It’s been a L-O-N-G time coming (probably longer than you know) but I’m so happy to finally present part 1 of my arcade cabinet build! In case you haven’t seen it, be sure to watch my older video all about setting up the Raspberry Pi (using RetroPie) and the controls. If you’ve got that system all up and running, putting it in something is the next step! I’ve been working on the plans for this system for a long time, rethinking them over and over to include all of the stuff I wanted my cabinet to have. This was especially important to me, since my wife gave me the OK for this to go in our living room. In my mind, that means that it HAD to be as practical as possible (even though it’s completely impractical by nature.)
The biggest difference in my cabinet and the vintage cabinets, is the fact that the modern electronics can literally fit in your pocket, so the majority of the cabinet is empty. I wanted to take advantage of that with my design…
I decided to keep all of the electronics in/around the controls and monitor. This left the area below the controls, and behind the monitor open, so I made them into storage. Underneath the controls is a simple bookshelf with two doors. Behind the monitor was harder to get to, so I designed the cabinet so that one side panel could actually swing open, revealing six drawers, each 24″ deep. Being able to swing open the side panel COMPLETELY changed the structure, in comparison to most cabinets, but I totally think it was worthwhile.
If you’re interested in buying plans to make your own cabinet like this, you can now buy those plans! Buying my plans is a great way to help support my projects and I truly appreciate it!
Buy plans for this projectIn this, part 1, I’ll walk you through the majority of the woodworking aspects of this project. Part 2 will be mostly paint, trim and graphics, while part 3 will be electronics and final touches!
Here’s what you’ll need:
(purchasing via these affiliate links supports ILTMS)
Woodworking:
- Arcade Cabinet – Digital plans
- SawStop cabinet saw
- Skil circular saw
- Speed square
- Dewalt 20v drill driver combo
- Dewalt compound miter saw
- Dremel Tool
- 54″ Drywall T-Square
- Grizzly G0555LANV Bandsaw
- Grizzly Drill Press (WAAAAY overpriced (3x) on Amazon, buy from Grizzly directly.)
- Kreg Rip Cut (circular saw guide)
- Kreg R3 pocket hole jig & clamp
- Flush cut saw (mine is a harbor freight)
- 1/2″ Overlay Face Frame concealed hinges
- 48″ Piano Hinge
- 11″ Digital Protractor
- Digital Angle gauge
- Classic steel ruler (cork back)
- 24″ Soft-close drawer slides
Other:
I printed out the layout for the side panel and started with a 4×8 sheet of plywood.
I transferred all of the measurements to the panel measuring everything from the bottom and back sides of the side panel.
I just used a straight edge to connect the dots and create the diagonal lines.
The entire side panel was cut out with a circular saw. A jigsaw would also work, but the results won’t be as straight.
Some cuts require a plunge cut. This isn’t hard, but take your time and be careful.
I cut as close as I could to the inside corners, then finished them off with a flush cut saw.
It was so great to see the actual shape and height of the cabinet.
I clamped the panel onto another sheet and traced the outline. It was cut out in the same way.
For the main structure of the cabinet, I cut down MDF sheets into more manageable pieces.
I cut two longer panels for the back section.
On these panels, I drew reference lines for six pairs of drawers slides.
I screw on the drawers slides, following the included instructions.
Since the cabinet would be painted later, I covered the slides with tape while they were still easy to access.
I predrilled and countersunk holes on the top and bottom panels, then screwed them on.
These panels were also glued although it probably wasn’t necessary.
I added a scrap piece across the back side to help the box keep it’s shape.
Here’s the box, test fit against the side panel.
I cut down some more MDF, into smaller pieces for the smaller set of shelves.
This was 1/2″ MDF, so I glued & nailed it together, instead of risking splits from using screws.
I used a 1″ spacer to nail in the bottom shelf. This gives the bottom more thickness than the other shelves.
I moved spacers toward the middle and nailed them in place for support.
I ripped down some plywood for two shelves.
I also ripped down a 2″ strip for the bottom, and some 1″ strips for the rest of the face frame.
The entire face frame was glued and brad nailed in place.
The 1″ strips overhung the opening, toward the inside. The outer edge needs to be flush.
Using a speed square, I drew reference lines for the shelves. This is the safe area that I drilled holes.
I used the speed square again to square the shelves before screwing them in.
This smaller book shelf goes here.
I also ripped down two panels to use as doors for the shelves.
On the side panel, I measured in 1″ from each side and drew lines. Then I measured there lines so I knew how to cut panels later for the upper section.
I clamped together back cabinet and the small bookshelf, lining up all of the edges.
I drove in screws from inside the large cabinet to connect the two pieces.
On the side of the cabinet that will be permanently closed, I drilled some pocket holes, spaced out around the entire cabinet.
The pockets went all of the way down the backside as well.
I lined up f the side panel, flush with the back of the cabinet and clamped the two together. I screwed them together using the pocket holes.
I also drilled and screwed the lower cabinet side to the side panel using very short screws.
I measured the upper corner where it overlapped the side panel.
I cut that area out of a piece of plywood. This inner corner was finished with the flush cut saw.
I fit the piece on the exposed corner.
I traced the outline of the upper section onto this piece of wood.
From this outline, I measured in toward the center 1 1/2″ and drew a new set of lines. I cut the smaller shape out with the circular saw.
Facing my original cut out, I added pocket holes.
This piece fits the corner flush with the outside face of the back cabinet.
I drove screws into the pockets to secure this piece.
on the fixed side, I added several scraps to act as cleats in the INSIDE of my previously drawn lines.
Following these lines, I measured the angles of each corner.
I used a digital angel gauge to precisely set my table saw to match the angles.
I cut panels for the top sections with the correct miter.
I trimmed the piece to size until it fit perfectly and the miter was correct.
I nailed it to the cleat (left) and the extension piece (right).
I cut a panel for the back section, but didn’t nail it in place. It stays removable for access to that top section of the cabinet.
I measured the angle for the speaker panel the same way as before.
I cut the piece to fit, but didn’t nail it in place yet.