laminate cab sides vs monitor bracket carriage bolts thru side

[rockin_rick]

I've got a Killer Instinct cab (nearly the same as a NBA Jam or MK cab) that I want to cover the sides with thin vertical grade plastic laminate (Wilsonart 1595-60 335).  On this cab, there are carriage bolts that are on the outside of the side panels to bolt on the monitor brackets.  There are two monitor brackets per side, each with two carriage bolts spaced 1.5" apart.  (the attached pic isn't the best, but it shows the brackets)  I don't know what to do with these bolts.  I can:

1) Laminate cab, put bolts on outside of laminate like the cab is originally setup (bolts on outside of vinyl).  I'm worried that the bolts will crack the laminate once they are bolted down.  As they are tighened, the bolt will pull into the laminate - will this crack the laminate?  Can I tighten them good without ANY concern that the laminate will get cracked/broken?

2) Route the wood a bit so that the bolt will be under the laminate.  Then I'd have to put the bolts in before laminating, and then they would be permanently installed.  I also wonder if thinning the side panel (3/4 particleboard) would cause problems with supporting the heavy monitor.  I'm guessing that I'd have to route about 1/4" deep, thus leaving 1/2 of particleboard left.  I'm worried that the bolts will pull through/into the wood.  Is this concern warranted?

3) Route the wood and use a (say) 2" x 3" plate on the outside to help distribute the load and prevent the (potential) pull-through threat of #2.  This would also ensure that the bolts are not able to rotate, as they would be 'keyed' into the plate with a square hole.  This would require routing the wood even deeper than #2, as the thickness of the plate will also have to be recessed.  This would leave the thickness of the side less than 1/2".

4) something else

Opinions?

Thanks,
Rick

[DaOld Man]

Personally, I think I would go with counter sunk carriage bolts, then filled in with wood putty before the laminate is put on.
But you could also use T nuts on the outside, countersunk under the laminate.
Then bolts would go in from the inside.

[FrizzleFried]

Countersink the bolts...you don't need to go 1/4",  1/8" should be plenty to get the bolt head even with the woodface.  Use BONDO (not crappy wood filler) to fill in the holes.  The bondo will also insure that the bolt head doesn't just turn when you go to wrench down the nuts.

[rockin_rick]

Yeah, I would definitely only go as deep as necessary.  Looking at them again, it probably would only be 1/8".  Maybe just use a forster bit.

Would bondo hold the smooth carriage bolts from turning?  Maybe I should use hex head bolts with bondo, then the bondo will have something to grip.  Maybe throw on a fender washer (at the expense of having to thin the wood more)?

T-nuts sound like an equally good solution.  Would they hold good in particleboard?  I suppose that they don't really have anywhere to go, huh?!?!

Thanks,
Rick

[DaOld Man]

Well, you might want to bondo over the tee nuts.
Screw a bolt in from the other side, then bondo the tee nut. The bolt will keep bondo out of the threaded hole. You might need to tighten it down, so the barbs on the t nut sink into the wood.
Frizzle fried, on the cabinets I have built, I used wood filler.
That stuff is hard to work with. It takes several layers to get keep from leaving a dimple.
It always seems to show after painting.
What kind of bondo do you use? Automobile fiberglass type?