Designing Your Own Arcade Controller or Joystick – Plans
How to Design and Build Your Own Arcade Machine Controls
So I am finally getting close to building my Arcade Controls for my DIY Arcade Machine. I have been sick over the past week so we missed a weekend of working on the Arcade Machine.
There are still some finishing touches that need to be done in the third phase of the build. We still need to mount all the hardware now that we have confirmed it fits into the system. We also need to do some small touches like finishing the area around the display, and adding the light for the marquee.
While I plan on completing these things in the next phase of the project I wanted to share my plans for the Arcade Controller we will be building. The first part of the controller construction will consist of mounting the joystick and buttons into the panel along with the trackball mouse that I purchased for games like “Breakout”.
The plans outline the size and shape of the Arcade Controls along with the measurements to help you determine the angles of the cuts. The button placement I have laid out in the plans was from the resources at:
Slag Coin is an excellent website with everything you ever needed to know about Arcade Controls including the button layouts and measurements. I highly recommend reading through his site for more information on building your Arcade Controller.
I also purchased my Arcade Joysticks and Buttons. I picked them up from XGaming.com
I picked up the “Arcade Bundle” for my first project which includes two Arcade Joysticks, and 20 buttons including a one or two player select button. There may be more premium brands out there but I figured this would be a good place to start for my first project.
For now I am posting my plans for the Arcade Control Panel. The plans are in PDF format and will outline:
- The measurements and size of the Arcade Machine Control Panel.
- The measurements of the angles and shape of the Arcade Machine Controls.
- The Joystick and Button Layout on the Arcade Machine Controller.
You will need Adobe Acrobat to print the latest Arcade Machine plans in PDF format. You can download Adobe Acrobat Reader here.
Click Here to Download the Arcade Machine Controller Plans in PDF Format
Once we finish the third phase of the Arcade Machine construction and my parts arrive we will begin working on the Arcade Controller itself. Most people are very particular about the layout and construction of their Arcade Controller. Because of this it is a good idea to look at the construction of the controller as a sub project to your Arcade Machine.
This way you can design something really nice that you will be happy with and install it into your system. Working on the controller by itself also allows you to install the finished product into your Arcade Machine, which also means you can uninstall it if you decide to change or improve it.
Thanks for checking out the site. I hope you enjoyed this article!
Updated Build Plans for my DIY Arcade Machine
Design Updates for my Home Built Arcade System
Hey all. As I mentioned in my previous plans post I had a feeling some things would change in the design of the Arcade Machine as the project went along. Well I am pleased to say that because of the initial planning phase, and my friend’s talents as a carpenter, the arcade system is almost 99% to spec.
So I will be keeping the original plans on the site for anyone that wants to take a look at them. The original plans can be found here:
Build Your Own Arcade Machine - Plans, Designs & Guide
I am however updating the plans for the layout of the internal components as this has changed. I will also be adding a more legible plan for the side panels of the Arcade machine.
Updated DIY Arcade Machine Designs
The first download below is for the improved side panel plans. My friend recommended to me, that I remake the side panel plans so they are easier for people to read without the need for a compass, or protractor. In the revised version of the plans we've marked that the back of the system and the bottom of the system are a 90 degree angle. You can match the side of your wood with this for a starting point. From here we have measured the length up the wood and the distance out for each angle in the side panel. Using this plan you should easily be able to determine the shape of the side panel without the need for a protractor.
Download (Arcade Cabinet Plans - Side Panel)
In the next two images I have shown the slightly revised layout of the parts inside the system.
We decided against the fold out keyboard in the first Arcade Machine as it just seemed to be unneeded. (Maybe in a future project) This space is now being utilized for the hard drive mounting area. The next change we made was moving the speakers down to the lower section of the Arcade Machine. This was for two reasons. First there was not enough room for them up top, and second I did not want them blocking the light for the marquee.
Download (Arcade Machine PC Hardware Layout - Side)
Download (Arcade System PC Hardware Setup - Top)
These are the most noted changes in the layout. If you have any comments or suggestions please feel free to leave a comment! Thanks for checking out the site!
How to Build an Arcade Machine – DIY System Guide & Instructions
DIY Home-made Arcade Machines & Plans
So you have decided to take undertake the adventure of building your own Arcade Machine! Awesome! If you have been following my blog you will already know how obsessed I am with the idea myself.
In my previous two posts I have covered many different designs and ideas for building your own arcade machine. In my first design post I shared the considerations I made when designing my system along with the plans I will be working off of when I build the machine.
Build Your Own Arcade Machine - Plans, Designs & Guide
In my following article I looked at some of the best visual examples of home built Arcade System and compiled a list of some great websites with pictures that outlined the planning and construction of a home built Arcade Machine.
Home Built Arcade Plans & Designs from the Internet
In this post I would like to share some of the sites I have come across that offer good written explanations of the planning, design, and construction of a DIY Arcade Machine. These are sites that I have across that may not have had the best pictures outlining the project, but had a look of good written content that gives you insight into what is involved with a home built Arcade Machine.
Below are some of the links to each site, feel free to add any other sites you feel should be on this list, You can leave a comment with a link for the site and I will get it added onto the list.
DIY Arcade Machine Links to Home Built Systems
Build a MAME Arcade Cabinet in 24 Hours
http://chris.polymathic.net/cabinet/part1.shtml
NY Build Your Own Arcade Cabinet
http://members.tripod.com/nylatenite/nylgpbuild.htm
Build Your Own Arcade Controls
http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Main_Page
Build Your Own Arcade Game Player and Relive the 80’s
http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/9732
Tombstones Build Your Own Arcade Machine
http://www.tombstones.org.uk/~lob/
TMSoft How to Build Your Own Arcade System
http://www.tmsoft.com/article-arcade.htm
IGN Build Your Own MAME Machine
http://au.retro.ign.com/articles/867/867066p1.html
Kevin’s Arcade Machine Guide
http://sites.google.com/site/kumbach/arcade-machine
Popular Science – Make Your Own Arcade
http://www.popsci.com/gear-gadgets/article/2004-06/make-your-own-arcade
MAME Cabinet - Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator
http://hackedgadgets.com/2008/04/04/mame-cabinet-multiple-arcade-machine-emulator/
My MAME Cab Arcade Machine
http://www.diyarcade.co.uk/MAMECAB.htm
TechTV - D.I.Y. Arcade Cocktail Cabinet
http://www.arcadedepot.com/HTML/TechTV/techtv_writeup.html
Arcade Controls Insanely Huge List of DIY Arcade Information
http://arcadecontrols.com/arcade_examples.php#uprights
(Some of the resources from “Arcade Controls” are pretty dated but still offer some good ideas for building your own arcade machine.”
Home Built DIY Arcade Machines Summary
These are just some of the great resources I have come across on a daily basis while researching how to build my own Arcade Machine. While these sites do not offer the best images, they have great explanations about time lines for their projects, and the different steps that were taken while creating their own home built arcade system.
I will be adding to the list as I come across more useful resources and as always feel free to share any resources you think should be on the list also.
A DIY Arcade Machine is a lot of fun, but it also takes a fair amount of planning and preparation to make something you will truly be happy with. While I am somewhat of a perfectionist by nature, I also want to ensure that if I spend time and energy on something I will be happy with the end result.
I think a lot of people feel the same way which is why most of pour over a lot of the information that is out there. As always thanks for checking out my site, and if you enjoy the articles and information share it with a friend who you think will also enjoy it.
I will hopefully be starting the construction of my system soon so keep checking back for more updates on my progress! ^_^