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Plywood Load bearing

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shadowdrak:
Thanks mameotron, exactly what I wanted to know.  I will prabably go with 3/4" plywood because I don't really want a bounc cabinet. How much do each of your cabinets weigh?  Just curious

MonitorGuru:
Original cabs were build with the sides *AS* the structure, and only routering  in corner connectors and cross-piece holders.  There was no "substructure" to them to hold the 100 pounds in monitor+glass and other parts above the control panel, AND to survive unknown conditions in an arcade of rocking and slamming the machines.

If you build a frame out of 2x4's inside, you can then of course just throw on 3/16" Luan plywood if you wanted (though of course it would tend to warp)

Also as others mentioned, 5/8" is harder to find. Also some people like to stain their cabinet instead of putting laminate (Formica,etc..) on it, and many places only sell 3/4" real oak/birch laminated plywood, though in my area it's typically oak/birch laminated MDF instead (cheaper than plywood)

Also most T-Molding is made in 3/4" width. Yeah you can trim it, but it wasn't meant to be trimmed that much on both sides.   They do make a handful of colors in 5/8 and 1/2 but not like 3/4

NoOne=NBA=:
I haven't weighed mine, but it is pretty heavy.

I fully framed the base with 2x4's, then built the rest out of 3/4" plywood and ledger blocks.

The back panels are all 1/4" plywood.

I was able to manuever it into the house on a handtruck all by myself, but it only had to come up the front step without hitting anything.

After that I rolled it the rest of the way on it's casters.
I put 4 casters for exactly this reason.
The front two are swivel-type; and the rear two are non-swivelling.

Mameotron:

--- Quote from: pointdablame on August 21, 2004, 05:39:19 pm ---If you and your dad built a complete frame and shell out of 2x4 or the like, you could easily tack on 1/2" wood since that would be more a covering than an actual side.

--- End quote ---

Actually, whatever you attach to the frame adds a great deal of structural strength.  It doesn't matter if its 1/2" ply, 1/4" mdf, 1/8" plastic even.  I'm sure you've seen pre-engineered steel buildings.  They are nothing more than a steel framework covered with sheet metal.  The sheet metal is quite thin and is an integral part of the structural stability of the building.  You can quite  easily rock & shake the entire I-beam structure before the skin is installed.

Anyway, my first cab (classic Robotron copy) made from 3/4" plywood weighs in the 300-400 lb range.  My second cab (Mortal Kombat design) from 2x4 framing and 1/2" plywood weighs less than the first cab, but I can't weigh it since I gave it to my friend.  Well, he did donate the computer and bought all the controls.  My 3rd cab is complete (2x4 framing & bent 1/2" plywood) except that I am saving up for the 27" TV and the really cool but highly priced laminate I want to cover it with.  With my 17" pc monitor the total weight of this cab is 120 lbs.

Wade:

--- Quote from: paigeoliver on August 21, 2004, 05:44:31 pm ---
--- Quote from: JustMichael on August 21, 2004, 05:33:55 pm ---
Almost all cabinets I have seen are made from MDF.  3/4" provides a nice strong shell.  Remember arcade cabinets are built to take abuse.


--- End quote ---

That would be almost all scratchbuilt cabinets. I have owned well over 100 factory made arcade cabinets and not a single one of them was made out of MDF. In fact I am still unaware of an MDF cabinet ever being made by a real arcade manufacturer, unless Dynamo uses MDF now?

--- End quote ---

Every real Galaga I've seen has been MDF.  They actually don't hold up very well but it is because of the way they attached the pieces together.  The MDF itself has actually held up really well on both cabinets I saw just recently.

I think most people use 3/4" just because that is what more original games are made from.  There's no reason why you couldn't make a strong cabinet out of thinner wood, it's all in the design.

Wade

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