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Cocktail cab for outdoor use
leapinlew:
--- Quote from: escher on April 14, 2006, 09:19:16 pm ---
--- Quote from: leapinlew on April 14, 2006, 05:28:36 pm ---Perhaps you could use a laptop that you could remove when the weather starts to turn.
--- End quote ---
Honestly, I think the monitor would be a bigger concern than the computer.
--- End quote ---
I was kind of thinking he could mount the laptop into something and use the laptops LCD. Assuming of course that he doesn't actually want to play in the daylight...
arcade-mad:
HI
thanks for the advise guys
the cab would mostly be played at night time for barbeques and mates round for beers.
i have a cab in the dining room but its hassle in there as all lads seem to stay in there while the ladies are in the garden.
So if i could build a cab outside all probs would be over.
Thinking of the pit falls i think im gunna build a cab same as my indoor only with wheels on the bottom and keep it in the garage then just wheel it out on night when were in the garden.
Just thought it would be pretty cool to have a cab in the garden all the time :P
regards
Lilwolf:
If your worried about the monitor, I wouldn't be... make sure there is a cover and it will be fine. My monitor was out stored outside for years before I ended up using it. They can make it through pretty cold winters and VERY hot summers outside. The sun may effect it though, so design it so you can cover it easily.
I think your biggest problem will be insects growing inside myself. And it will probably work until it gets really bad... then you wont want to clean it.
I was going to build an outside cocktail table last summer.... but it was going to be using a projection system onto the ground in my driveway... then I was going to have a pedistal control panel that you would sit on one side or the other. So it would end up being a 15" cocktail. But in the end, my current projector would only work in the dead of night (its an old cheap one)... and I couldn't get my wife to let me buy a new one... This year we might, but it will be inside 95% of the time. So if I do it, it will be for a quick mount only.
Megaweapon:
You might be able to at least mitigate some of the issues by building a small gazebo or pagoda for the cabinet to sit under. Failing that, a tough vinyl cover (similar material to swimming pool and car covers) would at least keep the sun and water off when the cabinet isn't in use. There's really no cure for humidity or extreme temps, though.
The phone and cable companies both have computer equipment that lives inside boxes on street corners. That might be an easier place to start looking for component info than the military.
danny_galaga:
a cover for the top will stop any probs with the monitor as well as stopping almost all water ingress. whatever type of wood you use, use a marine varnish and you should be fine (be expensive though). i dont know much about pcs as such but i know you can get completely sealed pc cases that are basically a giant heat sink. i think they are often used in studios etc where you want to keep the noise down. if youve got the money, go for it! and takes lots of pics, but dont post as many as bones does ;)