Custom arcade machines are fun video gaming devices for parties, family gatherings, and other events.
An arcade machine is composed of several parts:
- the casing
- the artwork
- the hardware part
- the software part
- the audio system
It can be built from a multitude of materials and of course, the choice of a quality material is important because it is the one that will give you stability and durability over time for the arcade machine.
Choose a Case Material for your custom arcade machine.
I have built hundreds of arcade games and tested almost all materials on the market.
The old arcade games were exclusively made of chipboard or MDF with a layer of melamine on top (usually black). But this is a very heavy material and sensitive to humidity.
Today, some custom arcade machine builders still use laminated MDF because it’s cheaper, it’s very easy to process and it doesn’t need to be painted.
If I were to use wood, I would go with plywood. This is because it is relatively light in weight compared to the one mentioned above and much more resistant to moisture.
Plywood is very resistant because the wood fibers are placed in layers at 90 degrees per layer.
It is one of the best choices when building a custom arcade cabinet with one condition: you have to like to use some paint.
I use high-quality rigid PVC foam in most of the cabinets I build because it is the most versatile material from all points of view:
- long-term durability
- twice lighter in weight compared with any prefabricated wooden board.
- it is processed very easily
- does not curl over time (UV protected)
- does not change color over time.
- it does not need to be painted
- and looks very good: bright white with a uniform and smooth surface.
Unfortunately, building a custom arcade cabinet with this material is not cheap.
Being a relatively new material, it requires more advanced technology to be produced.
The secret of the hardness and lightness of this material lies in the fact that the tiny air bubbles in PVC must be perfectly distributed throughout the material, and this is not easy to do.
That is why it is advisable to choose a quality manufacturer of PVC, such as Palight.
Artwork to add to your Arcade Machine
