34 replies to this topic

[RipleYYY]

clean & clever !
im still reading lots of post here to got odieas to buil mine...

[Neo]

That looks very nice so far...Looks like the kind of cabinet I would definitely consider trying to get.

I could see myself using something like that to build tables (in the PC configuration) as well as play them (in the cabinet configuration).

My only real concern with a setup like this would be the airflow. How good's the airflow with that setup?

[Lyanheart]

My only real concern with a setup like this would be the airflow. How good's the airflow with that setup?

Airflow is no problem, especially with the screen up in PC Mode, as the box is wide open at the top and it is as if the motherboard/CPU was out in the open. I also put a 140mm silent/low-speed exhaust fan near the CPU to help when the screen is down. The power supply pulls air in towards the front of the box, and an extra fan or two could easily be added if needed.

Edited by Lyanheart, 26 January 2011 - 12:30 PM.

[rascal]

Nice work! I like the dual functioning idea too. If the second monitor could swing out too, you would basically have a self contained dual screen computer. Forgive me if this was already mentioned, but I was drooling over the pictures and didn't read everything.

[Lyanheart]

Nice work! I like the dual functioning idea too. If the second monitor could swing out too, you would basically have a self contained dual screen computer. Forgive me if this was already mentioned, but I was drooling over the pictures and didn't read everything.

It's not out of the question, yet... I just have to come up with a good way to do it that would still allow a clean, finished look.

[unclewilly]

nice project. i just saw this. i have something very similar. a 22 and a 19 and a 7 inch usb for the dmd. i wish i would have thought about the pop out pf. i have a 4th monitor hooked to mine for that purpose

[maceman]

Looks awesome!! Nice work.

[Lyanheart]

Have not posted any updates here in a very long time, so here is some recent work I've done.

I decided to make my cabinet more of a freestanding, stand-alone machine instead of a tabletop pinball/PC convertible. The playfield is still exposed and can be opened up, which is the only way to access the guts of the machine. I made a new backbox that is detachable from the main cabinet and also has a removeable lid and speaker cover for accessing the monitor. Things are just about finished up and ready to be put back together after a few more touchups to the paint, and I'm adding some blue accent stripes.

 

I am extremely disappointed in the final appearance of the cabinet, though. The wood filler I used (Elmer's pro stainable filler) was not very nice to work with. I had a squeeze tube of it, which was fine and sanded very smooth, but the little tub I had dried EXTREMELY rock-hard and I couldn't sand it down for the life of me, and I don't have a power sander handy. The photos exaggerate the "cancer" look of the filled areas, but it's still pretty obvious and lumpy in person. The paint I used, Krylon interior/exterior glossy, is great. The parts that I was able to get sanded properly look like glass, especially after color sanding and an extra coat. Next time I do this I'm going to use automotive bondo, that I know I can sand perfectly smooth.

 

I will post more photos as work progresses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lyanheart]

Did my retro-arcade-ish striping on the backbox, gave everything a final coat of black, and got it back together and working. I'm very happy with how it feels and plays as a freestanding cabinet. I used 26-inch legs to put it at the same height as a real machine, so its comfortable standing or on a barstool.

 

 

 

[swaffar]

Great idea.  I've been away from the forum for over a year so it's cool to catch up on all the new projects.  It seems like a lot of these 27" minis have been popping up since I left!

[Lyanheart]

Ha, yea I have noticed a lot more smaller machines. They are definately easier to fit in the house for people who do not have a dedicated game or hobby room like myself when I started this project. Now I could have a whole row of full size machines if I wanted, but I still like the half-scale. I will probably do another sometime and make it slightly larger but still not full size.

[natural320]

why did you abandon the "PC mode" for this project?  I ask because I was looking to do a very similar setup that put the playfield on a wall mount so I could flip it and play MAME in landscape mode and do some photo editing (since the cab build's projected CPU and GPU will annihilate my crappy desktop's power)

[Lyanheart]

Couple reasons I got away from the tabletop PC convertible setup... One, I built a new hardcore gaming rig desktop PC and no longer used the pinball pc mode. However, the main reason was that I bought a bigger house with a huge rec room basement and had plenty of space to set the pinball up as a standing unit. It looks good with the bar and pool table. The convertible screen still works great, just is not used much anymore. I have all the wondows desktop icons on the backglass screen and launch things from that monitor when I need to download things or set up tables.

[Lyanheart]

Couple more photos and some video flipping through tables

 

Video Link: https://dl.dropboxus...01 11.19.16.mp4

 

 

 

[Slashman]

I know I am replying to an old thread but just wanted to say awesome job!