Summer Project - DIY Arcade cabinet for the den.

[SteveT]

(Can't find a good place for this post - mods feel free to move).

So I've been thinking about building an arcade cabinet for a few years..... and this summer decided to take the plunge. The project is ongoing, here's a few pics for those who are interested in making weird stuff in the garage....

Primary goal was to take a small form-factor raspberry PI computer, an old LCD display panel, run the arcade emualtor s/w, buy some controls and build a full sided cabinet, capable of playing Pacman and Donkey Kong.

Mocked up some basic sizes in SketchUp, extruded the design into 3D, picture attached.
$60 ish in lumbar so far, $50 ish for a set of arcade controls. $20, wheels.... Controls are customer soldered, wired to the rPI using a USB controller.
Unit needs to be painted (black)
No coinbox - this is intensional.
Wife has been working on some Arcade artwork, not sure how she's going to attach.
A couple of pieces to finish off, including a small rear door, fron plastic, lightbox at the top (and artwork).
I need some plastic to cover the control surface (else it will get dirty), I need to think about this.
I might try and get the wife to draw up a nice large gun related piece of artwork for one of the sides, your ideas are welcome here.

Its fully functional as is though. A quick pic show Donkey Kong in action. Its close to completion project wise.

Probably all in $150-200 when complete.

Anyone else built anything similar?

Next time I'd recess the front of the cabinet so its easier to sit at with a stool...... Whoops.

[TTSkipper]

Nice I have been thinking of building a table top cabinet with retro pi to sit on the bar in the basement.

[Llaara]

This is awesome! My son is fascinated with retro games. He'd love this!

[SteveT]

Nice I have been thinking of building a table top cabinet with retro pi to sit on the bar in the basement.

nice..... if I can help with anything then let me know. (esp the rPI configuration, joysticks, soldering etc).

One of the things I learned is that there is a certain amount of "half-assing" the internal supports to fit your screen, height, angle etc..... much more than you'd think. Get the cabinet roughly the right shape, have a sense of where the controls are, then play everything else by ear.

[SirMixAlot]

You can use plexiglass and high quality forstner bits cover the control deck. Just make sure you have enough height threading on the buttons to accommodate the MDF and plexiglass thickness.

You don't need to recess the cabinet for barstool access. Just rebuild the controls deck so that it overhangs 6 to 8 inches for easier access when sitting at cabinet with a barstool.

One person is cool, but being able to accommodate two players on barstools is much better and more fun.

6 buttons per joystick to accommodate Street Fighter and Defender?

Trackball for Crystal Castle, Centipede, and Golden Tee?

T molding for the exposed edges of MDF cabinet?

Slide out drawer for keyboard?

[SteveT]

You can use plexiglass and high quality forstner bits cover the control deck. Just make sure you have enough height threading on the buttons to accommodate the MDF and plexiglass thickness.

Great feedback, thanks. I need to find a local source for plexiglass.

You don't need to recess the cabinet for barstool access. Just rebuild the controls deck so that it overhangs 6 to 8 inches for easier access when sitting at cabinet with a barstool.

One person is cool, but being able to accommodate two players on barstools is much better and more fun.

I did debate the overhang but when I tried it - I really didn't like it. I guess is a preference thing. I also considered dual controls, in fact I actually bought dual controls with the expectation of installing. In the end the games I really care about are single active player and I like being centered in the display...... I guess its another preference thing.

6 buttons per joystick to accommodate Street Fighter and Defender?
Trackball for Crystal Castle, Centipede, and Golden Tee?

Not that interested in those titles to be honest, my original goals/games were met.

I did originally look at the X-arcade - but thought - where the fun in that.... I'd rather build / solder something myself - and learn a few things.... accepting that I wouldn't have a trackball.

T molding for the exposed edges of MDF cabinet?

Next cabinet, yes. This was a 'get my feet wet' project.

Slide out drawer for keyboard?

Nope. Don't need it.

[Hunter]

This is really cool. Great job on it.

[Paté]

Nice job! I bought an old cabinet and built it up using an emulator. This place is a goldmine for info http://forums.arcade-museum.com/

[SteveT]

Nice job! I bought an old cabinet and built it up using an emulator. This place is a goldmine for info http://forums.arcade-museum.com/

Noted, thx.

[SirMixAlot]

You can still build a trackball on your control deck using an optipac.

https://www.ultimarc.com/optipac1.html

[Malaka]

My definition of "joystick" is different then all you dorks

[LazyLab]

Cool project! Now fix that flag please.

[sheeple]

That's pretty cool. I'm a fan of old arcade games like Metal Slug etc.

[Hunter]

My definition of "joystick" is different then all you dorks

Only cause your joystick is too small to play games on.

[SteveT]

Cool project! Now fix that flag please.

Hmm, (quick google)..... Damn. Protocol dictates I hang it UNION FIRST. Never realized that. Fixed now.