it's a personal choice, but I'd paint it black as well (while listening to some Rolling Stones).

4) I'd add a horizontal flat piece of wood on top of the cab, it just looks weirdly hollow with that marquee "crown", same for the underside of the marquee.

5) touch up the paint in places where your cutting wasn't perfect, like at the #4 location.

And some other small flaws I'll pass over.


Sorry for the criticism, I'm only trying to be helpful. And no, I'm not an expert woodworker either, I know it's harder than it looks to build something like this.

So A for effort, and if you don't mind these details, more power to you, enjoy your cab!

[miner2049er]

I'm sorry to be "that guy"

Ha! It beats my test rig hands down.

http://www.jamesonline.net/arcade/images/crapmame.jpg

[eldphm]

Kynrek, what kind of laminate did you use to cover your cab, is it easy to cut and what did you use to fasten it to the sides?
(edit. I saw Miner2049ers suggestion in another thread, is that what you used?)

Where did you get the stickers?
I will make a tabletop cab myself when I get the time. One of my close friends is a furniture carpenter, so I might cash in some hours of computer support in exchange for some help with the build.

[random_dave]

Ha! It beats my test rig hands down.

http://www.jamesonline.net/arcade/images/crapmame.jpg

I'll see your test rig and raise you a prototype joystick


as you were gents..

[Brumisator]

random_dave, that stick of yours is worthy of enshrinement! It is purely genius!

Hell, I'm making an online petition to get your work displayed in the Smithsonian museum!

[kynrek]

I'm sorry to be "that guy", but if that were my work, I'd scrap it and use what I learned from building it to make a better cab.



1) The sawing on your marquee, the thing above the screen, is all wobbly. I suggest you use a good old fashioned handsaw to get a cleaner, straighter cut.

2) Try painting the parts before you assemble them, that way you won't get those ugly bits around the control panel where your painting utensil didn't reach.

3) Try assembling the pieces around the screen like this (nevermind the hole in the middle, it's just a pic from google images):



That way, the seam will be easier to hide and it won't look as clumsy even if the seam is visible.
Also, why did you leave the edges surrounding the screen white? I guess it's a personal choice, but I'd paint it black as well (while listening to some Rolling Stones).

4) I'd add a horizontal flat piece of wood on top of the cab, it just looks weirdly hollow with that marquee "crown", same for the underside of the marquee.

5) touch up the paint in places where your cutting wasn't perfect, like at the #4 location.

And some other small flaws I'll pass over.


Sorry for the criticism, I'm only trying to be helpful. And no, I'm not an expert woodworker either, I know it's harder than it looks to build something like this.

So A for effort, and if you don't mind these details, more power to you, enjoy your cab!

Thanks for the feedback!