Covering gaps.....how would you do it?

[unclet]

I am making a rotating control panel which has six panels (ie: six sides of a hexagon).   The problem is where the panels meet together......well.....they really do not meet nicely (see pic).   The panels were cut this way during the beginning of the project intentionally due to a design which I thought was possible.  Anyway, it turned out the design was not feasile so I was left with these gaps.

I have been cruising the hardware stores trying to find something to help me cover these gaps (largest gap is 1" wide), but can not decide what to use.  Not sure I want to use a metal, so I was looking for rubber to use but I am not having great luck.   I thought maybe T-molding which I could use by screwing through it and into the wood beneath, but I am not sure.  If I went with a smooth black T-molding, the width would need to be 1-3/4" or 2" wide to allow me to have sufficient room to use the screws.  Where can I get T-molding this wide?

What would you do to cove the gaps?  

[DaveMMR]

Maybe you could cut a two inch piece of wood at a 45 degree angle and flush it into the cracks.  

Other than that, I think more descriptive pics are needed to see exactly the problem.

[hyiu]

when you say you want to cover the gap(s)....

what kind of finish are you looking for ??...
you know... if its just a prototype and you just don't want your little cousin to stick his finger in and got stuck.....
maybe cut a piece of wood or get some molding like wood to cut it into that gap's shape and just glue it should be fine....

but if you're looking for a much more quality finish....
you might need to wood fill.... route.... sand and paint multi times... etc)....

or to make it flawless... you'll just have to replace those wood.....

hope it helps....

[jcoleman]

My first inclination would be to tell you to start over.  The most ideal way to build this is to join the panels directly to one another.  Depending on the tools you're working with, you should be able to bevel cut the panels and join them with dowels, screws, or some fancy fastener that your local hardware guy can help you find.  

I'm sure you've already figured out that the angle between your panels is 120 degrees.  That means you need to bevel cut the edges of your panels to 60 degrees.  

From the picture it's hard to tell your design, though.  It looks like you are rotating the panels horizontally, but I really can't tell.  Can you post some pictures that show more of the design?

[unclet]

Excluding painting and wiring it up (and this gap problem), the cabinet is pretty much complete, so there will be no starting over  

My dilemma is that I designed each of the six panels to be able to be removed individually by removing screws from beneath.   This would allow me to fix/repair them in the future (if required).   If I used wood putty to fill these gaps, then removing individual panels would not be possible since the panels would all be joined together with the putty.  

I was thinking about possibly attaching some wood molding or maybe even some T-molding (which I think would look better).   If I used smooth black T-molding, then I would need to screw the molding into the adjacent panels and would only have to unscrew the fews screws which are holding the molding in place before removing an individual panel.  I just can not figure out who sells 1-3/4" to 2" smooth black T-molding.

I guess it does not have to be T-molding (since I will not really be able to use the "T" part of the molding since my gaps are too big).  I just decided to ask around the forum if anyone had any other ideas.

Here is a very old picture of the rotating panel.....

[Lilwolf]

I don't know if you can buy these by themselfs (let me know if you can find them)

but the corners of cheap pool tables have the plastic rounded edges you slide up.  Do you know what I'm talking about?  (if not, I can try to do a cheap ms-paint drawing for you  I'm getting good at them... )

Let me know because my pool table is missing one edge... and I would love to buy an extra one if they where easy to get... just not enought to actually look...

[hyiu]

ok... I see.... so you don't want to joint them together....
since they can be unscrewed and slide out....

then.... maybe you can make up some "H" molding....
instead of "T" molding ?!?!?....

hmmm..... you know.... like this...

           ------------
WWWWWW  |  WWWWWW
WWWWWW  |  WWWWWW
           ------------

W = wood....
the thing like H on its side is what I call H molding...
so that you can slide it in and cover your gap....
or slide it out when needed......

maybe this is what lilwolf mentioned....

now.... how to build this ??....
easiest way I can think of is using sheet metal.....
HD has those metal things in the roofing department.....
a sheet of metal (about 8 ft x 12 in).....
it'll take time and effort but you can basically fold it like you fold paper..... fold it into an H shape... (also at the right 120 deg angle...)

that should make it fit and you can take it off when needed...

I hope you understand what I mean....

[Aceldamor]

Get some sheet metal and bend it to the correct angle then fasten the sheet metal to the right side of each panel, letting the left side loose and having the panel slide in behind it. That way you can still have each panel removable, and you lcover your gaps. It would also act as a sudo locking piece for your panels.

[unclet]

Aceldamor:
Yeah, I was thinking of bending sheet metal as well, but I did not think metal would look good on a black painted control panel.   Can you paint sheet metal and not have the paint scratch off easily if rubbed up against?  Attaching the metal to only one side would work well if it could sit flat against the other (non attached side).  I think that would work.

Maybe I could bend the sheet metal and then glue some black molding to it somehow and slide this into place to cover the gaps.  

hyiu:
If your "picture"  (thanks for the effort  ) is suppose to be a view looking down from the top of the control panel wood pieces then I underatand your picture.   I might try to do this with the sheet metal idea mentioned above.  Although in order for this to work nicely, the "H" would need to fit snuggly so the outer part of the "H" (which people can see) would fit against the outer wood of the adjacent control panels without moving back and forth.  I think I could do this ......

[hyiu]

yes.... you get the right idea....

it might not need to be as snugly fit as you might think....

maybe curl the inside so that it sort of acting like a "spring"... will keep pressure on the outside so that it stays fit.....

well.... but this is just off the top of my head.... you'll actually need to do some experienting to make sure....

[Nannuu]

You may want to try bullnose trim?

I think they sell it at Home Depot or Lowes.  But it would be the holy crapload of work to finish it off nicely.
route, glue, putty, sand, putty, sand, prime, sand, paint........ugh
And you would also have to trim off the top gap created from the bullnose.  

On second though the sheetmetal flashing as mentioned above may be easier.

[Aceldamor]

Aceldamor:
Yeah, I was thinking of bending sheet metal as well, but I did not think metal would look good on a black painted control panel.   Can you paint sheet metal and not have the paint scratch off easily if rubbed up against?  Attaching the metal to only one side would work well if it could sit flat against the other (non attached side).  I think that would work.

Maybe I could bend the sheet metal and then glue some black molding to it somehow and slide this into place to cover the gaps.  

I don't see why you couldn't paint sheet metal as long as you prime it and seal it after it's painted....

either way, let us know how it turns out..

[Beley]

I think you should make  "decorative" pieces of wood that cover up the hole, ie. take a 2x2 and notch out one side at the same angle as your corners, you then attach this "decorative trim" over the gaps however  suits it best.  I drew a quick top down diagram to show what i mean.

you should be able to cut a 2x2 like that with either a tablesaw or router table

[unclet]

I built both of my mame cabinets with just a drill, hand held circular saw and a scroll saw.    I do not have the tool to route out anything or cut decorative stuff.   That would be a dream to own tools like this.....  

Anyway, thanks for the advice for everyone.   I finally found some 2" wide smooth black T-molding which should work fine.   I believe I will simply screw it into place with a few black plated screws.    The driving cabinet will all be painted black so the black T-molding and black screws should be fine.

Anyway, after I put on the T-molding, then all I need to do is paint and wire it up.   I will post some pictures when it is done.

[paigeoliver]

Go to home depot and buy a section of black "hallway runner" long enough to loop around your entire control panel. You can use it as once continous black overlay that covers all six of the panels. It is tough enough to go over the gaps without issue, and all your controls will hold it down, so it will be removable in the future.

Obviously there will be one joint where the 2 edges meet each other. Stick that directly in the middle of one of the panels that has a large centrally mounted controller.

Oh, what is hallway runner? It is basically like black textured sheet rubber. It is used for floormats and stuff, you can find it on huge rolls in the carpet section, and the guy will have to come cut it for you. It is pretty cheap too.

[paigeoliver]

Make the 2 ends meet underneath that huge motorcycle controller there. That is the best place for sure.

[unclet]

All panels are not vertical like the motorcycle cycle and yoke in the picture I provided.   There is one flat panel to hold my XBox steering wheel and another slanted panel to hold the 2 Virtual On joysticks.....

Also, each of the six panels were designed to be removed individually by unscrewing from underneath in case I need to fix/repair a particular panel in the future (after the complete cabinet has been assembled.    Wrapping all 6 panels together would not allow me to remove one panel by itself.

 

[Snarbald]

I think, to seriously come up with a solution, we're all going to need to more pics at more angles, and if possible some sort of a schematic. Right now we only know what one corner looks like.

Maybe only cover the vertical panels with the hallway runner stuff?

[unclet]

The solution I already indicated was to use the 2" wide smooth black T-molding to cover the gaps.   Took me a while to locate someone who had this, but I found it.

[SNAAAKE]

well how wide is the gap ?
it like 1" then stick a 1"x1" wood stick in there then some wood filler,sand,paint or laminate.  

[cobelli]

I know you are decided on t-molding, but I am going to give my 2 cents anyway. Basically, build the wood back to where it needs to be. Looking at the picture, assume it is a top down view of the sides. The red are your pieces of wood which do not meet. You need to build that little green piece to go between them, then glue, putty, and sand it to one side. The end result will be as if you originally cut the wood to the right size. The blue block can be added to the back for support.

Cobelli

[unclet]

Thanks for the idea, but I probably would not be able to cut the pieces that precise anyway to fit the gaps nicely.  I went with the 2" T-molding.