Help a beginner build a MAME cabinet

[Verminator]

My daughter come with me to the local retro arcades and have a blast and would love a real size cabinet with the fam's favorite classic arcade games on MAME.

So far, I think I need the following:

1) An X-Arcade control panel with the dual joysticks (for Robotron) and track ball (for Centipede, etc.)
2) An older PC... we have one that can go inside the cabinet.
3) A marquee reproduction of my all time favorite game, Zoo Keeper.
4) A monitor... preferably a CRT but I am OK with the LCD monitor to keep costs down.
5) Plenty of side art that I can create on my own due to my artistic nature.
6) A cabinet

#6 seems like the challenge because I would like a cab that can fit the X-Arcade control panel, fit a large enough monitor to handle games of both video orientations (profile and landscape), and a cool Zoo Keeper repro marquee. Any suggestion of sites where I can find clean cabinets (other than X-Arcade that charges a ridiculously high price for cabinets)?

Also, is there anything I am missing?? Or am I approaching this project wrong??

Thanks!

[John's Arcade]

My daughter come with me to the local retro arcades and have a blast and would love a real size cabinet with the fam's favorite classic arcade games on MAME.

So far, I think I need the following:

1) An X-Arcade control panel with the dual joysticks (for Robotron) and track ball (for Centipede, etc.)
2) An older PC... we have one that can go inside the cabinet.
3) A marquee reproduction of my all time favorite game, Zoo Keeper.
4) A monitor... preferably a CRT but I am OK with the LCD monitor to keep costs down.
5) Plenty of side art that I can create on my own due to my artistic nature.
6) A cabinet

#6 seems like the challenge because I would like a cab that can fit the X-Arcade control panel, fit a large enough monitor to handle games of both video orientations (profile and landscape), and a cool Zoo Keeper repro marquee. Any suggestion of sites where I can find clean cabinets (other than X-Arcade that charges a ridiculously high price for cabinets)?

Also, is there anything I am missing?? Or am I approaching this project wrong??

Thanks!

Personally, I think the X-Arcade route is the wrong direction for this. Those X-arcade things are great for your desk but retrofitting those on an original cabinet is not too hot.

It's easy to do it wrong:

http://www.brentradio.com/Hellcade.htm



I think the best thing to do is find a 25" JAMMA cabinet. Maybe something like a Mortal Kombat or Simpsons or something from that era and get yourself a J-PAC and just plug the computer into the JAMMA harness. You might want to look for a 25" Dynamo cabinet too. Those cabs are ideal for this type of thing.

Places like http://gameongrafix.com/ can you help you print your artwork to any side you need.

[ArcadeJunkie2099]

Jamma cab is the way to go.  Although, I am a staunch opponent to MAME cabs, as they cannibalize cabs for real collectors.  If you're going MAME, don't be lazy, build your own out of MDF and a blueprint that is readily available online...

[Verminator]

Yeah... I know there are opponents out there who are against modifying cabinets for something other than their original use. But we classic arcade fans who lack mechanical skills and a great of time would love to relive the arcade experience of their homes without spending two grand on some commercial conversion thing.

I also can see the other side of the coin when I go to GGA in Brookfield and Crazy Climber is on some conversion cabinet with subpar controls... yet I think they probably tried to get an original Crazy Climber cabinet but it simply was not possible so they opted for the next best thing. The owner of Underground Retrocade is looking for an original Crazy Climber... but not sure how much luck he will have.

I grew up in a town about 60 miles north of Milwaukee and there were cabinets EVERYWHERE in this town of 35,000 in 1982. There was an Aladdin's Castle in the Mall, two arcades downtown, about five bowling alleys with about 20 games each, and every convenience store had a game or two. If I wanted to play Jungle Hunt, I went to a convenience store. If I wanted to play Zoo Keeper, I went to the Mall. If I wanted to play Mappy, I went to the Bowling Alley. Where did all of these cabinets go?? Or, where are they now??

[Verminator]

Maybe I should have visited the site that John posted before I asked my question. I don't know what is worse, making fucking Tetris out of an original Robotron cabinet or a bonfire with Tempest and Pole Position cabs.

[John's Arcade]

Yeah... I know there are opponents out there who are against modifying cabinets for something other than their original use. But we classic arcade fans who lack mechanical skills and a great of time would love to relive the arcade experience of their homes without spending two grand on some commercial conversion thing.

I also can see the other side of the coin when I go to GGA in Brookfield and Crazy Climber is on some conversion cabinet with subpar controls... yet I think they probably tried to get an original Crazy Climber cabinet but it simply was not possible so they opted for the next best thing. The owner of Underground Retrocade is looking for an original Crazy Climber... but not sure how much luck he will have.

I grew up in a town about 60 miles north of Milwaukee and there were cabinets EVERYWHERE in this town of 35,000 in 1982. There was an Aladdin's Castle in the Mall, two arcades downtown, about five bowling alleys with about 20 games each, and every convenience store had a game or two. If I wanted to play Jungle Hunt, I went to a convenience store. If I wanted to play Zoo Keeper, I went to the Mall. If I wanted to play Mappy, I went to the Bowling Alley. Where did all of these cabinets go?? Or, where are they now??

They are in our basements.

I think that if you keep checking Craig's List you can probably find a nice Jamma cabinet for $100 or so. With a little elbow grease it can really turn into something special. I am just not big on those X-Arcade things and retrofitting them onto cabinets.

[ArcadeJunkie2099]

Yeah... I know there are opponents out there who are against modifying cabinets for something other than their original use. But we classic arcade fans who lack mechanical skills and a great of time would love to relive the arcade experience of their homes without spending two grand on some commercial conversion thing.

I also can see the other side of the coin when I go to GGA in Brookfield and Crazy Climber is on some conversion cabinet with subpar controls... yet I think they probably tried to get an original Crazy Climber cabinet but it simply was not possible so they opted for the next best thing. The owner of Underground Retrocade is looking for an original Crazy Climber... but not sure how much luck he will have.

I grew up in a town about 60 miles north of Milwaukee and there were cabinets EVERYWHERE in this town of 35,000 in 1982. There was an Aladdin's Castle in the Mall, two arcades downtown, about five bowling alleys with about 20 games each, and every convenience store had a game or two. If I wanted to play Jungle Hunt, I went to a convenience store. If I wanted to play Zoo Keeper, I went to the Mall. If I wanted to play Mappy, I went to the Bowling Alley. Where did all of these cabinets go?? Or, where are they now??

They are in our basements.

I think that if you keep checking Craig's List you can probably find a nice Jamma cabinet for $100 or so. With a little elbow grease it can really turn into something special. I am just not big on those X-Arcade things and retrofitting them onto cabinets.

Absolutely, you may have to broaden your search to outside your local craigslist area.  I got 3 PacMan cocktail games for $200 off of CL a few weeks ago, but I had to drive from Rochester to Ohio to get them...  The key thing to remember is that if this is something you truly want, you have to be patient and get it done right, otherwise it ends up being a waste of time...

[Verminator]

I got a cabinet but it was a new one designed to hold the X-Arcade Tankstick (through Rec Room Masters). I figure this was ideal for someone like me who had enough discretionary dollars to pony up the $450 for the cabinet with the backlit marquee and have the classic games available in my home yet did not result in a cannibalization of those truly classic cabs out there. Plus, I still have several retro arcades within one hour from my house so I can still get the real retro gaming experience away from home.

Maybe I get to a point in my life when I am motivated to have multiple original cabs in my own home, but now is not the time. In the meantime, I'll just visit the local Chicago retro arcades and regularly watch John's You Tube video of his basement!