I've Started - but...

[Cyclops]

I am one of those truly incompetant men.

[CheffoJeffo]

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=36866.0

Cheers.

[Cyclops]

Oh. My. God.

Thankyou! hehe....I hope I don't end up with a post like that!
 

[Timoe]

So far your cabinet looks pretty cool and you have a slick control panel.

Yeah, I mess my projects up consistently.  Either because I'm lazy, or in too much of a hurry.  Much of my project time is actually spent fixing or figuring how to fix last weekends mistakes.  Sanding and wood putty are your friends.  After patience, I guess.

You should post this in Project Announcements if you haven't already.  I'd  like to see more pics and descriptions.

Cyclops ...  thats cool

[Cyclops]

just a question (didn't really want to start a new thread for this) - how strong is wood putty?

I put the side on yesterday and the monitor shelf in....stood it all up today...and......it has a very slight lean...should be fine, but I can notice it....also....I stuffed up the monitor shelf....one side is about 5mm higher than the other....doh!...I can live with that too.

*sigh* heh

[Bones]

just a question (didn't really want to start a new thread for this) - how strong is wood putty?

Wood putty isn't designed to be load bearing. It is only to pretty things up. Relying on putty for strength will end in tears.

Also, chill about your mistakes. I got the blues early in my project when stuff wasn't going right but now realise anything can be fixed. Just take your time, don't rush and I am sure you will have something to be proud of at project completion.

Good luck. 

[paigeoliver]

What I am seeing looks fine to me so far.

[spystyle]

The cabs looks great, don't worry - no one but you will notice the little mistakes.

Also, professional speaker builders use automotive bondo in their cabs instead of wood putty - because the low frequencies are like repeatedly kicking the cab and the cabs get knocked about in transit. If you want tough putty go with bondo.

Dig it?
Craig

[Cyclops]

Wood putty isn't designed to be load bearing. It is only to pretty things up. Relying on putty for strength will end in tears.

Well my CP is a mm or two short (plus a bit wavy - my first ever jigsaw cut) I was thinking of filling it out with the putty...but the more I think about it the sillier it seems.

I am no dis-heartened....more embarrased! heh.....The examples page is full of AWESOME cabs....only a

[JCL]

If your cuts aren't perfectly straight, make sure to cut long and sand to a marked line.

A millimeter or two might not matter. Being straight is probably more important.

If you have spare wood, cut it again.

Or if you can modify the plans a little, sand it down so it is straight.

You will improve with practice, so don't get discouraged.

[D5A1AC]

Nope - your cab looks great so far!

I am fairly sure I could pick up a few thousand mistakes on my cab with a normal camera... If I had a macro lens I'd realise that I've made an absolute wreck of my cabinet so far 

[Effayy]

Best advice ever:

Regardless of what you're doing with your cab, be it fancy as all hell, or just a box with a TV... Take your time.

That's it.  Measure out a peice, draw the lines. re-measure again, and again.  Use a speed-square and make sure your pieces are square.  Then re-measure again.  THEN cut...

I heard the above advice upteen times.  I measured twice, no three... actually four times, and I still ended up with some bad pieces.   

I've been at my cab for the better part of a year, off and on (had a pesky wedding to take care of in the middle there)... I'm not even halfway done yet.  No matter how carefl you are, mistakes will be made until  you get the hang of things.

For some more specific advice:  Whatever you do, make sure that the "side" pieces are the exact same size.  Basically, cut them both out, clamp one on top of the other.  Using a router and a flush-trim bit, route one to the exact size as the other.  It'll make life a lot easier when you start to add the "center" pieces and you can be assured that they'll match up perfectly to the sides.(no "lean" to one side) if your pieces are all square.

- FA

[Stingray]

You're doing fine. It's easy to get discouraged early in any project. Take your time and stay at it.

-S

[jedi27]

Keep it up!!!!!!  Just take it in small strides...   I'm been working on mine for nearly two years now - Yeah - I can spot mistakes all over the place.  Strangely, no one can...  You're always your worse critic - don't let it get you down...

Look at it this way -- out of all the people that WANT to do this, you've actually started the process!!!!

[Bones]

I only just noticed your user name!

[dema]

Cyclops, if you only knew the problems I've had over the past year you'd breathe a big sigh of relief. I'm no pro when it comes to building things, but there were times I got in over my head. You should have heard the words coming out of my mouth last night. I'm sure the neighbors in my apartment didn't appreciate the vulgarities that I was spewing. In fact one of the people who usually talks to me when she walks by asked what I was doing now my response was, "doing everything it takes to keep from blowing my brains out". To which she quickly ended the conversation and walked away.

It's frustrating as heck sometimes, but it'll all be worth it. And don't worry about the small mistakes. What seems like a big deal now will be unnoticeable to others and even to you in time.

[Bones]

You know there have been times where I have absolutely hit a brick wall with my cabinet construction. I was convinced I had "painted" myself into a corner. Then after sleeping on the problem I look at it next day and the easiest of solutions has presented itself.

Sometimes it is just worth walking away for awhile, it really does clear your head.

[paigeoliver]

Also, as far as the examples and such you are seeing, remember that these things photograph VERY WELL. Most of these things don't look nearly as good in real life as they do in the pictures you are seeing.

[drunkatuw]

Also, as far as the examples and such you are seeing, remember that these things photograph VERY WELL. Most of these things don't look nearly as good in real life as they do in the pictures you are seeing.

This is very true.  I get compliments on the paint job when people see pictures, but in real life, if you look at it, you can still see all the spots where I didn't sand down the putty or you can see screwheads popping out.  I'm still happy about the results, but I always have the thought in the back of my mind that I should sand it down again (now that I have a power sander) and repaint it.  But for now I'm happy with the results.

[Cyclops]

Well I stuffed up...er..did a bit more on my cab over the weekend...not much.

I have decided to finish this one off, but not do a marquee or light or sliding door.  Just going to get the box done, paint it, setup the buttons etc....and play.  If I haven't stopped playing it after two weeks, I am going to go and get some more wood and start again.  This time, hopefully, with a bit more planning and patience.

At least it is standing! hehe....bit wobbly side to side though.

[DaveMMR]

Well I stuffed up...er..did a bit more on my cab over the weekend...not much.

I have decided to finish this one off, but not do a marquee or light or sliding door.  Just going to get the box done, paint it, setup the buttons etc....and play.  If I haven't stopped playing it after two weeks, I am going to go and get some more wood and start again.  This time, hopefully, with a bit more planning and patience.

At least it is standing! hehe....bit wobbly side to side though.

Dude, your cab looks a hundred times better than mine right now.  Perhaps there's something I'm not seeing?   I actually have to take a few of the pieces I installed out and refit them since I noticed the measurements are off.  But, whatever, it's easier to fix problems than to scrap the entire thing and start again.

By the way, slight wobble is normal until it's weighed down (the monitor).  Just make sure it's squared off and correct it if it's not.  Also make sure you're checking the cab's intergrity on a flat surface (made that mistake myself).  Finally, make sure the bottom is flat - sanding down whatever's causing serious wobble.

Do what you want, but I say finish what you started with it.  You have no discernable major defects.

[missioncontrol]

your project is looking good.....

don't sweet the minor things chances are nobody else will notice the small inperfections that you the creator will.....