Control Panel Construction

A little background about my control panel:

I originally constructed my cabinet to fit the  X-arcade specifically.  Inevitably, I discovered that I wanted to build something custom but didn't want to change my cabinet.  I wanted it to fit both the X-arcade as well as the custom controller, with no (visible) changes to the cabinet.  One reason I did this so was so I could demonstrate how the cabinet functioned with an X-arcade for interested parties.  I wanted  to show a cabinet could be cheaply constructed and initially use a simple plug-and-play CP, with the option to later upgrade controllers.  This turned out to be a good idea as it allows more people to experience the joys a cabinet can bring.  I have found that (mainly) the large size and cost were the primary concerns.  This offers a nice alternative with an easy upgrade path.  I have built a number of cabinets, using this design, for local (central Illinois) customers.   Click here to see some pics of the first batch. 

I wanted my controller to not overpower the cabinet by being too large but to include everything I needed to play my favorite games.  My household plays a lot of 4-way games so that control had to be comfortable to use for long lengths of time.  The spinner was included for a very small pool of games so its location is not optimal for extended play, as you might notice.  I really liked to way the controller turned out.

This page shows a simple progression.  Click any picture for a larger view.  I used an Ultimarc I-Pac2, 2 Happ Competition 8-way joysticks, 1 Happ Universal in 4-way mode, Happ Ultimate Horizontal pushbuttons, Oscar's Pro spinner, and an Imperial 3" PS/2 trackball.

I laid out the templates on 1/4" plywood cut to my dimensions.  Had the ply lying around the garage.  I used this for the templates.		I attached my controls and set it on my cabinet to get an idea of size and how it might eventually fit.  The final design changed from this one.		I discovered that the 7th button on each side was going to give me fits connected to the cabinet, so I eliminated it.
I had a scrap of 3/4" birch plywood left from my cab, which was just the right size.		Laying out the control templates of the new board.  I made final adjustments at this time.  Note I removed the TB buttons and the 7th player buttons.		Beginning to drill all the holes.  I just used a 1-1/8" spade bit, letting it cool every five or six holes.  It chipped out some, but no one can see.
After the panel has been rough cut.		Ready to flush-cut the front face with a template my friend was kind enough to construct for us.  This is the underside.		Another template my buddy made.  That's him posing with the trackball template (and band-aided ouchie).
We routered out the backside of the joysticks a little over 1/4".  Not the cleanest square you'll ever see but worked well.		The top resting on a simple base constructed out of 1/2" birch ply.  Overkill, but I wanted the same finish as the cabinet had.		I wanted to get an idea how large it would look in place and to also see where to make my underside cuts.
The painted CP.  No T-molding has been installed yet.		This is the underside of the base.  Note the slots that will allow it to fit onto my cabinet arms, nice and snug.		An inside view that shows the base slots and the 3/4" hole out the back for wires to exit.
The CP with everything installed except for the trackball.  This has 3 coats of paint on it.		The CP in place.  Black paint really shows the fingerprints with a flash.  Notice how it sits nicely in place.		Beginning the wiring.  What a mess.  This was my first experience with wiring anything.  This shows the hinges that allow it to open at the front.
Wiring is further along.  I tried to organize it some.		Trying it out for the first time with a little Golden Tee II.  The next pic shows how I secured the CP on the backside to keep it from flipping up during hard play.		I secured the CP in place with two hooks, one on either side.  I first dipped the hooks in Rubberize-It! to keep rattling to a minimum.
A picture of the cabinet in its current state.  Additional photos can be found here.		The dimensions of the controller are included above.  Not the prettiest but should help.

Revised: December 07, 2003   Questions concerning the site can be sent to mtrello@yahoo.com