A new Xbox360 with the Jasper chip won’t overheat easily. However, I would probably flush mount fans into both sides of the cabinet, blowing in and out. How annoying would it be if you did them front to back and you kept feeling moving air on your legs?
You could make the curves with fiberglass. Get some type of frame for the curve hooked up and then glass it up. Would be a fairly easy way to do it.
If you got some spare JLFs and buttons, i would love to pick them off you. :wgrin:
If you guys haven’t notice already, this is a scaled down version of the original. I’m only using a 24" monitor with this setup so that it fits in my room. I will be building a bigger version or possibly even do a back to back setup or even side to side with 32" or 40" LCDs. I’m still learning as i am building this with my friend. Eventually ill post all the plans, measurements, and steps how to build your own if you guys are interested.
If you haven’t decided on the panel yet, I’ll just add one more vote to the panel instead of the two sticks. I’ve always thought those were pretty tacky, and I’m so sure you have the skills to make a detachable console panel anyway.
The build is looking pretty sick right now, though, good luck!
Looking sweet! So envious!
Another vote for a single panel, but I would avoid using a pre-fab 2-player panel (Astro city, Viewlix or the like). Reason being, unless you are and your friends are stick-thin, two players would be too close for comfort. I built a 2-player sit down control panel/desk and found that wide spacing between players made it much more comfortable than any arcade. Obviously you’ve only got so much room to work with, but make it a big consideration.
Also, the acoustics of a stick built into the cabinet would be much more authentic than the MadCatz TEs. 
if the cabinet is not well ventilated it gets pretty hot in there with consoles and pc’s and all of that.
make sure you cut some vents on the top for the air to escape and a $10 desk fan will do the job (aim it at your hardware)
if you use 2 TE’s, make sure you put some distance between them for elbow room.
here is a great site where you can look at a bunch of other peoples project and get some good ideas
http://arcadecontrols.com/arcade.htm
Clearly you have the tools and the skills to build your own cabinet so I don’t see why you wouldn’t just build your own control panel. Not only would it be cheaper but I think it will make your cabinet look 100% custom. It also looks a hell of a lot easier to move and transport compared to the original Midway Mortal Kombat II cabinet I had before. The thing was huge and weighed a ton!
Keep up the good work! :tup:
Thanks guys I’ve decided that i will go with a 1 piece custom panel. Its way cheaper, looks great, and like Beartron said, i can space the 2 joystick further away so that we don’t bump elbows. Slagcoin gave me a great idea of using 2 metal sheet with flat screws so that i can hide the joystick mounting screws using the top metal sheet over the bottom.
Any reason not to completely de-case the 360/PS3? Then use PCB mounts to screw the console components to a bit of particle board. Would make it easier to keep them cool, and options like liquid cooling become a far simpler option for you later.
As for as the aluminum feet go - I understand the desire to go 100% replica on this, and you can get those feet by scavenging them off of 4ft desks at used office supply stores - but I think you’d be better served rolling your own designed around either casters or magic sliders - the latter being my personal preference. It makes moving the thing MUCH easier. Plus, if you haven’t already, I’d consider taking what you have so far, splitting it into two parts, then set it up to bolt back together. That way if you need to move the thing, you can remove the tv, remove the control panel, and break the body into two parts. As it is I won’t move my cabinet on my own - I’ll pay movers to do it. Saying it’s a pain doesn’t do it service. Do it right while you still can.
An alternative to using two sheets of metal to hide the joystick bolts.
Assuming you will still use a SANWA JLF stick (as found in the MadcatzTE). The JLF-P-1S mounting plate is shaped like so… allowing you to hide the bolts.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l314/Beartron/S-plate-1.gif
The downside to this is that you will need a way to get to the slot underneath the stick for tightening your ball top. A simple hole directly underneath would suffice. Not drawn.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l314/Beartron/sanwa-JLF-P-1SMeasurement.jpg
Akihabarashop sell them internationally. Not sure who else.
Do you have a link for the magic sliders you were talking about?
They make appliance feet with those on the bottom. I use those along with some large appliance ones underneath my cabinet to move it easily. Since yours will be much lighter, you could probably get away with just making feet, so long as they are wide enough compared to the base of the cabinet.
http://www.magicsliders.com/sizes/levelers.shtml
http://www.magicsliders.com/sizes/solid.shtml
Those are pretty cool, although i still would like the look of real aluminum legs to make the cabinet look “complete”. I will definitely consider throwing these on the bottom of them to make it a lot easier to move around.
Dude you gotta go with a single control panel.
sorry didnt know it was going to repost all those photos.
I say get the two TEs for retail cost, then sell them on ebay, then use that money to get a Vewlix panel/furbish the casing.
WIN
yeah, ahikawhatevershop lol is selling those viewlix panels for about 300. About the same money you’d pay for 2 TE sticks. If both sticks are going to be set in there anyway you might as well just get the panel unless you want to be able to switch sticks. My only issue with the panel is that its pretty much set it stone how far apart the two players are (unless you cut it in half lol). IIRC they even have empty panels from other cabs at 1/4 to 1/2 that price.
Looks like an Incredible start. I made a Mame Cabinet (Currently housing a Dreamcast with MVC2) and know how much work it can be. The attention to detail you had done looks AWESOME!
Can’t wait to see how it turns out… I may want to build one of these as well…
+1, please share! I would like to make one of these myself, I miss my MKII cabinet even though it was huge and a PITA to move. This looks like a much more compact design.