Author Topic: help with a wobbly control panel base (showcase cab) (Read 3678 times)

hulkster · « **on:** June 12, 2005, 11:08:53 pm »

okay, for those of you who know, ive had my showcase cab built for some time now. ive moved into my new house, and i finally have room to work on it a little. it works fine, but the control panel base is really wobbly. ive had to put boards underneath the control panel base just so it has a completely flat surface to stand on to decrease the wobbling. you really only notice it when playing games like street fighter or something. most people dont notice but i do. anyway, i was wondering if anyone has any idea how to keep these things stable? right now its not attached to the monitor base, so i guess that would be the best thing to do, but im not sure how to go about doing it. any suggestions? if you need pics, check out my site.

CheffoJeffo · « **Reply #1 on:** June 12, 2005, 11:14:02 pm »

Leg levellers, like on a washing machine ?

Cheers.

paigeoliver · « **Reply #2 on:** June 13, 2005, 06:43:48 am »

Leg levelers combined with extra weight in the base. Slap a 50 lb sandbag in there, that should help keep it down.

Note to self, you keep forgetting to get the 50lb sandbag you wanted for your own cabinet.

hulkster · « **Reply #3 on:** June 13, 2005, 08:10:10 am »

50 lb. sand bag? wow. well ive tried weights and that seemed to help, but i put like 30 lbs or so in there and it was still wobbly a little. leg levelers made it worse when i tried them.

SirPeale · « **Reply #4 on:** June 13, 2005, 08:23:00 am »

Quote from: hulkster on June 13, 2005, 08:10:10 am

leg levelers made it worse when i tried them.

Then you haven't adjusted them correctly. Their sole purpose is to make the cabinet 'level' by turning them to match the levels of wherever you put them. Back corner rocking? Turn it out more.

hulkster · « **Reply #5 on:** June 13, 2005, 11:13:38 am »

okay, all i have are the little black round thing levelers. the ones you get in packs of 4 at home depot. are you talking about crazy complicated levelers? my problem is that the coin door is too heavy in the front. when i put levelers on, it just made it worse. maybe im not doing it right.

hulkster · « **Reply #6 on:** June 13, 2005, 10:02:05 pm »

IntruderAlert · « **Reply #7 on:** June 13, 2005, 10:07:26 pm »

They mean leg levelers like these illegal "MAME" leg levelers on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=13718&item=6186627748
Somebody alert David Foley!!!
If these leg levelers get sold it'll be CHAOS FOR SURE!!!

hulkster · « **Reply #8 on:** June 13, 2005, 10:13:34 pm »

hmmm, well where can i get these legally?

(at what store, or online)

hulkster · « **Reply #9 on:** June 14, 2005, 11:41:42 am »

buuuuuuuuuump

hulkster · « **Reply #10 on:** June 14, 2005, 02:54:59 pm »

no one likes me? i just want to know where i can get these leveler things.

AlanS17 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 14, 2005, 02:57:43 pm »

Here's a link...

http://www.arcadedepot.com/HTML/CabinetAccessories/LL1.html

I'm sure you can find them elsewhere too.

IntruderAlert · « **Reply #12 on:** June 14, 2005, 03:10:32 pm »

pssst.. i was only joking about those levelers on ebay being illegal

AlanS17 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 14, 2005, 03:15:27 pm »

Quote from: IntruderAlert on June 14, 2005, 03:10:32 pm

pssst.. i was only joking about those levelers on ebay being illegal

LOL

jcroach · « **Reply #14 on:** June 14, 2005, 05:54:53 pm »

Quote from: hulkster on June 14, 2005, 02:54:59 pm

no one likes me?

AlanS17 · « **Reply #15 on:** June 14, 2005, 06:33:59 pm »

Home Depot carries a plastic version that may not be heavy duty enough.

DrewKaree · « **Reply #16 on:** June 14, 2005, 11:26:44 pm »

Quote from: hulkster on June 14, 2005, 02:54:59 pm

no one likes me?

I never saw someone get married and turn all girly so quickly!

Next you'll be telling us all about your feelings and how you want to "talk"

AlanS17 · « **Reply #17 on:** June 14, 2005, 11:28:38 pm »

Quote from: DrewKaree on June 14, 2005, 11:26:44 pm

Quote from: hulkster on June 14, 2005, 02:54:59 pm

no one likes me?

I never saw someone get married and turn all girly so quickly!

Next you'll be telling us all about your feelings and how you want to "talk"

Kev-in DFW · « **Reply #18 on:** June 15, 2005, 02:53:19 am »

Check with Peale, he HAD leg levelers.... that is, until I talked him into selling me the ones he had for his own project. Maybe he can get some more in for the "stability challenged".

Good luck!

Kev~

quarterstringer · « **Reply #19 on:** June 15, 2005, 04:49:21 am »

I remember someone had the same problem last year.
Oh wait, it was you.

IntruderAlert · « **Reply #20 on:** June 15, 2005, 05:20:52 am »

wait a second.. you're talking about your MAMESTROSITY cab?
If you've got the control panel base mounted securely to the rest of the cab I don't see how it could wobble that much

maybe instead of looking at the feet you should be looking at a better way to bolt everything together securely

hulkster · « **Reply #21 on:** June 15, 2005, 11:18:31 am »

Quote from: quarterstringer on June 15, 2005, 04:49:21 am

I remember someone had the same problem last year.
Oh wait, it was you.

IntruderAlert · « **Reply #22 on:** June 15, 2005, 12:01:50 pm »

take some pics of the whole thing from the sides and from the top

I've been looking at your project and am a little worried about the way that everything is held together with those L brackets
That may be the root of your problem

But right off the bat I'm thinking about 2 long pieces of MDF maybe 6" wide or so screwed along the bottom of the entire thing on the right and left sides like baseboard trim on a wall with several screws in each section
You'd want the screws long enough to go almost through or all of the way through
Recess the screws a little and fill in with spackling, paint it all black of course and put black T-Mold on the edges of it
That shoud help tremendously

But if you post some pics we might see some alternative methods of fastening it all together

MrSaLTy · « **Reply #23 on:** June 15, 2005, 06:39:38 pm »

Happs has real arcade levelers and mounting plates here......

http://www.happcontrols.com/amusement/acesor/cab.htm

AlanS17 · « **Reply #24 on:** June 15, 2005, 06:56:57 pm »

Most large machines that I've seen that come in more than one piece just slide together and then bolt down in a couple spots. You just need a way to interlock them. Mounting them flush against each other won't do the trick.

BobA · « **Reply #25 on:** June 15, 2005, 07:10:16 pm »

Showcase cabs in arcades need a piece between the control panel and the monitor cab to give support and to protect the wiring.

IntruderAlert · « **Reply #26 on:** June 16, 2005, 12:02:14 am »

Yes, my recommendation is probably a bit too permanent.

But that control panel base is going to always be wobbly until you find a way to bolt it all together

can you show us some detailed pics of the area Bob is talking about?

hulkster · « **Reply #27 on:** June 16, 2005, 10:43:07 am »

well the area Boba is talking about is non-existent. when i first cut the pieces and built the thing, i had that little piece sticking out to connect to the monitor base. however, once i got it put together and got the control panel part on top of the cp base, it was way too high, so i had to cut off the bottom of my cp base, thinking it wouldnt be a problem. well that shows my carpenter skills and knowledge and of course now its wobbly. instead of posting pics, it will be just as easy to post the link to my site here http://bellsouthpwp.net/d/d/ddilday13/home.html and then you click on the Construction link to the left and it will show you just about all the pics you need. (cept for a few that arent working) i know your idea was a more permanent solution, but you are right...its going to have to be connected to the other base in order to stabalize it. otherwise, im going to have to rebuild the cp base.

IntruderAlert · « **Reply #28 on:** June 16, 2005, 10:49:35 am »

Would it be possible to mount some brackets from underneath?

hulkster · « **Reply #29 on:** June 16, 2005, 01:49:14 pm »

for what purpose?

IntruderAlert · « **Reply #30 on:** June 16, 2005, 01:51:34 pm »

to connect the sections together

hulkster · « **Reply #31 on:** June 16, 2005, 03:04:20 pm »

hmmmm, well im not exactly sure how that would work. are you talking about mounting L brackets underneath the cp base? and then taking 2x4's and putting them across or....um....im confused.

IntruderAlert · « **Reply #32 on:** June 16, 2005, 03:22:58 pm »

i was just thinking of several of these connecting the two sections where they match up

]

or do they match up at all?

hulkster · « **Reply #33 on:** June 16, 2005, 03:47:51 pm »

yeah, the two sections match up somewhat. they arent exactly the same width, but there is space where i can lay a couple of boards down on the base platest of both sections. yes this would be more of a permanent solution, but it would definitely help wouldnt it?

hyiu · « **Reply #34 on:** June 16, 2005, 04:03:27 pm »

well... that depends...

if the floor is carpeted, then I'm sure it'll still shake a little...

but by linking the tv part and the CP part to 1 solid piece, it should be more stable...

basically, now when you're playing and egt nervous, you shake your CP piece, but once they're linked, you're trying to shake the WHOLE thing... which should be harder...

(also, add weight - any unused weights from your workout equipments, sand bags... heavy books... in the bottom piece of your control panel... that should help too...

IntruderAlert · « **Reply #35 on:** June 16, 2005, 04:08:44 pm »

yeah
good idea about the weight

IntruderAlert · « **Reply #36 on:** June 21, 2005, 11:38:52 pm »

well.. did you fix it?

hulkster · « **Reply #37 on:** June 22, 2005, 08:54:44 am »

nope. im still trying. the weight wont fix it enough for me, i really just need to attach the whole thing to the monitor base. im still trying to figure out the best way to do it though. i dont want to have to rebuild the cp base, but i might have to

i just dont think 2x4's will hold it all together and be sturdy enough. i want to be able to take it apart again sometime if i move in the next few years ya know so i dont want the fix to be too permanent.

IntruderAlert · « **Reply #38 on:** June 22, 2005, 10:35:20 am »

I can't tell..
Is the unpainted part down at the bottom here solid wood across or just a hollow opening?

hulkster · « **Reply #39 on:** June 22, 2005, 10:47:12 am »

yeah its hard to tell from that pic, but its a hollow opening. there are two little pieces of wood that fit in between on either side, but there is an opening in the middle.

as a side note, i have contacted the guy that built the Arcade Machine 2 (showcase cab) and he stabilized his cab by just sticking a piece of wood over the top of the gap in between his two bases. its hard to describe, but im talking with him now to find out exactly what he did.


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