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2 Random tips before starting your project
shmokes:
I went back and took a second look. It's my mistake. I thought I was supposed to use the same size bit for the joystick and the buttons. My bit does match up exactly with the button stencil in Visio, but it matches up with the outer ring, rather than the inner ring.
So, there's my tip: Don't do that.
DrewKaree:
--- Quote from: shmokes on August 17, 2004, 02:32:09 pm ---My bit does match up exactly with the button stencil in Visio, but it matches up with the outer ring, rather than the inner ring.
So, there's my tip: Don't do that.
--- End quote ---
Here's my tip. Have shmokes over to help build your cabinet. He's done it already, so knows what he's doing, and he can show you in person what NOT to do. I plan on doing this (but I'm a-gonna have to save up a bunch of money for plane tickets and "carpenter payroll expenses") ;) ;D
Xiaou2:
"MDF dosmt hold screws well" ???
Actaully, MDF does hold screws - but you need the right type of screws. You need coarse thread screws and not fine thread.
The fine threads tear the material up - and as you can see... that once the material gets broken up, it chips, flakes, and turns to dust particales.
The course threads are spaced far enuff appart that they do not break the material up... and they actually compress the material a bit, so that its grip is even stronger.
I also recomend coarse threads in any other wood instance where strength is needed. (I havnt worked with hardwoods.. so maybe fine threads would be ok with them)
Yes, mdf is heavy...but then again, its the cheapest stuff to buy and is pretty damn strong. If you have the money tho... plywood is the way to go... as its corner strong and much lighter.
shmokes:
It actually turned out fine. I'm in the process of making my control panels now. When I figured out my mistake I hadn't laminated them yet. So I put a bunch of masking tape around the inside of the button holes to make them smaller, so when I used my router with a flush trim bit to cut the button holes in the laminate they are a bit smaller so the button lip covers them completely.
Phew....that was close.
Tailgunner:
My advice would be to forget the screws altogether and buy/rent a pin nailer and air compressor. You'll find a ton of uses for compressed air once you have a convienent source of it, so I'd buy the compressor and rent the nailer.
Adding onto Xiaou2's advice, they actually make specific screws for MDF. Course thread drywall screws work almost as well, though it's easier to snap the head off of a drywall screw.
In either case, you should support your cabinet's joints with reinforcement blocks and glue everything together.
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