MAME arcade idea

My own Arcade Game Cabinet

I grew up when pinball and arcade machines ruled before video games could be played at home.

I found out about MAME software some time ago to use on a PC or Mac.  I could play a few arcade titles but only a handful were out there.


Where to Start ?

• Get a Computer working with MAME
• Find a TV to use.  Buy a video cable
• Buy a set of Controls - X-Arcade

Finding Plans

• LuSID basic cabinet plan
• Scale model out of styrofoam

Buying Materials

• MDO from Menards
• Screws, wood putty, paint

 Cutting side panels

• Measure twice, cut once
• Take big sheet of 4x8 MDF signboard.  Trace out design. Make it one inch taller.
• Find yourself a pool table with a ping-pong table cover as a huge sawhorse for cutting

Cutting with circular saw made a lot of dust.

Cutting this stuff is very dusty.
I put the shop vac to great use in between a lot of cuts.
Clamping the sides together made identical cuts in each side.
Having the ping-pong tabletop made clamping down the wood very easy to hold it while cutting.

Finished the side pieces.  See how they look next to the TV.

The sides of the cabinet look good.

Build a support box for the bottom of the cabinet.
Deciding to put casters on the bottom means flipping over the box.  Easier to place the casters on the 'top' of the box this way.  The computer will sit inside the box now instead of on top of it.

Cut the inside shelving based on dimensions in the plans.

But what are the angles for the TV shelf or the shelf above the TV?

Let's try a few angles with the TV template.

Oh, yeah, let's just put the TV in there and see how it fits...

Sheila is checking the angles.

Let's put the other side now that we have dry-fitted the interior shelves.
Make sure the sides are plumb, says Uncle Andy !

Use a pipe clamp to hold the box together as the glue is drying.

Then you can screw it together.

Looking pretty good now.  Let's put the computer in it with the TV.  The gamestick just fits between the shelf 'arms' so we can play if we are careful.

Check the back piece for fit.
Actually, I cut this piece in half so one part would go on the angled top.  The remainder was used as a back piece.

Time to build the front shelf for the cabinet.  A lot of angles and figures before cutting any wood.  The front piece went on first and the shelf pieces were installed.  This effort took a couple of days.

A little wood putty over the screw holes.  Using a water/latex-based putty this time versus a solvent-based putty.  Not much difference in texture, but easier cleanup.

You can see below that I put in a solid piece where some people put a coin box.  All my games are played for free by pressing a button on the side of the gamestick box.

I also built a shelf to hold my gamestick box.  The rubber feet on the bottom will (almost) keep it in place unless you really play hard and jerk the box around.

Stand it back up, sand down the putty once it dries.

Put a paper mockup of the marquee sign over the top.  I bought a 16" LED two-row light instead of a fluorescent bulb to light up the sign from the back.