Got a cab, now need some help!

[CMIVXX]

Howdy.  I now have joined the lot of you and am starting my own cab setup.  I have picked up a shell of an old cabinet off craigslist for $20 and just need to start restoring it and mameing it out.  Pictures are below.

My questions are this:

#1, anyone got any ideas what this cab was?  Looks kinda like a Street Fighter 2 Hyper, but I'm not sure.

#2, what's the best/strongest way to repair a corner like the ones damaged?

#3, what's the best way to remove laminate (contact paper) from a surface?  Seems that sanding would just amke a big mess.  Anyone got any suggestions?

Now on to the pictures:







Bad shot of a damaged corner.

One more damaged corner



Thanks in advance for anyone/everyone's help.

[GGKoul]

Save yourself the hassle of fixing and removing laminate and buy some new Wood and use the cabinet you picked up as a template

[CMIVXX]

Well I was hoping to salvage what I could from it...    dammit..   But I guess your right...  

[Hoagie_one]

have to agree, thats a tough one to work with.

[Apollo]

Yeah I vote use that cab as a plan, it's a pretty cool shape but it's pretty stuffed dude.

[MAME nut]

Is the bottom the only BAD area??

I just restored a cabinet that had BAD water damage on the bottom.....I simply cut off the bottom 2 1/2" of the entire cab, replaced the bottom, and added wheels to it to make up for the height.

I used an air sander to remove the sides.....it turned out GREAT!!

[spystyle]

In my opinion, the cab is completely cool!

Use bondo to reapir the bad spots, and an electric sander with 60 grit sandpaper to smooth out the bondo. Paint it up and you're good to go! I don't think that cab is too bad off, flat black paint will cover any mishaps.

Unless you are a perfectionist you should be all set, you could'nt build a new one for what you'll pay to finish that one.

Dig it?
Craig

[pointdablame]

I see no reason at all to use that cab as a template..... it needs a little repair and a front... not a big deal at all.

Do like spystyle said and fix the corners with bondo.  I've never used laminate so I'm not sure the best way to remove it, but a high grit sandpaper and sander might do it... not really sure.

Just be sure to sure up the cabinet if it is wobbly in any areas.  Add some bracing if you want to be safe.  

There is no reason to take that cab apart to build a new one.

[owj]

If its really laminate you can take it off with a heat gun.  It will be a no-fun experience, but I've done it.

I had a $30 or so heat gun from lowes and a couple long flat screwdrivers... applied heat, pryed up, tried to break a piece off, moved on.

The laminate will get very hot.  Probably a good 2-3 hrs per side of work.  I was able to take off some ruined side art that was under at the same time.

If its contact paper, you can probably do about the same thing but with less difficulty.  I started to sand some once thinking it was paint, then made a hole in it and was able to peel the whole thing off in a couple of minutes.

[Apollo]

Heat gun bad for laminate, gas powered blow torch good. I could do that whole cab in about 10mins.

[sonicflood]

That cab is prime for a MAME cab!  It's not as bad as some make it out to be!  With a little TLC, some Bondo & a bit of effort, you'll have a great cab.

Just an idea on the damaged corners.. Happs makes/sells a metal corner cover/protector that will cover up most damaged corners.  Here's a pic:

Cabinet Corner Protector
*Sturdy steel reinforcement plate keeps pressed wood from coming apart when moving
*Also used in the repair of cabinets
*Round corners protect walls, games etc. from damage when moving machine
*Round corners make moving the cabinet easier. Slides over uneven cracks, bumps, etc.
*Complete with hardware
*Made in the U.S.A.

Part Number: 49-0570-00  $5.20/ea.


I used several layers of Bondo on my cab corners and they turned out great.  I peeled off all the old graphics and recovered my entire cab in black Wilsonart laminate (formica).  I bought my laminate from a Wilsonart distributor (they sell to contractors) and was able to purchase by the sq ft.  I had much less waste and it was about 20% less in cost than buying from Home Depot or Lowes.

What are your plans for a monitor/TV?  You have a JAMMA harness (although cut off) already in the cab, so you could possibly put it to good use.

I'm still working on mine.  I got a bit delayed due to hurricane Ivan though.

Best of luck and keep sharing the photos of your progress!

Scott

[Goz]

If you chose to go the route of corner protectors to cover the jacked corners, I have some and can cut you a deal on some.

PM me if interested.

I have about 4 pairs of these.

Also if the laminate is vinyl laminate (sticker) you can possibly get away with using the wife's hairdryer.

-Goz

[CMIVXX]

I'm liking the idea of the corner protectors so-far...   The cab really isn't in that bad of shape.  It's still quite sturdy.  I peeled off a chunk of the t-molding on one side and the wood is perfect below it.  I'm definitely all for the saving of this poor beast.

As for a monitor, I got my hands on a 21" Viewsonic monitor from my office for trade for a smaller 17".  The 21 was just too big for anyone's desk, so...  I got it.   It seems to be a fairly good fit, could actually be a couple of inches larger as I seem to have 23 3/4" of space across the width.  I am trying to save the original monitor mounts incase I come acrossed another $400 or so to get a new arcade monitor.  The downside is it seems that I will have to chop a piece out of the back of the cabinet to get the monitor back far enough.  I was considering taking the case off the monitor, but I'm worried that the monitor would get too dirty.

Anyway, I got a bit sidetracked tonight as I'm glued to my TV watching Star Wars.  "Use the force luke!"

Thanks for all the help guys.  I have a feeling that I will be spending quite a bit of time here.