My Barcade

[young4u_]

I have a collection of pinball machines, so I thought it’d be a cool idea to build a straight kegger bar using a couple of old pinball playfields as the bar top and then illuminate the inserts from underneath with some blinking Christmas lights. I currently have one worn-out playfield that I found on Craigslist and I’m searching for another one. My main issue with this idea so far is that the plans call for the top to be 15″ wide in the middle, but the playfield is 19″ wide. I’ll either have to cut the playfield down, have the top hang over the front a little more, or have it longer behind the bar and cover most of the work counter.

Anyway, here’s a couple of pictures of my progress so far:

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/530857_4292474749183_1699468042_n.jpg

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/5022_4308521950353_438500561_n.jpg

[normanhg]

neat idea

[young4u_]

Moderator, could you please move this topic to the Cool Bar Theme Forum? I put it here by mistake.

I have been diligently working on the barcade. Pouring the bar top and staining everything is proving to be a very lengthy/tedious process. I don’t think I will make my original goal of having it done by Christmas, but New Year’s seems doable.

Here’s a video of the pinball playfield bar top:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE45qqC5NpU

Also, a picture taken after last weekend…

[cjfreem1]

Josh – great idea! I was thinking you used the controller from the old machine to light the lights, but using xmas lights is brilliantly simple. I might suggest using the LED variety, otherwise changing bulbs might be a problem. Great Job!

[young4u_]

I used a string of Holiday Showtime LED lights that were on sale for 20 bucks at Kmart. Yes, very simple! I did purchase an extra set on clearance after Christmas was over, but I dread ever having to replace them. My intent was to make the bottom layer of the bar top removable via screws, but fear this will be very difficult due to a lot of Envirotex that seeped through along the edges and likely glued everything tight. If I were doing it over I would have cut out a center section and made that removable. Hopefully the LEDs will last forever like they are supposed to.

Now just have to get some friends to move this bar in from the garage. God, it’s heavy!

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