My cab

[shmokes]

Well . . . it's been a LONG time.  I started this cab years ago, but then I got ---my bottom--- into school.  I was working full time and going to school full time and just never seemed to find the time.  Then my wife got prego (planned) and that ate up even more.  But I buckled down a few weeks ago and have been hitting it hard and the end is finally in sight.  I was hoping to have it finished before school started again on Monday.  It'll be close, but I don't think I'll manage it.

At any rate, here's my project announcement.  7000 posts in and I'm finally going to have my very own arcade controls.  I'm not nearly as good as I should be about documenting everything as I go, but pictures are forthcoming.  There are a few experiments that I'm still working on and hoping they turn out.  I have no woodworking skills, so I rarely do things correctly.  I do them carefully instead and for the most part things tend to take a REALLY long time, but usually turn out reasonably well.  Sometimes it takes a try or two.  That's all for now.  Pictures soon.  I promise.

I don't know if he's still around, but I owe a big thanks to 1up.  I couldn't have done it without him.   

[ark_ader]

It doesn't matter when you build your cab.  You do it when you are ready, when you feel the need to get it off paper and onto the workbench.

If time is against you you could go modular.  Build your pieces in Ikea style, so if you make a mistake you don't have to start all over again.

I was real crap at woodworking when I first started, and my early creations were truly hideous, but you get better with experience.  If you are working with MDF, I suggest getting your local DIY store to cut the big pieces.  MDF is a messy product to work with.

So is it going to be a big cabinet, or a cool bartop?

Keep us posted!   

[shmokes]

It's a full sizer.  In spite of my inexperience, I'm quite proud of the way it's turning out.  It won't have the fit and finish of one of Mountain's creations, but I wouldn't describe it as hideous by any stretch of the imagination  .  And what, besides Mountain's creations, have the fit and finish of Mountain's creations?   

I believe that it will have a couple of noteworthy features, though.  I'm still ironing out the wrinkles, but I'm pretty optimistic that everything is going to come out.

[Hemi]

You say you have no wood-working skills but yet you are starting a project made mostly of wood? Okay, good luck with that and I hope it works out for you.   

[mountain]

I am sure you have picked up many good tips considering the amount of time you have logged here. I am looking forward seeing your "creation" 

[shmokes]

Oh yes.  I've picked up many good tips.  Most importantly, I have been introduced to the router and pattern bits.  I've actually never used anything but straight bits in it so far (including flush trim and pattern/template bits), but it makes me swoon.  The router is the greatest tool on the planet.  Any time I need anything the slightest bit odd done I always seem to think of a way I can accomplish it with the router.  It's just so versatile.

Speaking of tips for the router, how did you get that perfect bevel around your subwoofer holes in the bottom of your cab?  Did you just use a circle jig and a big chamfer bit?  It's just so perfect that there's simply no way that you could have free-handed it or used a saw of some kind.

You say you have no wood-working skills but yet you are starting a project made mostly of wood? Okay, good luck with that and I hope it works out for you.   

It's working out quite well, actually.  Like I say, I just read how to do something and then I'm very careful.  I don't get the ease and speed that only come with experience, but so long as I am very meticulous and measure 10 times, cut once, things have been turning out quite well.  I have a helluva time making squares.  My panels always seem to be slightly off, and then I shave it down a little and it ends up being off on the other side, so I shave that down and it ends up being off on the first side.  I'm terrible at it, but i just keep it up until it's good.  At this point things are coming together and if you didn't know any better you'd think that I do have woodworking skills. 

Seriously, the project I undertook is far more ambitious than anything someone with no previous woodworking experience has any business getting involved in.  But you just keep at it and go slowly and figure things out and ask questions and think a lot.  If you don't know how to do something with math, you just eyeball it and then spend a couple hours sanding until it works.     No reason to let ignorance stop you from getting what you want.   

[mountain]

Speaking of tips for the router, how did you get that perfect bevel around your subwoofer holes in the bottom of your cab?  Did you just use a circle jig and a big chamfer bit?  It's just so perfect that there's simply no way that you could have free-handed it or used a saw of some kind.

You guessed it. The only freehand cutting was where I joined the two holes. I used a 3/4" 45 degree champfer bit after it was sanded smooth.

Now, post some pictures already. 

[shmokes]

Now, post some pictures already. 

Okay . . . there's still quite a bit left to do, and I want to get the monitor mounted before I get a shot of the whole cab in its current state.  So I'll begin with the base.  The base is actually complete, but the mechanism it was designed for is not.  I'm still trying to locate the perfect machine screws for the project, which is proving to be tricky.  Anyway, I wanted to have a brake/gas pedal from a 270 degree wheel hidden inside the base of the cabinet, with a door on a barrister hinge that would swivel open along the top edge and then slide back into the cabinet.  You most commonly see barrister hinges on bookshelves with glass doors covering each shelf.  Here's a drawing of what I wanted to accomplish.

[shmokes]

I found this barrister hinge at Rockler.com which looks like it will do the trick.  I used an existing set of plans for my cabinet, but I had to modify the base extensively to make it accommodate the racing pedals.  Not only did it have to be taller, but I actually want the pedals to be mounted inside the base and slide out on drawer rails, so I had to build something to attach the rails to.  Here's what I came up with.

[shmokes]

I made a platform that the gas/brake pedal unit will mount to.  As you can see in the picture, the unit will sit right between the front, swivel casters in the base of the arcade cabinet.  The curved part of the platform is where the pedal unit will be mounted.  Behind that will be two 2x4s running the length of the platform on either side, on which the drawer slides will be affixed.  The platform you see there is made of 1/8" masonite, but I took it into a machine shop and had a duplicate made out of 1/8" diamond plate, so it's very sturdy.  In addition to being mounted on a heavy duty drawer slide, the whole platform will ride on magic sliders similar to these.  When a person is standing on the pedals, I don't intend for the drawer slides to bear much load.  The unit will sit on the floor, but just use the drawer slide to guide it smoothly in and out of its hiding place under the cab.

[shmokes]

Built up some legs for the front casters to mount to, and mounted some non-swiveling cabinet wheels in the back.  Voila.  There's my base.  Like I said, I have all the pieces, but haven't mounted the pedals or drawer slides, so if anyone has ideas to make it better, or if you see something that might be a problem let me know. 

Oh yeah . . . the cable that connects the pedals to the steering wheel is too short and must be cut.  I've never spliced wires before like this.  It's a pain in the ass.  For various reasons that I will get into later, I want a very clean splice; I don't want to use wire nuts.  So I'm trying to individually work each pair of wires together, solder it, then cover it with liquid electrical tape.  It is a long, messy, tedious process.  Surely there is an easier way.  FWIW, I'm splicing it with an ethernet patch cable.

That's it for tonight.  It's after 1 in the morning and I hardly got any sleep last night.  I'll try and give you a side-panel update soon.

[jban4us]

Are you not able to get some heat shrink tubing on there for some reason? It is about 2 or 3 dollars for a 3 foot piece, you can shrink it with a hairdryer if you don't have a heat gun, and it will probably be a lot faster and cleaner looking than the liquid stuff. Or if you have a nice crimping tool you could use butt connectors, although it would make the joint bigger.

[shmokes]

I was going to use heat shrink over the whole cable, but I don't have any small enough for the 24 gauge wires inside the cable.  Maybe I should pick some up.  That would probably make my life a lot easier.  I wonder if Ace would have it, or if I'd have to find it at an electronics store.  I suppose there's Home Depot, too, but that's not very conveniently located.

[mountain]

I was going to use heat shrink over the whole cable, but I don't have any small enough for the 24 gauge wires inside the cable.  Maybe I should pick some up.  That would probably make my life a lot easier.  I wonder if Ace would have it, or if I'd have to find it at an electronics store.  I suppose there's Home Depot, too, but that's not very conveniently located.

Lowes has a variety pack in the electrical tools section which includes 1/16" heat shrink.

[Hemi]

If you seem to have a problem making straight cuts, at least measure it (if you're confident in your measuring) and take the measurements to Lowes or Home Depot and have them cut it all for you. I would imagine they would be able to get it straight for you.

[shmokes]

What, I can just take a sheet of MDF to Home Depot (or buy one) and say, "I need the following rectangles cut out of this:  26 1/2"x18", 26 1/2"x13", 26 1/2"x21" . . .," and they'll cut it out for me??? 

[mountain]

What, I can just take a sheet of MDF to Home Depot (or buy one) and say, "I need the following rectangles cut out of this:  26 1/2"x18", 26 1/2"x13", 26 1/2"x21" . . .," and they'll cut it out for me??? 

Sometimes, for a phenomenal fee. 

I think the service is mainly for cutting down 4x8 sheets to a more manageable size.

[patrickl]

I tried to have plywood sheets cut down to size, but indeed only to make it more manageable. The cuts were horrible and not really accurate enough to be used straight  away.

Maybe Home Depot does it more precise though (and with less splintering).

[bishmasterb]

I've always got very "approximate" measuring when I have wood cut at Lowes or HD. I don't really think they're in the business of providing accurate cuts. Perhaps if you hand the guy a few bucks and let him know that you need precise measurements?

[Hemi]

What, I can just take a sheet of MDF to Home Depot (or buy one) and say, "I need the following rectangles cut out of this:  26 1/2"x18", 26 1/2"x13", 26 1/2"x21" . . .," and they'll cut it out for me??? 

If you know how to talk to people properly and they have a saw and something to measure with, then yes.

[shmokes]

If you know how to talk to people properly and they have a saw and something to measure with, then yes.

I don't mean to be rude, but I think that you're full of ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- and have never done this.  I mean, I'm sure it's possible if you're at a Home Depot in a small town and happen to be talking to someone who actually knows what he's doing (I suspect that the average Home Depot employee is no better at cutting squares than I am), you might be able to talk your way into something like this.  But I think 99% of the time, no matter how smooth or sweet you are, you are not going to get someone to cut out all your panels for you all perfectly square-like.

Maybe I'm just cynical . . .

[ivwshane]

If you know how to talk to people properly and they have a saw and something to measure with, then yes.

I don't mean to be rude, but I think that you're full of ---Cleveland steamer--- and have never done this.  I mean, I'm sure it's possible if you're at a Home Depot in a small town and happen to be talking to someone who actually knows what he's doing (I suspect that the average Home Depot employee is no better at cutting squares than I am), you might be able to talk your way into something like this.  But I think 99% of the time, no matter how smooth or sweet you are, you are not going to get someone to cut out all your panels for you all perfectly square-like.

Maybe I'm just cynical . . .

I remember one time I went to home depot and had them cut a panel for me, I was never so scared in my life that the guy cutting the panel was going to hurt himself! With the first cut the board kicked back and flew off the jig!

[bishmasterb]

I don't mean to be rude, but I think that you're full of ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- and have never done this.  I mean, I'm sure it's possible if you're at a Home Depot in a small town and happen to be talking to someone who actually knows what he's doing (I suspect that the average Home Depot employee is no better at cutting squares than I am), you might be able to talk your way into something like this.  But I think 99% of the time, no matter how smooth or sweet you are, you are not going to get someone to cut out all your panels for you all perfectly square-like.

Maybe I'm just cynical . . .

I think all HDs and Lowes will do this, and cut pieces to spec. The problem is that the upright saw they use requires them to measure each cut individually (someone correct me if I'm wrong) because it doesn't have a fence (or they don't use it).

So even if they make careful measurements, each cut is going to be slightly off. Add to this the fact that the employee is typically making rough cuts, not finish cuts (so people can get stuff in their car, or tack up wallboard or something similar which doesn't require precision).

I bought from a specialty sheet-board shop when I lived in CA and they had a large tablesaw and fence setup, and would carefully measure and then cut all the like-sized cuts with the same fence setting.

I just don't think you'll get that precision from HD or Lowes.

---------------

BTW, for cutting sheet wood this is the most useful tool ever:

[Hemi]

I don't mean to be rude, but I think that you're full of ---Cleveland steamer---

That seems like a comment I would have gotten banned for, but I guess you've been here too long for the rules to apply to you. I actually don't mind this sort of talk since we are all adults, but I have to expect that when I say something somewhat questionable for it to be overlooked as well.

[shmokes]

The moderators have been searching for a graceful solution to me for years.   

[Zakk]

The HD here has "wall saws" which will make pretty accurate, straight cuts.  They will do one or 2 cuts for free, and the rest for $2  cut (actually I've never been charged for extra cuts).

I did a couple of cocktail cabinets and they did the ply perfectly.  Pretty neat setup actually, I wish I had one.

[shmokes]

Hmmm . . . I'd have gone for $2 per cut in a heartbeat.  It would have saved me a ton of money.  And considering how much less scrap wood I would have produced it probably wouldn't have cost me anything either.
It looks like maybe I was being too cynical.  Sorry Hemi.   


Edit:  Heh . . . that doesn't even make sense.  I meant to say that "it would have saved me a ton of time."

[saint]

Shmokes was tactful albeit strong languaged. This is not a democracy. I will moderate this forum as I see fit.

I don't mean to be rude, but I think that you're full of ---Cleveland steamer---

That seems like a comment I would have gotten banned for, but I guess you've been here too long for the rules to apply to you. I actually don't mind this sort of talk since we are all adults, but I have to expect that when I say something somewhat questionable for it to be overlooked as well.

[whammoed]

For plywood cuts: The panel saws HomeDepot and Lowes use are great for rips, but on crosscuts, it tends to chip out because they are using a general use blade.   It's better to do the cross cuts with a router or fine tooth blade.

[massive88]

The HD here has "wall saws" which will make pretty accurate, straight cuts.  They will do one or 2 cuts for free, and the rest for $2  cut (actually I've never been charged for extra cuts).

I did a couple of cocktail cabinets and they did the ply perfectly.  Pretty neat setup actually, I wish I had one.

I have brought a list of cuts to make out of big sheets at HD before, and they accomodated.

The accuracy is as good as the man making the cuts.  If you get involved with him, and hes a nice enough guy, you can get very accurate cuts.  They have measurements down the bottom of the board.  One guy that helped me, I told him how to rotate the boards to make my cuts all be on one side etc, and was very helpful. 

I have also never been charged full price for my cuts.  I once did get charged some extra, but I had like 10 cuts done, and got charged for like 4 I think.

So far Ive only done MDF there though, dunno how well they work on ply.

[Hemi]

The moderators have been searching for a graceful solution to me for years.   

Look at you, arrogant, cocky, knowing you can get away with pretty much anything you like without having to deal with anyone telling you to calm down. Hell, the site owner just came in and let us know what you did was okay with him, but me calling a guy an SOB spelled out (SOB, not even the full effect of spelling out the words) in another thread took the owner exactly 20 seconds to come rushing in to tell me I may not be here long enough if I do not act better. Pfft!

Good luck with your project, man.

[shmokes]

Look at you, arrogant, cocky . . .

I know . . . it's something else, isn't it?  The world is a crazy place.





p.s. Subtlety is your friend.  There is a difference between calling someone a ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---, and suggesting that someone is full of ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---.  Additionally, there's more to language than words.  For example, I might see someone's cab that I really like and say, "Where did you develop such incredible woodworking skills you son of a ---smurfette---?"  That would not even get a second glance from a moderator.  There are things like tone and context that are at least as important as the words themselves.

Plus, I've been here too long for the rules to apply to me.  I can get away with pretty much anything I like without having to deal with anyone telling me to calm down.  What can I say?

[Hemi]

p.s. Subtlety is your friend.  There is a difference between calling someone a ---Cleveland steamer---, and suggesting that someone is full of ---Cleveland steamer---.  Additionally, there's more to language than words.  For example, I might see someone's cab that I really like and say, "Where did you develop such incredible woodworking skills you son of a ---smurf---?"  That would not even get a second glance from a moderator.  There are things like tone and context that are at least as important as the words themselves.

Thanks for that lesson. I will try to work around the rules in the future and find as many loopholes as I can to make it seem like my attitude is a good one when it's really not. Thanks! 

[shmokes]

[sarcasm]

You're off to a good start.

[/sarcasm]

[ark_ader]

Gee Shmokes should I enter this thread with all this muck flying?

Hemi:  Shmokes is BYOC institutionalized, you cannot change a person who has been in here for so long. 

Shmokes:  Home Depot is pretty much cut and run, and like the others said, the cutting machine is vertical and basic.  I would use them to just cut straight slightly outside the marked areas so you can sand it later.

Is there no woodworking experts close to you that can make the necessary cuts, like cabinet makers or joiners, for a price make the cuts as a package?

My local DIY mom and pop store offers this type of work, so I do not get any breathing problems from the MDF. 

I like what I see so far.

Keep going Shmokes I want to see a finished project from you sometime soon. 

[shmokes]

An update is coming soon.  Maybe Sunday.  The project is really quite close to completion.  Unfortunately, school just started, so I'm back to having limited time.  But I just finished my last control panel, so I'll try to put that together tomorrow and have something big to show.

[patrickl]

Unfortunately, school just started

Are you using the pen?

[shmokes]

Using it so far to take notes.  Nothing more yet.  I haven't reviewed anything yet, or anything like that.

[pointdablame]

FWIW, the Home Depot near me says they will do cuts to spec, but I've yet to find someone there competent enough to do so.  I've tried twice with horrible results, but I will still have them cut very rough cuts to get the stuff in my car.  They can definitely make it more manageable, but it seems like my HD is not the place to go to for cuts to spec.

[Hemi]

Going to any place where they are idiots is generally not the place to go to no matter what you're looking to do. I generally would not say that one name brand of store is not worth going to because you found one idiot at one of the stores who was not smart enough to do what you needed.

[shmokes]

Hemi, Home Depot is an enormous, national chain that employs hundreds of thousands of people.  The vast majority of people working at a Home Depot have no special skills or interest in woodworking/home repair.  They're just regular joes.  I think that's the point.  If you go to a local cabinet shop or something like that, though, the quality and abilities of the workers there will be vastly superior to the average Home Depot worker.  Nobody said it's impossible to get someone great at Home Depot.  Your chances are just not very high.

[javeryh]

The last time I was at Home Depot the clerk got into a debate with me whether a J-Roller actually existed or if I just made it up in my head.  At that point it was time to leave.

[DaOld Man]

When dealing with Home Depot, I have found:
That it is best to check Loews first to make sure they dont have what I want.
If not, then I print out a picture of the thing I want from the home depot website, along with stock number.
Even then I sometimes have to find it myself.

[ChadTower]

Hemi, Home Depot is an enormous, national chain that employs hundreds of thousands of people.  The vast majority of people working at a Home Depot have no special skills or interest in woodworking/home repair.  They're just regular joes.  I think that's the point.  If you go to a local cabinet shop or something like that, though, the quality and abilities of the workers there will be vastly superior to the average Home Depot worker.  Nobody said it's impossible to get someone great at Home Depot.  Your chances are just not very high.

I'd be happy if I could get someone there that knew their own job properly.  They can't figure out how to process special orders properly... then you come in to get it and the customer service person can't find it in the system... then they send some guy to get it and he never comes back... then they try to make you pay for it before you leave even though they required you to pay for it when placing the order.  And yes, these are all things that have happened to me in the last month.

[shmokes]

Okay . . . I promised this last week, so I'd better at least give a mini-update.  I finished the gas/brake pedal unit today and I'm really happy with the way it turned out.  It interfaces perfectly with the cabinet base -- exactly how I imagined it. 

I think I mentioned that I had a shape cut out of diamond plate on which I mounted the gas/brake pedals and a couple of 2x4's.  The whole thing is on heavy-duty drawer slides so it can slide under the cab and hide-away when not in use.  Here it is without anything permanently mounted.  The 2x4's are most cut and shaped, but not painted yet.  Also, I left the piece of metal outside for a while after I moved to Florida.  I was used to living in the desert.  It started rusting pretty quickly.

[shmokes]

The rust was curable with a bit of cleaning and a fresh coat of paint.  It looks A LOT cooler now.  I also attached the 2x4's to the base piece with three big hex bolts in each.  I attached the pedals using the existing holes.  I just tracked down longer versions of the screws that originally held the base together.  I drilled holes through the metal base-plate I made to match the factory holes on the pedal unit, and just went right through into the pedal unit.  It's really sturdy.  I also ran the screws through some magic slider thingies, which makes the thing slide super easily, almost like it was on wheels.

[shmokes]

Here you can see the drawer slides installed, as well as its mate on the cabinet base.

[shmokes]

And the bottom of the unit, with the magic sliders.  As I mentioned, the odd pattern is a result of using the original screw holes on the pedal unit, which were already laid out in an odd pattern.

[shmokes]

And here it is hiding in the base.  If I take a picture from an angle that allows you to see the pedals, it looks like they are sticking out the front.  I took a top-down shot to show that they actually slide all the way in and are completely obscured inside the cabinet base.

[shmokes]

As you may have noticed from one or two of the pictures, I severed the cable that connects the pedals to the wheel.  I'm almost sure that it wasn't long enough, but regardless, it has a DB25 connector on the end, which is too large to route into my control panel because of my particular setup.  I'm thinking that I'll punch the gas/brake pedal cable down to a CAT 5e jack and mount it to the base, and crimp an RJ45 to the other end of the severed cable.  That way the pedal base will remain modular if I need to pull it out for any reason.

Well . . . that's all for tonight.  I know it's still the base, and I promised more, but I'm not quite ready for another big update.  I have been making lots of progress, though.  I routed the t-molding slots today, which means I should be able to get the side-panels laminated tomorrow.  It's a-comin' together.   

[patrickl]

Nice work. Love the pedal setup.