IKEA-fying an existing cab?

[Well Fed Games]

Ok, I bring more weird ideas and stupid questions to the table. Just moved my pac cab project downstairs and realized that the very solid (and basically free) Smash TV cabinet I acquired recently is never going to fit down the stairway. Likewise, I can't imagine many apartments I've lived in whose stairs it would navigate.

So, my options are to ditch the cab (not a loss financially, but I love the cab, and have a line on a good TV that will fit it), or modify it in some way...

Any thoughts on how an existing cab like this could be made modular, able to be un-and-re-assembled easily? It would not be "on route" so a little structural integrity would be ok to sacrifice. Anyone ever done this? I know some folks have made cabs with this in mind, but haven't heard of someone doing it to an existing one. Pic below of what I am dealing with.

One thing I know, after the inevitable nuclear fallout, it is just going to be cockroaches and Midway cabinets. Those things are solid. 

[Sjaak]

[Well Fed Games]

 

[BobA]

Darn  I was just about to go down to IKEA and order one. 

[Vigo]

I feel your pain...I had a similiar issue with a matress box spring a few days ago. After a railing and bannisters removed,two holes in the wall and 3 hours, I had to cut apart the box spring to make it fit and a mend back together.

I dont know how that cabinet is assembled right now, but I suggest heavy use of angle and corner brackets for all things that you fasten. Maybe Draw an outline around every bracket with a marker so you know where each bracket goes. (If the interior is black, maybe use a silver autograph pen.)

[drventure]

Another thing to consider are insert nuts, Basically, you drill a hole in the wood, use an allen wrench to screw the insert nut into the wood, then, you can screw a regular machine bolt into the insert nut.

You'd need A LOT of them to put together a whole cab using angle brackets but it can be done.

Another possibility, separate the top and bottom. Would you be able to get just the top part and then the bottom part down the stairs? If so, you could saw the cab in half horizontally, then fashion a mating plate for each side to mate the two halves back up with screws once they're in place. I did that once with an entertainment unit that wouldn't fit around some funky stairs I had in a house I used to own.

[Well Fed Games]

Good to hear there are some possibilities. Getting it apart will be the worst... hopefully I can do it without damaging it too much. I actually had a Midway Blitz cabinet I had to abandon/sell, I don't know why a cab with almost the same dimensions was going to be any different!

But ultimately, it is just a wood cabinet, like any other, and I should be able to pull it off. The cab was free (after I sold the PCB out of it) but I'm getting attached to it.

[dandare]

I'm using Tee-nuts and pan head screws to secure most of my cab, as i am building it in my basement and will not get up the narrow stairs.

Plus i envision moving house in the near future, so it can be taken apart and put back together like a kit. (i've even thought of getting some sort of custom flight case for it  )

I've deconstructed and reconstructed it twice now and seems solid still.

[Well Fed Games]

I'm using Tee-nuts and pan head screws to secure most of my cab, as i am building it in my basement and will not get up the narrow stairs.

Plus i envision moving house in the near future, so it can be taken apart and put back together like a kit. (i've even thought of getting some sort of custom flight case for it  )

I've deconstructed and reconstructed it twice now and seems solid still.

Very cool. If I can get it apart decently, I think that is the way to go, again, it will be home use only for the rest of its life anyway,

[jimfath]

I have a cab that was redesigned to come apart in three pieces. My last move I had to take it apart completely and it's still holding strong. It's mostly 3/4 mdf and some ply held together with 1 3/4 screws with what looks to be roof grip screws. THe plywood held better than the mdf but ymmv. I had to re-secure some of the screws with glue and putty in 2 places.

I have one of these. It came loaded with Späce Invaderande, Pak-mon, Defrṳwnder, Müle Kong, and, of course, Gorf

[dandare]

Müle Kong