Setup a website for my MAME cab...check it out and give opinions.

[mkarate]

Ok I have finally made a website for the MAME cabinet I am in the process of building.  Check it out and give me some opinions if you want too.  Thanks!

http://home.insightbb.com/~gsargent/index.html

[Raider]

Cool! Coming along there!

Bad choice on going with MDF... But glad you pointed out some of it's shortcomings that you have found. One more word of advice... Don't let any moisture come in contact with it man!

[Ren Hoek]

Why bad move with the MDF?  That appears to be th ewood of choice of about 90% of MAME-ers.

Re: the website.  One suggestion:  put the "next" button after the "back" button so the order is "back" and then "next" so we are moving forward with the buttons.  (Just a minor thing).  Apart from that, good stuff, but make sure you finish the bugger!

[RetroJames]

MDF, although easy to laminate, paint, etc.  Has some real durability issues in my opinion.  I used to work in a cabinet shop a long time ago and had some first hand experience.  

Pros-

Easy to finish, you can also get mdf that is already "finished" with a thin veneer of some sort.

Preat easy to cut, trim, etc.

Cons-

Usually more expensive than plywood, even a nice smooth sanded maple or pine.

Under stress, like the bottom plate of an arcade cab with casters secured, tend to fail over time where plywood will not.

Get it wet, your doomed.  It will expand and crumble like a cookie.

I hated breathing the stuff when I cut it.  Very small fibers.

Very dense so very heavy

I just priced some really nice sanded maple 3/4 ply at HD, it was only 29.99 a sheet which is awesome considering the price of ply right now.  I think MDF unfinished was 35-40.

HTH

[pathdoc2]

MDF sells for less than $20 for a 4x8 sheet here at HomeDepot and it is an excellent material for arcade cabs.  My oldest MDF cab is going on 2 1/2 years and shows absolutely no signs of structural damage/fatigue.  Its weight is a plus and not a negative in my book.  I'd rather a heavy solid feeling cab.  As far as for getting it wet, why the hell would your arcade machine be outdoors?  This is not a real issue for me.

[RetroJames]

As with any building materials etc.  your choices depend on your application.  

If MDF is sealed properly and it is kept away from liquids and not moved a great deal you are ok if that is the way you want to go.

Granted you will not keep your cab outside, but if you are going to be moving any time soon, it could get exposed to water.  Leak in the roof, might get exposed to water.  Kids or friends playing the games, spilled drink, if that gets into the core you will have damage.

As far a structural, that would depend greatly on how it is reinforced and how often it is moved.  I suppose most people here and in this hobby are pretty sedentary and have already put down roots, so for most probably not an issue but for some it would be.

As for weight and overall, my preference would be a bit lighter and WAY more sturdy.  I don't look good going forward, but I look even worse going backwards.  When I do a project I want it finished and I want as little maintenance down the road.  Of course I am an ex-cabinet maker and carpenter so I am a bit biased in my choices when it comes to woodworking.

Take it for what it's worth, take care.

[pathdoc2]

I agree plywood would be lighter but as far as being more sturdy I must respectfully disagree.  I too am a skilled woodworker and have built 8 mame cabs in the last 2 1/2 years.  My first cab was plywood and was a pain to finish, required alot of primer before painting and had problems at the edges requiring solid wood endcaps.  My MDF cabs look much better and have a more solid feel due to weight.  Being settled (ie owning a home) doesn't make one sedentary (ie a couch potato) it simply means one is settled and unlikely to move the cab around much.  
I don't let my kids put drinks on my cab but its fully painted with a lexan cover epoxied on the control panel so I don't think it would get wet anyway.
No disrespect intended, I simply disagree.

[RetroJames]

Hey no disrespect taken.  Just our opinions and we all know what they are worth...

I still disagree on the idea that MDF is more sturdy though.  I mean, take a 4x8 of ply and 4x8 mdf.  Span them both seperately across a couple of cinder blocks at the ends like bridges.  Then start loading them down with friends, bricks, sand, whatever.  I have never tried it, but I would bet money the mdf cracks first.

I would also bet that if you could do a test where you placed really heavy load on the end of the sheets, like stand them up 8' high with the 4 ' width on the ground, and lower a car onto the ends, again, bet the mdf fails first.

Bend 'em, twist 'em, soak 'em, shoot 'em.  All day long that ply will hold while the mdf craps out.

Also, I misspoke when I said sedentary, I meant to say settled.

Anyway, like I said it's all preferences and the best fit for our lifestyles, environment etc.  Those would be fun test though wouldn't they?

[Ren Hoek]

If people have concerns about getting MDF wet, check out a great product called ELEMENT at:

www.gunnersens.com.auhttp://

It is a pre-laminated MDF board (heat fused) and has waterproof capabilities.  They have cool sparkle effects on some of them too.

[eightbit]

Yeah I'm sure that element stuff is cheap.... Not...

Warning sharp turn to back on Topic

I second the person who said switch sides with your next and back buttons.

We need more progress pictures! I need to see how the story ends.   How can you just stop like that?

[Ren Hoek]

Thanks, that was me who suggested that.  Glad to see I'm not the only pedantic one here..

[RetroJames]

TOPIC DETOUR

FYI: If anyone is interested, I posted my initial sketches for a "new?" rotating cp on a cab.  I intend to build it for my first cab.  It is in the projects section under, "My Cabinet - New? Rotating Panel Design - Rough Drafts"  let me know what you think.

Also, kinda funny considering the discussion above, but I do need to try and keep my costs down and I saw a cab offered up for free in Atl, so I am going to get it.  Yup, you guessed it.  MDF.  Gotta Love It.

MERGE BACK TO TOPIC LANE

[pathdoc2]

I really like your cab.  Great job.