9 replies to this topic

[Blitz17]

Here are some blank cabinet plans. You fill in the dimensions as needed.

[Othello]

Here are some blank cabinet plans. You fill in the dimensions as needed.

Just eyeballing the diagram, a few awkward cuts there. Move the Backbox Bottom to top left corner and nudge Backbox Top to align right edge with Cabinet front/back/sides, then remaining pieces line up nicely on a single sheet.

[Blitz17]

Feel free to edit and repost. I used this to build a mini pin cab using pine boards, not larger sheets of plywood. Ultimately the dimensions you use will drive how many cuts you can get out of a full sheet though. I posted this to help others get a visual idea of the different board cuts they will need.

[Elprez]

Feel free to edit and repost. I used this to build a mini pin cab using pine boards, not larger sheets of plywood. Ultimately the dimensions you use will drive how many cuts you can get out of a full sheet though. I posted this to help others get a visual idea of the different board cuts they will need.

You used this to build a mini? Would you mind posting your cut dimensions and the size monitors you used. Also what kind of angle (approx) is that on the play field cut? Looks about 5-6 degrees. This is great help. I bought a used cab for my Mame machine last year and found out about this whole new world recently so I now have a new project.

[settingsons]

Feel free to edit and repost. I used this to build a mini pin cab using pine boards, not larger sheets of plywood. Ultimately the dimensions you use will drive how many cuts you can get out of a full sheet though. I posted this to help others get a visual idea of the different board cuts they will need.

You used this to build a mini? Would you mind posting your cut dimensions and the size monitors you used. Also what kind of angle (approx) is that on the play field cut? Looks about 5-6 degrees. This is great help. I bought a used cab for my Mame machine last year and found out about this whole new world recently so I now have a new project.

I second that - thanks Blitz those blank cab plans - they are dead handy for me too. I noticed you said you used pine sheets for your mini. Where I moved to recently to in the Geneva area of Switzerland/France I am really having trouble sourcing materials. I haven't found any plywood sheets as yet but lots of pine sheets in the DIY shops. They are about 64cm wide and 2.5m long, and 15mm thick. Do you think these would be robust/thick enough for a full-size cabinet with a 42" television. Are there any advantages in using plywood?

[magnox]

It would certainly be possible to build a full-sized cabinet out of pine but, certainly in the UK, it would be very expensive. You'd need to build it from kiln-dried wood and that's not something you'd get from a normal DIY place here. We would have to go to a specialist timber merchant, but things may be different where you are. If you use any old pine, it will almost certainly warp and crack after construction on something that big. Is it strong enough ? Almost certainly, but it is still a soft wood and much easier to damage during construction or when moving the cab around for example. However... a pine cab finished in an antique oil or french polished would look fabulous!

Plywood is cheaper and stronger, and will not be subject to warping, cracking, shrinking or stretching unless you place it in the most extreme environments.

I'm building mine using MDF (or particle board as our friends across the Atlantic know it). Pros - cheap, very strong, readily available and you could place your cab in front of an open fire and nothing would happen to it. It is also much easier to sand, paint and finish to a high standard compared to woods. Cons - it is very, very heavy. I mean really heavy.

Fortunately, those sheets you can get will just cover the largest cuts, i.e., the side panels without having to do any biscuit-jointing or any other nasty bonding.

[Blitz17]

Here are my cut demiensions.



I used a 23 inch Samsung for the playfield and a 19 inch (4X3) Acer for the backglass. The monitors sizes are also listed in the image. You can see more pics and my progression of the cab build here: http://www.vpforums....showtopic=11708

Settingsons, I think those sizes of pine sheets would be fine. Are they pine sheets like plywood is sheets or are they pine boards (solid wood)? I have not worked with pine sheets if there is such a thing. I found using the pine boards to be easier than working with plywood. It cuts and sands easier than plywood. It won't chip or shred on the edges like plywood either. It's also lighter than plywood. Dis-advantage would be that it cost a little more. But not that much more where I am. I think most use plywood or the MDF because of the size of their cab. I could not get big enough pine boards to build a full size cab. At least not at my local hardware store. I imagine I might be able to from a lumber yard but then the cost would probably be a lot more than the plywood of equal size. But if that is what you have access to I say go for it. Working with pine wood is as easy as it gets. Very soft wood.

Edited by Blitz17, 11 February 2011 - 12:26 AM.

[settingsons]

Thanks Blitz17 and magnox for the advice. I called them pine sheets but I suppose they are boards, although two foot wide. I am also originally from the UK as well and I never saw such big boards before over there, but here they seem to be everywhere, but plywood I still have yet to find (it is a bit like learning to walk again moving to a new place ). I am not sure if the pine is kiln-dried although they look really good quality and are only about 15 euros each (for this area that is cheap).

The lightness of the pine and ease to work with is quite appealing, although the robustness of the ply (if I can find it!) seems wise. My carpentry skills are very basic so think I might tackle the backbox first in pine to get some practice in, and try to locate some ply for the cabinet (as it is going to be large). My other limitations are I only have a few tools here so need to get some more. I have a jigsaw, handsaw, and a decent electric screwdriver and drill.

Could just check one more thing - how do you make those perfect holes for a speaker and dmd in the front of the backglass box? I have woodglue, long steel-rule, and need to get G-clamps, etc. Also if you can advise any other essential electric tools, etc. then that would be a big help.

Many thanks again,

Vic

[Blitz17]

I did run across pine boards that were warped in the store. Make sure you review each board and get straight ones. But once you construct the cabinet I would not worry too much about the wood warping. Just slap some primer and paint on it. I am not an experienced carpenter either though so I am speaking from my experience of building my mini cab only.

Basic tools I used were:

Jig Saw
Circular Saw
Power Sander
Drill (doubles as power screwdriver)
Router

Other tools:

Chisel
Files
Wood Glue
Wood Fill
Screws
C-clamps
Box clamp (very handy http://www.homedepot...catalogId=10053)

I did not have to cut any holes where the cuts would be visible. Only the speaker holes which I covered the cuts with the speaker covers. I used the router to cut slots for my playfield and backbox glass as well as for the slots for the t-molding I used. You may not have a need for the router depending on how you decide to build your cab. Most cab builders do not use t-molding and attached plastic glass slots to the wood. But you can use it to route the edges of your holes and DMD opening to make them look real nice. I found a friend that has all of these tools which I borrowed. The router and router bits are not cheap.

[settingsons]

I did run across pine boards that were warped in the store. Make sure you review each board and get straight ones. But once you construct the cabinet I would not worry too much about the wood warping. Just slap some primer and paint on it. I am not an experienced carpenter either though so I am speaking from my experience of building my mini cab only.

Basic tools I used were:

Jig Saw
Circular Saw
Power Sander
Drill (doubles as power screwdriver)
Router

Other tools:

Chisel
Files
Wood Glue
Wood Fill
Screws
C-clamps
Box clamp (very handy http://www.homedepot...catalogId=10053)

I did not have to cut any holes where the cuts would be visible. Only the speaker holes which I covered the cuts with the speaker covers. I used the router to cut slots for my playfield and backbox glass as well as for the slots for the t-molding I used. You may not have a need for the router depending on how you decide to build your cab. Most cab builders do not use t-molding and attached plastic glass slots to the wood. But you can use it to route the edges of your holes and DMD opening to make them look real nice. I found a friend that has all of these tools which I borrowed. The router and router bits are not cheap.

Once again a big help thanks. I was wondering how those nice DMD openings were done, so I will check out the price of a router tomorrow, and will pick up some other stuff.

EDIT: Just checked out the box clamp. That is an absolutely must so will try to get one of those!

Edited by settingsons, 11 February 2011 - 10:02 PM.