Cabinet Build for the Non-Cabinet Builder

[uberkirby]

I'm approaching the end of the contruction portion of the project, so I started looking for a monitor.  Originally I wanted a big TV flipped vertically to fill all of the potential space of the cabinet.  I thought I would flip the TV vertically, set my video card to 4:3 aspect ration, and the n since we're using VGA, I would use the TV controls to adjust the "virtual 4:3 monitor up or down until I got it where It wanted it.  As a bonus to that approach, You cant easily switch resolutions to play vertical games and modern 16:0 games.

But that's for the next cabinet

I found that the space allowed to me for the vertical wasn't enough to get a decent monitor in there.  I could only fit a 39" that, when flipped vertically, which would only allow for a screen 20" wide.  not what I'm looking for.

So I started the hunt for the biggest monitor I can fit in the cabinet.  Internal width is 24" so I wanted to get as close to that as possible.

Bingo.



Factory dimensions are 24.2" wide.  I figured I could de-bezel and gain that .2 back.

Sure enough, after doing that, the width was 23 15/16" and fit perfectly.  Height was 13 15/16 in case anyone was interested.

De-Bezel Pic 1



De-bezel pic 2




As an added bonus, I ran the bezel through the saw, cut the sides off  and now have the perfect mounting solution.  I'll put the cut bezel back on and use the VESA mounts on the back.

[uberkirby]

So after a couple more evenings in the garage I have the control panel sides on, the monitor bezel mounted, and the marquee bottom attached and speaker holes cut.

Here's mine.  Note the monitor bezel sans monitor.  I think I'm going to raise it up a bit, but this will definitely be my mounting solution.  24" wide mdf board + 100mm VESA hole patter = easy mounting



You can see more hole filling and smoothing I'm trying to do.  I obviously haven't quite figured out the best way to spread the wood filler.  I'm doing it the same way I would mud drywall and it's not working at all.  When I run the blade over the hole, it tends to pull the putty out of the hole as I pass over.  Mind you I've spent absolutely zero time trying to Google this.  Sanding is just so easy that I haven't bothered.

and here's the second cabinet a buddy is building alongside mine. Main differences are a simplified marquee top (The instructions were missing some measurements and directiongs, so he skipped one piece) and a 5/8" control panel top.