Routing - learned the hard way

[RTSDaddy2]

From one newbie to another, take my advice - do your routing of the speaker shelf, top, and monitor shelf BEFORE you attach them.  The sides are easy, those pieces are not.  The router near got away from me a couple of times.

RTSDaddy2

[BMM]

When I built my project arcade cabinet, I found that I didn't need to route anthing other than the side pieces (I did route them ahead of time and agree that doing so is much easier than waiting until they are attached). 

The speaker shelf and top pieces are covered by my marquee retainer and the monitor shelf is behind the control panel (I ended up buying a SlikStik classic instead of building a control panel)...

Brian

[RTSDaddy2]

Brian -

I got as much from your response as anybody has probably gotten from mine.  I didn't think about the marquee supports covering that up - just figured the t-molding would hold the marquee in place in place.

Does anyone know if it will? Reason I ask is that we were giong to use a brass look t-molding around ours - am wondering how that black marquee molding Happ sells will look with that if I decided to go with it instead.

RTSDaddy2

[BMM]

RTSDaddy2,

The main issue with using the T-Molding to hold the marquee would be if you wanted to sandwich your artwork between two pieces of plexiglass to form the marquee (I did).  That configuration may be too thick (depending on your plexi-glass thickness) to fit under the T-Molding and still have the T secured in the slot.  (But that's just my best guess. Your mileage may vary).

The Marquee retainer is pretty cheap ($12) from HappControls and works well.


Brian

[RTSDaddy2]

Brian,

Once again, thanks - I had checked out the marquee molding from Happ, so yes, it will work...and we've decided to use it.

My only concern with it was "will my wife like it? Will it take away too much from the polished brass t-molding around the sides?"  She seemed to think not when we talked last night, so I suppose that problem is solved!

RTSDaddy2

[DrewKaree]

You can go to your local Home Depot and pick up some angle iron CHEAP that can be spray painted black or gold (although it prolly won't match your brass t-molding.  Alternately, you can pick up a corner protector in the drywall section that will do the same thing.  You'll have enough that you can use this on your next cab, and it'll be $10 less than Happs prices, PLUS however much the insane shipping charges tack on to the $12.

[DaemonCollector]

Thats what I did, ran to home depot, picked up some angle and made a marquee retainer for 4 bucks

[Nannuu]

Even cheaper if you get the angle from a drop ceiling (the piece that is to be against the wall).  They sell them at 12 foot lengths at HD for less than $2.  It is easy to cut and paint.  I think it looks better than really thick angle iron.  And you can cut off the base of the gold tmold and glue it to your new marquee retainer to make it match since it is also 3/4"x3/4".

[RTSDaddy2]

WOW! Thanks guys!

[RTSDaddy2]

Getting back to the topic of this original thread that I started...

If you are new to doing this and have never used a router, and you've got to recess joysticks, practice first.  I know that just makes common sense, but I'm not a terribly patient person.  If I had made my first cuts with this thing on my painted control top I would have been one miserable human being. 

My first attempt at cutting inside a scrap piece of wood looked like someone took a rectangle, threw it out in the street and let a couple of semis hauling hogs run it over a few times! It was awful.  Still flat, but it certainly didn't resemble a rectangle!!   

Last night's attempt, in my actual "practice" CP was much different.  The thing actually was square!  I only slightly jagged one side, but as it's on the underside and not visible it's not something I would care to try and fix necessarily.  By the time I get to my actual CP I expect to be much better at it!

For the record, I love this routing thing.  That tool scared the life out of me the first few times I messed with it, but it has easily become my favorite to "mess with."

Sorry for such a long post, but hey...felt I had to get this off me chest!

RTSDaddy2