Main Restorations Software Audio/Jukebox/MP3 Everything Else Buy/Sell/Trade
Project Announcements Monitor/Video GroovyMAME Merit/JVL Touchscreen Meet Up Retail Vendors
Driving & Racing Woodworking Software Support Forums Consoles Project Arcade Reviews
Automated Projects Artwork Frontend Support Forums Pinball Forum Discussion Old Boards
Raspberry Pi & Dev Board controls.dat Linux Miscellaneous Arcade Wiki Discussion Old Archives
Lightguns Arcade1Up Try the site in https mode Site News

Unread posts | New Replies | Recent posts | Rules | Chatroom | Wiki | File Repository | RSS | Submit news

  

Author Topic: Clamping braces into an assembled Cab  (Read 2126 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

TheGameFan

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 64
  • Last login:September 14, 2011, 12:21:42 am
Clamping braces into an assembled Cab
« on: May 09, 2011, 02:04:49 am »
I am building my first cab from scratch and I got a little over anxious putting it together. I glued everything together, but used very little bracing between the pieces. I made a 2x3 box mounted to 3/4" plywood for the base and have a 2x2 brace running at the seam of the top to the back, but I really don't have anything holding the sides to the top to the or back (aside from the glue between the pieces).

Besides the braces I mentioned previously, there is also a 2x2 running from side to side below the control panel and another above where the coin box would be. The sides are 5/8 MDF and the back, bottom, and top are 3/4 plywood. Is this enough support? It feels pretty strong as-is, but I noticed most cabs have 1x2's along all of the seams.

Since the back is already on, I can't figure out any way to clamp 1x2 or 2x2 strips in the seams to give support (clamps are only a few inches deep). I could use metal angle brackets, but I'm not sure how effective those would be and they would likely accentuate my "noobness" to anyone looking at my cab.
In the works: Full sized Capcom fighter cab, QBert Mini Bartop, Bartop JAMMA / MVS1, Centipede Cocktail restoration

BobA

  • Trade Count: (+14)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5943
  • Last login:July 11, 2018, 09:52:14 pm
  • What Me Worry?
Re: Clamping braces into an assembled Cab
« Reply #1 on: May 09, 2011, 02:59:07 pm »
You can fasten the strips in place with a brad nailer or short screws from the inside.  These can be left in place and when the glue dries everything will have extra support.

ChadTower

  • Chief Kicker - Nobody's perfect, including me. Fantastic body.
  • Trade Count: (+12)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 38212
  • Last login:June 22, 2025, 04:57:38 pm
Re: Clamping braces into an assembled Cab
« Reply #2 on: May 10, 2011, 11:14:15 am »
You can fasten the strips in place with a brad nailer or short screws from the inside.  These can be left in place and when the glue dries everything will have extra support.


That's how the original cabs were made anyway.   :)

DNA Dan

  • Guys.. we're not talking gold bars here
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 505
  • Last login:September 02, 2017, 11:39:00 am
Re: Clamping braces into an assembled Cab
« Reply #3 on: May 10, 2011, 11:46:32 am »
Get a Kreg mini pocket jig and create as many interior braces as you like.