Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Woodworking => Topic started by: TurboJugend on December 30, 2015, 11:25:08 am

Title: Gas springs for control panel lid?
Post by: TurboJugend on December 30, 2015, 11:25:08 am

I'm *finally* about to start working on my first cabinet.  Been dreaming about this for years.  Anyway, I was thinking about installing some gas springs like these http://amzn.com/B00GWAI7C0 (http://amzn.com/B00GWAI7C0) on the lid to the control panel.  Just wondering if anyone here has done this and how they worked out.  This will be a pretty standard 2 player CP.  The gas springs are rated 22.5 pounds.  Seems like that would be sufficient, no?  I searched the forum and found a few mentions of them, but no real feedback on how happy people were with them.

Thanks!

Title: Re: Gas springs for control panel lid?
Post by: wxforecaster on January 02, 2016, 02:01:36 pm

I would think these should work just fine. Curious what other hinging methods people use to lift their CPs. I planned on adding a lock to mine to keep grubby hands out.

Title: Re: Gas springs for control panel lid?
Post by: TurboJugend on January 02, 2016, 05:24:07 pm

I went ahead and ordered a pair.  Going to try them out.  Although, I thought of one possible problem.  I'm not sure if these can be separated from the lid easily in the event I need to remove the CP top.  They might need to be unscrewed from the wood.  That's not ideal.  We'll see.

Title: Re: Gas springs for control panel lid?
Post by: jennifer on January 02, 2016, 11:55:05 pm

   You may want to use a steel carrier frame for that, They are under pressure and will tear the pins loose on wood structure (don't ask how I learned that).

Title: Re: Gas springs for control panel lid?
Post by: eds1275 on January 05, 2016, 05:04:53 pm

My control panels fit between the sides of the machine and have a bottom lip and the top. Makes it easy to service since I don't have much to take apart!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150356541855246&l=9fdba2a0a4 (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150356541855246&l=9fdba2a0a4)

Title: Re: Gas springs for control panel lid?
Post by: 8BitMonk on January 05, 2016, 06:31:15 pm

I used those in my Super Mario Strikers build for the back door and was happy with them. The door was fairly heavy, 1/2" MDF, a mounted cpu etc. and no problems with the weight. The pressure seemed to be different between a couple of the 4 that I bought, one was really weak. Not sure if this was a defect in one or what but I just used the two that were similar. Really good value for the price, no complaints.

(http://www.eightbitmonk.com/shared_images/Mario Super Strikers/IMG_1320_zpsakt8kcew.JPG)