No cab, no problem! Project: Bartop.

ifkz

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Okay, just remember, we've all got to start somewhere.
I've been thinking of a way to squeeze just one more cab into either my garage or house and this is the idea I came up with: a bartop built from scraps and low cost lumber. My first thought was a general test station and I went from there. So far it has been two weeks after work and now and again on weekends to get it to this skeletonized point. In the end it will house a rebuilt 19 inch G07, two 8 way sticks with six buttons per player.

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This is my first major wood working project. I've built little things before, but nothing this ambitious. My plans have been in my head so far, I have assembled everything with wood glue and clamps, soon I will be drilling pilot holes for screws and braces. I've learned a couple of points:
1. MDF is a horrible product, it cuts bad, it drills bad. I've tried to use wood and plywood whenever I can.
2. Glue is a lot more forgiving than either nails or screws.
3. Free-hand sucks. It is a lot better to clamp and make a guide to get good cuts.

After this gets done, the next step is to get my wiring harness together and tie it into my switcher. My control panel is good to go, it is out of picture and needs to be re-assembled.

Anyone have a AC power center (ISO, fuse)? It would save me $47 instead of having to go with Bob Robert's kit. http://therealbobroberts.net/wirekit.html
 
Updated progress pic, just seeing how everything is fitting together. Anyone have a spare ISO section? It's looking like Bob Robert's do-it-yourself ISO section is going to be it.

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My plans have been in my head so far

If you haven't checked out Google Sketchup yet, I highly recommend that you do. You can model the cabinet and see how everything would fit long before you make your first cut.

I've learned a couple of points:
1. MDF is a horrible product, it cuts bad, it drills bad. I've tried to use wood and plywood whenever I can.

Depends on your tools. Are you using a Skill Saw or Table Saw or ???

What is the tooth count of your blade? The higher the count the better the results.

I've done quite a bit with MDF and it cuts fine, but I'm using a Table Saw with a tooth count of 60. You can get a lot higher then that too. I also recommend the carbide tips.

What you could do, is rough cut the wood larger (1/16" or so) then you need and sand down.

2. Glue is a lot more forgiving than either nails or screws.

Correct. I typically glue it, clamp it, then hit it with a staple gun, or braid.


3. Free-hand sucks. It is a lot better to clamp and make a guide to get good cuts.

Yes it does. I use metal guides that I bought form Home Depot.

Similar to this:

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

If you don't have a router, I would suggest getting one. You can use it to create Dados and Rabit cuts, which will make assembly easier and give the cabinet better strength.
 
Thanks for the comments Arcadenut! And also thanks to everyone for not slamming this project; like I said, it's my first real woodworking project and I'm learning as I go. My tools are very simple, an electric handheld circular saw, clamps, a level, a triangle, and wood glue. This will be the start and end of woodworking for me, I'm surprised it's turned out so well thus far.

After the picture I added some braces and screws to the front. I didn't get a chance to do much else, neighborhood high schoolers (the one I knew and his pals) noticed what I was doing and my garage of arcade games. I was a nice host and let them play a little on each game, explaining the repair work and history of each. The only game they recognized was Pac-Man. The most popular game with all of them was my pinball. This follows the pattern I've seen. Most think the arcade games are cool, but they all get hooked on pinball.

I found it surprising they also really liked my black and white 1976 Night Driver sitdown. It was an unlikely hit with them.
 
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Sides attached with screws, glue, & clamps. Now to cut a back door, top and start painting it :)
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I decided I could not do any more woodworking on the project before I started and finished the electronics side of things. I plan on giving it another coat of paint, adding black to the sides, and painting the interior. The blue buttons on the CP will be wired up to the coin counter inputs

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After a day and night of work, I present my creation, a completely handmade JAMMA harness out of scraps from three incomplete hacked up converted harnesses that conformed to other standards. Thankfully Bob stocked a replacement video cable, all of mine were missing.
HPIM1343.jpg


I started this project thinking it would be a great way to use up my spare parts. I didn't think it would use up so many basic supplies! After my work yesterday, I am completely out of quick disconnects for the control panel. My shrink tube situation isn't much better. I've had to use other things that I kept around for kicks. My monitor tray is secured in place with old lock bar hardware. I had to fish around the bottom of my tools box for any quick disconnects, click cherry switches, and power connectors. I used ever last one of 'em!

Yes, it works!
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I've pulled my Altered Beast cab into double duty. The ISO is running this monitor and the switcher, FYI. Looks like that will be the part I get from Bob Roberts, along with a JAMMA+ adaptor for the other three buttons per player. Time to start saving now that I've gotten this far.
 
Go to Regal Plastics and get a piece of tinted (or clear with a plastic bezel) plexi to put in front of the monitor screen. They'll cut it to the size you want. They're near 183/Mopac behind Pep Boys...
 
Yep, great outfit, I used them before to get a replacement plexi for my Toobin. Right now, the bartop has more of a Gauntlet theme (in other words, the monitor is just out there). My top priority to get an ISO, line filter, fuse block, etc. to power this cab independently.
 
Today I cut a back door and added hinges to it, routed the cables around properly, and got everything else mounted where it should be inside the cab. I moved things around so this can accommodate large PCBs and switch them out with ease (see in the picture). Now to order an ISO. I also think a black plastic monitor shroud would help the look of this thing a lot.

HPIM1344.jpg
 
Cool, the cab could really use something in addition to the board that is there. Since it looked like a bad storm was coming, my fiancée wanted the garage back and I moved the cab inside. Before that, I gave the sides and interior a color change to black, and I found a L bracket for the control panel. It's certainly a lot bigger inside on the desk than in the garage.

Odd that the paint looks so blotchy in the picture. Maybe I'll give it another coat.

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