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Cabinet
The three 2440 x 1220 x 12mm M.D.F. boards were cut to size at a DIY store (Homebase). We were allowed 3 free cuts per sheet so the two side panels were cut to match the maximum height 63.5" and depth 31" of the cabinet (1610 x790mm). The remaining sheet was cut lengthways into two 23" (580mm) wide strips to form what will be the front, back, top and bottom panels. All of the rest of the cutting was done by marking out in pen from the plans with a steel ruler and sawing with hand saws.
A pad saw was used for the sides to cut out the angle on screen area above the control panel and the rough edges smoothed with a file. Some of the sawn edges are not cut at right angles, for example around the marquee, and we used angled off cuts to maintain the correct angle with the saw throughout the cut.
 
We then cut the timber strips to length then screwed and glued them to the inside edges of the side panels leaving a gap of 12mm from the edge. Next we attached the top and bottom panels, the back and the kick panel. The coin door and control panel were cut to size and the control panel screwed down but not glued for easy removal. Casters were pushed into four holes drilled into the base.
We constructed a base for the monitor from a panel strengthened with a box frame made from timber that was glued and screwed into place. To stop the monitor sliding out of the back we attached a wooden stop to the sloping base.
Finally the visible M.D.F. sawn edges were covered with the round moulding glued and held in place with veneer pins.
Control panel
We marked out the control panel and drilled the holes using a flat 28mm bit for the buttons. The 4-8 way joysticks required a rectangular hole that we cut by drilling lots of adjacent holes around the perimeter until the rectangle could be pushed out. Not pretty but it did the job. We removed the microswitches from J-stick before fitting into the hole after breaking a contact. (Thanks Andy Warne from Ultimarc for the free replacement). The joysticks were held in place with japanned round headed screws and the microswitches reattached underneath.
 
The I-pac keyboard encoder was attached by circuit board mounts to the overturned control panel and wired up to the J-stick and button microswitches with the supplied crimping tool. (Yes I know the wiring's a mess)
 
A single hinge was then cut to length and fitted to the bottom of the coin door and two roller catches added to either side. We then drilled the holes and attached the start buttons and coin insert buttons to the coin door.
The control panel then was finished with clear polystyrene sheeting cut to size and drilled using a 28mm flat bit for the buttons and joysticks.
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