Needing some help "best" solution to my problem. (SOLVED)

[DarakuTenshi]

I don't want to have to build the control panel box over again and this is a problem that I have been aware of for a bit of time now. I've been hoping that I could just come up with a solution, but I'm worried that my solution will cause too many problems. So, I am turning to you guys to help me out. Here is the problem:


When building the box I built it exactly how I wanted to... the problem was when I pulled the dimensions off of my 3D model I measured from the wrong point leaving me exactly .75" off. The width of the MDF that I'm using is also .75" so you can probably see where I went wrong. So now I need to figure out a way to raise up the top of my CP by that 3/4".

My initial thought was to take a piece of MDF and attach it to the underside of the CP as shown in this image.


But, I really don't like this solution. I have also thought about using chair levelers similar to this:


Of course the problem with that is MDF is not all that strong for putting screws in the side of the wood... I've been testing and splitting lots of wood. Does anyone have any good suggestions outside of having to rebuild the CP? I guess if it comes down to it I will rebuild the CP box... but I'd really like to avoid that.

[JDFan]

Why not just re-cut the one side that is short ? (figure MDF is fairly cheap and it will look much better to re-cut correctly than to have a 3\4 inch spacer in there)

[DarakuTenshi]

The problem is... it's not the side, otherwise I'd do that. It's actually the back piece. Which is glued and screwed to 3 other pieces of MDF, which would force me to rebuild the entire thing. I guess it may end up coming down to that because structurally that is the only way I could get it right. 

The other thing is this is at the back of the CP so it won't be seen anyway.

Any other suggestions?

[edit]
Crap, I also loaned my slot cutter to my brother on the other side of Texas so he can use it for his cab... this means I won't be able to actually do anything with my CP for quite some time if I have to rebuild.

[Slippyblade]

If it's around the backside of the CP and can't be seen, why not just leave the gap?

[DarakuTenshi]

Because there is nothing to keep the CP at the correct angle then.

It's okay, I decided to just cut a new piece of MDF that was .75 high and .75 wide and was able to screw it to the CP. The way I was trying to do it before was not working, I don't know why I didn't think about this method in the first place. Anyway it turned out fine.

[kahlid74]

Because there is nothing to keep the CP at the correct angle then.

It's okay, I decided to just cut a new piece of MDF that was .75 high and .75 wide and was able to screw it to the CP. The way I was trying to do it before was not working, I don't know why I didn't think about this method in the first place. Anyway it turned out fine.

This is pretty much what you needed to do.  If the MDF was splitting you weren't using a large enough drill bit.  You need to make sure that the width of the bit is the same size as the center column of the screw.  Additionally you don't really even need screws if you use wood glue.  Line up the piece, wood glue and clamp.  Remember, screws in MDF are quite easy to tear out under load.  Wood glue is the preferred medium of load/grip with MDF.

[DarakuTenshi]

Hmmm... I never knew that. I may have to take the screws out and put some wood glue in there. I was currently out so I used wood screws instead. I'm going to need some more in the next coming days anyway for another part of the cab. Thanks for the info.

[kahlid74]

Hmmm... I never knew that. I may have to take the screws out and put some wood glue in there. I was currently out so I used wood screws instead. I'm going to need some more in the next coming days anyway for another part of the cab. Thanks for the info.

It doesn't really hurt to have screws in there, it's just that Glue is really boss.  Also, that is a piece that will be pushed down on, so as long as it lays flat on the below piece, I have a hard time believing someone will push down hard enough on it to break it.  Now if it doesn't sit even with the bottom piece, you may have different angles of force and then I would go back and add wood glue in addition to the screws.

[Malenko]

Did you consider doweling the wood pieces together?

[kahlid74]

Did you consider doweling the wood pieces together?

Or biscuits!  Both are great ideas as well!