Computer Space Replica Arcade - Full size cabinet

This is a hand modelled 3D sculpt for a full sized replica of the very first Arcade machine -  Computer Space from 1971 (A year before Pong).

The original cabinet was moulded from fibreglass and wood.

Designed and launched in 1971 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney, manufactured by Nutting associates.

In December 2023, Richard sculpted a replica cabinet shape based on images of the original machines. Scanning a real machine was considered and investigated a year before, but that was not possible at the time.

Fast forward to January 2024 and the 3D print farm at Heber was put to work printing just under 100 sections of this machine, 3DGloop was used to bond the parts together and after showing to the rest of the team, the machine was filled, sanded, painted and had a blue glitter-resin coat applied.

Electronics and a replica control panel were made along with a CRT monitor fitted, It's now working and available to see and use at the Arcade Archive Museum in the UK.

You can build your own Computer Space cabinet with these files and a little time and work. Have fun!

Included in the file list is a high resolution (64MB STL) of the complete cabinet, it can be scaled down to print as a miniature. Some slicers may complain that is has over 1Million triangle mesh so you can reduce the quality if needed. It needs to be high resolution if you wish to print it almost 1.7M tall !

Two video's are available showing the process used to sculpt, 3D print, assemble, finish, paint and glitter finish this magnificent cabinet.

Video 1 - The project - Sculpt and 3D print in secret, reveal to the team.

Video 2 - Assembling Computer Space, finishing, paining and completing the Arcade.

The finished replica machine is now sited at the Arcade Archive Museum in the UK - If you wish to visit the Arcade, please book a visit here - Welcome to the Retro Collective

We want to give a huge thank you to everyone involved in this project. It was epic.

Special thank you to computerspacefan.com for such an amazing resource of information about the very first Video Arcade machine.

Designed and 3D printed at Heber Ltd. By Richard Horne - @RichRap3D

This model is provided with a Creative Commons Attribution license, you can use this for commercial or private use. You are welcome to remix, share and modify. Please attribute the original design to Heber Ltd. & Richard Horne.

Attention to detail - Some details that visitors may never see, but we did them anyway.

Close up of the epoxy resin midnight blue glitter finish.