My brother asked me to help him turn a coffee table into a cocktail arcade machine. My design requirements for the box were that it be foldable, made of well-finished wood, and both light enough to carry and large enough to be functional. As I lacked knowledge of electronics and experience with wood, I tapped into internet knowledge, especially Reforge Charleston. I calculated the dimensions of the box based on the need for controls, speakers and other electronics. Using pine boards from Lowe’s, I constructed the frame. I used red oak stain and spray lacquer on the wood. I used Illustrator to create layout designs and laser-cutting to create them. I also used the open-source software RetroPie. For display and sound, I salvaged a 15.6? LCD screen and old desktop PC speakers. For power, I found a supply at a thrift store. I am very satisfied with the end result.
Key Takeaways:
- I wanted the case to be foldable and small enough to carry but big enough to be functional.
- I used pine boards from Lowe’s, glued and sanded them, then applied stain and spray lacquer.
- For display and sound, I salvaged a 15.6? LCD screen and old desktop PC speakers.
“This was becoming a pretty ambitious project given that I had no tools of my own, no experience working with wood, and only a passing knowledge of electronics.”
Read more: https://makezine.com/projects/arcade-in-a-briefcase/