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Build a retro-terminal topper around the bartop cabinet you actually own: measure its width and the clearance above it, design a frame around those numbers, then add a fitted acrylic face and optional rear LED lighting. There is no standard topper size or dedicated retro-terminal drawing in the available plans, so the reliable method is cabinet-first construction rather than copying a universal template.
What a bartop arcade topper does
A topper is the small sign or marquee mounted above an arcade cabinet. It can identify the machine, carry artwork, or provide a visual focal point without changing the monitor or control deck. For a retro-terminal look, treat it as a compact display enclosure: a rigid frame, a front panel, optional illumination behind that panel, and a mounting method that does not overload the cabinet.
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The cabinet itself determines the topper’s width. Measure before buying sheet material or drawing cut lines. Arcade cabinets vary substantially in monitor size, side-profile shape and available headroom. The Raspberry Pi HackSpace cabinet guide describes its own plans as rough and adaptable and recommends fitting the cabinet around its monitor; those principles apply even more strongly to a topper.
Measure the cabinet before drawing the topper
Record the critical dimensions
- Overall cabinet width: Measure the finished width at the exact surface where the topper will attach. Check both the front and rear if the side panels taper.
- Available height: Measure from the cabinet’s top edge to the highest point allowed by your shelf, wall, transport case or room. Subtract clearance for screws, brackets and cable bends.
- Mounting depth: Determine how far a frame or rear cleat can extend without interfering with the monitor, speakers, ventilation or existing artwork.
- Attachment locations: Mark solid wood or panel areas that can accept screws. Do not assume a thin decorative panel can carry the topper’s weight.
- Viewing angle: Note whether the cabinet top slopes backward or forward. A vertical frame may look tilted if it follows a sloped surface, while a shim can make the face read upright.
Use the narrowest measured width for the outer frame, then leave a small visual reveal or side clearance according to your preferred finish. The exact allowance is a design decision; the reviewed construction sources do not specify a topper tolerance.
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Use published cabinet dimensions only as scale references
The I Like To Make Stuff bartop plan describes one cabinet built for a 17-inch 4:3 monitor. Its approximate overall dimensions are 19 inches wide, 17 inches deep and 28 inches tall, using less than one sheet of 1/2-inch plywood. Those figures describe that complete cabinet, not a universal bartop or topper. Use them to understand the scale of a typical example, never as a substitute for measuring your machine.
Similarly, the HackSpace Raspberry Pi article discusses 18 mm MDF for a cabinet body and 12 mm MDF for front and back panels. Those thicknesses are context for a larger enclosure, not a requirement for a small topper. A topper’s frame can use a different thickness if it remains rigid and fits the available clearance.
Choose the topper architecture
Decide how the panel, frame and lighting will coexist before cutting anything. The panel must fit the frame opening, and a backlight needs a cavity behind the panel plus a route for its power lead.
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A fixed panel is a shallow frame or solid sign attached directly to the cabinet. It has the fewest parts, no lighting cavity and no electrical connection. This is useful when the cabinet sits in a bright room, when rear clearance is limited, or when you want the lightest possible topper.
Framed marquee
A framed marquee holds a clear acrylic or similar plastic face in a rabbet, channel or overlapping trim. Artwork is placed behind the face or printed on a translucent sheet. The frame protects the panel edges and gives you a replaceable sign.
Backlit marquee
A backlit version adds an LED light behind the artwork or plexiglass. Bartop examples documented by Monster Arcades and Ourcades use a plexiglass marquee with a light installed behind it; these examples establish the arrangement, not a universal lamp size, panel thickness or wiring scheme. Leave enough rear volume for the chosen light and plan where its cable exits before closing the frame.
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Plan materials and tools
Core materials
- Frame stock or sheet material compatible with your cabinet’s finish. MDF is a documented arcade-cabinet material, but the cited 18 mm and 12 mm figures are not mandatory topper dimensions.
- Clear acrylic or another suitable plastic sheet for a marquee face. Confirm that its thickness matches the frame groove, clips or trim you design.
- Artwork printed to the measured opening, preferably on material that can tolerate the intended light level.
- Optional LED marquee light, mounting hardware and a safe power lead. Choose a unit that physically fits the cavity and has a planned power route.
- Fasteners, brackets or a rear cleat sized for the cabinet material, plus washers or spacers where needed.
- Paint, primer, edge banding or trim for the finish you want.
Useful tools
- Tape measure, straightedge, square and pencil for transferring cabinet measurements.
- Drill and bits sized for pilot holes and the selected fasteners.
- Fine abrasive paper and a deburring tool for acrylic edges.
- Clamps, masking tape and a non-marring work surface.
- Multimeter or continuity checker for verifying the lighting connection before final installation.
Design the retro-terminal appearance
The construction sources describe arcade materials and marquee arrangements, but they do not define a historical retro-terminal graphic system. Treat the visual language below as creative direction rather than documented history.
Keep the visual vocabulary restrained
- Use a limited monochrome or two-color palette, such as a dark body with a single bright display color.
- Choose block lettering with generous spacing so the title remains legible at the cabinet’s normal viewing distance.
- Arrange the face like a status panel: a short machine name, a prompt-like line or a compact indicator row.
- Use a border or grid only when it helps the sign read as an interface; dense decoration can make a small topper look busy.
Do not imply that a particular typeface, phrase or color is historically authentic unless you can document that separately. The goal is a convincing terminal-inspired design that fits your cabinet, not a claim about one definitive terminal standard.
Make artwork to the actual opening
Measure the visible opening after the frame is assembled or dry-fitted. Set the artwork’s trim area from that opening, then add any hidden overlap required by your retaining method. Keep important text away from the edges that will disappear under trim. If the face will be illuminated, test a small print or sample material first; a sheet that looks opaque in daylight may still glow unevenly.
Build the frame
1. Draw the opening and outer profile
Transfer the cabinet width, available height and mounting depth to a full-size drawing or cardboard mock-up. Mark the outer frame, the visible opening, the panel support and the rear cavity. A cardboard mock-up can reveal collisions with the monitor hood, wall or shelf before you cut expensive material.
2. Cut and square the frame parts
Cut the top, bottom and side pieces to your measured profile. Check each corner with a square and dry-assemble the parts on a flat surface. If the cabinet top is angled, decide whether the frame follows that angle or uses a wedge-shaped spacer to present a vertical face.
3. Create the panel support
Provide a continuous ledge, groove, clips or trim that supports the acrylic on all sides. The support must hold the panel without point-loading a corner. Leave enough room for the artwork and, if lit, the diffusion distance between the panel and the LED source.
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4. Provide rear access
Design a removable rear strip or access panel if you intend to change artwork or service the light. A permanently sealed frame is harder to repair and makes cable replacement unnecessarily destructive.
Fit and finish the acrylic face
Cut only after confirming the opening
Use the frame’s measured opening for the acrylic dimensions. The sources support clear acrylic or plexiglass as a marquee-face approach, but they do not prescribe a specific thickness. Verify that the sheet fits the groove or clips while allowing for the material’s actual edge size and any protective film.
Prevent scratches and stress
- Keep protective film on the acrylic during cutting and finishing.
- Support the sheet flat so it does not flex into the blade or bit.
- Deburr and lightly smooth the edges before inserting it into the frame.
- Avoid over-tightening screws directly against the plastic; use washers, clips or a floating trim.
- Remove the film only after the frame is painted and the artwork is clean.
Choose the artwork position
For a conventional marquee, place the printed design behind the clear face so the exterior remains wipeable. A translucent print can sit between the light and the acrylic, while a fully opaque print will read as an unlit sign. Make the artwork removable if you expect to change the machine name or game theme.
Add optional backlighting
Reserve a light cavity
Backlighting is optional, not a requirement for a retro-terminal topper. If you choose it, size the cavity around the actual LED unit rather than assuming the light will fit after the frame is built. The documented bartop examples place an LED light behind marquee artwork or plexiglass; your custom frame still needs its own clearance and mounting points.
Plan the power route
- Choose where the cable exits the topper and how it reaches a suitable power source.
- Drill or notch the exit before the rear panel is installed, adding a grommet or edge protection where the cable passes through material.
- Secure the light so it cannot touch the artwork, acrylic or a sharp frame edge.
- Keep the cable away from moving controls, hot components and pinch points.
- Test the light outside the closed frame, then close the rear access panel only after confirming illumination and cable strain relief.
The sources do not establish which light, voltage or connector fits a custom topper. Follow the light manufacturer’s electrical instructions and choose a unit whose power arrangement is compatible with the cabinet installation.
Control glare and hotspots
View the topper from the normal player position. If one LED strip or lamp creates bright dots, move the source farther behind the panel, add a diffuser layer, or use an internal baffle. These are design adjustments, not guaranteed results; the best spacing depends on the chosen light, artwork and panel.
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Mount the topper to the cabinet
Use a structural attachment point
Fasten the topper to solid cabinet material, a dedicated cleat or brackets tied into the side panels. Avoid relying on adhesive alone for a heavy framed assembly. Pre-drill to reduce the chance of splitting, especially near an edge.
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Keep the installation reversible
If the cabinet is finished or rented, use brackets or a cleat that can be removed without destroying the side artwork. Mark the topper’s centerline and cabinet centerline before drilling so the sign does not appear offset.
Check clearance after fastening
- Confirm that the topper does not touch the monitor bezel or block speaker openings.
- Verify that the rear cable can bend without being crushed.
- Make sure the cabinet remains stable when the topper is installed.
- Check that the highest point still clears its intended shelf, wall or transport route.
Compare the main design choices
| Decision | Option A | Option B | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lighting | Unlit face | LED-backlit face | Backlighting adds visibility and a power route, and requires room behind the panel. Unlit construction avoids those requirements. |
| Face material | Clear acrylic or plexiglass over artwork | Solid decorative panel | Clear material supports a marquee-style face, especially when illuminated. A solid panel can omit the clear face and lighting cavity; that is a design inference rather than a tested performance comparison. |
| Construction basis | Scratch-built topper | Adapted cabinet plan or kit | A plan or kit can provide cabinet-scale references and components, but the cited examples are not dedicated topper plans. A scratch build gives direct control over your cabinet’s width and clearance. |
| Dimensions | Measured from your cabinet | Published example dimensions | Your measurements determine fit. The 19-by-17-by-28-inch example belongs to one complete bartop cabinet; no universal topper size is established. |
Troubleshoot fit, appearance and operation
The topper is wider than the cabinet
Re-measure the cabinet at the attachment plane, not at the control deck. If the side panels taper, use the smaller width or redesign the side brackets. Do not force a wide frame into a narrower mounting area.
The acrylic rattles
Check whether the panel is undersupported or the retaining trim is loose. Add a continuous ledge, thin compliant spacer or properly sized clip. Avoid packing the panel so tightly that thermal movement or minor impacts crack it.
The light is uneven
Inspect the distance between the light, artwork and face. Increase spacing, diffuse the source or reposition it away from the viewer’s direct line of sight. Unevenness can also come from artwork that is not translucent enough for the selected light.
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Do not stretch it across a sharp edge or leave it trapped under the frame. Move the exit, add a protected pass-through or select a light with a suitable lead. Secure slack so it cannot pull on the light when the cabinet is moved.
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The topper makes the cabinet unstable
Remove it and check the center of gravity and attachment points. Reduce frame depth or weight, reinforce the cabinet base, or use a wider structural bracket. A topper should not turn a stable bartop into a tip hazard.
The terminal styling looks more like a sign than a display
Simplify the palette, increase letter spacing and reduce decorative effects. A short title plus one restrained status line usually communicates the concept more clearly than many competing labels. This is a visual recommendation, not a historical rule.
When adapting a kit or plan makes sense
A bartop plan can save time on general woodworking references, while a kit may supply a plexiglass marquee, LED marquee light, monitor mounting and artwork templates. Monster Arcades lists those features for one bartop kit, and Ourcades describes marquee plexiglass with a light behind it. Neither source supplies a topper-specific drawing, so adapt any purchased plan only after comparing its cabinet width, top angle and clearances with your machine.
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Final inspection checklist
- The outer width matches the measured mounting surface.
- The frame clears the monitor, speakers, ventilation and surrounding furniture.
- The acrylic is supported on every side and has no sharp exposed edge.
- The artwork sits squarely and important text is not hidden by trim.
- The LED, if used, has a secure mount, protected cable exit and accessible power connection.
- Fasteners engage structural material and do not split an edge.
- The cabinet remains stable with the topper attached.
- The rear access method allows future artwork or light replacement.
How to keep the design adaptable
Because no standard retro-terminal topper size exists in the cited material, document your own measurements on the build drawing: cabinet width, available height, frame opening, panel thickness, cavity depth and mounting-hole positions. If you later move the topper to another bartop, those notes make it clear which dimensions are transferable and which belong only to the original cabinet.
The most dependable sequence is therefore consistent: measure the cabinet, mock up the profile, choose lit or unlit construction, size the panel from the finished opening, route the light before closing the frame, and mount into structural material. The terminal graphics remain your creative layer, while the fit and serviceability come from those measured construction decisions.
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