New News

I haven't shared any info on my blog for quite awhile now. I've been slowly making progress on my machines, and I'm happy to say that all 4 machines are almost at %100. I've found out about some cool products and some cool tips. I thought as always I would share the info on my blog. My DK JR is %100 complete ! Everything working well and configured how I like it. The PC isn't the most powerful but it does the trick. I've hooked up everything to a smartstrip powerbar, I picked these up for $20 online at Best Buy Canada. These things are awesome, I actually got a second one for my Mario Bros. They have a "master" that once turned on turns on its "slaves." I have my master as the PC and the slaves are the marquee light fixture, speakers, and monitor. For the fourth open connection I decided I'd wire DK into it. The smartstrip is awesome because it kills the power to everthing and doesn't require me to turn on and off the power bar. Highly suggest that people get these for MAME projects. My DK is also %100 complete. It is wired for Jamma and features a 60-in-1 game board. As mentioned above no power switch was added to the machine and reaching inside and to the back (or around) wasn't really an option. I've plugged this into the smartstrip so when DK JR goes on this does also. For the DK I used a standard Home Depot light fixture, I actually use the same one in all my machines. The cord wasn't long enough to make it into the powerbar so I hacked a dollar store extension cord and tied the fixture into the power supply. DK now %100 done and loving it. My Popeye machine is wired Jamma and layed out with a two player, two button per side layout. I have an original Popeye control panel also, but the two player two button layout gives me so many more options. I actually have Bad Dudes in this machine and that was one of my favorite games. I also picked up WWF Superstars and WWF Wrestlefest for this machine. I'll slowly build a board collection if the price is right. I'd like to even add a Jamma switcher to it, but I'm in no rush. The Popeye is not yet at the %100 mark, however it is wired and ready to go. The monitor was very dim and a friend of mine has capped it for me. I haven't yet picked it up, but I'm sure its awesome. All Popeye needs is the monitor installe, a new bulb for the marquee and hooking up the -5V for Bad Dudes. Now onto Mario.....oh Mario............oh oh oh Mario. A friend of mine gave me his old PC, a nice dual core machine with a nice videocard and a ton of ram. It's a nice machine but it's giving me trouble. I've had to format the thing 3 times. Can't get the audio to work, nor can I get the videocard to work. I've decided to walk away from the PC and slow it down a lil, no rushing, no rushing. Do what I can when I can. With the PC becoming an issue I decided that I would walk away from it and do some of the stuff I had put off. The machine was painted and ready to go, molding installed, side art purchased, and honestly everything just waiting on the PC. I had it in my head that I would do the PC and then bang out the machine in one day. When I realized that wasn't an option I decided I would do things out of sequence and add the PC when done. That was the best thing I could have done ! This weekend I managed to install the marquee, install the speakers and mount the volume control to the inside of the coin door. Honestly I've noticed that the small things make a big difference. The powerstrip is awesome, as is the volume control on the inside of the coin door. So cool, for $20 this Logitech 2.1 system I got was well worth it. So marquee is in, speakers are in, iPac is wired using a hacked Jamma harness and color coded as per Jamma standard. It makes things so nice and clean. I also added an extension cord to extend the marquee light cord. This machine will also be hooked up using a smartstrip. Lastly I managed to test fit the monitor. I'll be adding a few more supports this week, perhaps forming a bezel. This pretty much brings me to a complete stage pending the PC install. The only thing I don't like is my control panel, I kinda rushed and dont like how it turned out. I'll redo it shortly. Fingers crossed the PC comes together !

Moved Out.....Then Moved In !

Been awhile since I updated the blog last.
Lot's has gone on. I'm proud to say my "man cave" basement was started and completed.
I'm really excited because my basement has really turned into a space that I love.
It's something I wanted for years.
Also very happy to report that I now have a fourth Nintendo cabinet.
This will be the final cabinet that I keep (for the near foreseeable future that is!).
It's going to my Mario Mega-MAME Machine. It will feature a MAME PC with full console emulation, tons and tons of ROM sets, and even my two Aim Trak GunCon2's.

Anyway, the low down on what has gone on. DK JR has been put back together. It's tested and working again. And I'm very happy to report it's loving it's new home.
DK & Popeye are restored and also moved into the house. They just need to be wired up. I've purchased all the parts I need including a 60-in-1 Jamma board for DK.
Popeye will feature a two player VS. style control panel and be the proud recipient of my Bad Dudes board. In fact if all goes well DK and Popeye should be wired this weekend.

Now for Mario! I just so happened to be the recipient of some good karma and was able to pick up this gutted Nintendo cabinet for FREE!. (Well not FREE...... I had to enlist the help of my brother! Between lunch and some computer parts I bought him it was $75. Still I can't complain as I've paid about $100 in the past for a cabinet in the same condition/state) I picked this cabinet up about a month ago, possibly two. It stayed at my brothers house while my basement renovation was being completed. However while waiting for it to arrive I was proactive and ordered my sideart, t-molding, joysticks, buttons, etc. Thanks to my buddy "Bobby Drama" I got an amazing FREE PC he was tossing out. I was able to order the brackets, bezel, and marquee from KLOV. Locally a auction regular had an amazing control panel for me at an amazing price. The cabinet came together part wise really well. I'm excited to start this project this weekend if I can find some free time.

I'll post some pics later.

Coin Door Progress

Some pics of the newly painted coin door.

Final Touches

For the winter as I start my man cave my projects have been parked.
Pushed to the back of the garage like bad children to the back of the classroom.
I'm doing what I can which is honestly small cosmetic work, the wiring will be done this summer (perhaps sooner) as I prepare to move the cabinets in.

The last of my parts should arrive this week. I went out and purchased my molex connectors. For Popeye I plan on having two "EZ-CHANGE" control panels, a stock 1 player and a VS layout 2 player panel. I think this will help with selling the cabinet in the future, should I decide I want to do so. The molex connector makes swapping panels out a breeze. I've never done this before, but I've seen many MAME projects use this.

Unplug the connector and plug in the alternate panel. I'm soooo stoked on this, I think it's so awesome. As much as I love Nintendo cabinets having one button does limit the game play. The cost to make a second panel isn't really that much, so it really was an easy decision.

My upper and lower brackets arrived late last week. I've sanded them and given them three coats of paint. They came out good, I'm happy I was able to salvage them, they were priced great.

I also got my coin door sanded and painted, it has a few flaws but all in all I can't complain. The fresh coat of paint brought some new life to it. I'll clean up the mechs this weekend.

I expect the rest of my parts to arrive this week. One they come I'll inspect them, likely take the wire wheel to the bolts to polish them up, and I'll polish the buttons with Nuvos.

THAT'S IT ! That would be the last of the work. Well attach the Popeye CPO to the second panel, but that's it, DONE !

Get It On!

Locally a fellow coin-op enthusiast asked me for some help on locating the various online arcade art resources. He had asked me about certain sites, forums, and anything really that would help him to establish his file library. In exchange for my help he provided me with a few sets of side art he had printed prior that were slightly flawed.
It was a great alternative as the artwork I had ordered from the US seemed to have been lost in the mail. Desperate to get the art and with it being FREE I could nothttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif say no. I thought when I installed it I would be able to work out the damaged areas, however I was wrong. I'm still torn on the install, as great as free is I love these machines. Should I have spent the http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifmoney and had flawless art ? When in a row the only art you will see is the left side of the DK cabinet. I by no means think these cabinets should be flawless, they are 30 years old. The parts you find will always have some wear and tear. I can't say I'll never remove this art and try again, but for now I'll go with it. In a dim basement you might not even notice the flaws.

I've posted the link to the full gallery, but included a few samples in the blog.

http://s286.photobucket.com/albums/ll85/vibefxdesign/DK%20and%20Popeye%20Art%20Installed

Coin Door

So this weekend I was able to pick up my DK coin door. It's one of the last things I need to complete my DK project. I also have my upper and lower brackets coming from the US, I should have them this week. I was also fortunate enough to have a fellow KLOV'r send me some Nintendo buttons, coin door bolts, and a few other random parts I was missing. It was a really sweet hook up, and I thank "micksimmonds" for his awesome contribution.

Once the parts come in I can get them all sanded and painted, then cosmetically I'll be done ! All that will remain is doing the Jamma wiring this spring. (It's too cold to do it now..........the twins are living outside !)

Project Update

Been very busy as of late and had some major life issues that kept me from projects.
However the Nintendo Twins (DK & Popeye) are coming along well.
I found a local source who was getting into the "Arcade Art Business" and gave me some DK & Popeye art that he had done for someone. It did come with a catch, the art had some wrinkles in it. I thought I would be able to smooth it out, but I couldn't. I can honestly say that with them installed I'm not so sure I made the best choice installing FREE DAMAGED art. I think I would have rather paid and had the art flawless. I guess the saving grace, or silver lining is that when in place only one side of DK will be visible. You wont even see the Popeye art. It's more that I know it's damaged and I see it when I look at it. I'm sure we all have something like that.
I'll snap some pics soon and post them on the blog.

Really all that remains now is to pick up my coin door which if all goes well I'm hoping to do the 1st week in December. I also need to pick up some additional hardware such as marquee bracket which I'm also hoping to do the same day. December 3rd is the local Coin-Op auction and if the seller of my Popeye cabinet is at the auction he will have a few parts for me. That day I'm also going Christmas shopping out in Vaughn, that just so happens to be the location of my coin door. So fingers crossed it all works out.

My buddy and fellow coin-op enthusiast offered to help me wire up my monitors and help with the jamma wiring. He's also busy with a bunch of projects so finding the time isn't easy. I myself had some major issues as of late and have been really taken back when it comes to the hobby. On a positive note I hope to be starting my basement man cave soon ! So all my cabinets will have a nice home to be displayed, played and enjoyed. Realistically if I don't do the jamma wiring until the spring I'm OK with that.