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Cocktail cab for outdoor use
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Mark70:
You are not going to be able to keep water out.  It's a fact.  I work in architecture and my job is designing the details of building to keep water out.  In my province there has been a recent change to accomodate the fact that water will get in.  We design wall systems to have a "rainscreen".  Basically it means that we count on water getting in and build a system to drain it out and vent air into the wall system to dry it in good weather.

I advise a mobile cabinet that you can bring in.  If you're bent on leaving it out all of the time, take a page from boat building.  Use epoxy coated marine plywood or select sanded plywood with an epoxy coating.  Look in the boat building/restoration forums at www.iboats.com.  A search there will tell you plenty about boat building, epoxy and fibreglass resins.

My advice:
slope the top
make the top out of one continuous piece of glass
never rely on a horizontal sealant joint that water can sit on
never rely on a sealant joint
overhang the top well past the sides and use a drip edge
hnugz:
what if you made a sort of "box" to put it in when its not in use?  In other words, have a bottom part that the cab sits on, then have a solid wood or some type of cover that can be put on and locked down with clamps when not in use.  That might take care of some issues with bugs if it is sealed enough plus save it from direct sunlight and other small weather issues.  Plus if it is a garden or whatever you can make it look more like part of the lawn instead of having an arcade sitting the middle of your petunias.
BobbyG66:
I was thinking about a cover also.

When not use a gas grill cover = perfect size and built to be waterproof.

You could also make it similar to a grill with wheels on one side and a handle on the other. Just pick up one side and wheel it away into storage.

Good luck.
deadkenndys1105:
If you can get it water proof you should be able to keep it outside but put a cover over it when your not using it and put on of those things some people put on the car windshield so the leather doesnt get hot.
quarterback:

--- Quote from: ahofle on April 17, 2006, 03:26:00 pm ---There is an arcade in Manitou Springs, Colorado (called Arcade Amusements) that keeps their cabinets outside just about all year round. 
--- End quote ---

Manitou Springs has an average of 246 days of sunshine. The climate is mild with very low humidity.
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