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Construction Pictures

     I didn't take many pictures during construction, but there are a few.  Here they are:

Unpainted Cabinet and Unfinished Control Panel:

Control Panel (Before):

Control Panel (After):

Control Panel Cardboard Layout:

Joystick and Button Layout Template:

Joystick and Button Layout Template (No Hardware):

Original Control Panel Paper Layout:

     I experimented with a bunch of different layouts for the control panel before I finalized the design.  The design I used is 100% unique.  Accounting for wiring and fastening positions was key.

Work Table (Right as I Began):

Work Table (In the Middle of Things):

Cardboard Monitor Template:

     The above effort is the result of me being impatient.  DON'T DO IT.  This mockup monitor wasn't even close to the real thing.  Design your cabinet around your monitor AFTER you've received it.  Fortunately I didn't use the box above for much of anything, so no problems resulted.

New Buttons:

T-Molding Bit:

     Cutting a groove for t-molding requires a wood router and a t-molding bit (pictured above).  That bit assembly is sold in two different pieces.  The round yellow cutter and the ball-bearing steel shaft are sold separately.  There's a bolt hidden underneath which lets you take the assembly apart.  It took me two months to find this bit.  The Woodworkers Warehouse had them, but they went out of business in December of 2003.  Don't expect to find these at Home Depot; only specialty wood shops carry these bits.  Home Depot does carry other router bits, but not this one.  FYI it's a carbide tipped bit.

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