fixing corners

[ptpeter]

hey guys,

                   I have two cabs, tempest and nintendo r-type. The cabs are in great shape except two corners (one on each) are either broken off or one side of the routed (t molding slit) is broken off. Whats the best way to fix these types of problems? My friends dad told me bondo, but that shits kind of expensive. Any help would be awesome.

Happy New Year, Peter

[ScottS]

I probably wouldn't recommend Bondo for anything that was going to be structural, like a corner, but I will point out that it's only $9 per quart from Amazon. If you can't afford that, you probably won't like any of the other options....

[ptpeter]

for the amount of space it fixes is not worth it though. Thats what I'm talking about. I'm open to other ideas.

[ScottS]

If you don't like paying $9 for Bondo, you probably won't like the way I'd do it: cut off the broken corners, then make a new piece of wood that's an exact match. I'd route groves in the cabinet and the replacement piece. I'd insert splines in the grooves, glue and clamp the whole thing to the cabinet, as well as screwing through the replacement piece into the sides of the cabinet. Chances are you won't get everything perfectly aligned, so I'd then cover the joints with Bondo and sand the whole area smooth. Finally, I'd buy custom-matched paint and repaint the affected area.

[steveh]

if you are going to do it do it right.  Dont skimp on costs you will be sorry later.

[nostrebor]

There is no cheaper solution than $9 worth of bondo... maybe you could just live with the broken corners? That would be less than $9.

[cnlmoore]

Bondo is a marvelous material when properly used.  Cutting the corner and replacing it is the best way to go, but only if you have the time and proper equipment.  You could just remove all the loose material on the corner and pin it for bondo.  You drill some holes and put dowel pins in with wood glue.  Once dry you can layer on bondo.  Don't pack on too much at one time or you'll end up with a mess of sanding.  Once its dry you can sand it, route or dremel a t molding slot.  Prime, paint, tmolding and you are done.  I don't consider a corner structural, as the levelers should hold the cab.  Using corners as structure is why they get damaged in the first place.  There are some fantastic tutorials with images on this site for replacing the damaged bottom section of a cab.  The same theory or technique applies.  Do some searching or PM me and I can forward some pics of what I've done.  Good luck.

[ScottS]

Using corners as structure is why they get damaged in the first place.

Unfortunately, that's just the reality of the situation. What's the first thing you do when you need to move a cabinet? Tip it onto a corner so you can put a dolly under it! At least that's the way it was with most of the cabs that were around when I was growing up. Which is why I'd use more than Bondo for this repair...

[xmenxmen]

Cheap solution here.  Assuming you don't care about the looks being perfect.

I had a cabinet (z back) that had one of it's corner fully damage.  Did like other and cut a new piece and cut off the old piece.  Bond the new piece together by a piece 1 x 2 wood (of course wood being inside of cab) and screw it securely.  Then just use wood puddy to fill in the gab (over fill it), then sand it down.  After some paint, it look just like new. 

Again, no recommend if you are going for the perfect looks.

[nostrebor]

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=49927.0

This tutorial shows how I fix broken corners and water damage on cabinets. I also prefer to not use Bondo in the corners because it breaks away if put under pressure. It is the "cheapest" way to repair the corners, but not the best way.