UK T-molding (T-moulding?) questions.

[garyh]

Hi everyone,

Discovered MAME in January, currently building a cabinet to relive my youth. First post on this forum.

I have a three questions maybe someone can help me with:

1. Are there any t-molding suppliers in the UK?

2. My cabinet is made from 18mm MDF (or at least it will be when it's finished). Would 11/16 inch t-moulding work okay or is 3/4 inch cut down after install better?

3. Is t-molding worth the trouble or would it be better/easier/cheaper just to put a curved profile on the edges with a router.

Any help or advice gratefully received.

Gary

[PedroSilva]

Hi,

I'm in Portugal and I order my t-molding from the US (www.t-molding.com). Not to worry ... very good service.
Yes you should get t-molding and yes you should get 3/4.
Just a little correction ... it's 19 mm, not 18 ...  

3/4 x 2,54" = 19,05 mm  

[garyh]

Hi Pedro

Thanks for the reply.

My cabinet panels are 18mm thick, hence 11/16in (17.46mm) t-molding is slightly too small and 3/4in (19.05mm) is slightly too big.

Best regards

Gary

[Minwah]

I am in the UK and I also got my t-molding from www.t-molding.com.  Swallow Amusements (http://www.coin.demon.co.uk/) sell it also, if you don't mind paying by cheque.

Get the 3/4" T-molding - yes, it is a little too large, but not enough that it needs trimming (trimming would be very difficult anyway).  Just route the groove in the centre of the 18mm MDF, and only a very slight amount (in theory 0.375mm) will overhang on each side.

Also yes it is worth the trouble of installing t-molding.  It is really easy to route the groove (even if you haven't routed before) and finishes any cabinet off a treat

[Silver]

On a side note, does anyone have any before/after shots (or links to) they could show? (I talking about a cab with and without t-molding)

 I'm UK based too, not the worlds greatest carpenter and working out exactly how much woodwork I need to get it looking good.

Cheers

[Minwah]

On a side note, does anyone have any before/after shots (or links to) they could show? (I talking about a cab with and without t-molding)

 I'm UK based too, not the worlds greatest carpenter and working out exactly how much woodwork I need to get it looking good.

I think most people route the t-molding groove before they assemble the cab - therefore most cabs will look a bit odd before the t-molding is fitted due to the groove all the way around the side panels.

Seriously tho, routing the groove is easy - I had never used a router before and I did the whole lot in 20 minutes.  The hardest part was finding the correct bit for the router...

[Silver]

Hmm, ok theres another argument gone against me actually getting round to building this thing.... I've got the controls, the mouse hacks, the hacked trackballs (some wierd Atari-copies designed for PSX), the 4P Ipac, the frontend (thanking you Minwah), the monitor.......

...beginning to run out of excuses! If only I actually had some room to do this thing without covering my kitchen in sawdust.....

[PedroSilva]

On a side note, does anyone have any before/after shots (or links to) they could show? (I talking about a cab with and without t-molding)

 I'm UK based too, not the worlds greatest carpenter and working out exactly how much woodwork I need to get it looking good.

I think most people route the t-molding groove before they assemble the cab - therefore most cabs will look a bit odd before the t-molding is fitted due to the groove all the way around the side panels.

Seriously tho, routing the groove is easy - I had never used a router before and I did the whole lot in 20 minutes.  The hardest part was finding the correct bit for the router...

This is what I came up with:













and the best of it is that you make your own mesures by adding or removing washers (for changing the distance from the border) and using diferent sizes (for changing th deep of the cut) ...  

[Silver]

Nice one - I can see how you CP would look a lot smoother when the T-m is on...

Is that head with the washers a standard router bit, or something you knocked together? Apologies for the obvious ignorance.....

[Minwah]

Hmm, ok theres another argument gone against me actually getting round to building this thing.... I've got the controls, the mouse hacks, the hacked trackballs (some wierd Atari-copies designed for PSX), the 4P Ipac, the frontend (thanking you Minwah), the monitor.......

...beginning to run out of excuses! If only I actually had some room to do this thing without covering my kitchen in sawdust.....

I know what you mean...I had to start building mine after a few years thinking about it    I have to drive ~12 miles of country lanes to the shed I'm working in...in English winter its pretty off-putting having to spend an hour driving each nite, not to mention working in an unheated garage.  I went on my way home from work today tho, switched the thing on for the first time!    (Played with keyboard as CP not quite ready yet tho...)

[rob]

I got mine off of ebay.  Pretty cheap, too!

[PedroSilva]

Nice one - I can see how you CP would look a lot smoother when the T-m is on...

Is that head with the washers a standard router bit, or something you knocked together? Apologies for the obvious ignorance.....

Yap ... standard router ...

[Silver]

Minwah:

Hoho yes its absolutely freezing at the mo. You have a shed 12 miles from where you live? Still - handy for making a big old mess. Living in a 2nd floor flat means noisy and messy building is not really an option - hence the plan to build a rather non-authentic pc/cp unit with monitor seperate. (There is also a size/transport issue with stairs) Still - is going to allow for a larger cp with sit-down playing (hopefully).
PS - I know you use an ArcadeVGA - is it wired to an actual arcade monitor?

Rob:

Ah yes theres a lot to be said to converting a cab. But aside from the cost (large 1-off costs of cab+shipping put me off more than bite-size chunks for an joystick here, ipac there....) I had to justify all this (to myself and others) - and forking out cash for a huge games machine to be delivered and lugged up the stairs was never going to happen. But a home-made project just comes across so much more convincing  

PedroSilva:

Thanks!

garyh/All:

Erm.. apologies if this thread has lost topic/original question too much!

[Minwah]

Minwah:

Hoho yes its absolutely freezing at the mo. You have a shed 12 miles from where you live? Still - handy for making a big old mess. Living in a 2nd floor flat means noisy and messy building is not really an option - hence the plan to build a rather non-authentic pc/cp unit with monitor seperate. (There is also a size/transport issue with stairs) Still - is going to allow for a larger cp with sit-down playing (hopefully).
PS - I know you use an ArcadeVGA - is it wired to an actual arcade monitor?

Yes I have a Hantarex Polo (15khz) 21"

Apart from my occassional whining about coldness etc. I'm pleased I made my own.  The only cabs I think should be MAME'd are generic Jamma cabs which most of the time (in UK anyway) are hideous things.  Plus on ebay they are usually being sold 200 miles away...that said there have been times I would've loved to have just bought one!!