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My new project - 'Transformer' Standup/Sit down driver cab

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bfauska:
I would be concerned that adding more things with basically the same goal and system (like adding drawer glides to the existing rods) would only add more points for binding and potentially make the movement jerky without really doing much to solidify the cabinet in the tall position.
The linear guides and rods you're using typically are supported on both ends with the item moving on them being mounted between the rigid mounts of the rod. I know that doesn't work here but could you brace the top of the rods to each other and/or add some diagonal bracing from the top of the rods to the bottom or back of the cabinet? Any wobble you are getting is probably the result of the rods flexing or moving in their wooden mounts in the bottom cabinet, if you can brace the top of the rods to each other and also brace them down to the back of the bottom cabinet at an angle you will be able to get rid of a lot of the flex.

Cretster:
Thanks - that's an interesting thought and one that had certainly not occurred to me in the sense of securing them in that particular way.

I think I could probably make a sort of grid/frame for the top of the rods to secure into.  It should definitely improve it, but I don't know if it would be sufficient.  Hard to know but worth trying.

I did also consider that if I added all those drawer type sliders then it might work out better to remove the rods & linear bearings as it might be a bit of overkill and make them a bit superfluous.
again, hard to know which would be most beneficial without trying so since they're cheap, I might order one pair of those anyway for the rear of the cabinet, but make a brace in the meantime for the top of the rods.

Good thinking.

Ideally also, I think some sort of sprung mechanism would be good that secures the top once it reaches its top point.  That's probably not difficult to design & make, but I need to bear in mind that it should be quick & easy to release again for lowering it back down again.  Possibly even an electromagnetic bolt or two that lock it maybe?

Cretster:
Hmmm, looking at the pics again, I think a brace for the top of the rods wouldn't be as easy as first thought. 
The issue is that when it's lowered down there's a lot of those rods exposed in the top half, without much support, but then when it's in the low position the cabinet is pretty secure anyway, so not an issue at that point.
In contrast, when it's raised, there's a little of the rod exposed at the end, but the only thing to secure this to is the top section itself, which it already effectively is secured to by the top pair of linear bearings (hope this makes sense), but a big distance between the top section and the bottom of the rods where they secure to the bottom section of cabinet.

BUT, if I perhaps ran a thick/solid spine piece or two from the lower cabinet up behind the whole thing (ie two beams with little to no flex) then it could have brace pieces that reach in from those to secure on the top of the rods.    They'd need to be no taller than the top of the machine in its lowered state.  This would then mean both ends of the rods are effectively secured against the main lower section of the carcass.

Hope I've explained that in a way that makes sense.

bfauska:
If I'm reading your response correctly you are talking about the linear bearings themselves bracing the rods, but the problem is that the linear bearings are attached to the moving part and not the stationary part so the space between rods is fixed but they can still sway in relation to the lower cab and therefore the player. The super quick crappy red lines in my attached image show where I would add braces, 1 between the two rods at the top and then one from each of those corners down and back to the rear of the lower cab, creating a cross-brace that ties the top of the rods to the bottom of the cabinet.

Cretster:
Yes of course!  Thanks - I see now.  Your awesome 'artists impression' is just what I needed. :)

That makes a lot of sense.  The only thing I would have to be careful of is bringing those braces near the front of the lower cabinet since they would cause a major obstruction to the fold down seat section (ie the front panel of the cabinet with side panels etc.  I'm sure I could work round that though and possibly include what I'd described as well too.

Thanks so much for the suggestion!

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