How Difficult Would it Be

[ArcadeNoob]

I was just thinking about it........how difficult would it be for someone who was selling an empty cab to take it apart, in order to ship it flat(or at least a lot flatter)?  I am talking taking both sides off-disassembling it-without damage?

[RayB]

Are you talking commercially made cabinets? They aren't designed to come apart easily. That's the problem.

[pointdablame]

yeah if you're talking an original machine, it'd be almost impossible to disassemble without destroying.

[RTSDaddy2]

I should probably stay out of this, but I felt it was worth my two cents..

As far as home-made cabinets go, it'd probably be just as hard.  Let's take mine as example.  I puttied up all the screw holes prior to painting on the sides.  I left the back screws uncovered so that if the TV required maintenance we could get to it easy, but it would be virtually impossible to get the sides off my cabinet now (not that I would want to )

Just a couple thoughts...

[USSEnterprise]

I was going to ask something similar. There is a PPII cab that i want to get, but the whole machine will not fit in my basement. I was wondering if disassembly was an option, but I guess not.

[ChadTower]

Best bet would be to build one yourself, down in the basement.  Or, you could design one yourself in such a way that it could be taken apart into one or two pieces.

[CheffoJeffo]

The only possible exception that I can think of would be the old Nintendo cabs, but even then I wouldn't want to take them apart.

Cheers.

[USSEnterprise]

But I want a few real, dedicated cabs. I bet I could figure out a way of getting it down there.

[CheffoJeffo]

But I want a few real, dedicated cabs. I bet I could figure out a way of getting it down there.

Yeah ... cut chunks out of the wall ... not kidding ... I saw pics of a game room recently where the owner did just that and had creatively covered it.

I strongly recommend not trying to disassemble a cab that is not meant to be disassembled (like some of the cockpits and drivers), unless you have strong carpentry skills.

Cheers.

[Tailgunner]

Well I'm gonna disagree with the majority here. In the process of rebuilding them, I've ripped apart several of my cabinets and don't think it's all that difficult to do so. Original cabs were quickly built using glue and nails or staples, and with a baby sledge and prybar you can seperate one into pieces in short order. Mind you, in doing so some of the panels will be reduced to scrap, but often times some of them are fit only for feeding to a dumpster anyway. The trick is to figure out what you want to save and what needs replacing before hand, so you don't damage the parts you want to keep.

I do agree with CheffoJeffo that rebuilding it will take some carpentry skills, but unless you're dealing with a cab that has a bunch of compound angles it's not that hard to cut some replacement panels and put it back together.

[CheffoJeffo]

I do agree with CheffoJeffo that rebuilding it will take some carpentry skills, but unless you're dealing with a cab that has a bunch of compound angles it's not that hard to cut some replacement panels and put it back together.

Actually, I was thinking of having good carpentry skills for disassembly (e.g. disassembly without having to write panels off).

My big concern is that it doesn't sound as if either of those asking the question have any expertise with either carpentry or cabinets ... it could be an expensive lesson.

ArcadeNoob: Have you looked at the difference in price for shipping ? I am guessing it won't be as big as you think (with the right choice in cabinet shipping). If you are looking for an empty cab, where are you ? Maybe someone here can point you in a cheaper direction.

USSEnterprise: Getting cabs to the basement seems to be the biggest problem for many people (even more difficult than the restoration/acquisition). While I did recommend cutting pieces out of the wall (honest, saw it done recently), perhaps I should have asked what the dimensions of your staircase to the basement are.

And, for good measure, I don't think that TG is actually disagreeing with the majority  ... if you are willing to write off (and then recreate) a couple of panels, then self-disassembly can work for you.

Cheers.

[M3talhead]

Just remember, most cabs are made of particleboard, not MDF. Particle board is much  more brittle and loses a lot more of its strength over time than MDF does. If you were to break a cab down, those nails and glue spots would probable disintegrate almost instantly. Not only that, P-board is much heavier pound for pound than MDF and would jack the price of shipping up more than what the cabinet is probably worth.

You'd be better off finding a cab locally and refurbing that. JMHO

[USSEnterprise]

I think I've decided against disassembly. Does anyone know how tall a Pole Position II is?

[bjk7382]

All you need to do is put an outside door on your basement if you want them down there that bad. It would probably cost a few hundred, but you would have a large door to get other big things you want to store down there also.

Something like this..

[CheffoJeffo]

I think I've decided against disassembly. Does anyone know how tall a Pole Position II is?

About 73" for a PP1 upright.

Cheers.

[ArcadeNoob]

Im in Florida.  I am looking(though not too furiously) for a cab, maybe a project I can work on without beating myself up if I do ruin something


But yea, I was just curious as to if it could be done.  I see bolts on the sides of cabs sometimes, and was just curious as to whether they could just be taken apart. 



But, if anyone knows any cabs/parts in FLA, let me know!

[pointdablame]

More often than not on original machines, the bolts you see on the side panels are holding the monitor brackets.  You could pull them out and the cab would still be in one piece.

For the trouble of disassembling and then replacing the pieces you wind up breaking/damaging.... along with the fact that particle board loses strength if you tear it apart even once.... I would never consider taking apart an original cab unless it was meant to be taken apart (showcase, cockpit, etc).

[ArcadeNoob]

I didnt consider the whole particle board thing at first.

[CheffoJeffo]

I didnt consider the whole particle board thing at first.  But a lot of the older cabs from the early 80s are solid plywood, correct?

I think that is a question for PaigeOliver.

From my own machines, only my Nintendo cab and cocktail machine are plywood.

Cheers.

[ArcadeNoob]

Yea, I was just wondering because I have an original Pac Man that is plywood.  Thanks for the input so far!

[TheRed]

it's still going to weigh the same, which is going to cost GRIP!!! with Fed-ex or UPS unless you have an account....or the seller does. IMO, not worth the trouble.

[paigeoliver]

I didnt consider the whole particle board thing at first.  But a lot of the older cabs from the early 80s are solid plywood, correct?

I think that is a question for PaigeOliver.

From my own machines, only my Nintendo cab and cocktail machine are plywood.

Cheers.

Most cabinets are particle, all Atari cabs (to my knowledge) are particle board, as are many, many, many others, but there are also about a dozen very common cabs that are plywood (Galaxian, Pac-Man, and the Williams cabinets).

Also, a quick read over of this thread got me under the impression that someone wanted to ship a gutted Pole Position 2?

That is insane, a complete one is only worth $50 ($150 or $200 if it works), a gutted one is worth like 10 cents, and certainly not worth the cost of shipping anywhere. Dead Poles are a dime a dozen and are EVERYWHERE. If you can't find a local dead Pole Position then you haven't looked. There are at least 5 of them at every auction I go to.

[Stingray]

Of the three cabs I have only one is plywood, and that one is a Midway cocktail.

And I agree, Pole Position is super common. I can think of a couple on location locally, and a couple more that are dead or at least partially disassembled.

-S

[Avery]

I've got an old Berzerk (stern) that is Plywood, so I'd bet that some of the other Stern cabs are as well.  That being said, I wouldn't count on them not changing horses in mid-stream and switchy to particle board halfway through production if it was cheaper.

[SirPoonga]

ArcadeNoob, These are good kits.
http://arcadedepot.com/

[M3talhead]

ArcadeNoob, These are good kits.
http://arcadedepot.com/

WOW. Those are really competetive prices for solid wood when your alternative is MDF or particleboard.

Cool.