Testament to poor planning

[rhoelsch]

I've gone and constructed myself into a bind here.   I've mounted my TV about 4 inches back from the slanted edges of the front of the cabinet...figured the monitor would be inset a little.  No problem there.  It's at the same angle as the MDF.  Problem is, the cp I've made is just a normal rectangle, so there's like an 8-inch gap from the back of my cp to where the bezel glass comes down to the bottom.  Oops.

How can I fix this without redesigning my cp (it extends off the sides of the cab)...?  Can I mount the smoked plexi flush with the sides and have a 4-inch gap btwn. the tinted plexi and the TV?  Or should I try to re-adjust the TV shelf so that it's pushed right up front?  Or should I leave the TV and glass as-is and add an extra wood shelf extending from the back of the CP over to the glass?  Yeah, I know...  The pitfalls of building from scratch...

[mushmouth]

Pics? Trying to visualize what you're talking about is impossible if you want a useful answer.

[rhoelsch]

mushmouth, let me try to clarify, since I can't take pics now:  the TV is angled like in a MK cab, about 15 degrees...I inset the Tv about 4 inches into the cab...problem is, if I mount the smoked plexi bezel right against the TV, it won't make contact with the back of my cp, leaving a big ol' gap between the cp back and the bezel...make sense?

[J_K_M_A_N]

Can you put some admin buttons there on a board in the gap between the two? I am not sure how it would butt up against your cp but maybe you could figure something out. Good luck.


J_K_M_A_N

[Zathras]

Trying to envision it myself still is the big old gap horizontal or vertical ?   I would probably just stick a board in the gap and cover it with black vinyl or something (or even put admin buttons up there...)

[rhoelsch]

It's horizontal, I suppose.  Moving on a horizontal line, it's me, the cp, about 4 inches of space, then the bezel glass.  

I've thought about putting a trackball and/or spinner in some wood in there, but right now it's not financially feasible.   Not to mention seeing if reaching over my current cp to use the trackball won't be too much of a stretch.  

Will it look bad if I have my smoked plexi moved front to touch the cp, and leave my TV 4 inches behind the plexi?  Suppose I could try, since the bezel isn't mounted yet...I have a feeling it won't look good.    Thought I was being cool setting the TV back farther to minimize glare.  

[jimmyjet]

Drink holders.  Check motorhome stores for the ones that are recessed into the tables.  You should have room for several drink holders, and since the drinks will sit down into the holder, they are out of the way of the monitor.
jimmyjet

[JamIt]

Might make a nice place for instruction cards.
Either way, you won't lose any cool points when your friends come over and play.
--JamIt

[Sasquatch!]

I would've recommended a simple angle piece there, but 8 inches is a lot of ground to cover.  I'll second the vote for having a row of admin buttons or instruction cards (or other graphics) there.  I'd probably make it a permanent part of the cabinet versus a part of the control panel.

[krick]

On my cabinet, the glass is only recessed about an inch at most below the line of the cabinet.

I think you should mount your glass there and make an angled black cardboard bezel that fills the gap from the glass to the TV.

Here's a pic of my cab.  It's a little hard to see but look at the far edge of the monitor bezel to see what I mean...

[paigeoliver]

The monitor should either be "right up against the glass" or "totally independent of the glass".

Unfortunately I am thinking you made a "deluxe" style cabinet, in which "totally indepent" (like Donkey Kong and Space Invaders) is not an option.  

Basically, your monitor is mounted in the wrong place, and your glass is possibly the wrong size.  

OR, you could just fill in the gap with a piece of wood or something.