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first cabinet - question about weight

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paigeoliver:
Xiaou2.

I have owned over 250 games (and my close friends have owned another 50 that I have helped move), and not a single one of them ever lived on ground level.

3/4" plywood cabinets are noticeably lighter than particle board cabinets, but not so much that they can be handled on steps solo unless they are completely stripped down to the bare wood, and even then it is tough.

If I, who buy, sell and otherwise move games up and down steps all the time and rarely go more than a few days without doing so (currently own 25 cabinets), don't think it is worthwhile to worry about making a cabinet "easy to move", then why would it be important for the average mame cab builder who will likely only move his cabinet a few times in its entire life. You don't try to get a fridge that breaks up into multiple parts.

Xiaou2:

--- Quote --- PacMan is much lighter than Galaga,
--- End quote ---

 At the Arcade I managed, there were a Galaga and a MS Pacman side by side.  My memory isnt that good, so either the Ms Pacman was plywood.. or the Galaga was was a conversion, or there were different cabinet versions.  Namco owned arcades put a Ms Pacman and Galaga in pretty much every store they owned (even though they didnt earn squat).  My point being, that there was in fact thin plywood cabinets made... and that they are far superior, and Much lighter,  to those made of particle board or MDF.   Ive used MDF, because of the high praise.. and lower costs.  However, Id never recommend it to anyone.  Its worth the extra money for good plywood.

 The Particle board cabs tended to have a huge chunk of bottom corner chipped off of them...  and the T-Molding was almost always hanging loose.   Fortunately, there was no MDF cabinets that Id ever dealt with.  They wouldnt have lasted 2 weeks without getting trashed beyond belief.


--- Quote ---I have owned over 250 games
--- End quote ---

 Are we bragging?   :P

 Well, I currently own 7 machines, 3 of which are pins.  Ive also owned a full size TX-1.  That was a BEAST to move with 3 people! ...and fortunately, it never had to traverse any stairs (no way in hell it could fit in the house).  Ive owned a few others, and Ive helped move others games than I care to remember.  Also, as a former manager of a Namco's Time-Out, in two different locations, ..Ive moved games for years, quite often... Luckily not up and down stairs, Always using the freight elevator, or and or a dolly.  Namco always wanted the arcades layout to be changed up every few weeks/months.

 Over the years... these things take a toll on you.  Especially in older houses, where doorways are very tight.. stairs are narrow, ...and getting a strong friend to help isnt always easy.   And if you do not do it often, you can really feel the difference in being able to guide them easily / safely.   My best buddy is a Fed-Ex delivery man... but hes thin and not nearly as strong as me.. mostly due to my marital arts background.   But even I have lost strength over the years.

 Anything that I can do to lighten the load, on both of us.. is a godsend.

 Heck, I recently got 2 cabinets from a guy for dirt cheap.. due to the very fact that he had a back injury, and couldnt deal with moving them anymore.  Being that he was in rough shape.. and I wasnt in top shape... it was a nightmare getting up his staircase.

 We dont always plan or want to move.  But it happens. My friend has moved about 4 times since Ive known him.  >.<

 But what I find most interesting.. is resistance to making life easier.   I wonder... when cabinets are made of some new-fangled material that weights 1/8th of current materials... will you still stick to making & dragging MDF mame cabinets around, because it makes you feel more manly?!  heh

 To each his own, but to me, its about making life easier... rather than harder.

CheffoJeffo:

--- Quote from: Xiaou2 on September 23, 2012, 03:50:27 am ---At the Arcade I managed, there were a Galaga and a MS Pacman side by side.  My memory isnt that good, so either the Ms Pacman was plywood.. or the Galaga was was a conversion, or there were different cabinet versions.  Namco owned arcades put a Ms Pacman and Galaga in pretty much every store they owned (even though they didnt earn squat).  My point being, that there was in fact thin plywood cabinets made... and that they are far superior, and Much lighter,  to those made of particle board or MDF.   Ive used MDF, because of the high praise.. and lower costs.  However, Id never recommend it to anyone.  Its worth the extra money for good plywood.
--- End quote ---

So, the Galaga was THINNER than the MsPac ?  ::)

The only thin cabinets that I can think of were made by Nintendo. And, yeah, they were good cabs.

For what it is worth, I would never build a cab out of MDF either -- I *LIKE* plywood and have good tools to work with it.  :P

paigeoliver:
US manufacturer cabinets be they particle board or plywood were all 3/4". Ms. Pac was usually plywood (until they started using stickers instead of paint), Galaga was usually particle board. So yes, Ms. Pac probably weighed less.

Nintendo, Nichibutsu and some of the other imported cabinets were of a thinner plywood. However later on Nintendo started shipping particle board cabinets.

consolas:
I assumed MDF was the most common wood to be used.

In order to get less weight and good strength, plywood is the best choice?

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