Redemption Denied

All Finished

2010-07-01T08:25:00.000-07:00

I'm gonna start at the end here, then do a build up story.

Specs:

2.7 Ghz Intel Core2 Duo
NVidia GT220 1gb
2gb system memory
500gb SATA Hard drive
19" Dell Lcd monitor running 1280X1024 resolution @75hz
500w PSU

2X Ultimarc Ultrastick 360 analogue joysticks
Ultimarc Ipac 2 keyboard encoder
2X Sony Xplod 4" Speakers powered a 20w X2 motorcycle amplifier
2X cold cathode case light kits
Various illuminated and standard arcade buttons.

Software:
Windows XP
Hyperspin Frontend
Mame 0.137
Mess
Kega Fusion
Nestopia
Zsnes
Project 64
Virtual Pinball
Future Pinball

Starting Out

2010-06-02T01:15:00.000-07:00

I bought a 19" LCD monitor to use with my PS3, I made sure I got one with DVI so I could use a DVI-HDMI cable. I didn't know that there was an analogue DVI as well, I just thought DVI stood for Digital Video Interface, lesson learned. It sat around for about 3 months collecting dust. Having already Mame'd an old arcade cabinet a few years ago I decided to have a go at making a bartop.

I began researching and came across Weecade, there were plans on the site which I modified to fit a 19" monitor and 2X6 button controls, so my cabinet ended up a little taller, wider and deeper. I bought a 3.2ghz P4 and motherboard to suit, 2gb ram, I already had a 170gb and 200gb SATA hard drives, I found an old CoolerMaster gaming tower in a hard rubbish collection which I ganked the fans and video card out of.

I then ordered 2x Sanwa joysticks, a heap of pushbuttons/microswitches and an Ultimarc Ipac2 keyboard encoder from Ozstick. The fun had begun.

Getting the Panels Cut.

2010-05-29T00:27:00.000-07:00

I had a plan drawn on a piece of MDF, getting someone to cut the pieces out for me was the hard part. After two cabinet makers expressing their extreme disinterest in my project I found a third that seemed would get the job done, I left my plan there for a month having checked in fornightly I decided to try somewhere else, I found an awesome cabinetmaker who programmed my plan into his CNC router, it wasn't a new one that you could just import a cad file into but still did an equally awesome job.

He charged me $90 to redraw my plans into his machine and $50 for materials, he also cut two extra side panels so I could practice cutting t-moulding channels. Just to the side of the photo you can see the floor, back, roof and speaker panels which the cabinet maker cut for me on the spot, all panels were cut from 18mm black Melamine because I wasn't keen on painting MDF. All the cutting out was done within a week of me first visiting him, top service.

My goal was to make a clean looking bartop cabinet with everything a basic full sized cabinet has, no visible screws and one external power lead with every device inside turning on and off with the PC.