I started on this project last fall.  As this site is new, I'll be jumping in mid project on this and thought everyone might like to know how I got to this point.

I designed my layout based on the typical Japanese arcade controls layout.  I went with a six button per player configuration based on advice on the Build Your Own Arcade Controls (BYOAC) forum.  Few if any arcade games make use of more than six buttons.

After designing the layout, I CNC cut the plywood for the deck using the 2'x3' CNC mill I built a couple of years ago.  This can be done by hand for those without a CNC mill.  As I get further into setting up this project, I will post the layout file for the deck.

I ordered the joysticks, buttons, and other miscellaneous control parts from Groovy Game Gear.  The rest of the hardware and such that is needed can be acquired from most any hardware store.

I wanted the option of including a trackball of spinners on a possible future rework of the panel.  All of the commercially available arcade control to USB adapters I could find generally started at $40+ for a quality one (not cheap Chinese stuff), and could only handle to joystick/button inputs, or a trackball or spinners.  None of them could handle both on the same board.  Therefore, I decided to roll my own control interface.  After researching the various inexpensive MCU development boards on the market, I settled on the TI Tiva C Launchpad.  First reason was that the Launchpad has two built in hardware QEI (Quadrature Encoder Input) modules, and secondly it costs all of $10.  Arcade trackballs and spinners use quadrature encoders to track the direction, speed, and acceleration of their motion, and not having to write QEI in software was a HUGE bonus.  I have posted the controller as a separate project on here for anyone who is interested.

So, that's where I'm at.  I finished up all that about the time the weather turned cold and banned me from my detached, unheated garage where all my tools are at.  As soon as (if???) the weather turns around, I will be finishing up the base and wiring so I can introduce my kids to the games I grew up playing, all on the 60" big screen!