Building a arcade cabinet

Hi everyone,

Last summer I wanted to build myself a 3rd strike cabinet but since I didn’t have the budget neither the time to build it, I had to postpone it to this summer. Now, I’m gathering as much info as I can before starting it. So I would need some help from you guys.

Here are two projects I’ve build so far (I have a 3rd one but didn’t upload pictures yet) just to show you what I’ve learned so far so you can guide me more easily.

NameLess
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/633543/2

The MindReader
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/633543/3

The Xboxter
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/633543/4

So what I’ve learned so far is to build small and medium size boxes but never tried to do anything as big as a cabinet. I can solder, wire joysticks and buttons without too much hassle. I have a ps2 and was planning to put it in the cabinet to keep the budget as low as possible. I’ll buy a TV as soon as I can to be able to custom make the cabinet to fit with the TV.

What I need most for the moment are the templates for the cabinet pieces. I’ve found these that look descent but would really like if someone can show me the real measures of a 3rd Strike upright cabinet (US style even though I’m going with sanwa parts).

Also, any advice from experienced builders or any links would be also very helpful.

Thx.

WichUMYD

The buttons are way far apart from the stick in the NameLess and The MindReader looks koo… (just my opinion) I guess that would work better and i also going to try to build my own cabinet so i’ll post here often and comeback for some more tips and give some report in my progress. :tup:

Hehe, yeah I know, I made that one at the time I didn’t use to go to the arcades so I started doing it without knowing how it should be. But then, with the MindReader, I knew.

^^^^ koo, so far so good, keep it up doo,

I just finish fixing one of my arcade stick so i’m kinda new when it comes to all this but i’m trying to learn and build my own Marvel 2 machine.

I’m sorry to ask this question it probably have been ask many times but it’s kinda hard searching through all the archives. I just wanted to know what are the differences between the sanwa joysticks? Cause when I check out say
http://jlimports.com/
they all look the same to me with a lil’ bit of difference. What is used in the cabinets at The Orbit?

sanwas are japanese sticks and buttons, are the ones with the ball top, are more loose than US sticks. for US sticks look for Happ competition.

I’m sorry if I wasn’t really clear. I know the differences between happs and sanwas sticks, what I was asking is about the different sanwas, like : what are the differences between Seimitsu LS-32 or LS-33 or other sanwas-seimitsu sticks. Which one is more often used and what are the one used at the Orbit (Toronto)?