Started My Cab Today - 1st problem

[big_garryb]

Hi,
got the mdf (12mm) today and started chopping it up. used 1" x 1.5" batons for the frame.

Ive got the bottom section built and it looks ok - but it wobbles from side to side.......  Looking back at it now i could have made the frame stronger - should i remove the batons and re-do the frame or should i try to reinforce them? I'm thinking seriously about starting again.

Anyone had this problem ? what did you do?

Note to self..... dont drink beer and operate power tools or measure up....

[Apollo]

Please take that seriously, alcohol and power tools are an extremely bad mix. I cannot stress this strongly enough.

[walls83]

so your drinking and measuring and cutting wood.. and drinking and your cab is woobly.  LMFAO (thats a good way to lose a limb by the way).

[dmsuchy]

I always have a couple of beers when I worked on my cab, helps cut the dust in my throat! Are you glueing and screwing or just screwing? I would glue the hell out of it and throw a couple of clamps on it and that should make it a bunch more stable. Also you could throw a couple of 2x4 bracers in it to make it stiffer.

[Mr-Megalo]

you haven't seen the size of the reefer thats usually hangin outta my mouth mosta the day, heck man wobbly eyes makes you concentrate harder....sometimes

on a serious note tho it was only yesterday I got a nasty shock from the a wall socket in my house, gonna leave a nasty scar too, albeit the socket was s'posed to be dead, just goes to show better to be careful  

[big_garryb]

hehehehheee.....  power toold and beer certainly dont mix....... my measurments were acurate to start - but as the beer went down, my measurment acuracy went to pot too..... instead of making sure it was 100% - i was thinking, yep looks straight to me! i was wrong.

i was gluing and screwing!!! Things could have got worse, the only thing that saved me was i run out of beer - and couldnt drive to the shops for more.....too far to walk/stagger

MADE A DECISION - gonna start again (only did the bottom bit anyway). Gonna get some 2x2 and build a solid frame - i wouldnt be happy if i just tried to make it more sturdy - best to try again..... WITH NO MORE BEER. ONLY HAVE BEER WHEN DONE!!!!!

mmmm bbeeeeeeerrrrrr (homer voice)

[big_garryb]

making frame............. 2X2 or 2X4 ? whatya think?

[bdsjake]

I used 2x4's in my first cab, very sturdy, perhaps almost overkill, but then I was mounting a D9200.  I've bought some 2x3's for my second as I will only be using a 19" monitor.  You might try 2x3's as a compromise, 2x2's might not be quite enough for a frame.

[sTyLeS]

I also used 2x3's. Much less expensive than 2x4's, but still very solid. Definately also use wood glue. In fact, I also used L-brackets in a few places to add yet more stability.

[big_garryb]

thanks for the replys guys......... wood has now been purchased - and new frame starts tomorrow!!

cheers for the input.
garry

[Bumblebounces]

making frame............. 2X2 or 2X4 ? whatya think?

I didn't really make a frame.  It was more like shims wide enough to nail to.  I only used 1x2 strips with glue and 18 gauge 1.5 inch brads on my cab sides.  Then the top, back and front pieces were glued and bradded to the 1x2 strips.  It really came out a brick $%#@ house.  I think even 2x2's are overkill but I certainly would use 2x2's before 2x4's.  Too expensive and all the extra weight is bad.  My cab has to weigh in at 600 pounds with the rack mount PC case, sub and monitor.  Good thing I put wheels on the darned thing.

Bumble

[big_garryb]

Cheers Bumble,
i used 1x1.5 strips initially, but due too beer and bad workmanship it wobbled - think im gonna try the no beer and loads of concerntration technique now.........

already bought 2x2...... just measuring out now.

should i cut grooves so the wood overlaps each other of just put them together? using glue and 1.75" screws.

Already getting concerned about the weight!

[fredster]

You can build up your cab and then put a 1X2 base on it, all the way around like a picture frame to level it out.  I did that and it works pretty good.

The other way is to buy leveling feet from bob roberts or betson.com and put them in to level up the cab.

The leveling feet help lots on floors other than concrete to straighten that wobble out. Unless you cut everything with a table saw and squared it up perfectly, you probably will get some wobble out of it.

[flampoo]

Any frame is going to be a bit wobbly until you add the supporting boards; i.e. control panel, marquee, coin door panel and back panel, etc. Once you add those things your "wobble" will me minimal if any at all.

[sTyLeS]

I would still recommend a few steel L-brackets to help attach any cross-supports in the cab. A 6-pack of small brackets at Lowe's is like only $2, and they come with their own screws.

[Bumblebounces]

Wobble is usually due to lack of structure and cross bracing.  It's hard to explain without going into 3 pages of text or 10 diagrams to illustrate but, if your design does not account for anything bracing the the right and left sides to the front and back panels, you'll get a right to left wobble in the cab.  Like a rhombus (remember high school geometry?) effect?  Follow me?  I didn't have a 2x2, 2x4 frame or any of the metal L brackets (well there are some of those in a weak spot in control panel box)  in my cab but I was certain to design in many braces and to get them very tight when gluing and bradding the panels together and I have ZERO wobble.

Now, if we are talking about the wobble you will encounter from having the cab sitting on high pile carpet and padding such as you would find in the average living room, that has nothing to do with the design or construction of the cab.  You're going to see that pretty much no matter what you do.  Leveling feet can help it but probably will not eliminate it completely.  Best thing to do is to make sure you design allows for the weight of the cab to be centered so it does not want to lean in any direction and then get used to the little sway it will have.

My 2 cents.

Bumble

[big_garryb]

Bumblebounces is right. the frame wasnt sturdy - levelling feet wouldnt have done because the actual frame moved about left to right - just needed better bracing.

i have castors for it but they are not adjustable ones.... would they be ok, or should i get a couple of adjustables just in case?

man this thing is going to be HEAVY -  it gonna be in 3 parts (cp/top/bottom) to make is easier for the wife to carry on her back while i walk behind, beer in hand telling her where to move it all!!! ahem.

garry