More HUO Jamma v1.0

My work on these two cabinets continues.  I haven't been posting everything, but I'll try to catch up here.  Last time I posted, I had only just assembled the cabinet shell.  It seems like this project is taking forever, but I'm only just working on it here and there, when I get the time.  It's actually been good, because it's allowed me to think through each new step before doing something rash.

I want these cabinets to be capable of playing vertical as well as horizontal games.  So it was with this in mind that I built the monitor display in a manner that will allow the owner to rotate the display without tools. It seems to work as I had planned.  The monitor mount is held in place, by the control panel, and after removing the glass, it is easy enough to slide out and rotate the panel.  It all goes back together, and since it's a square panel, the fit is exact.  I can thank the new table saw for this little miracle.

Today I spent a great deal of time trying to design an effective control panel.  I purchased a printed control panel overlay from Phoenix Arcade.  Having the control panel artwork already designed will require me to have the buttons and controls in the exact location as the overlay.  Also the control panel is going to have a trackball so that will require some extra attention.  I ended up making a small two part jig that allows me to cut both the opening for the trackball to mount under the control panel, and also the recessed area for the trackball plate that will rest above.  This took me almost two hours, that's crazy.  Although now that I have the jig, I can cut these in about three minutes.

Project Pacman Begins

Ok, so every arcade collector must own a Pacman, or a Ms. Pacman. Why?  Because every time we have a party or get together, and I show people the game room, the first question is " Do you have Pacman"?  It's a great game anyway, it's one of those approachable games, that anyone, of any age can enjoy.  It's arguably the most popular coin-op game of all time.

This project came to me from a collector on the Village forum.  I can't remember exactly at this time, but I drove somewhere down in South Florida for this one, I'm thinking somewhere near Boca Raton.  I can't claim total restoration rights on this one.  Most of the hard work had already been done.  The control panel and coin door had already been stripped and powder coated.  The cabinet was sanded to bare wood, and the previous owner even made a new back door.

I touched up some of the cabinet with Bondo and gave it a good covering of primer.  After sanding that down I tried using spray paint to get a nice smooth finish. That was a mistake, I never quite found a color that could match the original.  So I took a piece of the side art down to Lowe's and had them match the color on their scanner.  I ordered a quart of semi-gloss oil base.  My daughter Kylie was here so I handed her the roller, teenagers are fun like that.

The original Pacman and Ms. Pacman cabinets were painted using a stencil.  I'd like to try that someday, but for now I opted to use full vinyl printed side art.  The whole kit which includes both sides and the front kick plate costs about $240 shipped.

Rich at This Old Game made a very helpful video that describes in great detail how to install side art.  After watching it, I'm quite glad I did.  I lightly sanded the cabinet down and got to work installing the vinyl.

Following Rich's instructions made the process quite simple.  It was a little nerve racking at first, I didn't want to ruin a $100 giant sticker.  I used the heat, tuck under technique.  Oh, notice the hair dryer, I have yet to lay out the cash for a heat gun.  After installing the t-molding, the whole thing started to look great, and the paint match was nearly perfect.

A few minor points I'd like to add.  If you're doing this for the first time, and you want the vinyl to look perfectly smooth, then the surface must also be perfectly smooth.  My thinking was the vinyl would hide some of the roller marks, but that wasn't what happened.  I lightly sanded the cabinet down after it dried, and there are only minor roller marks showing through the vinyl, but they are there if you look closely.  It actually looks natural, almost as if the vinyl art has been painted on, because you can see some "orange peel" through the vinyl.  

I used a foam roller, and there are different types of those, so look for the ones made for painting cabinet doors.  They are common at hardware and paint stores.

It really does look excellent.  If you're not sure about doing the stencil, or just don't have the space to paint, go for the vinyl side art.

Jetson's Clock & Steve Ramsey

A few posts back I mentioned a new table saw.  Like most people these days, before I make any major purchase, I try to find a decent review of the item.  I had my eye set on a Porter Cable table saw, and a quick search pulled up not just a review, but a video review of the model I was thinking about getting.  That's where Steve Ramsey comes in with his video blog "Woodworking for Mere Mortals".  Steve reviewed the Porter Cable PC270.

After watching that one video I wanted to know more about "Woodworking for Mere Mortals".  I started thinking about all the woodworking programs I grew up watching, like Norm Abram's  "The New Yankee Workshop" and Roy Underhill's "Woodright's Shop".  Those were great programs, and those guys are very talented, perhaps too talented at times.  I wondered if that's what Steve was getting at, trying to make woodworking accessible to the average guy with an average budget.  I'm hooked on Steve's blog now, it's an amazing site, full of great masses of practical knowledge on woodworking and Steve's sense of humor is equally rewarding.

For some time now I've been fascinated by what some people are calling Googie.  It's a type of architecture that originated in the early fifties and flourished in the early sixties in America.  I think it had a great deal to do with post war optimism.  So when I started putting together my office I decided to go with a Googie theme.  Sure, no one there would understand, but I'm the IT guy so, I can get away with being a bit odd.  Stay with me, this isn't totally random.

This weekend my daughter Kylie and I took on one of Steve's projects.  It was the Jetson's Wall Clock.  Since we both wanted one, we worked together to make two of everything.  It was exhausting work believe it or not.  We managed to get it done by working most of Saturday night and then again Sunday afternoon.  Here are a few shot's Kylie took during the work.

We made quite a mess, but we both ended up with a fine Googie clock. George Jetson and maybe even Steve Ramsey would be proud.  Here's a couple fetching shots of mine at work.  I'm quite proud of my little office, and it's Googie look, now I just need a small Tiki or two.