javeryh's Woodgrain Cabaret Copy

[javeryh]

Ok, I added the blocking and leg levelers.  I’m not sure but here's what I did...

I cut some blocks 3/4" thick and drilled some holes in the center.



Then, using some super glue, I inserted the threaded bits into the holes.





Then I screwed the leg levelers in place.



Then using a spacer I made from some 1/2" pine square dowel, I placed all of the blocks in place.  The problem I'm having is that the blocks are actually thicker than the area I've got underneath the bottom panel.  I recessed them a little bit to hide them.



This is what it looked like when all 4 blocks/legs were in place.



And finally, here is what the bottom of the cabinet looks like off the floor by about 5/8" or so.  You can't really see the legs unless you look... but they are there and can be seen if you bend over or get low to the floor.



If I decide that this is the solution, I will paint the blocks black and glue them in place permanently - right now I'm just using double sided tape.  What do you think?  Is this good enough or should I make the 1" black base all the way around the bottom and then attach the leg levelers to the base?

[markc74]

Personally I'd have it higher off the floor. Mine was a bit too low and it would rub the t-molding when you moved the cab. Not a big deal but prefer to have the side panels above the carpet level.

[javeryh]

Personally I'd have it higher off the floor. Mine was a bit too low and it would rub the t-molding when you moved the cab. Not a big deal but prefer to have the side panels above the carpet level.

Wow really?  Hmmm... I was thinking it was up pretty high as is - partly because the front panel is higher up than the side panels so you can kind of see under there, which I don't like.  I do not have carpet in any room in my house though (other than the theater room) so it will never be on anything other than a hardwood floor.  The leg levelers are currently as low as possible so I could still raise it comfortably by 1/4"-3/8" if I want.

I think I'm settled on no base... the more I picture it in my head the more awkward it looks.

[bperkins01]

You will never really see the floor gap..
its because your focusing on it..  1/2-3/4" gap causally walking by will never be seen.. 
But the height you have it is pretty nice.

(block your ears MikeA)
I put some blue ground effects LED's under mine..
The way mine is positioned I can look down stairs and see if I left it on w/o having to go down stairs..
(ok MikeA - you can listen again..)

[javeryh]

You will never really see the floor gap..
its because your focusing on it..  1/2-3/4" gap causally walking by will never be seen.. 
But the height you have it is pretty nice.

I think you are right... here’s what it looks like on the floor in the room where it will likely end up:



I really can’t see anything under there just walking around so I think this is it.  I’ll glue the blocks in place and move on to the vinyl siding and t-molding.

[Mike A]

(block your ears MikeA)
I put some blue ground effects LED's under mine..
The way mine is positioned I can look down stairs and see if I left it on w/o having to go down stairs..
(ok MikeA - you can listen again..)

 

[javeryh]

Do I need to prime/seal the MDF side panels before putting the vinyl wrap on?  I can't seem to find a straight answer.  On smaller surfaces in the past I've had good luck not priming.

I'd prefer to not have to do it because it would be a pain but if the vinyl will come loose over time, I'll do it.  The surface needs to be super smooth/flat and painting it will definitely add texture even if I sand it back.  I was all set to add the vinyl today and when I started looking up "how to" videos I started seeing conflicting information.  I have Fablon brand but this d c fix branded video suggests priming:

https://youtu.be/FkSi9VwdGO4?t=37

[jennifer]

 

[firedance]

Do I need to prime/seal the MDF side panels before putting the vinyl wrap on?  I can't seem to find a straight answer.  On smaller surfaces in the past I've had good luck not priming.

I'd prefer to not have to do it because it would be a pain but if the vinyl will come loose over time, I'll do it.  The surface needs to be super smooth/flat and painting it will definitely add texture even if I sand it back.  I was all set to add the vinyl today and when I started looking up "how to" videos I started seeing conflicting information.  I have Fablon brand but this d c fix branded video suggests priming:

https://youtu.be/FkSi9VwdGO4?t=37

All the vinyl i have applied are still stuck to bare MDF, been a few years on some of the bartops i made, no matter if it was ebay stuff or DC Fix, like you say it saves painting and sanding it flat as MDF is already smooth 

[firedance]

just to add, the white vinyl wrap i got from ebay was a little thin and you could just about see the MDF underneath if you looked hard enough, no problem with the DC Fix stuff as that was much thicker 

[ZTylerDurden717]

Do I need to prime/seal the MDF side panels before putting the vinyl wrap on?  I can't seem to find a straight answer.  On smaller surfaces in the past I've had good luck not priming.

I'd prefer to not have to do it because it would be a pain but if the vinyl will come loose over time, I'll do it.  The surface needs to be super smooth/flat and painting it will definitely add texture even if I sand it back.  I was all set to add the vinyl today and when I started looking up "how to" videos I started seeing conflicting information.  I have Fablon brand but this d c fix branded video suggests priming:

https://youtu.be/FkSi9VwdGO4?t=37

I got a sample of adhesive vinyl and stuck some on bare MDF then tried it with primed/top coat.

Both stuck on just fine.  The only difference was when I peeled back the bare MDF vinyl it was like a lint roller.  The adhesive yanked off a layer of dust hairs/particles from the MDF. 

When I yanked off the vinyl from the primed/top coat, it pulled barely any particles because it was sealed.  This could've saved me when I had to pull back some vinyl (my error) for my actual side panel application.  Had it been bare MDF and got the lint roller effect, there was no way it was going to stick back on with all the particles stuck to it.

My advice is to at least prime/seal the fibers in case you need to lift the vinyl for any corrections during the application process.  Then again, you probably won't make the same mistake I did and you'll be fine applying it in one go on bare MDF.  Up to you really.

[javeryh]

Thanks everyone...

I've decided to bite the bullet and prime the side panels before applying the vinyl.  It's really not that big of a deal and I'm only going to do 1 very thin coat.  I will sand to 220 and then 400, which should end up smoother than the bare MDF.  I'll do that today and then finally get the side panels finished up so I can focus on designing the control panel and sourcing that 17" CRT.  Slow and steady...

[javeryh]

Side 1 painted and sanded smooth.  Yes I’m procrastinating the vinyl.  It’s a little scary.

[ZTylerDurden717]

Nice job.

Lay down the vinyl pre-peeled and make sure the dimensions are good.  Once set in place clamp it down (gently) on both sides at the mid point of the vinyl graphic.  Peel back the protective sticker on either half and cut the protective film with one half now fully exposed.  You're ready to lay down the vinyl.  It'll come out great.

You wanna stop worrying about it, right?  Here's the trick--find another human to help you hold up exposed vinyl while you focus on pressing down with the squeegee.  Even going super slow, you'll be done on one side in 5-10 minutes.  I worried too until I realized it's because I didn't have 4 arms to do it by myself.  The pros here can do it by themselves but I'm not a pro.

[javeryh]

Nice job.

Lay down the vinyl pre-peeled and make sure the dimensions are good.  Once set in place clamp it down (gently) on both sides at the mid point of the vinyl graphic.  Peel back the protective sticker on either half and cut the protective film with one half now fully exposed.  You're ready to lay down the vinyl.  It'll come out great.

You wanna stop worrying about it, right?  Here's the trick--find another human to help you hold up exposed vinyl while you focus on pressing down with the squeegee.  Even going super slow, you'll be done on one side in 5-10 minutes.  I worried too until I realized it's because I didn't have 4 arms to do it by myself.  The pros here can do it by themselves but I'm not a pro.

Thanks.  The second set of hands was key.  Got the vinyl down and trimmed. 

Now I'm messing with the t-molding... I can't seem to make a 90 degree cut.  Not a 90 degree turn with the t-molding.... I mean cutting a piece of t-molding off of the roll at a 90 degree angle.  I'm using a razor but it's always slightly off.

[Arroyo]

I mean cutting a piece of t-molding off of the roll at a 90 degree angle.  I'm using a razor but it's always slightly off.

There’s these:

https://www.t-molding.com/flush-cut-trimmer.html

[wp34]

I mean cutting a piece of t-molding off of the roll at a 90 degree angle.  I'm using a razor but it's always slightly off.

I've got one of these from Lowes and they are fantastic for cutting T-molding.  Doesn't look like they sell them anymore though.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-2-Piece-Multicutter/50074273

These from Amazon look similar.
https://www.amazon.com/Sheffield-1283-Multi-Cutter/dp/B072HJB9BC/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Sheffield+1283+Sh+Multicutter&qid=1594077131&sr=8-1

[ZTylerDurden717]

The spine of the t-molding gave me trouble cutting it 90 degrees.  Use the razor to shave off the spine so there's little to no material left of the spine.  The 90 degree cut will be easier to control.

[javeryh]

Those flush scissors look awesome.  I got frustrated and just ended up eyeballing it.  Came out OK - can't tell unless you really look for it.  I mean, I probably made a 90.5 degree cut across 3/4" so it's negligible.

After priming and sanding down to 400 grit, I put the vinyl on with help from the wifey.  First thing I did was take a sharpie around the edges of the panel just in case the t-molding didn't cover everything.



Next, I lined up the vinyl and clamped it in place and then cut it down with my razor so that it hangs over the edge only by a couple of inches.  I wasn't really precise here but I wanted to make the vinyl easier to work with.



Then using a squeegee and the wife's extra arms, I managed to get the vinyl stuck down.  I wish I could have gotten some "in action" shots but I just wanted to get it done. 

No magic here - I did the bottom 1/2 of the panel first and once that was stuck down I peeled the backing paper from the middle out to the other end using the squeegee to remove air bubbles and stick it down.  I am kind of impressed with the vinyl.  It was cheap as hell but seems fairly durable.  It even has a slight texture.  I'd use it again.



Then came the nerve-wracking part - trimming the excess.  I used a brand new razor and just went around the edge keeping the blade at a slight angle but almost flat against the edge.  To get this right, you can't take your time so I just made a continuous cut only slowing to go around the corners.  It worked but I could have easily screwed this up.



Finally, I installed the t-molding.  This went pretty quick and since I've done this a bunch of times I wasn't that worried about it.

 

I really like the way this is coming out.  It has that "1970s/Atari" feel to it, which is exactly what I am going for.  Tomorrow I will do the other side.

 

[Arroyo]

That looks damn good my man.  Well done  

[bperkins01]

Looks very nice!   

On the T-Molding - if you are cutting 90 deg at an end of a slot (say the bottom corner of the cabinet) then that is simple right?  Cut it a little long and then cut up from the underside along the square end of the board from behind T-molding..  I use a single edge razor blade..

Now if you mean where 2 ends meet in a middle some place.. - (which is more likely)  - try this:

One side is in the T-slot with its square (or close to square end - doesn't matter) fully tapped into place (Side A)
Cut the closing part of the molding (Side B) so that it will meet up with SideA - but cut it about 1/4-1/2" long so it overlaps.
Next - cut off the spline under SideB so that you can press the T-Molding in place right up to SideA and the flat part of SideB overlays SideA in place.

They will overlap by the 1/4-1/2" excess as I mentioned above.

Now the good part - take that single edge blade (use a new one) - hold it with a pair of needle nose pliers on the overlap and hit it with a hammer straight through both flat parts of the T-molding so that it makes a fresh cut on SideA and SideB.

You will end up with a perfectly aligned joint..  You could hold the blade at a 10 deg angle by accident and it will still be a perfect joint.

Hopefully that makes sense.

[Jimbo]

Very nicely done

Are you sure you want a 17" in there?

I have an original asty cabaret that looks a LOT like this, and the CRT is smaller, maybe 13" or 14".  I'd say get a 14". It'll fit better and will look like it's the right size for the cabinet/era.  It'll also be waaay easier to find.

See here:
https://klovimg.com/images/2016/12/28/IMG_082828411.md.jpg

[wp34]

I really like the way this is coming out.  It has that "1970s/Atari" feel to it, which is exactly what I am going for.  Tomorrow I will do the other side.

Yeah you nailed that look.   

[javeryh]

That looks damn good my man.  Well done  

Thanks Arroyo.  I am quite pleased how it's looking.  I'm often disappointed when the picture in my head doesn't match what I build but in this case it is spot on.

Looks very nice!   

Now if you mean where 2 ends meet in a middle some place.. - (which is more likely)  - try this:

One side is in the T-slot with its square (or close to square end - doesn't matter) fully tapped into place (Side A)
Cut the closing part of the molding (Side B) so that it will meet up with SideA - but cut it about 1/4-1/2" long so it overlaps.
Next - cut off the spline under SideB so that you can press the T-Molding in place right up to SideA and the flat part of SideB overlays SideA in place.

They will overlap by the 1/4-1/2" excess as I mentioned above.

Now the good part - take that single edge blade (use a new one) - hold it with a pair of needle nose pliers on the overlap and hit it with a hammer straight through both flat parts of the T-molding so that it makes a fresh cut on SideA and SideB.

You will end up with a perfectly aligned joint..  You could hold the blade at a 10 deg angle by accident and it will still be a perfect joint.

Hopefully that makes sense.

Holy crap this is exactly the info I needed.  How did I not know this??  I ended up doing this partly - when I got the t-molding to overlap, I cut the spine off of the overlap part and then tried slicing the top part exactly along the edge of the other piece I was lining it up with.  It worked and was pretty close but I never thought of also cutting through the pice that was already in place in one shot so that the cuts would have to line up no matter the angle of the cut. 

This is really useful information.

Very nicely done

Are you sure you want a 17" in there?

I have an original asty cabaret that looks a LOT like this, and the CRT is smaller, maybe 13" or 14".  I'd say get a 14". It'll fit better and will look like it's the right size for the cabinet/era.  It'll also be waaay easier to find.

See here:
https://klovimg.com/images/2016/12/28/IMG_082828411.md.jpg

I might be going down the 14" route if I can't locate a 17" CRT soon.  I know authentic cabarets used smaller monitors but in this case, I was thinking the bigger the screen I could fit, the better.  Outside of checking eBay every couple of days, I haven't really looked that hard.  My tiny brain can only juggle one thing at a time.  I will bite the bullet and pay the $100 or whatever if that is my only option.  I'm probably only $150 $250 into this cabinet so far since I had the coin door laying around and all the paint.  Only thing I've bought is the MDF and the laminate and the vinyl... and the t-molding and some expensive volcano buttons and the marquee monitor... jeez these things add up quick.

Yeah you nailed that look.   

Thanks! Even the wife admitted that it looked really nice last night after making fun of me for showing it off.

[Laythe]

That vinyl and t-mold combination looks great.  Good choice and well executed.

[bperkins01]

The vinyl looks just like my Ms. Pacman cabaret which needs work..
Do you have a link?  (or did I miss it..)
thx

[javeryh]

That vinyl and t-mold combination looks great.  Good choice and well executed.

Thanks.  Not exactly my choice though  - markc74 did the same thing in his build.  I'm not sure if he used the "leather" black t-molding like I did or just flat black though.  I chose the leather obviously to class up the place!

The vinyl looks just like my Ms. Pacman cabaret which needs work..
Do you have a link?  (or did I miss it..)
thx

I got it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fablon-67-5-Roll-Oak-Robust/dp/B00CZ6UW9G

Looks like they are out of stock right now.  I'm sure there are other sellers now that you have the name.  I tried getting something similar from the US but the dimensions were not right.  The rolls were never wide enough (17" for some reason).  Maybe I was looking in the wrong place. 

 

[javeryh]

Just finished the other side.  The vinyl flattened out so now I feel bad about the Amazon refund.





I’m pretty happy with how it looks.  Next up is securing the monitor in place in the front as well as the speakers.  Then I need to hook up the computer and play with the settings until the marquee displays in the correct position.

I also need to get that CRT so I can figure out the back panels.  There is one fixed panel plus the door back there - I made both but left them long so I can trim them back to final size once I mount the monitor.

[LTC]

That looks amazing. Great job.

[Mike A]

That vinyl and t-mold combination looks great.  Good choice and well executed.

Thanks.  Not exactly my choice though  - markc74 did the same thing in his build.  I'm not sure if he used the "leather" black t-molding like I did or just flat black though.  I chose the leather obviously to class up the place!

The vinyl looks just like my Ms. Pacman cabaret which needs work..
Do you have a link?  (or did I miss it..)
thx

I got it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fablon-67-5-Roll-Oak-Robust/dp/B00CZ6UW9G

Looks like they are out of stock right now.  I'm sure there are other sellers now that you have the name.  I tried getting something similar from the US but the dimensions were not right.  The rolls were never wide enough (17" for some reason).  Maybe I was looking in the wrong place. 

 

I can't vouch for them. I have never purchased from them.

https://vvividshop.com/collections/architectural-vinyl-films

They are in Canada, but offer free USA shipping for orders over 99 bucks. I am not sure of their shipping cost for smaller orders.

[Mike A]

Those flush scissors look awesome.  I got frustrated and just ended up eyeballing it.  Came out OK - can't tell unless you really look for it.  I mean, I probably made a 90.5 degree cut across 3/4" so it's negligible.

You are now reaching Arroyo levels of persnicketyness. I reserve the right to make up new words or add extra letters to words when the need arises. That will probably make both of you itch too.

Of course that level of care and attention to detail leads to the cab you built. Very nice work top to bottom.

Atari made some cabarets with 19 inch CRTs. So I wouldn't be too worried about what size you shove in there as long as it fits.

[javeryh]

Those flush scissors look awesome.  I got frustrated and just ended up eyeballing it.  Came out OK - can't tell unless you really look for it.  I mean, I probably made a 90.5 degree cut across 3/4" so it's negligible.

You are now reaching Arroyo levels of persnicketyness. I reserve the right to make up new words or add extra letters to words when the need arises. That will probably make both of you itch too.

Of course that level of care and attention to detail leads to the cab you built. Very nice work top to bottom.

Atari made some cabarets with 19 inch CRTs. So I wouldn't be too worried about what size you shove in there as long as it fits.

Ha thanks.  Arroyo and I are practically the same person except he's better at this stuff than I am.  It's hard for me to let go when something isn't "perfect" even though I know it doesn't matter at all to anyone.  I hate noticing imperfections everywhere I look.  I'm working on it.

[Arroyo]

I let things go all the time

[bperkins01]

I let things go all the time

 

[Mike A]

Arroyo you have to be careful. Shocking statements can trigger a stroke in old people.

I almost spilled my Irish coffee.

[bperkins01]

Arroyo you have to be careful. Shocking statements can trigger a stroke in old people.

I almost spilled my Irish coffee.

I see what you did there...   

[javeryh]

So... my wife's boss thinks he has a bunch of old computer monitors at the office and said I can take a look, which is great.  However, I can't get out there until later this month at the earliest.  Tax season ends July 15 and then he's taking a week off.  I can wait if it works out but it's bumming me out.

To keep things moving... slowly, I started messing around on the inside.  First (easy) thing I did was wire up the power receptacle and install it.  I will eventually be wiring a smart strip to the rest of this but I wanted to do something...



Here's a shot before installation:



And finally, here's what it looks like installed.  So exciting!



Next up I'm going to install the speakers - it's not as easy as I was hoping - the grills can be hot glued in place but the speakers themselves have a fair bit of weight to them so I am almost positive the glue will either fail over time or even worse, the glue would stay in place and the speakers would pull away from the speaker cloth.  So I need to figure out how to mount them using brackets or something.   I haven't thought about how to do this at all since I assumed the hot glue would work.  At least it is something to do...

 

[bperkins01]

If you want a glue that will hold it..  I recommend this:
https://www.amazon.com/3M-Marine-Adhesive-Sealant-4000UV/dp/B0000AY0ND/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=3m+4200&qid=1594322528&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExRFozQVczVkpCUFZJJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMDg2MzY4MVVNNDkyRjRERVQ5VyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMjQ4ODEyMk44WU81TVVKVzFTQyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

or something like it.. 
Its very strong and flexible..  in fact - if you ever want it to come apart again - you may want to find a way to use screws..
But if you use this ..  its not falling apart.

[javeryh]

If you want a glue that will hold it..  I recommend this:
https://www.amazon.com/3M-Marine-Adhesive-Sealant-4000UV/dp/B0000AY0ND/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=3m+4200&qid=1594322528&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExRFozQVczVkpCUFZJJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMDg2MzY4MVVNNDkyRjRERVQ5VyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMjQ4ODEyMk44WU81TVVKVzFTQyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

or something like it.. 
Its very strong and flexible..  in fact - if you ever want it to come apart again - you may want to find a way to use screws..
But if you use this ..  its not falling apart.

Thanks - the issue is that the speakers are mounted to a piece of plastic and that piece of plastic is wrapped in speaker cloth.  So no matter the glue, the cloth is what will be attached to the back of the laminate behind the speaker cut out and the weight of the speaker itself will cause the plastic to pull away from the cloth.  I think.  I suppose the glue could seep through the cloth and stick to the plastic as well but not sure I want to go that route...

This is where I'm trying to get it to stay:



On the left side, the speaker mounting thingy (official name) is about 3/8" below the front (adjacent) panel but on the right side, the speaker mounting thingy is about 1/8" above the front panel so the same solution to keep it in place will not work on both sides.  This is because the speaker mounting thingy is curved on the right which you can see in the pic.

 

[bperkins01]

Well - if hot glue had a glimmer of a chance - 4200 would do it.
that said..
Maybe make some blocking for behind the speaker to hold it in position from the backside.
If the shapes are awkward..  You could add some foam to press against it to keep it snug..