Vewlix TE Complete Guide
June 8th, 2010 Update: A PDF of the Vewlix Tournament Edition plans is now available, courtesy of Chris (x24), for those not SketchUp inclined.
Alright folks, this is it: the 2nd to last complete post discussing my Vewlix Tournament Edition arcade cabinet. I’ve had a lot of questions over the last few months, and this is my attempt to compile everything into 1 concise this-is-everything-i-can-possibly-tell-or-show-you post.
So, let’s get started:
One of your most valuable resources is my Flickr Photo Gallery. I made the mistake of not promoting it more. I took photos every day during the project and all of them have titles and most of them have helpful captions. This should give you a ton of insight into the project.
Choosing components:
- MDF, 32″ Sony Bravia, PlayStation 3, MadCatz TE Fight Sticks covered in Worklog 01
- More components and prices are discussed in Worklog 03
- Using your own (different) TV w/ my plans is discussed in this reply to Michael
Creating your plans:
- I released the design as a Google SketchUp file, you’ll need to download Google SketchUp to view and edit it
- You can download my final Vewlix Tournament Edition Google SketchUp file in this post
- There is a more complex version that shows the 45º bevels you can download in this post
- Necroticart’s SketchUp file (mentioned in the above posts) is hard to get, I mirrored it here
- I gave some instructions about how to create your own plans using the Google SketchUp File in this post
- I created some narrated Screencasts demoing how to use Google SketchUp available in this post
Beginning construction:
- A discussion of the tools used is available in this post
- A clarification on the router bits is available in this reply to Jon & Anthony
- The first worklog to cover construction is #5, which discusses the trickiest part: building the side panels
- The next worklog, #6, covers the other tough part: building the control panel
- Building the base and cutting the miscellaneous support pieces is pretty simple, so I won’t be covering it
- Building the rounded top part of the marquee is tougher, so I cover that in the final Worklog 07
Sanding, Priming, Painting, Lacquering:
- The tools used to paint are covered in Worklog 02
- The materials used to paint are covered in Worklog 03
- #5, tells you how to finish the side pieces in Worklog 05, this applies to all pieces though
- My reply to Chris discusses the dry times for the finishing process, although be sure to follow the labels on the product you are using over my advice
- Paint and lacquer is discussed more indepth in this reply to Anthony, and here’s another one too
- As pointed out by Thomas Brown, I used red spray paint on the back of the marquee to give it its color
Assembly:
- One of your most valuable resources is my Flickr Photo Gallery. I made the mistake of not promoting it more. I took photos every day during the project and all of them have titles and most of them have helpful captions. This should give you a ton of insight into the project.
Graphics:
- I used the official Japanese Vewlix move list, a Japanese, fighting system and move list sheet, and a Japanese PlayStation 3 move list. All of which can be downloaded from the Official Japanese Street Fighter IV page.
- I’m told the above link has removed the move lists, so download them (mirrored on this site): Command list for 360/PS3, Vewlix compartment PDF, General arcade PDF.
- I was going to edit the above files to translate them into English, but it became unreadable at the size they needed to be. Since the move motions were the most important to me, I just left them as-is.
- I created a Vewlix Tournament Edition logo for the marquee to tie the Mad Catz Tournament Edition sticks into the cabinet more. I had it printed at a local sign shop. You can download it from this reply to Anthony
Send me your projects:
I’ve had several people show me their works in progress and I continue to be blown away. When you have finished your project, please link it here or send me an email to donovan [at] donovanmyers [dot] com. I would love it if you could get someone to take a picture of you sitting in front of your finished cab, preferably with your favorite game on the screen (doesn’t have to be SF4, BlazBlue, KoFXII, and Tekken 6 are all on the way). That way I can create a post devoted entirely to everyone else’s projects and use that photo as your link. If you’re shy, I’ll understand, a finished cab all alone is cool too.
Continuing resource:
From now on, this page will be the main resource for the Vewlix Tournament Edition project. Please comment with all your questions that don’t apply to any of my other blog posts and I will answer them. Heck, just post all of your questions on this page anyway. That will save me the trouble from updating this page with a link to your question/answer.
Many thanks to everyone, keep up the awesome work.
Donovan
Great page to know where to find the useful information! Thanks a lot !
Did you spray paint the red marquee?
Yes. I chose to use some red Pactra Polycarbonate paint that is used to paint Radio Controlled car bodies because it has some flex to it and sticks well to acrylic. I did that (besides already having it on hand) so the paint would not flake off due to any flexing.
You’d probably be safe using any old spray paint though.
For those of you that want to use a wider 32″ TV, I cut side caps out of 1/2″ MDF then routed out the space need for the frame. This will give you the option of all 32″ TV’s. After cutting and routing out the caps, route the sides of the caps with the same bit you used on the sides. (45 chamfer bit)
I didint like the 32XBR9 because the majority of the HDMI’s were on the side.
I went with the top of the line Samsung now on sale for 799. It’s firckin beautiful.
Huge thanks to Donovan as usual!
Hello,
I am still doing fine tuning and have most of the Cabinet disassembled. However, I have added a few photos that help explain my last post.
http://s645.photobucket.com/albums/uu171/mavenaz/?albumview=grid
Excellent additions Anthony! Your cabinet is coming along nicely.
Thanks for letting me know about the XBR9, I’ve been watching it on Amazon and it’s down to $778 and I’ve been tempted a few times to pick it up. Which model Samsung did you end up going with?
Thanks
The Samsung model is LN32B640. This is the same as the LN32B650, only marked differently for Best Buy. Honestly, the picture wipes the floor with the XBR9.
I am looking forward to Worklog 7. I have a top finished, but I am not 100% satisfied with it.
Another artwork question.
Are the move lists on the speaker board and the board below the TV stickers?
This appears to be the case. So, if they are stickers, would the sign shop print these as well?
Do you remember the dimensions you used when printing these?
I can see the finish line…
Thanks again!
Anthony
Hello,
I was able o get the Vinyl sicker done at a local real estate sign shop for $4.00. (Kinko’s was $35.00)
I am however having difficulties getting the other stickers done properly. Kinko’s will print the stickers, but they are not glossy. They want to laminate the sticker and the final product was less than desirable.
So at this point, I have the control panel, and vinyl VewLix sticker in place.
What can you share with us regarding the other two stickers? Did you use an online shop?
Thanks again!
Anthony
Hey Anthony,
I didn’t make the big move lists and what-not stickers. I just had them printed on regular paper.
My wife has a large format printer (Epson Stylus Photo 1400) that I used for the console move list and the “battle system” one. I had my wife get the long move list that fits in the compartment printed at her school’s print shop. That one just sits in the compartment with the plexiglass over it. The other ones are double sided taped to the cabinet.
You could probably use a standard sized printer and piece together the pieces very carefully and it shouldn’t be too noticeable. Just split the print at the border of a character’s box.
Donovan
Congratulations on the completion of the SF4 cab. This is incredible. I would really like to have one, but I’m not a DIY guy; so is there a way to have it constructed? Are the plans detailed enough that they can be followed for replication?
Thomas,
Sorry, but I haven’t created any plans besides offering the Google SketchUp file and the articles on this website.
If I were going to create something that would be a PDF of actual plans someone could follow, I would have to charge for it because of the time involved.
However, if anyone in the community feels like making one or has already made one, I have no problem with it being made available.
Also, don’t sell yourself short. This could be a good project to tackle with a family member or a friend. You’ve got to start somewhere to become a DIY guy — unless you’re completely adverse to some rewarding experiences.
Good luck,
Donovan
I am seriously considering attempting this with a friend..
I already have the ps3 and Madcatz fight sticks, could you give me a rough estimate of how much money you spent on all the non-electrical parts?
$145.23-ish. I think I may have missed some things in the list, like the black track I used to hold the marquee in place. But I can’t think of anything besides that at the moment.
You can see the full rundown on Worklog 03.
Thanks for the quick response, I hadn’t thoroughly browsed your blog, I’ll make sure to do so before asking any other questions.
Inspiring work by the way.
I was wondering how you hooked up your audio system to the PS3. I saw that you used 4″ car speakers because they’re flush mount. I’m just wondering how to integrate that into the system. Would a home stereo receiver be able to take a pair of car speakers?…
Yes, a stereo receiver should be able to work just fine with a pair of car speakers.
I have always used a 2.1 computer speaker set with the subwoofer based on Kevin Steele’s write up on his website, Retroblast. My TV allows you to feed it an HDMI signal (from the PS3) and will then send sound out of the TV to an external receiver. The output is the stereo mini plug, so it makes it very easy just to hook up a set of computer speakers.
If you read the article I linked, it should answer most of your questions.
Good luck!
Thanks for your reply. The information helped a lot. I’m pretty much making the exact system you’ve made to include a PC as well. Adding the PC also adds the task of figuring how to share the sound, controllers and display. I’ll be posting some pictures when I’ve made more progress. Thanks again…
Hey Donovan,
Thought about what you said, and decided to build the cabinet myself. I took a few pointers from my brother, who’s a carpenter by trade, and he’s going to help me with the project. However, it is in my best interest to request the plans from you if possible. I understand about charging for plans, it’s time consuming; I tried the Sketch up method, but my brother found too many holes in the measurements, and few details on how to construct certain parts of the cabinet. Being my first project, I don’t want to waist time and money trying to wing it.
Please e-mail me with any details you may need to know, and I’ll be more than happy to answer. Again, thanks for the inspiration…
Donovan, I would be willing to pay for complete 2d directions in a pdf or other format other than sketchup. Could you email me your price so I can go ahead and pay? Thanks!
I was busier back when I first released just the SketchUp file.
I’ll put together some PDFs and release it (for free) within the week (before June 6th).
Best,
Donovan
That would be awesome and help so much! Thank you!!!!!!!
Hey Donovan, I recently purchased an HRAP EX Premium VLX arcade stick. My question is with your sketch up can I just add the VLX (as ist abt the same length as 2 TE’s) instead of 2 TE’s? Also, would I be able to swap it out in case a friend came over & then put the VLX back for single player use?
Thanks
Jeron,
Congrats on the VLX purchase!
I currently switch between my VLX XL (home made ‘VLX’ using a real Taito Vewlix 1P panel) and my 2 Mad Catz TEs that you saw in the original design.
I just recently got a Hori VLX as well. It’s 22.4″ wide according to the Hori website. My Vewlix Tournament Edition design control panel base is 29″ wide. So you’ll have a 6 1/2″ gap to deal with (or live with). I haven’t messed with mounting mine yet (though I’m thinking of a new project based around it), but because it comes with that big board you can mount it to, I assume it’ll be pretty easy to mount to other things as well. One nice thing about the VLX is no buttons on the back, but you’ll want to watch where you have the holes in the cabinet to run the cables though. And I believe the VLX is deeper and taller than the TEs so you’ll have to find a way to accomodate both options.
Short answers: VLX on Vewlix TE – yes, with gap. Swap control panel(s) – yes, plan ahead for size differences.
Let me know what you end up doing,
Donovan