This article may contain affiliate links, which help to support this site, at no cost to you.
(This is the third article in the series on building a retro arcade cocktail table)
The cabinet for the arcade table is a trapezoidal box made of plywood. It houses all the electronics and provides a sturdy frame to support the monitor and game controllers. The trapezoid shape gives the table a cool mod look, and is well worth the extra effort. If fact, it’s really not that difficult, because a 15º angle is repeated throughout the design. The trickiest part of building the cabinet for me was getting a firm clamp during assembly.
You can cut the side and end pieces for the arcade cabinet from a single piece of plywood. The side pieces (long axis of the table) are a single trapezoid. Each end comprises two pieces: a top panel and a bottom panel. The top panel is attached to the arcade cabinet with magnetic catches, allowing easy access to electronics. The bottom panel has a rectangular cutout for controller wiring and is permanently attached. Set your circular saw to a 15º angle for all of the horizontal cuts.
Dimensions and Internal Structure
The height of the arcade is 20 ¼ inches (51.4 cm), including the tabletop. I based the size on the bean bag chairs we have in our rec room, resulting in comfortable gameplay and cocktail sipping. The length and width of the cabinet had to be big enough to fit my monitor, but small enough that the oval top completely covered the base with a little overhang. (Note: If you are trying to make a taller version, make sure that your base isn’t so narrow that the cabinet becomes unstable or top heavy.)
The internal structure of the arcade cabinet consists of
- 2 – 2×6 cross-beams (attach to the cabinet sides)
- 2 – 2×2 rails that sit on the 2×6’s and extend beyond the ends of the cabinet.
- A ¾ inch (19 mm) piece of plywood that serves as a base for the monitor mount, Raspberry Pi, and iPac2 controller
- A monitor mount post made of scrap 2×6
- 4 – 2×2’s with a 15º cut along one edge used as a mounting surface for the tabletop (not shown in the diagram)
- 2×2 blocks with a 15º cut along two edges to provide a mounting surface for the lower end pieces (not shown in the diagram)
Math Break! Sizing the 2×6 Cross-beams
You will need to determine the correct length of the 2×6’s so that they are appropriately positioned. In this project, I cut the long edge of the cross-beams to 17 ¾ inches (45 cm), which resulted in controller platforms with about 5 inches of room below the tabletop. You can figure this out with some fairly simple trigonometry, but I’ve simplified the formula in the diagram below: you just need to decide how high off the ground you want the beam to sit, measure the width of the base (measure the bottom of your end pieces), and plug it into the formula x=0.536*h+b. Keep in mind that the top of your controller panel will sit 2¼ inches (5.7 cm) above the cross-beam (1½ inch rail plus ¾ inch plywood).
Assembly
Once you’ve cut the cross-beams to the correct length, it’s time to attach them to the two plywood sides of the arcade cabinet. Carefully mark the outline of where each 2×6 should attach, pre-drill holes in the plywood and use a counter-sinking bit so your screws will sit below the surface (cover these with putty when finishing). Attach the plywood to the 2×6 with 3 inch construction screws. Set the cabinet upright and make sure it sits nice and level, and that the 2×6’s are level with each other. If not, fix it!
Now, attach the 2×2 rails and plywood platform to the 2×6 cross-beams with 3″ lag screws. The rails extend far enough from the cabinet to provide a very sturdy mounting surface for the controller panels. Before you determine how long and how far apart your rails will be, it’s a good idea to pause and finalize your controller layout. Otherwise, you may find that your rails get in the way of the controls. My rails are 30 inches (76 cm) long and 11 inches (30 cm) apart on center.
Monitor Mount
The monitor mount is just two pieces of 2×6 stacked 3 inches high, with this fixed TV wall mount from Monoprice affixed to the top. The monitor slides into the mount from the end of the cabinet and two screws firmly hold the mounting bracket on the monitor to the mount. You should assemble the post and bracket first, attach it to your tv, and then do a test fit with the (finished) tabletop to ensure you position the mounting post exactly right.
Once you’ve attached the monitor mount, you can lay out where the remaining electronics will go. This includes the Raspberry Pi and I-PAC 2 controller on the mounting platform. Below deck you’ll need to account for a power strip and speakers. You can then drill holes for cables that need to run from top to bottom, as well as holes for your speaker grilles, speaker volume knob, TV power button access, and master on/off button. Lastly, don’t forget to make a notch in the bottom of a side panel to run your power strip cable out.
Tabletop Support Blocks
Next, use a table saw set on a 15º angle to cut supporting blocks for the tabletop (a short scrap of any 2-by lumber will work fine). Use wood glue to attach these rails flush to the top of the cabinet sides. These rails will give you a 90º vertical surface to which you can attach metal L-brackets. Cut the faces of these rails on a 15º angle and then set them back from the cabinet ends by the width of your plywood.
Attaching Cabinet End Pieces
Use a similar approach to create a mounting surface for the lower end pieces of the arcade cabinet. You won’t need to cut 15º angles on these pieces, just attach them parallel to the inside of the sides, and set back the width of your plywood. Then, when you’re ready to attach the end pieces, either glue or screw them in place. You’ll want to wait on this step until after you’ve finished wiring your controllers and speakers.
The upper end pieces are held in place with magnetic cabinet door catches. This allows you to have easy access from either end of the table to the mounts and electronics. Also note how I access the on/off button on the monitor. Yes, it’s just a pencil with a piece of 1-inch diameter dowel attached to one end which I ran through a small block of wood attached to the inside of the plywood side. Depending on the location of your monitor’s power button, you may need to come up with a more elegant solution (or just use your remote control).
You’ll put the finishing touches on the cabinet and attach the tabletop later in the process. For now, you’re ready to move on to building the controllers.
More Posts in This Series
- Retro Arcade Cocktail Table
- How to Make an Oval Arcade Tabletop
- How to Build a Trapezoid Shaped Arcade Cabinet
- How to Build Arcade Controllers for a Cocktail Table
- Arcade Configuration
