Build Log (Part 6)
Entering the home stretch now. I had a Sunday with six hours free and I knew that today was going to be the day I get this done.
Here is how to make a glass top for an arcade cabinet.
Step 1: Get Glass.
This is a 2'x3' sheet of 1/8" thick glass, straight from the hardware store. I'm actually somewhat afraid of this piece, because it's about the thickness of picture frame glass, while normal cocktail cabinets have 1/4" thick tops. I don't know how well it would stand up to any kind of abuse. Eventually I rationalized this away, because it's a machine for Home Use Only and I'll be careful.
Step 2: Cut Glass.
What a nerve-wracking experience this was. I have never used a glass cutter before, so I wielded it with great fear and hesitation. After the first snap I was a little less worried but still uncertain. In the end, I made some big cuts to size it right, then cut the corners at 45 degree angles (and screwed up one of them, bummer) - and then just used the little key-shaped nibbler tool to shape things right. Once that was done, I used some sandpaper to smooth all the ragged edges down. It has a chip missing in one corner, and there are some rough looking parts, but it is smooth enough to run fingers around the edge and not injure yourself.
From this point, pictures get a bit scarce. All the big stuff was done and I needed a couple of hours more work to just wrap up the remaining odds and ends. This included:
Adding eight "glass clips" (1" corner braces wrapped in duct tape on one edge) to hold the glass in place
Installing the speakers in the cab - including hacking the end off a spare DC adapter and soldering straight to the speaker internals
Securing everything in place with long wood screws so it wouldn't move around
Repairing a couple of broken wires on the keyboard encoder that had come off due to mishandling
Adding the back door to the cabinet, with hinges and a cabinet lock
Cutting a notch in the door for the power cord to exit the back
Drilling patterned vent holes in the sides
A couple of small changes to the software config so the screensaver would no longer crash the machine, and it would boot faster
Dragging it inside.
And... that's it! After that there's not much else to do but play the machine.
