Building my first arcade cabinet: Part VIII

Just a quick update today. I've finally finished (and printed) my marquee design!  The image above is a low-res version, with the black circles representing the location of the speaker covers. Using Inkscape (a cool open source vector art package) and borrowing some images from Arcade Art, I think I've managed to produce something that looks presentable.  I exported the completed vector image as three separate bitmaps (around 5Mb each), and printed them onto three pages of Canon glossy paper.  The print quality from our Canon MX300 printer is pretty amazing... I just hope I can somehow join the separate pages together so that it looks seamless.  Now all I have to do is track down some clear plastic sheets and work out a way to affix it to my cabinet...

Building my first arcade cabinet: Part VII

I couldn't resist uploading a few more photos! Last night I added a metal kickplate and decorative strip on the front of the control panel. I think they make a huge difference to the visual appeal of the cabinet. Tonight I attached the rear panel, after first mounting the external power switch to it.  At least the cats can't get inside the cabinet now!  These latest photos show the illuminated buttons on the front panel, which I have configured to select, pause, and exit games.  Very handy indeed, and they look pretty cool as well :)Not much left to do now to complete the cabinet- I need to track down some rubber edging, order some glass/plexi/lexan (not sure which one) to cover the screen, and create and print some artwork for the top panel.  I'll give myself plenty of time to organise these finishing touches, as I'm not sure I can keep going at the pace I had set myself!  Besides, the cabinet is now fully functional, and I'm keen to get some game time in... :)

Building my first arcade cabinet: Part VI

Almost done!  I moved the cabinet into the house (with some help - thanks Anthony!), and then  finished off the wiring and assembly.  I had to overcome a few last minute issues, mainly caused by not allowing enough room under the control panel for the buttons and microswitches etc, but at the end I managed to get everything together.  I now have a button connected to the PC's power switch, and with everything plugged into a power board it is only two button-presses to start the arcade cabinet...  turn the power on at the wall, then press the button connected to the PC's power switch.  I can get this down to one button press if I buy a smart power board, such as this one from Jaycar. 

The ugly bare wood you can see on the front of the control panel will be covered by some nice metal sheeting, which I will also use for a kick plate.

Oh, and for those that were wondering, the first game I played on the cabinet was Galaxian :)

Building my first arcade cabinet: Part V

Everything is progressing well... spent many hours today building the control panel.  It all took much longer than I expected, which is pretty much par for the course when building an arcade cabinet!  Attaching the vinyl overlay was a painful experience, and something I'm not keen to repeat in a hurry.  Wiring was fun though, and everything went according to plan.  I'm now at the stage where I can attach the control panel, front panel, and rear panel to the main cabinet... just need to haul the cabinet in from the garage!  Then it's just a few finishing things: installing an external power button (connected to my PC's power button), adding a metal kick-plate, and sourcing some rubber for the edging.

Control panel (well, the beginnings of one anyway...)

Microswitches and spare joystick top

Buttons and Joysticks installed

Front panel with coin button

Control panel all wired up to I-PAC controller.  Everything worked first time!

Finished control panel with vinyl overlay

My Version of KFC Fried Chicken Recipe

G'Day Everyone!
Hello - this is Ferris' wife here... Just thought I'd share a recipe that I used today to make KFC fried chicken. I love KFC fried chicken but it is pretty greasy and fatty. In order to create a healthier version of the chicken, I've browsed the internet for ideas and made up this recipe. Ferris said it tasted great - just like the fried chicken from KFC!
Happy cooking! :)

Ingredients:
- 1.7 kilograms Chicken Pieces
- 1 large Egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup Milk (full-cream)
- 1 1/2 cups Plain Flour
- 6 tablespoons Chicken Stock Powder
- 6 teaspoons Garlic Salt
- 4 teaspoons Italian Herbs Mix (from the spice section of the supermarket)
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper (ground)
- 2 teaspoons Paprika (ground mild)
- 1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder

Directions:
1. Combine beaten egg and milk in a bowl.
2. Mix all dry ingredients well in a large container or bowl to
make the KFC seasoning mix.
3. Trim fat from chicken pieces. If you want to make it extra healthy, remove the skin too.
4. Dip chicken pieces one by one into egg and milk mixture, shake to remove excess liquid, then coat the pieces one by one with dry flour mixture. Shake well to remove excess flour, otherwise the crust will be floury.
5. Put a baking paper on an oven tray and spray it with extra virgin olive oil spray. Put chicken onto the tray and ensure the pieces do not overlay. Generously spray chicken pieces with olive oil spray. Bake chicken at 180 degrees for 40 minutes or until fully cooked. Turn chicken around once during baking to ensure each piece browns evenly. Check the oven regularly during cooking to ensure chicken does not burn.

6. Season chicken with ground black pepper, and serve it warm with oven-baked potato chips (in Australia I use McCain crunchy beer-battered steak fries) and salad.

Notes & Tips:

Please ensure that you use no more than half a cup of milk, otherwise the egg and milk mixture becomes watery, and the batter won't stay on the chicken. If you would like to make only half the quantity of the chicken, just reduce the quantity of all the ingredients by half (the cooking time will need to be adjusted accordingly). I made up this recipe with reference to this recipe and another one from my colleague Sarah.