What is this all about?
I like steampunk, Harper Goff (designed the disney Nautilus from 20,000 leagues) and Kenneth Strickfaden (set designer and prop builder for Boris Karloff's Frankenstein. I thought it would be fun to combine all that into a MAME (multiple arcade machine emulator) cabinet to play video games and use as a jukebox. I found all kinds of inspiration at places like Stelter Creative's website, The Steampunk Workshop and many others. The cabinet wouldn't be nearly as fun or interesting were it not for my CarveWright carving machine, which I use almost every day. I used it for the Lithopanes and the marquee sign and much more. One last note, the image of Frankenstein in the lithopane is from a piece of art by Rick Baker (DaVinci of the special effects makeup world IMHO).
I hope you enjoy it.
Oh, yeah...I know those of you who are serious about MAME cabinets will beat me up for using the pre-made x-arcade controller...please forgive my current lack of electronics wizardry in this matter.
I've been contacted by some of you who are interested in plans...if you go to:
http://mirrors.arcadecontrols.com/OscarControls/unnamed/index.shtml
you can find the base plan I used. I modified it in several ways: I used 1/2" plywood instead of 3/4 (the 1/4" trim still gives you a 3/4 edge) and lengthened the base. I also changed the width a bit and modified the shape of the control panel.
Friday, September 25, 2009
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How did you go about painting this? Looks great! Best I think I have seen so far.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who has also spent a lot of time on a themed MAME cabinet (a TARDIS based one) as well as many other projects I totally sympathise about all the "you must have too much time on your hands" comments. I get that A LOT! Sadly these days most don't have the skill, the patience and, perhaps most unfortunately, the imagination to do such things. I am glad to see there are other people who still do! Lovely work. My first though when seeing it was that's very 20000 Leagues so was intersting to read that was indeed one of your influences. Fantastic job! The marque and the portholes look great!
ReplyDeleteSimon
That is so full of awesome. Great work!
ReplyDeleteThe paint is a combination of colors. I primed the cabinet with red primer...then used a spray paint called "Autumn Brown" that has a texture to it. Then picked up another one just a bit lighter and used it to highlight edges. Then I made a black "wash" with some acrylic paint and put in on with a sponge brush and let it "drip"...then did the same with some shades of blue-green. The edge trim and rivets (upholstery tacks) is painted with a hammered copper and then I used rub-n-buff's patina color to add the blue-green drips from those. The x-arcade is poorly hidden with some copper paint (real copper in a binder) and used a solution I found at Micheal's that will actually give copper that patina in short order (I used this solution on the real copper monitor bezel as well).
ReplyDeletesimply beautiful craftwork!
ReplyDeleteIncredible cabinet! If you need a frontend to run all of the games seamlessly take a look at my software Maximus Arcade. For a cabinet that cool I could set you up with a free license :)
ReplyDeletecheers,
mameseer