Tabletop Arcade Mame Box for Raspberry Pi

Hello!

Welcome to the build of a 2-player tabletop Arcade emulator! The box is constructed of laser-cut 6mm Baltic Birch, and aside from the wooden parts, you will need.

  • A Raspberry Pi – I used a B+, but B will also fit. Looking forward to trying a v2.0!
  • An Arcade Joystick/Button combo. I got my kit from eBay, seller 4partyfun. It includes 2 joysticks, buttons, and a XinMo USB interface.
  • Wood Glue. I use titebond II, but pretty much any wood glue will work fine.
  • Sandpaper, Stain, and Sealer. Optional, but gives a nice finish.

If you would like to download the cut files to make one of your own – feel free! The files are available on thingiverse here: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:675143

And if you would like to buy a pre-cut set of wooden pieces, they are available here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/222068642

Happy building!Tabletop Arcade Mame Box for Raspberry Pi

Step 1: Get your pile o' parts together, and glue the PiPlate

The console consists of 20 parts: 14 larger parts and 6 little guys. Since the size of the console is larger than the working area of the laser cutter, the longer pieces need to be stitched together – this is made pretty foolproof by the jigsaw joint.

First thing you want to glue is the two halves of the plate that holds the RPi – colloquially called the PiPlate from here on out. Make sure the constellation of holes matches what is shown in the picture.

Step 2: Build the Front, Back, and Face plate

Slap some glue on the jigsaw edges of the front, back, and face plates and stick 'em together.
You can check alignment by taking one of the yet-unused pieces and press-fitting the tab/slot arrangement to make sure everything fits well.

Set them up somewhere they won't be disturbed. We want to let the glue partially dry so it keeps everything together, but to still have a bit of “give” available to make assembling the box easy.

Step 3: Prep the PiPlate

Here we will glue some nuts to the Bottom side of the PiPlate. I used 4/40 x 1 inch screws and nuts. The easiest way to get everything aligned is to put screws through the 8 mounting holes as shown in the picture, and lightly tighten nuts onto the other side.

Flip the plate over, and apply some glue around the nuts to secure them to the PiPlate. I used 5-minute epoxy. Make sure not to get any glue on the threads of the screws, especially if it's epoxy! Once the nuts are glued, set the PiPlate aside to dry.

Here we will glue some nuts to the Bottom side of the PiPlate. I used 4/40 x 1 inch screws and nuts. The easiest way to get everything aligned is to put screws through the 8 mounting holes as shown in the picture, and lightly tighten nuts onto the other side.

Flip the plate over, and apply some glue around the nuts to secure them to the PiPlate. I used 5-minute epoxy. Make sure not to get any glue on the threads of the screws, especially if it's epoxy! Once the nuts are glued, set the PiPlate aside to dry.Tabletop Arcade Mame Box for Raspberry Pi schematich

Step 4: Assemble the box

Building the box starts with putting the inner spars into place into the (taller) back plate.

I usually start with back plate sitting flat and stick the spars in vertically. The tabs on all pieces are the TOP side, and the flats are the BOTTOM side. It really only fits one direction, but if you want an easy remider – all tabs point UP.

Next, drop the box down so it's sitting flat on the bottom, and attach the front plate to the center spars. Slap the sides on, and you've got yourself a box frame!

We will now attach the faceplate to the frame. You want to do this while the glue is still soft, so the faceplate can guide the box frame into it's perfectly rectangular shape. Otherwise, any error in the box shape will make the faceplate harder to add later.

Adding the faceplate: Lightly press-fit the corner tabs on one corner to align those two sides. Then, work your way down the rows, moving the sides into place to line the tabs up with the holes.

 

 

 

For more detail: Tabletop Arcade Mame Box for Raspberry Pi


About The Author

Ibrar Ayyub

I am an experienced technical writer holding a Master's degree in computer science from BZU Multan, Pakistan University. With a background spanning various industries, particularly in home automation and engineering, I have honed my skills in crafting clear and concise content. Proficient in leveraging infographics and diagrams, I strive to simplify complex concepts for readers. My strength lies in thorough research and presenting information in a structured and logical format.

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