John's Arcade Forum - Classic Arcade and Pinball Collecting and Restoring Discussion Forum - RETRO MAME - Nintendo Vs Forum

I have make a lot of research on google and stuff about making arcade cabinet. I really want to make one, and I think of having the skills for it. I want to start with something that is quite simple so I decide old making a dragon's lair 2 arcade cabinet. I have found the plans to make as the original one here: http://www.jakobud.com/plan-list.php . Basically I'm thinking of making a fake one using a old pc and install Daphne emulator on it. There is the parts that I will order/buy soon:
-MDF wood ( a lot! )
-Old Dell pc
-monitor (What size? what type?)
- 1 4 ways joystick
- arcade buttons
- etc...
So you get where I want to go with my project but there is just 2 little things that I don't know what to do to make it like the real one. First: the screen, as I said before I don't know what size to use and do you have a idea of what type I should use to make it as the original one? Second: very simple, I guest, how make the sword button? Thanks for helping everyone, it's very appreciated!!!!!! 

MDF wood is the cheap option and if you are going to be building yourself one I would recommend cabinet grade plywood if you can afford it (runs about twice the cost as MDF).
An old PC will be just fine.
You need a 19 inch monitor, ether LCD or CRT (go with CRT if you can)
for a CRT you will need to set up soft15khz or buy an arcadeVGA adapter. You won't be able to use Soft15khz with intel graphics.
I recommend the Jpac adapter from ultimarc.com and use a CRT. that way you can use a jamma harness and the jpac to get input and video out.
You will need an audio amp and an 8 inch 4 ohm speaker.

you're sure that a 19 inch CRT monitor is the right size, the cabinet looks like a big cabinet so I was thinking of a 25 inch monitor.

I used regular particle board on my DL build and it turned out fine. I used a 22" led that I found on sale and running daphne on a new pc. The machine plays awesome! Here is a video link of my machine running. I have a few pics of the build but don't know how to load pics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws9CRDVEY7g

(19" is factory on DL)

i did some digging, and it is a 25 inch non-flat monitor.

thanks a lot man!

The original one kept score above the game screen.
im using a 24 inch lcd tv myself , you can just use a flatscreen monitor .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVKJyAPFHAo
this machine cost me 250 in parts (tv is new from best buy)  to make , it plays dragons lair, space ace and time warp.  I almost have it running MACH 3.