Arcade Cabinet for Under € 250

I created an arcade cabinet using an old computer as start of the project. I had a spare computer (tower and monitor) and decided to give it a second life. Since my two kids do not need that computer and they like gaming together like I do, I made up my mind and turned my plan (which I had for years) into action. 

This Instructable is to help you give an idea how to build a cabinet by your own. I hope to help you with this plan to create your own and give your cabinet your individualized touch. Do not copy someone's cabinet, make it yourself. You can do this by changing colors, adding stickers (which I did not), changing the size and dimensions and the shape of the cabinet. This Instructable is here to give you some helpful tips, guidelines, and lessons which I have learned during the process. 

Important note: I have created this cabinet with a lot of pleasure. This is important. Otherwise, failure will happen. During these kind of projects things will fail. You must compromise or start over with parts of the cabinet and put extra money into it. Before I started, I knew the cabinet would not be perfect. T-molding is not cut perfectly, coin acceptor is not functional, paint is not perfect. The point is, from a distant he looks great, and he works like a charm. We can play games on it and have fun. What do you need more? 

The following tools I used: 

• Router 
• Used for the monitor board and for the groove for the T-Molding
• Drill (battery powered) 
• Speed drill (28mm and 22mm) 
• Dremel with sanding attachment 
• Jigsaw 
• Soldering iron 

The following materials I used: 

• Desktop computer (no cost, I have it as a spare, the first computer for 50 euros you can find will be fine) 
• Used for the heart of the arcade. I used RetroPie installed above Ubuntu, if you have a raspberry, you can install it directly using an image 
• Monitor (25-euro second hand) 
• Decide the size, I used a spare 22inch monitor, which is simply fine, but I can image you want a larger one 
• Audio (€ 24) 
• Kit Arcade Game Machine Audio Diy 180W Stereo Versterker Pc Auto Dvd MP3 Muziekspeler 4 Inch Speaker Chrome grille Kabel|arcade accessories|arcade boardarcade game board - AliExpress 
• Led (€ 4) 
• Led Strip 5050 Rgb Niet Waterdicht 30LED Tv Achtergrond Verlichting Usb DC5V 1M 2M 3M 5M diy Flexibele Led Licht. Muziek Mini Controller|LED Strips| - AliExpress 
• Arcade buttons (€ 3 each) 
• ArcadeWinkel.nl | Standaard modellen 
• Arcade joystick (€ 15 each) 
• ArcadeWinkel.nl | Balltop modellen 
• Coin acceptor (€ 5) 
• Cpu Vergelijkbaar Coin Acceptor Elektronische Arcade Video Games Elektronische Automaat Deel Multiuse Selecteren Bericht Stoel Verzamelen|Coin Operated Games| - AliExpress 
• USB mount (€ 3) 
• 1M Auto Dash Board Mount A Male Naar Een Vrouwelijke Usb 2.0 Socket Extension Panel Kabel Q9QD|Cables, Adapters & Sockets| - AliExpress 
• Acrylic panels (€ 25) 
• Wood panels (€ 70) 
• Paint (free, was already in my shed :)) 
• Look what you have available, this saves money 
• T-molding (€ 25) 
• USB controller (€ 7,50 each) 
• Used to connect the buttons and joystick to the computer 
• EG STARTS Zero Delay USB-encoder voor PC games controller voor Arcade Joystick Mame Jamma Parts (gebruikt joystick 5Pin + toetsen) : Amazon.nl: Speelgoed & spellen 
• Several other small items 

Look around the web for your best deal.  

The first step is to create a plan. Search the internet for designs used for cabinets to decide your desired shape of the cabinet. I used this as my base for the shape of the side panels. The key step in this is to draw the side panel and decide which wood panel you need. Use a minimal of 18mm thick panels. I used MDF because this was the cheapest and suitable for the purpose. Because of this type of material, you need to be extra careful when working with it when (speed) drilling. This material will break like cardboard. Handle with care! 

A common cabinet height is around 185cm (about twice the length of a baseball bat). The control board is on a height of 85cm (about the length of a baseball bat). The width for my cabinet is 70cm (between the panels). If you created your design, buy the panel, and cut it. In many DIY-stores there is ability to use a professional saw to cut your panel into smaller panels. If you have only hand tools or smaller electric tools, it is wise to consider this, so it is easier to have to side panels which are the same. 

After cutting the side panels it is a good step to add wood for connecting the side panels to the front panels. Use a size beam which fits with the screws and 18mm panel. Make sure the distance of the beams is 18mm from the side so the front panels will fit in perfectly. Use a little left-over piece of panel (cut off during cutting the side panels). 

TIP: The control board which I created has an acrylic panel on it, which of course makes the control board thicker. Consider this upfront. I forgot this, so my control panel is 3 mm higher than this part of the side panel. This is not ugly but is not perfect. 

When you finished the side panels you can start measuring the needed front-panels (and back if you want). Decide on the width of your cabinet (mine is 70+1,8+1,8cm). If you have written down all the panels, make yourself a cutting plan to efficiently get the parts out of a big MDF panel. I used the application ‘Max Cut 2’ to help me on this. This tool also helped me decide to not create back panels (which is a fine decision anyways since the cabinets back is against the wall) which saved me 35 euros on MDF. 

TIP: Like said before, some DIY-stores have a professional saw on which they can help you cut the parts perfectly on the correct sizes. 

If you have all the parts, it is time so fit the pieces together (with the side panels). Consider on which order you fit the pieces because you screw the panels from the inside, you are not able to get to all spaces (with your electric screwdriver) to put the screws in the beams and panels. I used glue to fit some panels because it was not possible to do it otherwise with the tools I had.  

In this stage of the project, it is wise to not fit the monitor panel and the control board panel since you need work on those two. They can be fit easily later. 

TIP: Consider creating the T-molding grooves before the panels are fit together, this can make life easier. 

Now it is a suitable time to fit the monitor. I used a router. I have one with guiding rails which helped be easily create straight lines. First define the exact position on the panel and groove a line of the outer line of the monitor in the board. Make sure this is a maximum of 6mm of depth (to have enough room for a smaller t-molding later. 

Second, create a second groove line 1,5 cm's (depending on the bezel of your monitor, I have an older screen, so I have a large bezel) to the inside so you create a small edge where the monitor exactly fits in and lays stable in that edge. Cut this edge completely through of course. 

Consider sawing the edge obliquely because of the angled fitting onto the control board. 

Now we proceed with the control board. The board which holds (most of) all the buttons and joysticks. Consider a layout which you prefer, use this website to get a printable template. I just printed the template on an A4 and used this as a 1:1 template on the real control board where I had to drill the holes. This worked for me. Make sure your print is the correct sizes by measuring the spaces of the drawing and comparing it to your size buttons. Use the correct size speed drill. Most of the cases a 28mm is used for the buttons. Drill slow and steady, if available use a drill press. Especially the last few millimeters of drilling is important, consider turning around the panel halfway and drill the other way around to prevent damage of the MDF. 

After creating the holes for the buttons, drill the hole for the joysticks. Use a smaller speed drill, make sure you do not create a to large hole, because they will be ugly forever. 

TIP: First drill test holes on a left-over piece of MDF panel. This way you can try to get the best result needed on your real panel. In my case a bit of MDF teared away when speed drilling and had to fix it. This is never going to be perfect anymore 😊. 

If you are using an acrylic panel for the control board, make sure you drill the holes on this panel to. I used the MDF panel as a template on defining the exact spot. This worked perfectly. 

Now it is time to create all the other wholes before we get into the paint job. Define the right spot of the speakers. I also added buttons on the front of the cabinet and added a USB mount so I can easily add a USB stick for transferring files, etc. 

Finally consider adding a coin acceptor. You play for free, but how fun it will be to add a possibility to have coins for credits available? I added one just for the looks, but decided not to connect it to my machine, because I did not want to spent time on it, because I will not use it. I can still do this at a later stage of course. 

Finally, you should start creating the groove for the T-molding. Make sure you perform a test run on a piece of leftover wood. I also added T-molding to the monitor panel. Consider this for a nice finish. 

TIP: Consider creating the grooves before putting the cabinet together at all, because then it is easier to get everywhere with your router. 

After creating all the holes and drilling and jig sawing is finished, we can start adding the base layer of paint. After this pick your colors (I picked white) and paint it with your final colors (repeat if needed). Make sure you hit every visible spot and make sure you paint underneath the control board because this board will stick a bit outside of the cabinet on the front. 

Now the fun part starts. Getting it all together, but this is still a large piece of time in the project. 

I started with the T-molding. In the corners is better to make cuts in the parts getting into the groove. This makes it easier to fit. Consider adding glue for extra sturdiness. I did not use it, but I can understand you want extra security. 

Add LED lighting to the top. I added a white acrylic panel for the best effect. On this panel you can easily add stickers if you like. I glued the acrylic right before the LEDs. 

Add the coin acceptor. 

Install the USB connector and the buttons. Install the audio and finally install the buttons and joysticks to the control board. 

I also added an H-profile strip to the bottom. Because of the weakness of this type of panel it's a good choice to add to help protect it.

Before installing the control board into the cabinet, it is wise to connect all the buttons first. I soldered the wires on the buttons, so they are solid. All others came with the proper connectors to connect it all to the USB controller. Same for the joystick. 

Put the monitor into the monitor panel. Fix it in place with some metal plates and keep in mind to have small screws (not larger than the thickness of the wood panel). 

After these last panels are ready it is time to put these in place. First move the monitor panel in and then place the control board into place. After moving both in the correct place, screw them to the cabinet from the back. Consider caulking the seams. If applicable you must color the seams to your color pallet. 

After this is done the build have to finished by wiring all together. USB controllers, audio, USB mount, monitor and LED lights in top of cabinet. I used a power strip to have multiple power sockets available. 

TIP: I did not do it but consider adding a main switch do power it all on or off at once. Also consider using a fuse in a power socket like this. 

Now you have done all the challenging work, it is time to boot it all up. If you are using a Raspberry, you can use the image provided by RetroPie. Use these steps to install all: First Installation - RetroPie Docs 

If you have used an old computer, you must install Ubuntu. Download the latest version and install it into your computer. Afterwards you can start installing RetroPie using these steps: Debian/Ubuntu - RetroPie Docs. 

In both situations you will end up with a RetroPie system. You still must download ROMS (search the web on how to do, since this software is protected by law to prevent copies, I will not share the information on how to get. If you do not download ROMS you can install some homebrew games to get started. 

Not a fan of RetroPie? There are alternatives on the market, but I did not test those. 

Now it's time to have fun together. I hope this build inspires you to do the same. It took me about 40 hours of build time and I'm not an experienced woodworker. I have love for putting together electronics, but most of all, if you want to do it, you can do it. Have fun and have a good time playing!