I bought a 37” 1080p LCD off Newegg for $450. The wheel was used for about $200 and the speakers were $75. I had the PS3, but I bought another used one to replace it for $190. All-told I have about $1000 in it.

Here’s a couple videos I shot of the rig in action:

This is the LCD shroud and it’s heavy! Was not fun getting it down the stairs since there was no good place to grab it. Me and my buddy looped a couple straps under the edges and moved it that way.

The plans I downloaded went with 1/2” MDF everywhere but the seating platform. I prefer 3/4” on the main sides since I can then use vinyl T-Molding to protect the edges. Just rout a slot and hammer it on later.

This is the main seating area put together. The sides and tops are removable for easier moving later.

The steering wheel mounts here to an adjustable platform for depth and height.

I had some latex primer tinted as dark as possible so the final black paint would cover better. Many people do not suggest painting MDF with latex paint due to water absorption. The only place you really get any kind of possible fuzzing is on the cut ends, and it’s very minor and suitable for this kind of project. If this was furniture-grade work I might go with an oil-based paint instead.

I upholstered the seating area with speaker carpet and 3M #74 adhesive spray. Best place I found to get the carpet is at Parts Express in Springboro, OH.

It takes a long time to get to all those interior nooks and crannies!

Here’s the completed cabinet with the seat installed. It is on sliders to adjust for different user heights.

The paint is an exterior-grade latex. I prefer the extra durability of exterior paints for these arcade cabinets.

I’ll post another blog once I get all the equipment purchased and installed.

0-60 Magazine offered a PDF download for plans for an arcade racing cabinet:

http://www.0-60mag.com/online/?p=18342

Since I already have a regular arcade cabinet this seemed like another great thing to add to my basement. Unfortunately, the layout in the PDF is not to my liking and the font for the dimensions is horrible. The hood is also too large to get down my stairs, so I made some modifications and built it in Sketchup.

It’s designed for a specific wheel, up to a 42” LCD, and a PS3. I plan to include a PC as well since the wheel they recommended works with both the PS3 and PC. I will probably make a few other modifications along the way. They only have 21” width for the racing seat, and depending on the model I but I may have to widen it. I’ll also be adding a keyboard tray and cup holders. It’s largely built from 1/2” MDF, although I may go with 3/4” MDP for the sides of the cabinet so I can use vinyl edge banding to protect the edges.

I tried several new things on this build; such as resawing stock to size and edge-gluing panels. I got to use my new tools and discovered how often you can trip a breaker with a drum sander that draws 15 amps on a 15 amp circuit. I also reminded myself not to back-out of a stopped dado cut on the table saw. I still have the remnants of a large bruise on my gut from a flying printer top panel.

As always, I had to screw a few things up. The solid maple I used for the top, drawer, and sides was heavily pockmarked with holes from powder-post beetles. Naturally, once I cut, planed, and sanded the sides to thickness they had some large holes and paths, especially in the interior sides. I had to fill the larger holes with maple wood filler. You can’t really tell since the largest defects are on the interior and it blends nicely. I left most of the small defects to add character.

Then I just-about ruined the top cutting those stopped dadoes. Fortunately, I had kept it extra-thick at 7/8” to see what it would look like. I was able to sand it down to 1/2” and salvage the top. I takes a long time to go from 7’8” to 1/2” using a drum sander (panel was too wide for the planer). Since I was only sanding one side and it was humid the panel would warp during sanding. I’d have to take it to the basement and place weights on it until it flattened-out. I had to do this twice.

Finally, I cut the legs on the wrong end of the side panel. So, instead of 4 larger openings and a drawer I got 2 small and 2 large openings, a drawer, and a large space beneath the drawer. It still looks ok, but not what I had planned.

The interior shelves are 1/2” maple ply with veneer edging. To equalize the look of the play and real wood and reduce blotching I used a seal coat of shellac sealer before staining the parts with a colonial maple stain. It worked, but the stain would never get as dark as I really wanted due to the minimal absorption. Some bare maple test pieces I stained matched the current furniture better, but the blotching was unacceptable.

I prefinished most of the pieces due to the inability to get to them once put together. I actually used 3 different finishes on this piece. All pieces were sealed then stained. I then put another coat of shellac sealer over the stain. For the drawer interior I then used a wipe-on varnish for some additional wear protection.

For the outside of the drawer and everything but the top of the top I used a blond shellac and then rubbed-out the finish with 0000 steel wool and paste wax. For the top of the top that would see the most wear I sprayed it with a couple coats of gloss polyurethane. After it dried I also rubbed-out the finish with steel wool and paste wax. This dulled the sheen of the poly and made it look like the rest of the stand.

For the drawer I used a tip I believe I saw here on Lumberjocks. I went to Meijer and bought a strip of stick-on plastic corner protector. It makes for a smooth drawer action with no needed rails.

All-in-all, a satisfying project but it took much more effort than I imagined. Of course, most of that was my fault. Lessons learned and new skills to apply on my next project.

I also enjoyed a nice piece of 7/8” maple top slamming me below the belt. No broken skin, but it hurt like hell! A few inches lower and I’d be a eunuch now. I’m a little sore today but not bad. Other than a small cut on the back of my hand and the shot to the gut I escaped relatively unscathed.

The maple top is even salvageable. The rest of the piece I’m building is made of 1/2” maple and I had planned for the top to be as well but thought I’d see what a thicker top looked-like. I still have over 1/2” of good wood so I just need to plane or sand the top down and CAREFULLY cut the dadoes. I’m thinking router now for some reason. :)

I’ll be posting review on some of them here shortly. I spent most of the day in the garage playing with the new tools, and I’m very pleased. The only thing I haven’t used much is the inflatable drum sander, but that’s more for the wife than for me.

And bought this:

I’m not even anywhere near retirement either! :)

I blame my 3 yr old son and a lack of space in the garage for more tools. ;)

So, over to Sketchup where I draw some designs and once I was happy I added the joinery:

It’s all 1/2” material except for the drawer bottom. The drawer just slides in the opening with no hardware. I’m debating on whether to make it all out of 1/2” maple edge-glued, or maybe 1/2” maple ply and maybe an MDF top that matches the other desktops.

If you’re interested you can get my Sketchup file here:

http://cid-258899c12334cc4d.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Printer%20Stand?uc=1&nl=1

If you’re interested in more info on MAME and where to get needed hardware you can check the project page here:

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/9022

I have many more pictures than what I will show here, so if you want to see my complete album on Photobucket go here:

http://s277.photobucket.com/albums/kk49/gwurst/MAME%20Machine/

Anyway, on with the show!

The cabinet is largely 3 sheets of MDF and a couple 2×4’s, so parts are cheap (until you get into the controls!)

I drew the side layout on The MDF and used a jigsaw to cutout the shape.

I then clamped to the two sides together and used a belt sander to smooth the edges and make them identical. This is also where I rounded the edges for the T-molding.

Cutout the control panel piece.

Layout the attachment points on each side for the various braces.

Attach the base to the sides. The 2×4’s and other pieces are attached with countersunk wood screws and glue.

Attach the other cabinet pieces. Now it’s starting to look like an arcade cabinet! The cabinet sits on heavy-duty caster so you can roll it around (MDF is heavy!).

Attach the drawer and door.

Back access door.

Automotive speakers are attached to panels to allow easy change-out should they need to be replaced.

Attach control panel sides.

The control panel rest over another panel attached to the cabinet with a hole in the back to allow cables to run through. This panel is just screwed-on to allow removal to get the cabinet through a door (with the panel removed you can get it through a standard 32” door frame).

Layout controls on control panel and cut holes.

Patching screw holes before priming and painting.

Word of advice – Rout the slots for the T-molding BEFORE assembly. I was fortunately able to use wood putty but when I built one of these for my in laws I routed the slots right after the sides were cut.

Prime and paint with the Wagner power painter.

After attaching laminate to the control panel I recut the holes for the controls.

Attach T-molding to the cabinet.

Fun time! Attaching and wiring the controls.

The monitor is the perfect width and just rests against a couple braces. The monitor control board is mounted to the platform.

PC and subwoofer go in the cabinet. I wired the speaker leads to the automotive speakers on the top of the cabinet. The volume control is on a separate control that is velcroed to the bottom of the control panel.

Print the marquee and attach it between a couple Plexiglas panels with a fluorescent light behind to shine through.

Drape cloth over the speakers to keep light from shining-through.

Attach Plexiglas to the front to protect the monitor.

Let’s play!

Thanks for looking!