light proofing suggestions?

[stihgnobevoli]

help me light proof this cabinet, just around the doors.
ive tried everything from caulk to weatherstripping. no matter what theres always light leaks around the doors. the weather stripping fllas apart and eventually comes off from the friction, the caulk makes the doors hard to close and that too eventually falls apart and comes off, in the parts where it doesnt just fall off theres light leaks because it doesnt go back to a tight seal after you close the doors.

so please, im sure im not the first person to grow in a box like this with swinging doors hinged on the inside with rods.

 

[Jellyfish]

Try this thread-

How to light proof 2 door cab with HINGES ON THE INSIDE!

 

[DieselsMMK]

Weather stripping works best for me. Make sure you get the right thickness, and compression.

 

[BLUNToPOTomuss]

Simple! drape a thick sheet/comforter and let it hang over the doors.

 

[Batboy]

I am getting terrific lightproof results using weatherstripping with my cab, and I have full inset doors just like you. I have found that you have to be flexible with the type of weatherstripping you use -- I personally use 3 different kinds depending on the specific use. Also, size does matter, going up or down 1/8mm makes a huge difference.

See this site from a popular weatherstripping manufacturer: http://www.frostking.com/windoorweather.php

On the inner sides of the cab where they meet the hinged sides of the door, I use EPDM rubber. On the tops, bottoms and middle (where the doors meet), I use open cell foam. Then, IMO the hardest part getting just right, I nailed long, small pieces of wood to the top and bottom of the inside of the cab to act as door stops. I used thicker (can't find a pic) rubber weatherstripping and then rigged up some magnets to, in essence, suck the doors into the doorstop weatherstripping. Viola, light proofed doors.

I can see that some of the foam weatherstripping will need to be replaced due to wear and tear over time, but the stuff is really quite cheap. Plus, I have found that opening and closing the doors very slowly will slow down wear. To my surprise, I am having a harder time lightproofing the 6 inch passive intakes at the back of my cab than I did the doors.

Hope that helps.

 

[Ms_Weekend]

you still got a big hole on the top left? maybe that would help

 

[GeneticHeirloom]

you still got a big hole on the top left? maybe that would help

there's a Computer fan there

 

[ScrubNinja]

I would try the rubber weatherstripping. The same thing has happened on my cab and I was going to apply it soon. I used it where the doors meet each other already and it's really good stuff.

 

[stihgnobevoli]

you still got a big hole on the top left? maybe that would help

that made me laugh.
thats an exhaust fan, i have a carbon scrubber that goes over that. i got the spot were the 2 doors meet solved a long while ago. i put some weather stripping on one of the doors and taped it on the inside. the top and bottom are fine with the caulk. its just the side edges where the doors are hinged im having issue with. the caulk and weather stripping either peel, wear and fall off. im gonna try the rubber tubing idea in that other thread, i was actually gonna do that before but i forgot and ive since lost the inner tube i had planed to use. im gonna use tape for now, but i think the doorstop idea might work. putting a strip of wood behind the door at the hinge part. but i fear that wont work either because of the way the corners of the doors move once opened compared to closed.

if they start here closed |-[]| they end up here opened |[]| the dash is the gap behind where the door is. if i place a piece of wood there the doors wont open, and the light will prolly leak around it if i move it back enough to accommodate the swing of the doors.

i was brainstorming last night and another idea is to use mylar on the inside of the cab which im going to do anyway for light maximization. but i usually cut to fit the panels. this time im going to overlap from the inside of the door to the inside side wall. this way it will hopefully block the light from going through as well as increase reflectivity. its all white inside so it prolly wont bring up reflectivity too much but at least i hope it will stop light leaking.