THIS. This is the embodiment of what its like to be a technically skilled hobbyist. Something we all work forward towards achieving as Nerds. This is without a doubt one of the best DIY projects I have ever seen. Not only are you making this hobby more accessible to less experienced hobbyists but also inspiring us as well. Bravo, 10/10.
@@RetroBuiltGames excuse hi.. do you sell these custom built arcade consoles? like if i wanted just two of them,already painted all white with the controls already "included" how much would just that cost? if you need to contact me please,dont hestitate to reach out jebad iah miller038 @ gmail com / miller levi 8732 @ gmail com (please have the email as " heres my asking/final price ") thank you for all you do and have a happy halloween!!
Thanks for making this available to others and for providing this primer on top of it.! I rally like how your design offers so much room for customization.
I am completely blown away by this video and everything you did in it! I personally think these cabinets are AMAZING! Keep up the phenomenal work! I was about to say "you should sell these". Then also realized how asinine that would be seeing as, in order to make it profitable for yourself (worth your time) you would likely have to "mark them up" to be either on par with or exceeding the price of those 1up's (which I feel you just one upped)! After all, the whole point of DIY is that it's cheaper than buying something "mass produced"! Even after having to find a CNC to "rent" or "borrow" etc... I do hope to one day build a few cabinets myself, after other life priorities are fulfilled first! I can only hope they turn out as "nice" as these (probably will not use your design, will likely make my own from scratch)...
Why thank you! You said likely the most thoughtful comment here that covers the full spectrum of emotions. These arcades can only be DIY'd because the level of effort put into them was fueled solely on my emotional attachment to video games. Not something that's feasible in a monetary sense. Hopefully seeing that it is possible might be the push to get others building what they day dream about. The reality here (completely ignored by condensing this into a video) is I dreamed about this setup since 2016. A lot of small skill building challenges via this hobby eventually gave me the opportunity; and that opportunity meant working hundreds of hours to build what's shown in the video.
Amazing piece of design and fabrication! It tickles my DIY genes to make one myself. If I'll ever win a lottery, I will buy myself a cnc machine and make one of these cabinets!
What a video! Had this idea for a dreamcast and saturn using sega arcade stick, etc… my neighbour who had the tools and knowledge has sadly moved… i wish i found this video sooner… great execution and awesome video production
That thumbnail joke instantly made me subscribe rofl. Love the look and design of this. Really highlights the hardware and no worries about dusting lol
These cabinets are awesome, just what I was looking for. I don't have a cnc machine but have lot of time and wood tools. Thank you for the video and the plans.
These are truly amazing 😍 I had very similar ideas for a multi console cabinet and I made it a couple of years ago and it sits in my living room. It's nowhere near as professional as these but I'm currently making plans for another one . Your ideas have given me something to think about. Thanks for sharing your creative genius.
@@DavidPalin the monitor has VGA connector because the market this monitor was made for is business/industrial (also why its a 5:4 ratio). the business/industrial class typically has VGA connector for all the legacy hardware of the last 40 years that still needs it. The Xbox 360 and Dreamcast support VGA with an official OEM cable.
I am in the planning stages for an all in one and I'm lost on some things so I appreciate you taking the time to detail your construction. These are very clean looking!
Going to get right on this, looks pretty easy! First, gotta go back to school and get my electrical engineering degree. So, see you in 7 years (I have low expectations for myself)! Also, this was really cool, nice work!
I love the swappable control panels. I wish it was as simple as order and assembly. It’s very cool that you get to build and design it. As a person with minimal tools and design skills this just frustrates me but that’s not your fault. Lol
Lovely stuff! I made a Pi arcade a few years ago. I want to make a bigger and better one for my new home. I'm definitly taking some inspiration from these lovely machines.
This guy needs a apprentice! Your work is amazing it made me look at all my goodies in the garage. i keep building crazy ideas. Good advice for using your scrap/spare wood…. I feel like I’m talking to dr evil building a ton of these, you got a sub from me. Peace and love
I’m blown away by the creativity. From the dedicated cabinets, the module control panels and your knowledge (Plus the time it takes to make these). Pretty sure this is the first video I’ve seen of your’s, but I subscribed immediately. Now it’s time to watch your other vids 😊.
what an excellent video. the cabinets themselves are awesome, but so is the video. I'm inspired to get back to work on my cabs. Would love to have these as a part of my business
These builds are incredible. I'd love to have my Saturn, Dreamcast and Xbox 360 in each of these.. super cool. I wonder how much a fab shop charges for table time in my area.
Very inspiring video! You have a new subscriber. One small error I noticed: it should cost you $4.6 to run all arcades for 24 hours, not $0.46, considering the price per hour is correct.
Yup, I’ve built many cabs. My last one was a MKII cab in the style of the original arcade, but also made in the style of the Arcade 1Up. I built it for less money than a 1up and it works better and looks better.
Reminds me of the ones they have in Latin America (mainly Mexico) where there's arcade cabinets with consoles and/or PC rigs inside it running multiple games, they're referred to as "maquinitas" or "maquinas de videojuegos". Otherwise i love your setup and also amazing work. 🙏👍
@@RetroBuiltGames it would cost around 8-12 pesos (the equivalent to $0.50 - $0.75 per game). The machines also have a time limit when in use for each gametime (between 15-20 minutes depending on the game). Also a fun fact, some of them even have online multiplayer for those that want to have that option as well in certain locations. Pretty cool machines, also my bad for taking so long to reply. UA-cam's notification system is very iffy for me for some odd reason.
Thank you! I think i've seen the time limit boards as an add on. You would plug these inline to the video feed so the countdown timer and credit text are overlaid on the game system right?
You do wonderful work for sure.This more ambitious lvl than I am quite ready to operate at just yet. I'm content to use existing shells and go from there.
Man, even the little details on these are decent little projects. Controller converters, the rgb marquees… very nice! I’d like to see a more in depth dive into creating the controller converters
@@RetroBuiltGames personally, I’m looking at creating a usb to gamecube controller so I can use my other controllers on my Wii. But I just like learning about this stuff so I’ll watch whatever. You never know what kind of tips you can pick up so all info is appreciated
Agreed! I am working on an analog arcade GameCube controller now, but not quite matching your applications. I have my eye on this GameCube device that allows one to use current gen controllers on your gamecube via bluetooth. It's pre-order; i am hesitant until the device delivers on promises. But 'knowing' about devices like this help me bridge interface puzzles when stuck. castlemaniagames.com/products/retrotime-gc-blueretro-wireless-controller-receiver?ref=nqN6c2d7Ffw-JC
Fantastic work! Might need to get around to getting certified for the wood shop tools at my local makerspace and give this a shot! Though, I think my partner *might* try to kill me if I put another machine in our apartment...
Cool. I’ll just pay someone to make a cabinet and include a Pandora box. Even Amazon has arcade cabinet shells with up to 32” screen if I want to do it myself. The cheapest CNC machine you would want is $1000 so I don’t get the cost makeup. This guys using a $10,000 CNC machine and says “you can build one for the cost of three 1Up Arcades.” Great woodwork by a professional woodworker. Great game ideas from one gamer to another. I won’t be doing because I cannot see this being cost effective.
This is an awesome project, I can’t believe it took me so long to stumble on this video! I would love to try this. Do you think I’d be able to fit a two-player button layout on there? I really liked your 2:3 MAME cabinet design but this one might be the perfect size!
Thank you! At this size you could fit 2-players with two-button each (Komani beat-em up like). With a 3-button row each, you have to widen the cabinet so two players are comfortably spaced.
@ thanks for the quick reply! I think that could work. I’ll have to take a look at your plans closer but I think this will definitely be one of my next projects! I have to find something to do with the CRT TVs I’ve hoarded!
Oh i have a diy arcade. But i did go on all things the easy route no pcb or crazy wiring. Things that can work together without modifications. Things i did custom was a Glas plate and an marquee wich i designed with an old free paintshop. The cabinet was precut. I selfbuild a coin dropin for it and did some led lighting and paint it with several layers . For the back i used door magnets and put fans i to it. But all on a hobby quality 😅 i cant really sell it this way. But looks good. Works with a energysaving hp zhin client for 20€ and an 20 year old samsung lcd around 21" and around a 20 year old pc subwoofer. I did use new speaker from amazon. Time for me 3 months. Could do this about maybe one hour at night in the winter.... Outside 😂 I stayed away from all games wich are not meant to be played on such a cabinet. For that there is my sofa!
Nice looking cabs, I’m curious if you have a background in industrial design? I’m particularly fond of the red Neo Geo MVS style one, just a shame it doesn’t have player 2 controls for some Metal Slug or Fatal Fury with a friend.
I heard that vinyl sheets are way easier for covering up the rough wood than paint. I have not tried it yet, but it certainly seems easier, and somewhat replaceable if it wears down.
These are gorgeous! Not sure if I could build one of these at the same level of quality as you've shown, but I might just give it a try! Do you happen to have plans for a full sized, two player cabinet made in the same design? I just love that display window on the front.
Also I really love the aesthetic. I’ve never been a fan of over-designed artwork on arcade cabs. I always found it looks a bit tasteless….however plenty of people dig that style and more power to em, it just isn’t my vibe. This however feels like it could be an official product because of how on brand it is
Also, thank you for the excellent video, was wondering how much it would cost to DIY one of these things and you did a great job breaking it down. Cheers!
@@RetroBuiltGames Definitely don’t sell them when they’re already completely built, just the body of the machine and the parts and make the customer do the rest. And instead of having an instruction sheet in the box, put a link to your channel and the costumer can follow any of the tutorials you’ve already made to build and customize the cabinet to their liking
@@RetroBuiltGames yup, and sell them for enough of a price where you’d actually profit. And I’m not saying make a whole ass business out of it, just make a handful for a limited time thing.
Awesome job as usual! Your attention to detail is just incredible. I liked the inclusion of Kirby's Dream Course in your footage of the SNES arcade. Such an underrated game! Quick question, why would running the arcades for 24 hours not require 24x the amount of power of running them for 1 hour? Is it because there is an initial power consumption that occurs when you power on the machines?
Thanks. Awesome question. The total power used is always the same, that's the nature of the Watt unit (current * volts). When i turn on more arcades, the voltage stays the same but the current draw goes up. These together is the consumption of power (watts). We (I'm in the USA) buy energy in kWh ( Kilowatt Hours). This is a measure of electrical energy equivalent to a power consumption of 1,000 watts for 1 hour. In my area I pay $0.06 to consume 1kW per hour. When all the arcades are on they consume 320W (0.32kW) watts per hour. Multiple that by 24hrs =7.68kW (7,680W). That is 24x times the energy, but the rate of consumption is why the math isn't straight forward. Multiply that by the cost 7.68kWh* $0.06 kWH/hr = $0.46
This is really cool. It should be quite easy to widen all of the parts to make a two-player version if desired too. I never really understood the appeal of playing console games with arcade controls while standing up, but I suppose it can work well for some games.
Crazy stuff - love it. With CAD and 3D, what program do you recommend to start learning. I know SketchUp pretty well but its not suited to proper CAD work.
Probably fusion 360. If you dont have an association with higher edu (student licenses are the best way in) it's the best path to get your hands on professional CAD without the cost.
Nice work and build! I always think consoles just don't work in an arcade cabinet. You have shown it can work across the board. With your electronic wizardry I would think you could also put a controller port available to plug in an actual controller for specific games. On your cost sheet at 14:24, can you post links to the parts used and where you find some of them at the costs shown? On a side note, your calculations for power on costs don't quite seem right. First, you state the Kill-A-Watt is measuring 0.17W with all 6 turned on? That's only 170W total. Seems strange as many old 15" console TV's used 65W alone. Then add in the console itself, the lights, etc, I would assume it should be over 100W PER cabinet. The 0.17W to me is just 1 cabinet plugged into the meter. I understand some use a 15" CRT, others use a 17" LCD (which uses about 20W) so we will use your next number of a constant use of 320W or 0.32kWh as the average of all 6 being on for 1 hour. Next question - where does electricity only cost 6 cents/kWh? I'm in Central Florida with Duke Energy, and my rates are 12c/kWh which is 6 cents delivery charge and 6 cents fuel charge (how they list it on the bill), and this is the cheapest I've seen in most states. California averages 34c/kWh and can go up to 60c/kWh with tiers. But sticking with 320W usage and your 6c/kWh rate, that is 0.32kWh * 0.06c would be 0.0192 or almost 2cents/hour; over 24 hours that would be 40 cents. For me in Florida at my rate, it would be 4c/hour or roughly $0.92/day. In California at the low 34c/kWh rate it would be 11c/hour or roughly $2.61/day up to $4.61/day at 60c/kWh. Multiply these day numbers by 30 days average billing statement and that is your cost for the month.
thanks for the kind words and good discussion. Controller ports are accessible on the front where the console is... @14:55 I state the kWh usage of all 6 arcades is 320watts. I think the kill-a-watt is accurate to +/-10%. Florida (your example) and CA will have higher costs for energy compared to the states in the rust belt. I live in the rust belt. I'm also using costs from ~2020 (time of filming that segment), before there were a bunch of rate hikes across most of the US. energy is cheap in the rust belt. Remember, some energy rates can be subsidized by government programs, or offset by using solar + battery banks. My state also has competitive 3rd party suppliers that can offer a very cheap energy rate, but still use the same grid system as the monopoly in the area (and their delivery rate) for energy. I also live in a state where two or more energy utilities are usually piped to a house (like electricity and natural gas) which can influence costs too. So what you experience in FL is not the same across the contiguous US. However, the point was running the arcades is a few cents a day.
Thanks! good question. 3/4" plywood is better for three objective reasons : 1) the proportions of the cabinet. 2) T-molding. you need 3/4" to cut a groove and keep structure at the edge. 3) You sacrifice a lot of depth when drilling blind holes for the pegs. I would not validate this design at 1/2" ply. subjectively: If you go with thinner ply it will look and feel substantially "cheaper". If you've ever been in a kitchen built with 1/2" thick cabinet walls, you already know.
I'm not seeing any ventilation for the consoles. Did I miss it? Seems like a pretty important oversight, particularly for 6th gen and newer hardware which desperately needs good airflow.
I wish I had done something like this I didn’t have the means to cut wood so instead I remodeled and refurbished a clearance arcade 1up literally only kept the outside frame swapped every single piece on it and within it wish I could get a replacement made out some exotic super hardwood someday.
@@RetroBuiltGames that’s true but I didn’t go light on any of the other hardware it kind of took on a life of its own at the end if it could be upgraded I did it, then upgraded the upgrade hell the joysticks alone was rebuilt from scratch from the best available options probably $500 in parts. Everything is top of the line far beyond arcade quality with about 50,000 games on it, housed between the worlds cheapest MDF board… I love the size,and functionality. but it makes me sad😢 it’s like a custom top of the line Ferrari engine in an ‘05 Astro van.
I love this!! How much for already cut wood and painted?? I dont have the space, nor tools to make this. But I can put one together if already done for assembly!
Good design. So many arcade cabs where you can't sit down comfortably because knees hit. Where in the US that you only pay 0.0603? I haven't seen that for 10 years. Even commercial rate is higher than that in any state. Are you sure that isn't their cost? Were next to a hydroelectric dam in Washington and get wholesale prices and even were not that low.
This is a great project and it looks amazing!! but what if we want to add controls for 4 players like the TMNT version of arcade 1up? what kind of change would this need?
Looks awesome! You mention the "tricky" rear supplementary angle at the rear of the cabinet, which only seems to make the build itself more difficult. May I ask what the point of that angle is? It doesn't look like most arcade cabinets, so why not just make it straight from top to bottom?
that rear supplementary angle is an homage to the NeoGeo MVS design. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo_Geo_(system) Also will fit around any baseboard in the house.
THIS. This is the embodiment of what its like to be a technically skilled hobbyist. Something we all work forward towards achieving as Nerds. This is without a doubt one of the best DIY projects I have ever seen. Not only are you making this hobby more accessible to less experienced hobbyists but also inspiring us as well. Bravo, 10/10.
thank you very much! those are exceptionally kind words.
@@RetroBuiltGames excuse hi.. do you sell these custom built arcade consoles? like if i wanted just two of them,already painted all white with the controls already "included" how much would just that cost?
if you need to contact me please,dont hestitate to reach out jebad iah miller038 @ gmail com / miller levi 8732 @ gmail com (please have the email as " heres my asking/final price ")
thank you for all you do and have a happy halloween!!
Well said sir. I agree, his videos make you wanna start building lol. 👏👍🤙🕹🎮
The fact that this video only has 1,200 views is a crime. Very nice work!
aw thanks. youtube is a struggle; i stick to what i like.
16k views now
💯 Agreed
81k now
109k now
The amount of thought you put into these cabinets is very impressive.
thank you
Thanks for making this available to others and for providing this primer on top of it.!
I rally like how your design offers so much room for customization.
you are welcome
I am completely blown away by this video and everything you did in it! I personally think these cabinets are AMAZING! Keep up the phenomenal work!
I was about to say "you should sell these". Then also realized how asinine that would be seeing as, in order to make it profitable for yourself (worth your time) you would likely have to "mark them up" to be either on par with or exceeding the price of those 1up's (which I feel you just one upped)! After all, the whole point of DIY is that it's cheaper than buying something "mass produced"! Even after having to find a CNC to "rent" or "borrow" etc...
I do hope to one day build a few cabinets myself, after other life priorities are fulfilled first! I can only hope they turn out as "nice" as these (probably will not use your design, will likely make my own from scratch)...
Why thank you! You said likely the most thoughtful comment here that covers the full spectrum of emotions. These arcades can only be DIY'd because the level of effort put into them was fueled solely on my emotional attachment to video games. Not something that's feasible in a monetary sense. Hopefully seeing that it is possible might be the push to get others building what they day dream about. The reality here (completely ignored by condensing this into a video) is I dreamed about this setup since 2016. A lot of small skill building challenges via this hobby eventually gave me the opportunity; and that opportunity meant working hundreds of hours to build what's shown in the video.
Amazing piece of design and fabrication! It tickles my DIY genes to make one myself.
If I'll ever win a lottery, I will buy myself a cnc machine and make one of these cabinets!
As Darth Vader said, "Impressive, MOST Impressive!"
Nice to see this cab come to life. Very talented craftsmanship.
thank you!
The amount of detail that went into this... just WOW! Great job!
Thank you!
What a video! Had this idea for a dreamcast and saturn using sega arcade stick, etc… my neighbour who had the tools and knowledge has sadly moved… i wish i found this video sooner… great execution and awesome video production
thank you very much!
That thumbnail joke instantly made me subscribe rofl. Love the look and design of this. Really highlights the hardware and no worries about dusting lol
no dusting is a hidden feature; good look.
This is insane ! hard wiring the inputs makes this next level .... Subbed
thank you!
The keyboard + joystick combo is such a great idea😮
These cabinets are awesome, just what I was looking for. I don't have a cnc machine but have lot of time and wood tools. Thank you for the video and the plans.
Very welcome! You can do this with hand tools, albeit much slower.
These are truly amazing 😍 I had very similar ideas for a multi console cabinet and I made it a couple of years ago and it sits in my living room. It's nowhere near as professional as these but I'm currently making plans for another one . Your ideas have given me something to think about. Thanks for sharing your creative genius.
thanks for the kind words. Good luck on your next console arcade!
@@RetroBuiltGames how did you manage to connect a console to the PC monitor, aren't they VGA cables on a monitor?
@@DavidPalin the monitor has VGA connector because the market this monitor was made for is business/industrial (also why its a 5:4 ratio). the business/industrial class typically has VGA connector for all the legacy hardware of the last 40 years that still needs it. The Xbox 360 and Dreamcast support VGA with an official OEM cable.
I am in the planning stages for an all in one and I'm lost on some things so I appreciate you taking the time to detail your construction. These are very clean looking!
i appreciate that thank you!
Going to get right on this, looks pretty easy! First, gotta go back to school and get my electrical engineering degree. So, see you in 7 years (I have low expectations for myself)! Also, this was really cool, nice work!
lol ( legit laughed). thank you
Respect to you my friend this is what my place would look like if I could afford it
I love the swappable control panels.
I wish it was as simple as order and assembly. It’s very cool that you get to build and design it. As a person with minimal tools and design skills this just frustrates me but that’s not your fault. Lol
tbh i've been building arcades for over 10years. the first ones would win no accolades. So results will vary, you just have to start.
Lovely stuff! I made a Pi arcade a few years ago. I want to make a bigger and better one for my new home. I'm definitly taking some inspiration from these lovely machines.
thank you! i wish you good luck!
100k+ views. Thank you everyone for watching! I am humbled.
This guy needs a apprentice! Your work is amazing it made me look at all my goodies in the garage. i keep building crazy ideas. Good advice for using your scrap/spare wood…. I feel like I’m talking to dr evil building a ton of these, you got a sub from me. Peace and love
Incredible! What i would give to have time to do this! 1 cabinet every 5 years for me!
wow nice work. Appreciate especially the scientific approach to real cost to operate with electricity at the end
Glad you liked it!
I’m blown away by the creativity. From the dedicated cabinets, the module control panels and your knowledge (Plus the time it takes to make these). Pretty sure this is the first video I’ve seen of your’s, but I subscribed immediately. Now it’s time to watch your other vids 😊.
thanks and welcome!
Great idea, I have so many systems just sitting there and this is a fantastic way of showing them
what an excellent video. the cabinets themselves are awesome, but so is the video. I'm inspired to get back to work on my cabs. Would love to have these as a part of my business
thank you!
These builds are incredible. I'd love to have my Saturn, Dreamcast and Xbox 360 in each of these.. super cool. I wonder how much a fab shop charges for table time in my area.
Saturn x Dreamcast would be wonderful
Very inspiring video! You have a new subscriber. One small error I noticed: it should cost you $4.6 to run all arcades for 24 hours, not $0.46, considering the price per hour is correct.
thankyou! darn that decimal place
This is a work of beauty! Much inspired by this, thank you!
Yup, I’ve built many cabs. My last one was a MKII cab in the style of the original arcade, but also made in the style of the Arcade 1Up. I built it for less money than a 1up and it works better and looks better.
yeah! happy to hear this.
These videos make me wanna start building my own arcade.👏👍🤙🕹🎮
amazing work, something like this would be perfect for the MiSTer
thank you! i agree
Wow!! Excellent work!! Great details!
thank you!
Reminds me of the ones they have in Latin America (mainly Mexico) where there's arcade cabinets with consoles and/or PC rigs inside it running multiple games, they're referred to as "maquinitas" or "maquinas de videojuegos". Otherwise i love your setup and also amazing work. 🙏👍
awesome, thanks for sharing! how much does it cost per play on a maquinitas?
@@RetroBuiltGames it would cost around 8-12 pesos (the equivalent to $0.50 - $0.75 per game). The machines also have a time limit when in use for each gametime (between 15-20 minutes depending on the game). Also a fun fact, some of them even have online multiplayer for those that want to have that option as well in certain locations. Pretty cool machines, also my bad for taking so long to reply. UA-cam's notification system is very iffy for me for some odd reason.
Thank you! I think i've seen the time limit boards as an add on. You would plug these inline to the video feed so the countdown timer and credit text are overlaid on the game system right?
@@RetroBuiltGames Yep, exactly like that. 😅
You do wonderful work for sure.This more ambitious lvl than I am quite ready to operate at just yet. I'm content to use existing shells and go from there.
thank you!
Man, even the little details on these are decent little projects. Controller converters, the rgb marquees… very nice! I’d like to see a more in depth dive into creating the controller converters
any specific controller converters you wanted details on?
@@RetroBuiltGames personally, I’m looking at creating a usb to gamecube controller so I can use my other controllers on my Wii. But I just like learning about this stuff so I’ll watch whatever. You never know what kind of tips you can pick up so all info is appreciated
Agreed! I am working on an analog arcade GameCube controller now, but not quite matching your applications. I have my eye on this GameCube device that allows one to use current gen controllers on your gamecube via bluetooth. It's pre-order; i am hesitant until the device delivers on promises. But 'knowing' about devices like this help me bridge interface puzzles when stuck. castlemaniagames.com/products/retrotime-gc-blueretro-wireless-controller-receiver?ref=nqN6c2d7Ffw-JC
Good Lord, man. This deserves a sub. So many amazing ideas and tips
i appreciate the sub!
madman built 6 just for less than 2k views. criminally underrated
😂😂🤣🤣👊👊 love your comment its badass
That’s pretty damn impressive!
it's been my two year anniversary of waiting 17" monitor plans. Thank you
happy anniversary!
Very cool designs. "Let's bring back the DIY!~" Uses CNC, lol, pretty awesome though!
Thanks! 👍
Thank you for taking the time to design all of this and then sharing with us
your welcome!
Fantastic work! Might need to get around to getting certified for the wood shop tools at my local makerspace and give this a shot! Though, I think my partner *might* try to kill me if I put another machine in our apartment...
try it, you'll never stop
@@RetroBuiltGames Soon as I figure out how to transport a 4x8 sheet of ply with my Scion, you've got a deal!
Some home stores / lumber distributers offer delivery if you buy min of $100 of lumber.
Wow. Just wow!
I have had plans of building one arcade cabinet, but now I kinda want to build six :D
lol yeah. once you're over the hurdle of building one you'll convince yourself 5 more isnt too bad.
Cool. I’ll just pay someone to make a cabinet and include a Pandora box. Even Amazon has arcade cabinet shells with up to 32” screen if I want to do it myself. The cheapest CNC machine you would want is $1000 so I don’t get the cost makeup. This guys using a $10,000 CNC machine and says “you can build one for the cost of three 1Up Arcades.” Great woodwork by a professional woodworker. Great game ideas from one gamer to another. I won’t be doing because I cannot see this being cost effective.
thanks! first time I've been called a professional
Are you F-ing kidding me, bra? You go deep, seriously. Quality work. Much kudos.
thank you much brochacho
@@RetroBuiltGames no worries bromosapien!
This is an awesome project, I can’t believe it took me so long to stumble on this video! I would love to try this. Do you think I’d be able to fit a two-player button layout on there? I really liked your 2:3 MAME cabinet design but this one might be the perfect size!
Thank you! At this size you could fit 2-players with two-button each (Komani beat-em up like). With a 3-button row each, you have to widen the cabinet so two players are comfortably spaced.
@ thanks for the quick reply! I think that could work. I’ll have to take a look at your plans closer but I think this will definitely be one of my next projects! I have to find something to do with the CRT TVs I’ve hoarded!
That is cool man. You got my sub even though I would just emulate since I don't own all those systems (anymore).
thank you! nothing wrong with emulation. much easier than this
Oh i have a diy arcade. But i did go on all things the easy route no pcb or crazy wiring. Things that can work together without modifications. Things i did custom was a Glas plate and an marquee wich i designed with an old free paintshop. The cabinet was precut. I selfbuild a coin dropin for it and did some led lighting and paint it with several layers . For the back i used door magnets and put fans i to it. But all on a hobby quality 😅 i cant really sell it this way. But looks good.
Works with a energysaving hp zhin client for 20€ and an 20 year old samsung lcd around 21" and around a 20 year old pc subwoofer. I did use new speaker from amazon.
Time for me 3 months. Could do this about maybe one hour at night in the winter.... Outside 😂
I stayed away from all games wich are not meant to be played on such a cabinet. For that there is my sofa!
100% agree with some games are just better sitting on the sofa + controller
Nice looking cabs, I’m curious if you have a background in industrial design? I’m particularly fond of the red Neo Geo MVS style one, just a shame it doesn’t have player 2 controls for some Metal Slug or Fatal Fury with a friend.
background in engineering
@@RetroBuiltGames nice, well you've got a designer's eye. I'm thinking about building something similar based off your design.
thanks! build it!
I heard that vinyl sheets are way easier for covering up the rough wood than paint. I have not tried it yet, but it certainly seems easier, and somewhat replaceable if it wears down.
id still recommend sealing the wood fibers.
These are gorgeous! Not sure if I could build one of these at the same level of quality as you've shown, but I might just give it a try!
Do you happen to have plans for a full sized, two player cabinet made in the same design? I just love that display window on the front.
dont have it for full size. :(
Thanks for sharing with us
You bet!
Very cool idea man! Way to go!
Thanks!
Amazing work, very well done sir
Many many thanks
increíble amigo, amazing mate cheers
thank you
Also I really love the aesthetic. I’ve never been a fan of over-designed artwork on arcade cabs. I always found it looks a bit tasteless….however plenty of people dig that style and more power to em, it just isn’t my vibe. This however feels like it could be an official product because of how on brand it is
thanks i appreciate that.
15:03 I believe is supposed to be $0.019/hour for all machines (320W/1kW * .0603USD)
Also, thank you for the excellent video, was wondering how much it would cost to DIY one of these things and you did a great job breaking it down. Cheers!
yes, darn those leading zeroes.
Damn! Great work, you’re super talented.
thankyou, i appreciate that.
I wish this dude sold these, I don’t have any of the tools I need to build this cool stuff on my own
it's a difficult item to sell ( on my end)
@@RetroBuiltGames Definitely don’t sell them when they’re already completely built, just the body of the machine and the parts and make the customer do the rest. And instead of having an instruction sheet in the box, put a link to your channel and the costumer can follow any of the tutorials you’ve already made to build and customize the cabinet to their liking
so like arcade1-up but save 20cents and remove the paper instructions?
@@RetroBuiltGames yup, and sell them for enough of a price where you’d actually profit. And I’m not saying make a whole ass business out of it, just make a handful for a limited time thing.
deja vu
Awesome job as usual! Your attention to detail is just incredible. I liked the inclusion of Kirby's Dream Course in your footage of the SNES arcade. Such an underrated game! Quick question, why would running the arcades for 24 hours not require 24x the amount of power of running them for 1 hour? Is it because there is an initial power consumption that occurs when you power on the machines?
Thanks. Awesome question. The total power used is always the same, that's the nature of the Watt unit (current * volts). When i turn on more arcades, the voltage stays the same but the current draw goes up. These together is the consumption of power (watts).
We (I'm in the USA) buy energy in kWh ( Kilowatt Hours). This is a measure of electrical energy equivalent to a power consumption of 1,000 watts for 1 hour. In my area I pay $0.06 to consume 1kW per hour.
When all the arcades are on they consume 320W (0.32kW) watts per hour. Multiple that by 24hrs =7.68kW (7,680W). That is 24x times the energy, but the rate of consumption is why the math isn't straight forward.
Multiply that by the cost 7.68kWh* $0.06 kWH/hr = $0.46
@@RetroBuiltGames Ok gotcha, that makes total sense. Thank you for explaining!
@@RetroBuiltGames I think the comma at 15:06 is at the wrong place. It is not $ 0,19 for one hour but $ 0,019 and 0,019 x 24 = 0,456
@@AndreasHammerschmidt oooooh yeah. good catch!
@@AndreasHammerschmidt thanks for catching that, really had me thinking
Exactly what I was looking for
Amazing content! You would make a killing just selling the precut pieces in a diy bundle.
not sure i would agree
@@RetroBuiltGamesFair enough, great video. Very clean designs. I subbed.
Many thanks for sharing a great informative video.
thanks for watching!
Como mola, te han quedado muy chulas las maquinas, muy buen trabajo y buen video, se nota que as pensado en todos los detalles. 😉👍❤
thank you!
Amazing build! It would have been cool if you made a false back where the consoles are sitting to hide the wires.
good suggestion thank you!
Incredible simply Incredible!!!
thank you!
Very cool, though obviously most people can forget about doing this. I'd have to build a shed and get a shit ton of expensive equipment first :P
you can do this this with a jigsaw and hand router. sometimes its more about the can-do attitude than the whats in your shed.
that guitar hero mod is super cool!
thank you. it's my favorite of the lineup
This is really cool. It should be quite easy to widen all of the parts to make a two-player version if desired too.
I never really understood the appeal of playing console games with arcade controls while standing up, but I suppose it can work well for some games.
thanks. more a shrine to console games than practical. Im more comfortable playing on a couch
@@RetroBuiltGames I can certainly understand that. I have my own much less impressive shrine - my console collection is just on shelves lol.
phenomenal
i am humbled. thank you!
this is soooooo dang cool
A very "crafty" project. Nice!
Crazy stuff - love it. With CAD and 3D, what program do you recommend to start learning. I know SketchUp pretty well but its not suited to proper CAD work.
Probably fusion 360. If you dont have an association with higher edu (student licenses are the best way in) it's the best path to get your hands on professional CAD without the cost.
Do you think this could be easily scaled up to make into a two person (playable) cabinet with larger screen?
yes, im certain it can
Nice work and build! I always think consoles just don't work in an arcade cabinet. You have shown it can work across the board. With your electronic wizardry I would think you could also put a controller port available to plug in an actual controller for specific games. On your cost sheet at 14:24, can you post links to the parts used and where you find some of them at the costs shown?
On a side note, your calculations for power on costs don't quite seem right. First, you state the Kill-A-Watt is measuring 0.17W with all 6 turned on? That's only 170W total. Seems strange as many old 15" console TV's used 65W alone. Then add in the console itself, the lights, etc, I would assume it should be over 100W PER cabinet. The 0.17W to me is just 1 cabinet plugged into the meter. I understand some use a 15" CRT, others use a 17" LCD (which uses about 20W) so we will use your next number of a constant use of 320W or 0.32kWh as the average of all 6 being on for 1 hour. Next question - where does electricity only cost 6 cents/kWh? I'm in Central Florida with Duke Energy, and my rates are 12c/kWh which is 6 cents delivery charge and 6 cents fuel charge (how they list it on the bill), and this is the cheapest I've seen in most states. California averages 34c/kWh and can go up to 60c/kWh with tiers. But sticking with 320W usage and your 6c/kWh rate, that is 0.32kWh * 0.06c would be 0.0192 or almost 2cents/hour; over 24 hours that would be 40 cents. For me in Florida at my rate, it would be 4c/hour or roughly $0.92/day. In California at the low 34c/kWh rate it would be 11c/hour or roughly $2.61/day up to $4.61/day at 60c/kWh. Multiply these day numbers by 30 days average billing statement and that is your cost for the month.
thanks for the kind words and good discussion. Controller ports are accessible on the front where the console is... @14:55 I state the kWh usage of all 6 arcades is 320watts. I think the kill-a-watt is accurate to +/-10%. Florida (your example) and CA will have higher costs for energy compared to the states in the rust belt. I live in the rust belt. I'm also using costs from ~2020 (time of filming that segment), before there were a bunch of rate hikes across most of the US. energy is cheap in the rust belt. Remember, some energy rates can be subsidized by government programs, or offset by using solar + battery banks. My state also has competitive 3rd party suppliers that can offer a very cheap energy rate, but still use the same grid system as the monopoly in the area (and their delivery rate) for energy. I also live in a state where two or more energy utilities are usually piped to a house (like electricity and natural gas) which can influence costs too. So what you experience in FL is not the same across the contiguous US. However, the point was running the arcades is a few cents a day.
Very impressive great job amigo I like the idea of bespoke cabinets, arcade 1 ups are junk
thank you
Amazing I'm going to attempt this at some point
Go for it!
Amazing perfection, a dream space is here
Amazing work!
Thank you! Cheers!
I'm an 18 year old from South Africa and I really want one of these in my future home
Great idea! Though id like to see a thin cabinet that uses an lcd monitor. Some people have very little room
thanks. other creators have done that idea.
Fantastic video. I think you saved me some time on the design....but it's a lot more complex than I was thinking. Do you sell these units?
No, sorry
Very nice but I don't have access to CNC or laser cutters
Very, very cool
thank you
Great build! I've been looking into doing something like this. Is there a reason to use 3/4" plywood instead of 1/2" to save weight and cost?
Thanks! good question. 3/4" plywood is better for three objective reasons :
1) the proportions of the cabinet.
2) T-molding. you need 3/4" to cut a groove and keep structure at the edge.
3) You sacrifice a lot of depth when drilling blind holes for the pegs. I would not validate this design at 1/2" ply.
subjectively:
If you go with thinner ply it will look and feel substantially "cheaper". If you've ever been in a kitchen built with 1/2" thick cabinet walls, you already know.
Amazing work.
thank you!
I'm not seeing any ventilation for the consoles. Did I miss it? Seems like a pretty important oversight, particularly for 6th gen and newer hardware which desperately needs good airflow.
i think you missed it.
I wish I had done something like this I didn’t have the means to cut wood so instead I remodeled and refurbished a clearance arcade 1up literally only kept the outside frame swapped every single piece on it and within it wish I could get a replacement made out some exotic super hardwood someday.
exotic hardwood might be more than clearance prices. maybe veneer would be better
@@RetroBuiltGames that’s true but I didn’t go light on any of the other hardware it kind of took on a life of its own at the end if it could be upgraded I did it, then upgraded the upgrade hell the joysticks alone was rebuilt from scratch from the best available options probably $500 in parts. Everything is top of the line far beyond arcade quality with about 50,000 games on it, housed between the worlds cheapest MDF board… I love the size,and functionality. but it makes me sad😢 it’s like a custom top of the line Ferrari engine in an ‘05 Astro van.
I love this!! How much for already cut wood and painted??
I dont have the space, nor tools to make this. But I can put one together if already done for assembly!
not something im selling :(
Wish I had access to a cnc machine
I am working on building a half-scale TRON. this is cool.
thank you. good luck on your TRON cab!
Absolutely great! 😎😁
Thanks! 😁
Good design. So many arcade cabs where you can't sit down comfortably because knees hit.
Where in the US that you only pay 0.0603? I haven't seen that for 10 years. Even commercial rate is higher than that in any state. Are you sure that isn't their cost? Were next to a hydroelectric dam in Washington and get wholesale prices and even were not that low.
that's a rate without the service charge
So cool
Outstanding work. Would I be able to modify the bezel to accept a 20" LCD monitor?
I'm sure you can
This is a great project and it looks amazing!! but what if we want to add controls for 4 players like the TMNT version of arcade 1up? what kind of change would this need?
not much change. build the cabinet wider and make 3x more controllers.
Looks awesome! You mention the "tricky" rear supplementary angle at the rear of the cabinet, which only seems to make the build itself more difficult. May I ask what the point of that angle is? It doesn't look like most arcade cabinets, so why not just make it straight from top to bottom?
that rear supplementary angle is an homage to the NeoGeo MVS design. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo_Geo_(system)
Also will fit around any baseboard in the house.
you're an evil genius
Excellent
Thanks