Cabinet plans · category illustrationA Super Easy Arcade Machine From 1 Sheet of Plywood
InstructablesFreeFreeHigh confidence
- Bring your own games
- In stock
Checked Sep 30, 2026
View sourced detailsArcade cabinet plans are drawings, cut lists or cutting files for building a cabinet from raw sheet material. The ten we list cost free to $37.08, read September 30, 2026, and four of them are free. You buy the wood, controls, screen and computer separately.
What you get, per seller
| Plan | Price | Type | What it includes | Tools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instructables: 1 Sheet of Plywood | Free | Not stated | 15-step build tutorial; skill stated as basic | Not stated |
| The Cabinet Craftsmen blueprint | Free | Upright, bartop and cocktail | PDF with dimensions, cut list, materials and assembly guidance for three styles | Saw and basic woodworking tools |
| Holbrook Tech full-size plan | Free | Upright | PDF, AutoCAD DWG files and layout images, 3/4-inch MDF | CAD viewer, woodworking tools |
| ArcadeCab.com plans | Free | Full-size and tabletop | Two full-size builds, a tabletop "BarCade", control panel layouts, web pages and PDFs | Woodworking tools, not itemized |
| The Geek Pub Platinum Edition | $6.99 (sale) | Not stated | Materials list, drilling templates, electronics list, wiring instructions, SketchUp file | Not stated |
| RetroPie Mini Bartop (Etsy) | $7.18 | Bartop, 1 player | PDF instructions and SVG files for 3 mm material | Laser cutter |
| I Like To Make Stuff Bartop | $9.99 | Bartop | Digital plans; contents not confirmed | Not stated |
| Bartop lasercut files (Etsy) | $10 | Bartop | DXF, PDF, EPS and Corel files for 6 mm and 3 mm material | Laser cutter |
| I Like To Make Stuff full-size | $24.99 | Full-size | Digital plans; contents not itemized | Not stated |
| 4-player design plans (Etsy) | $37.08 | 4 players | Digital design plan; contents not confirmed | Not stated |
Build time is not stated for any of them. I Like To Make Stuff's own blog build took about three months, but that is the maker's project, not an estimate for buyers. Three Etsy prices and the I Like To Make Stuff prices come from search summaries because the pages blocked our reads; check them on the seller's page.
Before you pick a plan
- Match the plan to your tools. Laser-cut files need a laser cutter. Woodworking plans need a saw and drill.
- Check the material. The Cabinet Craftsmen and Holbrook Tech use 3/4-inch MDF.
- Buy the screen first. A plan is drawn around a screen size.
- Price the parts. The Cabinet Craftsmen estimate $205 to $930 in parts, depending on the quality of parts you choose.
No plan includes games. Supply games you own, or use licensed and free software.
Kits instead
No workshop? Arcade cabinet kits arrive pre-cut from $223.99. Compare the totals in build or buy, and read the planning guide before you cut.