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How to Scale an Arcade Cabinet to Size

When an arcade cabinet is damaged, but the game is still working, building a new cabinet can give the game new life. An arcade cabinet is the enclosed structure that houses the arcade game. The most important factor that is considered when scaling an arcade cabinet to size is the components. The cabinet must be able to house all the components of the game. The most common size for an arcade cabinet is 68-inches-by-24-inches-by-33-inches, however that can be scaled down to create a smaller version of the game.

Things You'll Need

Poster board
Scissors
Pencil
Paper

Instructions

- 1
  Draw the components of the game on the poster board. The components need to be the size you will be using. The components consist of the joystick or controls, monitor and computer case.
- 2
  Cut out the components. And lay them out how they would be positioned in the cabinet. Get starting dimensions on how deep the cabinet should be by the depth of the computer case. See how wide the cabinet should be by the monitor and controls. Remember that the monitor is mounted behind a plywood frame and figure in the frame size.
- 3
  Determine the width of the game. The widest component in most games is the monitor. Measure the monitor and the monitor mounts. For example if your monitor is 12 inches wide, the mounting brackets extend past the monitor 1/2 inch, the monitor is framed with 2-inch-wide plywood and 3/4-inch plywood is used on the sides, the total width would be 16 inches wide. According to Virginia Tech, the average arcade cabinet is 68-inches-by-24-inches-by-33-inches. If your width is 16 inches, it is 2/3 of 24 inches. The scale of your cabinet may vary depending on the width of the monitor you use. Divide the width you calculated by 24 and multiply the total by 100, to get the scale you will use in a percentage.
- 4
  Calculate the height. The common height is 68 inches, so your height would be 2/3 of that height, which would be about 45 inches.
- 5
  Scale down the depth. Take the common depth of 33 inches and divide it by the scaled down percentage. If you use the example, the scaled down amount is 22 inches or 2/3 of 33 inches. Check with the depth of the computer and make sure it is no more than 20 inches deep. If it is larger than 22 inches, consider scaling the cabinet up slightly or allowing the computer to stick out of the back of the machine.

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