My Summer Project

[Erumaron]

I dig this thread. Something new and interesting to scope out and watch your progress. Someday we'll usurp the Discovery channel and it will be - FOHSS: How it's Made.

[Grooverider]

This is really great, inspiring infact. I have decided to get myself a summer project along this kind of line.

I've looked at ebay for coin-ops, but they are all so pricey in the UK. Like $1000..

Ack!

[Hasto]

You probably already know about this place, but I used it last year when I was replacing some parts in my joysticks for some fighting games I love.

MikesArcade.com - Featured Products

[BigMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by Grooverider

This is really great, inspiring infact. I have decided to get myself a summer project along this kind of line.

I've looked at ebay for coin-ops, but they are all so pricey in the UK. Like $1000..

Ack!

Even Ebay US tends to be pricey. I have much better luck finding "bargains" on my local Craigslist.. but I know that doesn't help you any. I like to find them local so I can pick them up myself. Shipping costs can run you more than you paid for the machine otherwise.

[aychamo_aycono]

What search terms do you use? stand up? arcade machine?

[BigMovieBuff]

I just search "Arcade"

You'll get xbox and PS3 hits, but you'll catch all the arcades.

[Cathan]

I'd love to build an old streetfighter 2, sf2 champion and sf2 turbo machines. There's a guy locally that says he can build a single machine for about $400 or he can put an assload of games on a big gauntlet style machine for like $2000. If I had my own house I would have at least one arcade style machine, I'd love that combo machine with a bunch of games on it...

[Alexzandra]

I highly recommend Lizard Lick for replacement arcade parts. I've bought from them several times and have always been really happy. /shill

Lizard Lick Amusements - Arcade Machines and Arcade Machine Parts

[dubb01]

I'm curious how many other people saw this thread and got interested in finding a machine for themselves. I've actually been looking for one of these for a couple years and just decided to check my local craigslist after seeing this thread.

I'm pretty sure I'll recoup my money on this by getting people to play it as I've got a place to set it up that sees a lot of foot-traffic on a weekly basis.

I think the joysticks need replacing as it's almost impossible to do special moves on the couple fighting cartridges that came with it, so thanks to whoever posted the links to the sites for that kind of thing.

[BigMovieBuff]

Nice find on the Neo Geo!

I managed to get a lot of work done on the MK2 this past weekend. Painted some things during the work week. Here's the finished control panel waiting for the overlay which I should have tomorrow. The last pic you saw was bare wood. To get to this pic I skimmed the wood with drywall mud to close the grain. Then I sanded, primed, sanded, painted, sanded, painted, and finally lacquered 2x. It looks so nice I'm almost going to regret covering most of it. I also gave the coin door a fresh coat paint.

http://www.fohguild.org/forums/attac...1&d=1215479611

[BigMovieBuff]

I picked up a 4' x 12' piece of black laminate (matte finish) on Thursday so I could get that done during the long weekend. I spent most of the day Friday laminating the sides and front of the cabinet. The pics below show some steps of the process. First I cut the sheet into two pieces 4' x 6' each. I then clamped a piece to each side and traced the outline of the cab using a fat marks-a-lot marker. Next I got out the laminate router and traced the line with the fence of the router which gave me about 1-3/8" of offset.. a comfortable margin of error for precision trimming later.

The second pic is the rough cut laminate after rolling contact adhesive on it and waiting for it to dry. I also rolled the adhesive on the side of the cabinet and placed 1/4" dowels on surface because you only get one shot at that shit and it is STUCK. I pulled the dowels out one at a time as I rolled the laminate after alignment.

Oh! I also stopped just before laminating to get out the primer and sharpie so I could add a little something special for someone else to uncover 20 years from now...
http://www.fohguild.org/forums/attac...1&d=1215479933

[BigMovieBuff]

Here's 3 more pics, first one is a side shot of the cabinet after trimming with my router using a 1/4" flush trim bit with ball bearing. The second shot is of the front after putting on the new red T-molding. I also painted and leveled the monitor bezel (it was about 1/4" out of level). Finally a side shot of the cab with the new T-molding on... it looks sharp!
http://www.fohguild.org/forums/attac...1&d=1215480726

[Kais[]]

that's coming together really nice. good work man!

[BigMovieBuff]

Been doing a little work every night and I'm just about done, just need to do some finishing touches. I bought a set of 3 keyed-alike cam locks and put them on the back door, coin door, and cash box door. My new marquee came so I installed that with some right angle aluminum that I cut to length, painted black, then pre-drilled for screws.

I also put the artwork on the control panel, drilled the holes for the buttons + joysticks, then wired them all up and installed the control panel. I'm very happy with my choice to go with red joysticks. Overall it was a very fun project and I can't wait to sell this one and buy another one.

On with the pics...

[Hathe]

Badass. I was going to recommend a few things for patchwork, but it looks like you've got it all covered pretty well. I may have skipped over this, but will you do any additional art / decals on the side panels? Regardless, the black laminate looks a hell of a lot better than the thick gray one.