Arcade carpet recommendations

[cliche]

I'm sure the US stuff is reasonable to good quality. I tried to buy some from US around 2007 and after some email exchanges with two companies, said was ready to order and pay and requested a quote and never heard back from either!

Ended up designing my own Robotron carpet but was not cheap!

Uou don't have any spare for sale do you (nudge, nudge) ?

(yes, it's lovely enough for me and my cabs)

cliche2022-12-19 01:00:53

 

[Robotgreg]

Agree there's not much around. In the UK, Birch carpets are the only one I'm aware of.

 

[cliche]

Got 2 samples from Birch Carpets https://www.birchcarpets.co.uk/products/neon-black-light



EDIT: Tried my best to upload, but gave up in the end, so don't bother clicking

Minimum size is 3.5 metres x 4.0 metres

£43.57 m2

+ VAT + £25 delivery

(£731.97?)

*********

Links to Yank versions on youtube

(links 1 & 2 show before and after examples)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEwr8-gydqc&list=LLLTYoqVL4d7KZ9CA7ZoeM3g&index=100

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEwr8-gydqc&list=LLLTYoqVL4d7KZ9CA7ZoeM3g&index=101

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfppLXTY-zQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONnjzs4nlYA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqxfDnmRB1M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhZGuU6SQxI

********

Been speaking to a chap called Kieran up in Irvine whom I just bought a woody cab from.

He's an UKVacer and he's also in the carpet trade and suggested importing some from the states.

I told him that UKVacers had already thought of that, but that shipping and duty put them off.

However, as he is a pro I mentioned that a bunch of us would definitely be interested.

I've sent him the above via WhatsApp and suggest that he check this thread (no pun intended).

Oh and I'm just linking to another nice arcade carpet thread here

http://www.ukvac.com/forum/only-took-about-10-years_topic385624.html

cliche2023-01-17 16:00:24

 

[Wall_Street]

I'm working on kitting out my arcade room in the next month or two and have samples of the birch carpets too and the quality is decent. Interestingly they quoted me £34.10 + Vat sq/m 6 months ago so the price has gone up considerably.

I've got samples from a companies in the US too, the starz as shown in one of the links above, and again the quality is good. Price over in the US I was quoted $17.86 sq/m. For some reason they only come in 3.66m widths though which would result in me having a join. If this guy in Irvine is able to bring some in I would be interested depending on the price.

 

[ianw]

Interested too, but need 60/70 msq... eek

 

[cliche]

Interested too, but need 60/70 msq... eek

I'll message Kieran to get back on UKVac to this thread to have a read and place his hat in the ring (or insert a coin). I need to check about Martin collecting a Woody cam from him anyway

 

[Bensonrad]

Spotting the post in the Ebay section where some Moquette was mentioned, I bought some in the Jan 2022 sale last year direct from London Transport Museum shop, thought it was pretty cool and 80s, Not sure though if would be good enough to directly use as carpet, but I read online somewhere it could be backed and made into a rug. They have various types on there, including the patterns used on the tubes/buses, I went for some vintage Graffitti style. I also bought a big lump of another pattern off ebay. with the view to using them at some point...somehow.

Moquette fabric by the metre (ltmuseumshop.co.uk)

 

[Phils Arcade]

Maybe got a chance to pick up this style of carpet. It's second hand, but seems to be in very good condition. Currently on the floor of a bingo hall so very heavy duty. May have small holes where equipment was bolted to the floor, nothing brushing over the fibres should hide.

Not sure on price yet. This would be sent from Northern Ireland if anyone would be interested.

Let me know, if enough interest I'll start a new thread.

 

[Bods]

The Arcade Carpet tiles I have are made by Milliken and i've found quite a few Banks have the same brand
Though they are a lot thinner than the Arcade Made ones, half the thickness easy but I had ones like those previously and they were fine with machines, once down the don't move or lift up. as I guy advised me when putting them down, just use a small amount of spray adhesive, each corner and middle, don't go mad covering it all.
ones I had did leave indent where machine had been, Milliken ones looked better underneath, decent quality and you can get 2nd hand off ebay for very cheap money that i've seen, plenty of Office or Bank refurbishment or closing been happening so probably cheapest time to buy them

 

[david656]

I'm sure the US stuff is reasonable to good quality. I tried to buy some from US around 2007 and after some email exchanges with two companies, said was ready to order and pay and requested a quote and never heard back from either!

Ended up designing my own Robotron carpet but was not cheap!

Sorry to thread bump but hot damn that is cool! I need to order a neon carpet for my game room of 5.9m by 4.7m and was considering contacting Birch Carpets - but your option is so much cooler. Would really appreciate opinions as I'll be wanting a carpet for something like Jan/Feb 2024 Thanks,

 

[qjuk]

Gotta admit, that Robotron carpet is pretty damn cool
I know Robotgreg said it was expensive, I’d be interested to know what it costs though.

 

[david656]

Gotta admit, that Robotron carpet is pretty damn cool
I know Robotgreg said it was expensive, I’d be interested to know what it costs though.

I know right and even if it was expensive I wonder realistically how much 'more' expensive than the neon light carpets from birch it is? my 'grail' carpet would be something like the sonic/sega carpet at Sega World. I worked out once what the pattern number was and who made it, I HIGHLY doubt they'd spin up a bit for me, it wouldn't be worth the while, and I'm sure there are huge copyright issues. but looking at that Robotron carpet gives me hope you could perhaps get something similar made to order which would be so SO cool

 

[Robotgreg]

I designed the Robotron carpet myself so is a one off (along with some help from somone to convert the art files into the correct format for the manufacturer).

It was several £000s and that was 2007 and when the Euro rate was 1.5 as had to get it done in Europe. My guess would be you'd be looking at £10k now. I did ask UK manufacturers and got quotes of around that level in 2007 so hate to think what would be now!

Sorry probably not what you want to hear.

 

[david656]

I designed the Robotron carpet myself so is a one off (along with some help from somone to convert the art files into the correct format for the manufacturer).

It was several £000s and that was 2007 and when the Euro rate was 1.5 as had to get it done in Europe. My guess would be you'd be looking at £10k now. I did ask UK manufacturers and got quotes of around that level in 2007 so hate to think what would be now!

Sorry probably not what you want to hear.

All good, all good, 10k is defo a big price tag though! I've emailed Birch so will see what they come back with as a price and go from there I guess, would love something like that robotron carpet though, but I'd be nervous to allow anyone near it as before you know it there will be trampled in Mud, drink spills the lot!

 

[Robotgreg]

Originally I was going to import from US but two sellers stopped replying when I said I wanted to go ahead and asked for payment instructions! So I then had the idea of a custom carpet and worked out about double the cost of set desgins from US so seemed a no brainer. Story all in my book

Greg Mott - Pushing Buttons : Memoirs of a Arcade Addict

Hi I have written a book charting my arcade experiences throughout my life, a sort of autiobography but purely arcade related, including amonsgt others: - my first arcade encounters in the mid 70s at the fairground - the golden age of video games in the early 80s - getting hooked on...

www.ukvac.com

Good luck. Feel free to pm me if you need advice if you do down the design your own route.