DIY arcade cabinets: Just add IKEA furniture
Many of us have longed to have a working arcade cabinet in our homes -- but a combination of space and price often keep them out of reach.
But Ikea furniture hacker SIN Tchan created a working arcade cabinet using Ikea's Micke desk, as well as other parts -- and explains how you can build your very own.
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Here's what SIN recommends you use:
- MICKE desk $49.99
- Samsung monitor 24” hdmi with speakers $150
- Arcade stick motherboard $30 (type ”arcade stick pcb” on
amazon.com)
- Buttons + joystick (brand Sanwa) $40
- Stainless steel panel $30
- Black stickers $15
- stool $50
- a xbox or playstation system
The arcade stick motherboard that SIN recommends can also be used with PCs, so if you want to load any arcade classics on a Windows PC, you can certainly make that work too.
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable Here's how to put it together. Note: You'll definitely need a drill to complete this build, rather than just the crappy tools included to build a Micke desk.
1. Drill the holes on the stainless steel for the buttons and the stick.
2. Drill 2 rectangles on the work surface to be able to insert the stick and the button.
3. Put the black sticker on the stainless steel panel. Use a lighter directly on the sticker to evacuate the air bubbles if needed.
4. Connect each button and the stick to the PCB [Ed. note: Here's an Instructable tutorial.]
5. Screw the stainless steel panel to the top of the work surface.
6. Screw the two screen holders in metal on the work surface (at 6cm from the back of the desk).
7. Install your console inside the IKEA drawer. For a better airflow, you can also drill some holes on the back/side of the drawer.
After that, you'll have a much smaller, lighter version of an arcade setup.
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