is having access to the inside of my control panel pedestal, really necessary?

[hulkster]

im building a showcase cab, and im at the point where im getting close to fully assembling the control panel pedestal part of my cab.  well im to the back part of the pedestal, and my question is, do i need to hinge that back panel so i can access the inside of that pedestal?  the only reason i would need to get inside of my cp pedestal would be to work on the coin door, but i figured, once that is setup, i wont mess with it, and if i need to empty the bucket or whatever, i can just open the door from the front.  so do i need to hinge any panel on the cp pedestal?  or will i be just fine with access by way of the coin door itself?  please help

[cdbrown]

As long as all the wires are secured in place and you can easily work on the coin door from the front if you need to then I don't think you need a hinged back on it.

[hulkster]

cool, i really didnt want to make it hinge, but i wanted to make sure it was okay that i didnt do that!

[Ghoward]

There is no reason to have a hinged control panel in my opinion anyway,  mine is screwed down with 8 screws.

It's not like it takes to too much effort to remove it but I have to say I so far have had no need to do so.

Gary

[hulkster]

yeah, well im debating on whether or not i need hinges on my cp top (so i can access joysticks and stuff if i need to) or just use velcro.  velcro worked fine before, but of course it doesnt sit entirely flush against the base. hmmmmmm

[Stingray]

Use panel clamps. They'll hold it down securely and it's just a matter of reaching up through the coin door to flip them open if you need to remove the CP for any reason.

-S

[hulkster]

panel clamps, hmm, does that require any kind of crazy installation?  i'm guessing not, but would you happen to have a pic or something i could look at?  and im not just talking about the actual clamp, but maybe a pic of the clamps on a cp?

[dmsuchy]

I would just screw the back panel in and recess the screws for a clean look and if need be it won't take longer than a couple of seconds to zip the panel off using a cordless screwdriver. As for the top of your panel, why don't you use magnetic catch plates? Im using a couple myself for my keyboard door. They will hold your panel firmly and keep it perfectly flat, and if you need access to the insides all you have to do is "pop" the panel off.

[Stingray]

would you happen to have a pic or something i could look at?

As a matter of fact:



The clamp just screws to the inside of the cab. The tab they clamp to attaches to the bottom of the CP (welded in my case, but they can be screwed to the bottom of a wood CP). Simple, but very effective.

-S

[hulkster]

wow, very nice.  thanks for the pics.  i was trying to find a good way to not have to use a piano hinge, and now i have one!  plus if i want to do swappable panels in the future (which i will) then this will be perfect!  so i just buy generic panel clamps?  is that their official name or are they called something else when i go to home depot?

[Stingray]

I'm not sure if that's what they're actually called or if you can even get them at Home Depot. Mine were attached to the cab when I bought it. The tabs on my control panels are home made. You may have to buy them from an arcade specialty site like Bob Roberts or Happs.

-S

[NoOne=NBA=]

You can do everything you need to do to the coin door from the front, so I wouldn't waste the time.

[hyiu]

yes, its called panel clamps...

try Happs or Bob Roberts...

they both have it...

I believe Bob is cheaper...  

and its VERY TIGHT when you clamp it down...

I used 4 clamps to clamp down my control panel....
(nothing else...) and I have tried to shake it really hard to see if the clamps are good.... its rock solid and I can shake the machine but the cp deosn't move a bit....

but make sure when you screw the clamp and the hook, you need to leave a gap so that the clamp is "biting" on the hook tight....

ps: HD doesn't carry it....

[hulkster]

cool, ill try it out.  thanks a lot!

[GamingGreg]

Another option is industrial strength velcro around the edges.  I've used it on my panel, and it really stays in place.  My kids can't get it off, and it takes be a bit of tugging to get it off (but I can get it off).

[hulkster]

yeah, well im debating on whether or not i need hinges on my cp top (so i can access joysticks and stuff if i need to) or just use velcro.  velcro worked fine before, but of course it doesnt sit entirely flush against the base. hmmmmmm

thanks

[DrewKaree]

Take a picture of the panel clamps to HD.  They DO carry them, but they don't call them panel clamps.  Their term is a *something* latch.  Check around the gate hardware area...look at the poly-bagged stuff.  I don't recall the exact price, but I've seen them in my local HD, I think around the 5-6-7 $ range.

[Stingray]

I hadn't thought about it, but I'm sure HD would have something that would work even if it isn't exactly the same.

-S