Marquee and Speakerbar

Thanks to the flat surfaces and the uniformly black speaker panel, applying the vinyl was extremely easy, straightforward, and quick. The holes for the speakers can be cut out with a scalpel after the vinyl has been applied. Difficulty:

Thanks to the straight surfaces and the minimal alignment required, applying the vinyl is very easy, straightforward, and done quickly. The holes for the buttons can be cut out with a scalpel after the vinyl has been applied. Difficulty:

This step requires very precise work. You can either cut a carefully measured, clean opening, or you can cut matching strips of vinyl and apply them perfectly aligned. I initially tried the first method, but I didn’t prevent the vinyl from warping enough, which resulted in an uneven cutting edge. My measurements were also inaccurate, and when applying the vinyl, it shifted and ended up crooked. 😡 To salvage the whole thing, I went with the second method using the remaining material from the center cutout. I measured carefully, aligned everything, and cut four matching strips that I applied as flush as possible. The result is certainly not perfect, but in my opinion much better than the first attempt and overall quite acceptable. Difficulty:

Thanks to the flat, uniformly black surfaces, applying the vinyl is easy, straightforward, and quick. The cutouts for the cable feed-through can be easily cut out with a scalpel after the vinyl has been applied. Difficulty:

Thanks to the flat, uniformly black surfaces, applying the vinyl is easy, straightforward, and quick. The cutouts for ventilation and the lock can be easily cut out with a scalpel after the vinyl has been applied. Difficulty:

As a small highlight, I discovered an Atari nameplate at Arcadeforge, which now has its place on the back of the cabinet. Difficulty:

Cutting the vinyl takes a bit more time, and before applying it, the sheet needs to be aligned slightly. However, the application itself is simple, and the bezel recess as well as the drill holes are so small that they don’t get in the way. Only trimming the outer contour with the scalpel requires a bit of practice to achieve a clean edge. Difficulty:

Applying the vinyl went smoothly. Trimming the outer contour with the scalpel required, as with the inside panel, a bit of practice. Difficulty:

Rogers Arcade - a DIY Project - Page 6 of 7

🪙 Coin Validator

Even though we’re not earning any money with the machine, a coin validator plays an essential role in creating an authentic arcade feeling. You can set aside a certain number of coins and see how far you get, or take on one-coin challenges while chasing the high score.

Typically, coin validators are integrated into the base of a full-size arcade cabinet. However, since I don’t plan to build a pedestal or stand for the bartop machine anytime soon, I came up with the idea of integrating the coin slot into the sideboard on which the machine currently sits. For this, I need the following components:

Universal Coin Validator

This electronic coin validator can handle six different, user-defined coin types. You can configure how many credits each coin provides — e.g., €0.50 = 1 credit / €1.00 = 2 credits.

12V DIN rail power supply

Power supply: 15 W
Output voltage: 12 V (10.8–13.8 V DC)
Output current: 1.25 A
Input voltage: 85–264 V AC

1-channel (12V) relay

Since the signal in the arcade machine switches at 5V, an additional 1-channel (12V) relay is used to trigger the pulse, because the 12V signal from the coin validator cannot be used directly.

Coin / Token

As a small extra touch, I configured the coin validator to accept special arcade tokens, so you can’t play with real money.

I removed one of the drawers and cut a matching piece from a thin MDF board. Two metal brackets were mounted inside the sideboard, and two magnets were attached to the MDF panel, along with a rubber strip on the underside. This allows the cover panel to snap in easily while the rubber strip keeps it securely in place. To finish it off, I wrapped the panel in black vinyl and added some stickers.

🪙 Coin Validator

Universal Coin Validator

12V DIN rail power supply

1-channel (12V) relay

Coin / Token

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