> This may be the wrong question to ask here, since it seems you guys deal more with emulation.

No - we're collectors, so you have 1/2 asked the right place. We're mainly collectors of boards and systems though, so most of the arcade collectors here have their own cabinets.

There are a few places around with the details of how to start your project. Perhaps Saint's Arcade Controls site is worth a starting look.

http://www.arcadecontrols.com/arcade.htm

Or try the following message board,

http://www.arcadecontrols.speedhost.com/wwwboard/wwwboard.html