This Arcade Machine is hidden in plain sight! And This is how I Built It!

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I'm making a fully functional 2 player arcade machine, discussed as a sleek piece of furniture!
For the build plans and 3d files for this project and many others, check out: www.alch.shop/
If you want you can support me on Patreon: / chappel
Follow me on Instagram for more pictures and stories along the way: / a.chappel
A couple of videos to help you out:
installing retropie: • How To Install And Set...
running games from usb: • RetroPie Run Roms / Ga...
programming a power button: • How to Add a Power But...
List of all the things you'll need for this build:
Raspberry pie: amzn.to/3rUBLVC
Monitor: amzn.to/2NmH41h
button and joystick: amzn.to/2Q3Es9n
clicky buttons: amzn.to/3qPV0hV
USB extension: amzn.to/2NjUqeu
HDMI cable: amzn.to/2OZGLJX
USB stick: amzn.to/2ODecT1
micro sd: amzn.to/3qRT0Wv
Power supply: amzn.to/3qM0j1H
The actual speaker I used: www.biltema.no...
A similar speaker from amazon that could work: amzn.to/3bPtgpc
Crimp terminals: amzn.to/3toOY9w
Crimp tool: amzn.to/3qKyGWU
Wire stripping tool: amzn.to/3qNwmhP
Spring: amzn.to/3cCsf2X
brass rod: amzn.to/3qRCFko
closest switch I could find: amzn.to/2OzeZ7r
Momentary switch: amzn.to/3ll4h0r
Some of my favorite tools:
my favourite 3d printer: shareasale.com...
super glue: www.starbond.c...
Small vacuum forming machine: amzn.to/3kiV3Qd
Japanese hand saw: amzn.to/2QcLUMo
Olfa knife - amzn.to/3hXRzBT
machinist square - amzn.to/3hORmkc
combination square - amzn.to/39HSlji
Pocket hole jig: amzn.to/3eXGcM3
Biscuit jointer: amzn.to/333GzfY
Orbital sander: amzn.to/2xglSBs
Track-saw: amzn.to/2Q07Bj7
Drill: amzn.to/3cKVXCr
Impact driver: amzn.to/2VZFGDp
Jigsaw: amzn.to/2vQtbj1
Biscuit jointer: amzn.to/333GzfY
Mitre saw: amzn.to/3b3QBkY
By using these links I may earn an affiliate commission, which helps support the channel.
Thank you for Watching! Tune in next week for more videos :)

[@Psychlist1972]

The sound of your components clicking into the 3d-printed panel was extremely satisfying.

[@DIYBuilds]

Awesome. And yes I was wondering about the corners.

[@janosnagyj.9540]

Me too. Nice that he didn't tried to hide it, but confessed us the truth about it :)

[@nw6gmp]

Me three!

[@mtaschii]

@@janosnagyj.9540 VfL

[@Dr0wn3dGirL7E7]

Yes Yes I am in town and I’m just leaving now like a couple ouotouo osou for a little while I’m not there yet I have a few minutes I’ll get it done I have some of that work out I have a couple zombies

[@endoflevelboss]

Some good DIY skills there manbun.

[@AlainPilon]

Very nice looking but I think the controller table should have a small angle, not 90, and have a round over to not hurt your wrist/forearms. Also I would be worried about someone getting too much into the game and applying to much pressure on the controller table, since the screen section is acting as a stop, it will absorb all the impact and will eventually break.

[@hed420]

These would actually sell well. You should do a small production run.

[@dustinm2364]

You could do that too...just saying.

[@hed420]

@@dustinm2364 Yes, I've thought about making and selling this and other things but the problem is that I live in South America so shipping to the USA would cost more than the product . Otherwise I would be selling things on etsy. I could sell these locally but they won't sell well because people here either can't afford it or have more important things to spend their money on like food and rent . So unless shipping becomes more affordable, or if the client is able and willing to pay for the high shipping prices, I'm out of luck. Ideally, it would be awesome to find someone to fund me to make a container full of these, ship them to an Amazon warehouse and you could just order them straight off of Amazon with free two day shipping to your door. Since shipping these in bulk would help reduce the shipping costs significantly .

[@SamuelRowan]

I've been wanting to do this exact thing for a decade. Glad to see someone's doing it

[@JerkerMontelius]

Beautiful. The only thing I would add is something That slows down the opening (so it don't hit you in the head)

[@cavemanvi]

the last front panel was supposed to be transparent to show the inside off in my opinion. the cable setup is art

[@Arterexius]

Modify the dowel rotation prints to consist of internal gears. That or buy some small gas compression "hinges".

[@KeyshawnJenkins]

@@cavemanvi But it's meant to be hidden.

[@johnnyking2965]

Pocket holes are really strong. Especially with glue. They've been used for generations. Great build.

[@kaysonkeyte5032]

You should put a clock in the background during your time lapses, so we can tell how long these projects actually take. Great video by the way

[@j0j0biwan]

Small idea after seeing your video: you can make a fake frame with a retro poster with the plate that hides the electronics, even more surprise for those who will come in your workshop when you want to show it :D !

[@modcolocko]

PUT A HEATSINK ON THE PI AND CONNECT A FAN! The new model overheats and that can be bad, like really bad.

[@GustavBrogren]

Nah, it just throttles the CPU when overheating. A tiny fan is good though to avoid throttling.

[@snoopyslr]

Good suggestion. Honestly 2 small 40mm Noctua fans would be good for the entire electronics section. Silent and all that stuff needs is just a tiny bit of air flow. All my Pi cases have 20mm fans on them with heat sinks.

[@modcolocko]

@@snoopyslr Yeah, heatsinks for the pi and quite noctua fans would be the least intrusive option

[@miklschmidt]

Also i saw an under voltage warning at the end, make sure it gets at least 5.1V and that the wires are thick enough to support 3A!

[@kamathonxander1]

Dude... your projects, your video production, your energy while presenting. All’s always top notch! Keep going!

[@Bullsnation6]

I appreciate that you even cable managed your electronics. Now that’s attention to detail.

[@rosslovett3779]

Pixel perfect yet again. Liked the use of 3D printing to make the cable management

[@pickardsr]

Okay folks - if you are in Australia, 18mm plywood is more common. The best way to tackle this is to make the side frames measure 210mmx598mm and the top frame 210x574m. The setout dimensions for hinge holes etc will need to change. All other dimensions can stay the same. Haven't built it yet, but did sketch it out in 3D to check the impact of changing to 18mm thick ply. Hope it helps! Glad I could support this awesome project by buying the plans!

[@serverakinci4231]

I swear, this guy impresses me with every upload.

[@rhyzenderaya175]

Watched all ALCH videos... 3d printed parts are my fave!!! Hope you can see this

[@ryanivester5042]

Totally awesome build. Never stress about or underestimate pocket holes. I know lots of woodworkers frown on them or say they are "traditional joinery". Lots of antique furniture that is beautiful has pocket holes. They were just hidden better than they are now. I use them alot for their convenience and strength. Love you videos and would love to see a full lathe rebuild/restore one day.

[@fluffycritter]

I'd be concerned about that hotglue being enough to keep the monitor from falling out internally. Wouldn't it make sense to add some screwed-in angle brackets behind it for some extra support?

[@LeeMooEez]

You’ll be surprised by how strong the hot glue actually is if glued properly 😂

[@beaucephus526]

@@LeeMooEez any adhesive is highly subjective to the environment. Humidity. Temperature. As well as the materials it’s bonding.

[@David-yp7bk]

Man, I can't tell you how happy I am to see your work, the amount of detail, precision, and thought that is in your projects is mind blowing. Keep up the amazing work!

[@horisontial]

I am glad I only had to be a master carpenter and not a newbie coder to make this :D

[@Arterexius]

You do not need to be a master carpenter. If you can't build a box, you'll have no success in carpentry, whatso ever. Building a box is literally the very first thing you must learn how to do. Fail at that and you will fail at everything else in carpentry.

[@paulheitkemper1559]

props to you for being honest about the corners. You could add a side-channel video where you show a repair.

[@dylanorr3017A]

Amazing build if you are running retro pi on the raspberry pi you can remove the usb stick and the rooms will work just like normal.

[@SeanHodgins]

That is beautiful!

[@cavemanvi]

the last front piece should be transparent its so nice inside.

[@UnboxMe]

woooooo u are amazing! 🤯 Fantastic job 👌

[@iamuzairahmad]

i am just in love with this guy. just seeing that he has uploaded today made my day. now watching the video with a big smile on my face. i found my perfect youtuber

[@PieterF]

Great designing as well aesthetically as functionally. This is exactly why I subcribed to your channel. Not to talk about your cable management skills. I definitely can apply some of your ideas in my next projects in the future. Thank you for making these videos.

[@LesTutosdUneMinute]

Very very nice! True Scandinavian design! The hinges seem a bit fragile tho - maybe replace the wood dowels with metal rods?

[@achappel]

I think they'll be fine(famous last words), In addition to the wooden dowel, there are also four screws on each side to hold everything in place.

[@richierichwalker]

I have the same feeling that the hinges won't hold, even with metal rods. The traction is too big here. When I'm thinking of how we used to beat up these buttons when we were kids...

[@flymypg]

@@achappel Would you sit on it to load-test the hinges? It seems everything else would take your weight!

[@lobitome]

The same leftover brass rod instead of dowel.

[@Arterexius]

@@flymypg That might only be a good idea if he has screwed in the french cleats to the studs in that wall, as that wall is drywall

[@Suraj_Mandal.]

Sir, you are genius i hope one day i can meet you and play with you there at your workshop......lots of love from INDIA

[@Xander-228]

0:04 for some reason my brain ignored him saying "this video is sponsored by kiwi co." and it focused on his McCafe. Then I saw the KZbin "includes paid promotion" and I went straight to "oh, this video is sponsored by McDonalds"

[@xtonybaloneyx]

that McCafe is lowkey promo..

[@nw6gmp]

RIGHT!? 🤣🤣

[@jap7384]

he drank it like someone had just turned the camera on without him knowing

[@walnutz03]

My son loves his kiwi co crates he gets so excited every month when he sees the box in the mail

[@anthonyprokos5098]

Alexandre that last comment resonates with me so much. I always find a way to mess up a project at the very end.

[@daunit5493]

WOW this amazing and unique!!! Love it

[@crazedskirge287]

Stepping outside the normal script and mixing up some different skills. Haven't started this video yet but I can't wait to watch the whole thing.

[@mathijsbremer4093]

Love your enthousiasm, thats what makes you stand out of all the comparable channels for me.

[@beedee95]

These projects, the attention to detail, everything is just next level. Hats off, Sir.

[@DevanshMatha]

"Those are my choices and i just have to live with that" Alexandre Chappel

[@showmeyourkitties]

Ultra disappointed I didn't get to hear, "Biscuit, biscuit, biscuit!" 😹

[@BLBlackDragon]

Most excellent. You usually only see these as tabletop units. Nice option.

[@olehellmers5439]

Awesome build! For the locking mechanism: you can 3D print a knob, pause mid print and insert a bolt. This way you can get 3d printed parts with metal bolts inside :) just make sure to add a support structure underneath that allows the bolt to be inserted or use z hopping to print around it :) (and use a hex screw of course) I did this with nuts to make my own knobs that are easy to turn with your hands, look great and have text on them :-)

[@ilikewaffles3689]

Thingiverse link?

[@thefirsttrillionaire2925]

Any thingiverse updates?

[@ollien3359]

The wiring is so beautiful, I would have made the backing clear perspex so I would admire it on the wall!

[@lifestylemodificatio]

With all the negative things going on in the world, this put a smile on my face. Thanks 🙏

[@YannRetout]

Excellent work! Now I need to find an available wall and convince my wife that we need this!

[@marsgizmo]

Love this project Alex! 👌😎 Excellent build!

[@RicardoJunqueira]

That actually looks quite nice. The 3D printed panel you did for the power cable and other connections looked impeccable. And the whole unit is not only solid but also incredibly slim. Congrats!

[@dgooglr]

Awesome!

[@SpencerPaire]

I never play arcade games, or even console games these days. But now I really want to spend a bunch of money and make this.

[@Helveteshit]

Can always load up other emulator games. Just a matter of what functions the buttons should have, really.

[@briant6669]

I had more fun building my arcades than I do playing with them.

[@jordski81]

That's so stylish!! I love the look of the monitor in the frame.

[@scottmorris4914]

Nice job, looks really good. I have a concern, heat. There is no ventilation for any of the electronics. The monitor creates heat, and so does the electronics for the RPi. May not be an issue for short use, but if you have a party, it could get hours of use. There are links to how to help with heat on the RPi (heat sinks, etc). Just my thoughts.

[@ExcalibursZone]

Dude, your sheer joy and energy while making always brings a smile to my face and brightens my day. This is an AWESOME project! I've seen a few other builds like this and am really enjoying this current trend in hidden arcade systems.

[@youvj03]

for someone who does more with wood, your wiring is fantastic. Good job buddy.

[@javier-pr3mr]

amazing idea.

[@DIYTechRepairs]

And yes those buttons with microswitches in the button is so much better quality in. Built some mysels and i use those buttons for light switches in the house with RGB leds inside to show status of the lights :D

[@joeylo2365]

This is really super awesome and I really want to build one for my kids and myself, so cool!!

[@jakebrickhouse]

Bro! That is soooo clean. You are on a whole other level.

[@markweaver1963]

Superb idea and executed to perfection. I nominate myself as the winner of whatever it takes to become the proud new owner of that technological marvel.

[@NWGR]

Genius idea! I've been wanting an arcade cabinet forever, but not the space nor the room to build one (tiny shop). I'll definitely be building my own take on this. Thanks for posting!

[@justinskywalker]

Awesome build!

[@grahamjones7814]

Another great space saving design.

[@sadovsf]

I would maybe advice some small heatsink on Raspberry. It may get quite hot especially in closed space like this

[@tamimaloraij5920]

You're awesome 🥰❤️

[@antonnym214]

Outstanding. You are an artist! Even all your wiring is very neat, like a factory build. Thank you! Great fun! All good wishes.

[@sddiymakeitworthit7512]

So beautiful and brilliant idea 👍 it

[@BeefIngot]

That looks just big enough to fit a desktop computer inside of it for maybe some even more than retro gaming

[@Tomyy1001]

The only problem is wooden dowel hinge, especially when two players are playing combat games such as street fighter 🔨⚡🧨💥🎇

[@jmsiefer]

Looks cool, but I wouldn't feel comfortable with the amount of downward weight.

[@Darwinion]

I was thinking that. What would Track and Field play like? :p

[@joeycameron4744]

yep, i was thinking the same thing. Static it may be fine, but once people start putting downward pressure on it when playing, that seems like a pretty weak failure point.

[@KeithHuffstutler]

Yeah, from an engineering standpoint, there isn't much difference between those 3D printed 'hinges' and just a hole in the wood. Actually, probably less strong. Considering he wanted to make this look like it didn't have any fasteners has really limited it. What he could have done was an inset block with a steel rod that went the length of the cabinet. Also, a piano hinge of some type may have also worked.

[@sinetwo]

You could also have a other part flip down and support against the wall at the bottom

[@AndriiPetrusha]

This is so so so so so so so cool!!!!!!!

[@miningbruno]

That dowel that is functioning as a hinge, it is not meant to take a shear load like that, especially if you're resting your forearms on it. Furthermore, as you open-and-close it, the dowels will quickly wear out. And good job on that wire loom, it's very tidy!

[@cyberneticwarmachine]

That wiring is so clean

[@atomicwatts]

Here I was thinking about how I could build a cheap spring release for a project - I take a break to watch this video and boom - a great design near the end. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@davefrancis4529]

Came out awesome. Very understated.

[@zaharajohn8482]

This is the most coolest thing you had made so far

[@denniss1618]

That one is just amazing... The work you put in there gorgeous

[@janmartens7954]

You build this so perfect, i am glad you told us the last bit of the damaged corners.... otherwise you giving me a complex with you perfectionism hahahaha

[@jamess1787]

On our way to 1M. Way to go! Whoop whoop!

[@xeygar]

This is insane man, the fact that you can build so much just in your shop. The force is strong with this one.

[@TheCHRISCaPWN]

This is so slick. I have built several arcade machines, but never thought of a slick design like this. I'm definitely adding one to my house!!

[@TheKurtsPlaceChannel]

Very entertaining and fun to watch. Thanks for posting this.

[@damatmatman]

You covered everything flawlessly

[@cherneazy]

Think about making one of these for your garage, but it was basically a built in PC so that you can quickly lookup things. Like a terminal system

[@sunshine135]

May I just say that your craftsmanship is impressive.

[@akasthien]

Really nice build! You could also use magnetic snappers for the removable front to make it a bit easier!

[@hoppend]

So good! What a nice and sleek looking arcade kabinet!

[@BaratheonBC]

bonus points for the cable management

[@ilposto7489]

Nice work man 👍 thanks from Italy 🇮🇹

[@tomking8315]

Thanks for this btw I made one last year after getting your plans, I made a few slight modifications of which was a switch that tuns on the power as the cabinet opens! also did mine in all black with decals and added a volume knob in the middle by the controls

[@Monsterpala]

Those angles that is good work sir

[@ericandresen680]

Will build this! Also would like one with the screen vertical for old arcade games.

[@P0LSKI]

Absolutely incredible!!!

[@AllfonsoNRG]

You laughed and smiled in one video more than i have in the last 5 years.

[@Andrew_Sherman]

Dude this was awesome! Its such an inspiration for a gar bar or shop arcade.

[@angelholleman4443]

Easy way to get around screws being seen is pre drill a hole to sink the screws in and use a dowel to fill them

[@colinsmith1071]

wow wish I had the talent to make one. looks amazing

[@mandem9319]

How did I almost completely miss this video?! Really glad it eventually got recommended to me regardless of not noticing it at first...

[@paoloangioi]

Simply AMAZING!!!

[@ozespresso]

Great build!

[@thehillza]

Very cool build, I will aim to do basically the exact same thing but with a 32 inch TV and a Shield TV.

[@imm311]

Excellent work God bless!

[@threeDeeBeginner]

this is the perfect setup, easy to play, that's the purpose of arcade games

[@maurolimaok]

What a nice project.

[@KeithOlson]

Nice build! A few thoughts: 1. Add a couple of recessed buttons on each side near the front and one one the front-right for pinball machine emulation. 2. Drill out the hole for the catch a little larger and insert a small piece of (flared, preferably) copper tubing. That will prevent the brass pin from wearing out the wood. 3. Add a handle near one edge of the (closed) front to both make it look more like an cabinet and give you something to hang onto when removing it. (To protect that last corner. :grin: )

[@TwanvB]

I want this at my workplace! Really cool and original as always!

[@c2coder]

I realy want it too.