A noobs adventures in cab ownership!

[ChrisBEANS]

I figure as I've involved so many people, both here and in other forums, and I'll be asking advice all the wayI should probably just document the adventures...

These are my first cabs, and outside of building my own fightsticks in the past, I have zero prior experience. As you'll see!!

Nonsense back story in the spoiler tab below, but really we're all just here for pictures, aren't we?

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I started on Twitch in Lockdown, just for something to do, and got heavily in to Metal Slug...

Got a 1cc on MS, so decided I'd do MS2, got a 1cc in that too and decided I had to 1cc all of the series. (I'm not sure I can link the videos as I get double sweary!!)

Then of course I decided that it doesn't count unless it's on hardware, right??

So I started collecting the MVS carts with the intention of getting a consolized MVS. Which is how I ended up on several Arcade forums, which is where I got exposed to the fact that it's a realistic possibility to own cabs.

It all being about Metal Slug, it had to be a dedicated MVS cab, and I fell in love with the SNK U4. Searched for months for one, and eventually an add came up (I was actually pointed towards it by a FrancoB on the UKVAC forum who'd noticed that I was looking around. Just a small example of what a friendly and helpful community the arcade scene is in my experience so far)

Cab came from Sweden, and so took a few weeks, and a bunch of e-mails regarding import tax and some faffing about, but eventually...

TL:DR version - I really wanted an SNK U4









Hooray!!

Had a few adventures with it so far. When it arrived there was a very random short that caused the screen to die. Never got to the bottom of it, it just, went away?!



Once that was out of the way, there was some random sound issue with the MVS board...



Both of these issues were discussed at length in forums in an attempt to rectify them, and that's where things spiralled...

Turns out, if you know bugger all about arcade cabinets, you need things like multi meters and soldering irons... then a helpful forum or two that can tell you how to use them!!

You also need to make sure that your boards are getting the right voltages... This is where I became hyper aware that this isn't just a massive Mega Drive, it's a bloody great big arcade cabinet...

This was actually a really fun process. Learning more about how this thing works, how to diagnose things, and what to do with certain things has been great.

List of things diagnosed and rectified so far:-

• One of the 12v pins on the JAMMA (MVS) edge was not getting any power as it had been used for something else related to MAME in on of the cabs previous lives - Rectified by bridging the two 12v pins on the edge.

• The picture was too wide despite all attempts to adjust - Rectified by moving a jumper on the chassis from 'wide' to 'normal' (still very slightly too wide, just waiting on an adjustment tool for it...

• The picture had a perrenial wobble - Rectified by removing the bloody great internal stepdown (below) and using an external transformer. (Got to use my shiny new soldering iron too, so that was double fun)

Once all that was done, we were left with the sound issues on the four slot... No idea?! Solution... Get a new four slot


Once this was all confirmed as working perfectly, I added UniBIOS 4.0, and just for fun, sanded down and painted the ugly, rusty shell...







Also repopulated the CP with some new LS-32's, modified with a 4lb spring and the buttons are Samducksa buttons with cherry microswitches (as per mechanical keyboards). Had to get twice as many as I actually need, so I could swap the coloured plungers into black outer housing for the authentic colour scheme...



Plenty more to come on the U4, but in the mean time, I also scooped up one of these...



Which was filthy, and rusty...





And currently looks like this...



Plenty more to come on this one too...

[geotrig]

haha the last 2 pics remind me of kernows famous scalpel attack on a poor unassuming cp !

[ChrisBEANS]

That’s actually very close to what happened!!

I sat up until 4am chipping off pieces of old, yellowed, brittle, acrylic...

Got about 2/3 of the CP done, with a load of adhesive left behind, and had to call it a night.

The following day I was advised to heat the whole thing up with a hairdryer first, which I did, and the last third came off cleanly in about five minutes.

[arcnl]

So how's that divorce coming along?

[ChrisBEANS]

I'd intended to get the rusty metal parts for the big Electrocoin sand blasted and powder coated for durability and quality of finish, but as the original parts were painted with textured paint, I thought it only right to give it a bash...



When it was stripped it was double rusty front and back...



After a good sanding...



And finally a go with some textured (hammered) paint...



Luckily, by it's nature, textured pain is very forgiving with the finish. Hopefully this will dry nicely over night.



Next up was this mess...



After a LOT of sanding...



Sadly the back was no better, so that took even more sanding as it also hides a load of fittings etc that need to be sanded around.

Gets and anti rust primer today, and IF it dries in time it'll get the textured paint treatment tomorrow.


Then I need to start working on the CP

[cools]

For what it's worth, I find fine wire wool is far easier to strip metal with than sandpaper.

[ChrisBEANS]

Nice one, I’ll bear that in mind. I’m very much out of my depth, so any and all tips and tricks are very gratefully received.

[ChrisBEANS]

Here's my first question (of undoubtedly very many in here)...

This is simply a 12 pin molex connector, right? (This is the cabinet side connector)



So If I wished to knock up new wiring for the CP, I'd effectively need a female 12 pin molex connector to connect to this, right?

Does this specific connector, with the rounded corners have a name or number? Is there a standard size/type for arcade machines? I've found a few similar bits, but nothing that appears to be exactly the same. I've also tried various arcade websites without luck. Where do you guys get yours?

[ChrisBEANS]

Textured paint is double forgiving!

[ChrisBEANS]

Really wanted to get the CP for the Electrocoin sanded and sprayed today so I can fit the new art, but the weather's crap and I need to do it outside.

Messed about with the CP for the U4 instead...



Added octo gates to the sticks (I also previously installed 4lb springs)

Then the under section of the CP was a little rusty, so that got a rub down and a spray.



And rewired it all...

[nem]

For what it's worth, I find fine wire wool is far easier to strip metal with than sandpaper.

I use a wire wheel attachment on the end of some old drill (don't use a nice drill, because the wire can damage the chuck and motor really easily).

This is simply a 12 pin molex connector, right? (This is the cabinet side connector)

There is no such thing as a 'molex connector'. Molex is a manufacturer of connectors, they probably have hundreds of different connectors.

Anyway, I have never seen a connector like that. I would be surprised if it's a common one.

First thing to do is to check the pitch. Do you have a caliper? Check the distance between the pins.

[ChrisBEANS]

Like... all jacuzzis are hot tubs, but not all hot tubs are jacuzzis kind of thing, huh?

I can’t find a matching connector, but I think I’ll splice the new wiring in with spade connectors...

[mad4cab]

And rewired it all...

What a wiring! I totally love it!

Congratulation buddy!

[LarsVegas]

For a noob you're doing a good job. Looks really good. Keep the motivation up and share the progress.

[FrancoB]

I was actually pointed towards it by a FrancoB on the UKVAC forum who'd noticed that I was looking around.

Sorry guys

Nice use of the spiral binding on the CP looms, tidy

[ChrisBEANS]

All on you, Franco!!

Bit of a shame this, but I could have finished the big Electrocoin today if only I'd given it some prior thought!!

All the paintwork has been done now...



And I've redone the T-molding too (well, I've done the left hand side, I'll do the right later)...





You can't really see much in the picture to be fair, but it's much nicer. The old stuff was almosty grey with scuffs, scratches and grime, but the new stuff is nice and shiny. Was a harder job than I gave it credit for, but still only took a few minutes.

Starting to reassemble things now the painting's done too. New lights in the marquee above for starters...

The CP was an absolute CHORE!!!





and this next photo represents HOURS, and really do mean hours of sanding...



There was a thin layer of grime/adhesive all over it that didn't come off with paint stripper, so it was out with the 40 grit all day.

On the plus side, I reckon if I committed a crime today I'd be unlikely to leave any fingerprints behind!

Going to get it sprayed up just for future rust protection, then try to apply the vinyl. (I'm genuinely scared of that bit!!)

I'll try to reassemble the rest too.

The reason I can't finish today...? It's because I'm fussy about my controls, and I want to use heavily modified JLFs.

The CP is for big ugly Euro sticks (IL probably??) and even with universal mounting plate has a hole more than twice as big as required for a Japanese stick...



I've been worried that with nothing under the acrylic that it would eventually get warped and mishapen around the hole with nothing underneath to support it.

Today I found a couple of washers online with the exact right outer diameter (45mm) and inner bore diameter (20mm) and the exact right thickness (2mm).

Using that in the current hole should eliminate any issues (I really hope!!)

I'll probably bung up some snaps later when it's largely reassembled...


Quick question... I'm going to paint the PCB cage for the six slot... I can't decide on whether to go matte black, textured black like the rest of the metal on the cab, or red to fit the black and red theme...? Thoughts?

[ChrisBEANS]

Frustrating update...

I've been on an ernest hunt for a glass with the painted bezel that should be on these machines...

http://www.ukvac.com/forum/wtb-or-loan- ... 82825.html



In taking the glass frame apart for a clean and a respray, it turns out the glass was previously painted and it's been scraped off!!

What a bloody bummer!!!

[Neo Gold]

You are doing a stellar job here Chris...& i'm happy my old cab of ten years ago has found someone to prolong its lifespan...giving much love and attention that it needed .

Only reason i let them go.. my new house could not accommodate them, and at the time...i had ordered a couple of candy cabs from Killer Cabs ..so these were easy to strip completely & move upstairs!.

I had many fond memories playing on these Electrocoin cabs in the 90's...they were everywhere + i had my home Neo Geo AES console...good times.

Metalwork looks factory fresh now chris...minty.
Yes, i noticed someone had scraped off the glass decal trim,but my other one was intact...you want some silver sticker/transfer making up with the red pinstripe.

Something like silver wrap...a sheet and cut and make your curves... use same methods as what you would apply on a vehicle...time & patience!.

Don't beat yourself up saying ' could have finished xxx today etc ' you don't need to rush...you will only make mistakes!.
Yes those old sticks are abit clunky now...i'm all for JLF's too...all i use, but i guess you may use Bat tops to stay with the theme?.

But to rid those large holes you mentioned, i would MIG weld them up & polish back flat with the flap wheel & start again with superior JLF's.
OR Use metal JB weld paste & fill them that way, you will have to key the underside / stanley knife lines & apply and smooth off...you won't get your CP decal dipping in the hole over time then .

Tip Top..

[ChrisBEANS]

Not a huge update, but just to keep the momentum going...

Despite a few good suggestions, and a metric ton of googling, I could not find Molex or Mate-n-Lock, or any other brand of connector to match.

Then I thought I'd just get new connectors and wire then up instead, but while the connectors themselves are cheap, the tools (molex extractors for one) range from £40, to £200 odd?!

Instead I went for splicing the new wiring into the old wiring at the connector with spade connectors and heat shrink...








Nothing more exciting to report right now. Does anyone know anything about chroming??

[cools]

Heh, when you said spade connectors I thought you were planning on doing it at the stick/button end rather than the connector.