newbie needs advice with cabinet

[johnus43]

I got a good deal on a half finished mame project.  I have a wells-gardner d9200 new monitor and a slik stik quad controller to go with an unfinished mdf cabinet.  The cabinet is made of 5/8" mdf and based on UAII plans.  I would like to make some changes to it but can not find 5/8" mdf anywhere, just 1/2" and 3/4".  When the cabinet was made the screws were not counter sunk.  Also, some bolts are sticking out.  I can counter sink the bolts.  These screws are in there big time.  I think they were glued along with the boards.  They strip when I try to pull them out.  Also, the cabinet has big gaps on the top and back.  I really want this to look nice when finished and do not want gaps or screw sticking out.

My options:

1. Start over and buy the UAII kit.  This kit is expensive but would probably look the best.

2. Fill in the gaps and the back panel with some 5/8" birch on plywood and laminate everything.  Would the laminate hide the screws?  This is what I am leaning on doing.  Plain black laminate has to be special ordered.  I think it was about $50 a sheet at home depot.  I am not sure if I should do just the outside and paint the inside as they inside has many backets.

3. Just paint it and get some marquees to cover up the sides.   I am not sure itf the screws will show thru the marquees.

Advice?  Suggestions?

[jholman76]

I hope it was a good deal. 5/8" MDF does exist, I've seen it at various places.

If it were me, I would scrap it and start over, but I'm kind of a semi-perfectionist. If you were to laminate it, it would have bumps from the screws. You could always try to grind them flush with the cab before laminating, but you dont want to risk damaging the MDF.

I'm not too familiar with the UAII plans, but I'm guessing someone had a great idea fizzle when it got to be some precision work. If you have a table saw or router, you could remove the back panel and bevel it and it will fit better, buuuut it looks like it is glued...

With screw-heads showing like that, you are pretty much down to laminating it. Painting it will most likely still show the screws, unless you are ok with painted screw-heads.

On second thought.... laminating will be much tougher since it has been partially assembled.... got a fire pit?  

But remember... this is all based on what I would do...

OR...

you could scrap the big pieces and make a really cool bartop! (if you have the tools, that is)

joe

[Dr Zero]

The bolts you said you could counter sink so that would leave the screws heads how about getting a good fitting bit and trying to tighten them some to lower the head then go over them with a skim coat of bondo.
After it dries a light sanding to smooth it all out and it should be ok.

The back well might have to just remove and replace or maybe take a about a inch off with a jig saw keep it straight then come back with another piece of wood and scribe the top line onto it then cut out and replace. You would have a good straight line on the bottom and the top would taper to match the part above making it even again.

[johnus43]

Thank you for the replies. I got this cabinet, a new wells gardner d9200 27" monitor, a slik stik quad used in good condition, speakers, plexiglass, vga card, Saint's book, light and UAII plans for $375.  I think I am in this OK but the guy did a hack job on that cabinet. I really want it to look nice and I might be better off just getting the kit for $600.  I think I will play around with fixing it as you desribed and if it doesn't work buy the kit.  I can't damage it any more.  Are these kits worth the price.  They seems real expensive.

[jholman76]

I wonder if a good thumping with an impact driver would loosen up the screws enough to either remove them (for the back panels) or sink them in more (sides)?

I've had great luck with the one I am using. Seems to drive them in quite nicely.

joe

[The Lumberjackass]

hello mr johnus.

your cab, has indeed been assembled by a butcher. but all is not lost.

firstly, i'd take those ridiculous bolts out of the cab and replace them with a bolt that has a smaller head. yes , its possible to
find a bolt with the same thread width but with a smaller , flatter head . they are usually called machine bolts

secondly, the reason why your screws are spinnin and spinnin , is because the previous owner never pre-drilled the holes.
so in essence , what he has done , is split the wood and it'll neither tighten or loosen . the thread has cut itself loose so
it no longer grips.

right ok, here is what i'd do, in this order.
go get 2 sheets of 3/4" mdf . take the cab apart completely , strip it right down to the panels.
then place the panels on the mdf and use them as a template . take a router with a bearing guided cutter and clone the panels " like for like ".
proceed in re-building the cab , but this time, go look at these video's to see how to do it. regardless of cabinet type , these vids are currently the
best on the net and will give you an idea of how to finish your current project :

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=103919.0
and yes , they are my vids , designed for people with little or no knowledge of woodworking. and as someone already pointed out in an earlier reply ,
bondo is your friend for filling in screw holes. i have done exactly the same to my cab.