Home made mame cabs

[ShinraArcade]

I've built three MAME cabinets from scratch...here are the last two I built which are small cabinets built around 14" TVs, designed to be played sat down:

http://www.ukvac.com/forum/vertical-minicabaret_topic335372.html

http://www.ukvac.com/forum/horizontal-minicabaret_topic343283_page1.html

Very nice Minwah, don't think anyone could complain about not having enough space for a cab with one of these!

Just a few questions if you don't mind..

Is your portable TV RGB or just composite?

How did you go about making the front of the control panel perfectly rounded?

How thick is the Formica and is it easy to work with?

 

[ShinraArcade]

I built one quite a while back. Was jamma wired but had mame too. Yes its lcd but it was a great cab to play. I regret getting rid of it now tbh.

Not seen a cab with 2 steering wheels like that before, is it based on a particular game? can't quite read the Marquee.

You say it had mame, did you switch out the CP or just play drivers?

 

[strykr]

HI Shinra, yeah it (was) a dedicated Wheels Runner Cab. Ive been looking for one since i joined the hobby, have the PCB but no cab.

The wheels were 360 optical, so with mame on i played champ sprint, super sprint, hot rod, pole position etc I miss it!

 

[_Matt_]

It's Wheels Runner, nice cab!

edit: beat me to it

_Matt_2019-12-09 22:38:56

 

[strykr]

One day ill find one... one day...

 

[_Matt_]

Yeah, I've got the marquee but never seen a cab apart from on the flyer

 

[strykr]

Ive seen one. Possibly the only one. Was on a family holiday at a warner holiday camp when i was a kid. Played the crap out of it. Never saw it again.

I like to bore people with that story every few years just in case someone comes across one

strykr2019-12-09 23:08:39

 

[minwah]

Very nice Minwah, don't think anyone could complain about not having enough space for a cab with one of these!

Thanks!

Is your portable TV RGB or just composite?

I used TV's with RGB equipped Scart inputs as I think RGB is a must.

How did you go about making the front of the control panel perfectly rounded?

I routed the edge with a bit like this (think I have this exact one actually):

https://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-shank-rounding-over-bit-31-8-x-17-5mm/33100

How thick is the Formica and is it easy to work with?

It is approx. 0.7mm thick. The steps required are as follows:

1) Cut the laminate to the size of the wood plus an inch or two all round to allow for error. I use a stanley knife & metal rule and score repeatedly on the back side to do this.

2) Clean the wood & laminate surfaces to be stuck with white spirit to remove all dust etc.

3) Apply contact adhesive to wood & laminate (& wait until adhesive is no longer 'wet').

4) Stick the laminate to the wood, starting at one end and pressing down as you go.

5) Apply pressure for a while if possible (eg clamp a piece of wood on top of laminate).

6) Use a router with (sharp) flush trim bearing bit to trim edges of laminate: https://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-shank-pro-flush-trim-bit-12-7-x-25-4mm/74505

The difficult (& nerve wracking) part is step 4 - if you accidentally touch part of it in the wrong place then it's game over for that piece of wood (& laminate). You have to be very careful. For large pieces where it is impossible to hold the laminate, after applying the adhesive, I use several lengths of metal pipe rested on the wood (it won't stick to the adhesive), then lay the laminate on top of that in the correct position, keeping it separated from the wood by the metal pipe. Remove the lengths of pipe one at a time starting from one end and press down.

 

[ShinraArcade]

HI Shinra, yeah it (was) a dedicated Wheels Runner Cab. Ive been looking for one since i joined the hobby, have the PCB but no cab.

Not heard of it, looks like a sort of Skidmarks (Amiga) game. I'll find it in Mame and give it a try, maybe I can use a mouse wheel if it doesn't work well with a stick

 

[ShinraArcade]

Thanks for the info Minwah.

Never came across an RGB portable back in the day, I must have only come across the cheap ones.

Thanks for explaining the Formica process, sounds like hard work, but looks like it paid off for you. I'll stick to vinyl for now but maybe one day...

I've only ever used a router for T-molding, was wracking my brain before trying to figure out how to get a nice curved edge at the front so have always gone with a strip of T-molding instead. Think I'll have a play with the router once the weather warms up again.

 

[_Matt_]

Ive seen one. Possibly the only one. Was on a family holiday at a warner holiday camp when i was a kid. Played the crap out of it. Never saw it again.

I like to bore people with that story every few years just in case someone comes across one

Wow that's cool! I'd love to be able to remember exactly which cabs I played games in. I could have played it myself but I'd never remember. To busy staring at the screen.

 

[strykr]

Ive seen one. Possibly the only one. Was on a family holiday at a warner holiday camp when i was a kid. Played the crap out of it. Never saw it again.

I like to bore people with that story every few years just in case someone comes across one

Wow that's cool! I'd love to be able to remember exactly which cabs I played games in. I could have played it myself but I'd never remember. To busy staring at the screen.

It really resonated with me. Had really good competitions with a few other kids and people crowded round. Plus there was girl i really fancied on that holiday in the arcade

. So i remember it all well. And that was compounded by going to southend arcades every weekend and never seeing it.

 

[minwah]

Thanks for the info Minwah.

Never came across an RGB portable back in the day, I must have only come across the cheap ones.

Occasionally the cheap ones have RGB...I have a Matsui one in the vertical machine which does and is actually brilliant picture. However most 14" Matsui / Grundig etc ones do not have RGB. Sony / Panasonic etc ones almost certainly will have RGB.

Thanks for explaining the Formica process, sounds like hard work, but looks like it paid off for you. I'll stick to vinyl for now but maybe one day...

I've only ever used a router for T-molding, was wracking my brain before trying to figure out how to get a nice curved edge at the front so have always gone with a strip of T-molding instead. Think I'll have a play with the router once the weather warms up again.

Have a go - the curved (radiused) edge is a piece of cake to do with the bit I linked to. As easy or easier than doing a t-moulding slot. Just keep the router level and you're golden.

 

[ShinraArcade]

Occasionally the cheap ones have RGB...I have a Matsui one in the vertical machine which does and is actually brilliant picture. However most 14" Matsui / Grundig etc ones do not have RGB. Sony / Panasonic etc ones almost certainly will have RGB.

[/QUOTE]

I have one at work I keep meaning to bring home (for 3 years!), thought there was no chance it would be RGB but would be ideal to sit on my desk for my RGB Pi Scart thing.. have a few 23" but don't have the desk space so they live in the garage.

Have a go - the curved (radiused) edge is a piece of cake to do with the bit I linked to. As easy or easier than doing a t-moulding slot. Just keep the router level and you're golden.

[/QUOTE]

I'm sure once I get started there [font="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]won't [/font]be any external 90[font="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]° angles left in the house![/font]

How does the CPO adhere to the rounded edge I guess you seal it with something first.

What's the CPO made from/ how thick is it?

 

[minwah]

I'm sure once I get started there [font="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]won't [/font]be any external 90[font="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]° angles left in the house![/font]

I've a tendancy to use it a lot...my shed workbench, computer room bench, dart boart blackboard etc all have radiused edges!

How does the CPO adhere to the rounded edge I guess you seal it with something first.

What's the CPO made from/ how thick is it?

I used MDF so sealed it. I think I used oil based paint on that one but I now often use two or three coats of diluted wood glue and then a few coats of water based paint. Lightly sanding in between coats to get a nice smooth finish.

CPO is laminated vinyl so not very thick, will adhere no problem.