Here is some information on building the basic cabinet, and layout diagram for cutting the parts from a 4x8 plywood panel.
Later on I will share what I do for trim and finishing, but for that I use 1/4" thick basswood panels.
I use 1/2" thick basic plywood for my projects. No fancy hardwood here, I think they are just called "project panels" on the rack. Half-inch is a good balance of weight, strength, and cost. I believe I have been paying around $30 per panel at my local Lowes. 3/4" would be overkill for a machine of this size, and it would be needlessly heavy. Of course, if you were to scale up these dimensions to a full-size cabinet, 3/4" would be more appropriate.
Link to PDF file showing plywood layout
In that diagram, you can see the dimensions of the individual parts, and an easy-cutting arrangement on the panel. As you can see, single sheet of plywood is technically more than twice the amount needed to assemble a cabinet of this size, so up-sizing a couple of inches for slightly larger monitors, or to make room for a DMD/3rd monitor, could be done without much trouble. This is also aligned for a couple of cross-cuts that you can have Lowes or Home Depot do for you in-store (and to make it easier to carry home), and then you can use your home saw to cut out the individual pieces.
One additional cut is needed to the "main side" panels, part #1. The front-facing edge of this panel should be marked at 10 inches, and then cut at an angle up to the rear top corner, giving the panel a slope from the 14" high rear to the 10" high front. I've never really measured the angle, but it gives the finished table a more realistic look, and helps align the screen to the player. When these angle-cut side panels are mated up to the 4"x30" rear side panels (part #2), you have a complete side panel with the familiar profile we all love. The front panel (part #3) is attached between the two sides, and the top panel (part #4) is fitted up top at the other end. At this point, the cabinet looks like this:

This "one piece" cabinet is a departure from the traditional cabinet and backbox construction we are used to. I went with this for the following reasons:
1- Wide open, full access from the rear of the cabinet.
2- Perfect way to mount the backglass monitor. The VESA mount screws directly to the rear panel, and everything swings out of the way.
3- Both monitors can be easily installed and removed as needed.
4- No "bulkheads" between the main cabinet and backbox area.
5- The complete flat sides, while not really traditional, is very easy to finish and paint, and gives the entire unit a more streamlined, compact appearance.
VERY IMPORTANT STEP HERE
Before securing the assembly to the bottom panel, I first set up the playfield screen mount. I use a 2x4 stud cut to 16" (our inside width is always 16", matching the front panel) and it will be attached at the appropriate depth and angle depending on the screen you are using.
So how to do this? Easy! Flip the assembly upside-down, so the top edges/rails are resting on a surface (table, bench, etc) with the backbox section hanging over the edge. Square up everything as best as you can, just to help when you align the screen and the stud. Lay down something to serve as a spacer, about 1/8" thick. Scrap piece of wood, a towel, foam, whatever will give you a little bit of space between the edges of the screen and the rails of the cabinet. What this will do is set the screen down in slightly below the rails, so there is a little wiggle room and space between the screen and the eventual finish trim on the cabinet. Now lay the screen down on top of your spacer material. A low-profile VESA mount should be attached to the screen (rotated to the proper orientation of your vertical screen), and the 2x4 stud and the other part of the VESA mount should be put in place on top of that. When your screen is in the position you want it, the mounting stud will also be in the correct position, so tack or screw it in from the sides. This arrangement is also making the angle of the screen match the angle of the rails. Pretty slick, huh? Some small adjustments/shims to the VESA mount might be needed when you flip the cabinet back over and have the weight of the screen fully supported by the mount, but they should only be minor.
With the playfield stud in place, you can now attach the bottom panel. If all your cuts were straight enough, it should be a perfect fit. If not, just do one end at a time and "persuade" the side panels in to place. It's almost impossible to get plywood that is perfectly straight.
The 16x30 rear "door" panel should also fit in to its space.. but may require some sanding and shaping. In fact, you will probably need to shave off at least 1/8 of an inch from one side to add clearance for the hinge. I use a full-length 30" piano hinge, but any cabinet hinge would work. Just make sure it is sturdy enough to support the weight of the backglass monitor and anything else you wish to mount to this panel.
BONUS: Since I'm making multiple cabinets at once, I created a different plywood layout that fits all the pieces for THREE cabinets on two sheets of plywood. Click here to see the 3-cabinet layout diagram.
Edited by Lyanheart, 05 May 2016 - 07:59 PM.