Finally doing a MAME, need some control panel advice.

OregonPacman

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Finally doing a MAME, need some control panel advice.

Got this cabinet free a while back. The hardware doesn't work and the monitor is toast (bad tube). I decided that after 10 years, it was finally time for me to do a MAME. I have the cabinet stripped down right now, so I am pretty much ready to build it up. I am trying to round up a computer and monitor for it. I will probably use and I-PAC but I don't know what I am going to do for controls yet. I want to got with a single stick with 2 buttons ambidexterous. The problem is that because this was a touch screen game, there is no control panel to speak of. I have thought about adding some sort of metal or wood box to the front but I am not great at that kind of thing. The service door is directly below the "hood" that flips up for monitor access. So it looks as though I would have to bolt something to the hood itself.

Any thoughts would be helpful. I can provide better pictures tomorrow.
 

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Probably not the answer you want to hear, but aside from building a box on the front to make it function somewhat like a candy cab, I don't know how else you could assemble a control panel for that shape.
That thing would make an awesome jukebox or mame slot machine though for sure adding buttons like these to the front:
http://na.suzohapp.com/pushbuttons/igtreplacement.htm

I think I'd look around for another upright either free or on the cheap in your area. By the time you bought lumber to build a control panel, tools required, paint, etc you'd likely have the same amount invested that you would have had in a better empty upright cab.
 
Honestly, just find a better cab to mame. I just can't see a nice way to mame that thing.
 
I ran into a similar problem with my (in-progress) MAME cab. I'm using an Outrun cabinet (had water damage and all the goodies pulled). I'll end up bolting a box to the front to house the new controls. The only problem I see with yours is the end result of that might look ugly. I'm sure it can be done, just a matter of figuring out where to cut and mount.
 
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