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My Mame Machine Worklog (lots of pics!)

Discussion in 'Modding Worklogs' started by Sil80, Oct 7, 2008.

  1. Sil80

    Sil80 Member

    Joined:
    May 31, 2002
    Messages:
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    Location:
    Townsville
    I finally got off my arse and built myself a Mame cabinet... been wanting to for years, and even bought the controllers and buttons a few years ago, but never got any further, until now!

    After messing around trying to design a cocktail cabinet (with trusty Google Sketch) that would fit in the 21" CRT monitor, I then decided it would be too much of a pain, so I went back to the drawing board, and decided on a smallish upright cabinet along the lines of this one.

    Seems the LCD would be a much easier and more convenient option for size / fitting, less heat, and less space required.

    I decided to try and minimise the weight and cost. I decided MDF for the cheaper price, but decided I needed to build the frame out of pine to reduce the weight and avoid the requirements to make side and rear panels out of 16mm stuff.

    Once that was done, a few trips to Bunnings got me the materials and I was off!

    After trying to cut the panels with a circular saw, I realised that the jigsaw was more accurate (albeit slower) and switched tools.

    After talking with a mate who is also buiding a cabinet, I decided on XP/GameEx for the front end. The winning points was that it was more of a multi function interface rather than just a game player. I can use the machine as a jukebox etc if I want to.

    PCDB Entry Here

    Here is the results! :leet:

    Pine frame built:
    [​IMG]

    16mm MDF panels fitted to the front:
    [​IMG]

    Holes cut out for speakers:
    [​IMG]

    Test fitting of the screen... whoo hoo! Its finally taking shape:
    [​IMG]

    How I fitted the screen (They are roofing straps):
    [​IMG]

    First coat of primer:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Filling all the holes etc:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    I put wheels on the back and height adjusters on the front. Will make it easier to position:
    [​IMG]

    Second coat of primer:
    [​IMG]

    Painted! I used car enamel (with hardener) paint left over from a previous project:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    How I fitted the screen. I routed a recess around the edges so the screen wouldnt move out of place. I then put some foam around the recess to cushion the screen a little:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    PC mostly fitted. I put the whole thing on a board of 9mm mdf so I could take it out as one piece if I needed to:
    [​IMG]

    Test run successful!!!
    [​IMG]

    Mapping the keyboard controller to the game controllers and buttons.... that was a slow process!
    [​IMG]

    My dog feeling rather neglected. Bribe (in the form of a chewy treat) installed (mostly) successfully:
    [​IMG]

    Nearly finished! Testing the controls:
    [​IMG]

    My (IMHO) cool signeage for the game. Just to give it a bit of an authentic look. I photochopped a bunch of pics together to make the title, printed it on a colour laser. Then stuck it to a piece of acrylic. The whole thing is lit with two cold cathode lights (one kit) from Jaycar:
    [​IMG]
    (bonus points for guessing the game on the screen)

    The finished product!
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Oct 7, 2008
  2. AussieJester

    AussieJester Member

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    BAM...Now THATS! what i call an opening post!! Awsome work mate while not my thing i totally appreciate the work thats gone into the cabinet TOP CLASS congrats on a job well done I'm sure you and the lads will have many beer filled hours of fun with it ;-)
     
  3. Iceickle

    Iceickle Member

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    Wollongong
    That. Is. AWESOME!


    jealous!
     
  4. The Sculpturer

    The Sculpturer (Banned or Deleted)

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    Nicely done :thumbup:
     
  5. WooKiE_MaN

    WooKiE_MaN Member

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    *Sigh* i want one of those

    such a good job dude...:D well bloody done :thumbup::thumbup:
     
  6. Formage

    Formage (Banned or Deleted)

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    absolutely love it * looks at a old system and some wood planks in my room....* meh not happening :p :D
     
  7. OP
    OP
    Sil80

    Sil80 Member

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    Thanks guys :) It was a lot of fun doing it... now for the playing! :D
     
  8. n3wbi379

    n3wbi379 Member

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    Great stuff, wish i had the skill to do some thing like that.
    WELL DONE :thumbup:
     
  9. fergusb

    fergusb Member

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    That is so awesome!!!!! I would kill for one these...
     
  10. s9131514

    s9131514 Member

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    Newcastle
    been thinking of doing one of these for a little while. How did you go about mapping the controls?
     
  11. ZXR

    ZXR Member

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    Great job mate.

    I'm just about to start one of these, but I'm actually looking at building a Pong machine. I'll put an old Pong console into it with spinners and all. Should be cool. :)

    After that I'm hoping to do a Gauntlet machine. :thumbup:

    -ZXR
     
  12. The Sentinel

    The Sentinel Member

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    Sil80 would your dog happen to be a Toy Foxy?
     
  13. OP
    OP
    Sil80

    Sil80 Member

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    I used the keyboard hack process

    I ripped apart a keyboard. You will see (probably) one circuit board with a big chip on it. There will hopefully be a nice neat row of "teeth" looking connectors. Basically, I soldiered a ribbon cable to them, and then put the other end of the cable in connector blocks. I then labelled each one a number / letter. Then spent friggin ages with a wire trying every combo of those connectors, with a program like keyscan, and writing down each combo that works. The link above explains it a little better, but instead of a huge box to map to I just used the connector blocks I mentioned before.

    oh - one word of advice.... screw down the connector blocks and circuit board to a small piece of wood once you have them wired together. Itll save you some hassles with the wires coming back out while it moves around

    She is a 75% jack russel and 25% chihuahua.... 95% cheeky (5% sulky as per the photo :)


    Hehe thanks! A glutton for punishment eh? Second would be a lot easier to build now I have it down. I did love the big old 4 person Gauntlet machines :thumbup:

    :)
     
    Last edited: Oct 8, 2008
  14. [/\V3NG3R]

    [/\V3NG3R] Member

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    Is it MAME????
     
  15. Dr_Rock

    Dr_Rock Member

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    Good job!

    I like it.
    Well done.

    For anyone contemplating it, it is always a great use of that old PC after an upgrade, just build a MAME cbinet.

    I think an IPAC is a better (and easier) option for keyboard encoder though.

    Awesome stuff, I would love to see more MAME cabs/jukeboxes on OCAU.

    Doc
     
  16. napes

    napes Member

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    Hey - that's a very nice looking cab!!! Awesome :D

    I just finished my little side-by-side cocktail cabinet the weekend before last too... must be summer coming on that's motivating everyone... pics below :) It's got an old iMac inside - took it apart again last weekend to do a final clean-up pass on it and also to do a build write-up...

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  17. Formage

    Formage (Banned or Deleted)

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    additional 22" ontop of that mac screen, drop the mac abit to fit it all in = sexxxxx :) :D
     
  18. CaillinS13

    CaillinS13 Member

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    That's it dude, I'm so coming round your place this weekend.

    I'd bring drinks, but somehow I don't think you'll need em :)

    Top effort! :thumbup:

    Been wanting to do one of these for ages, but just hard to get the motivation.

    PS: Nice work, front page!
     
  19. Mongy

    Mongy Member

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    If my memory serves me correctly, the game on screen is Rygar
     
  20. OP
    OP
    Sil80

    Sil80 Member

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    Location:
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    Well done - Rygar it is :) Probably my favourite game of the era!

    Cool machine Napes, very nicely made :)


    Hehe :) I remember how much you liked the punch I made - could make more, but somehow I dont think you would drink it after last time eh?
     

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