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Show me cab door solutions.

I am building a cab, and there are no pre-fit doors that fit, or would be light tight. Here I am, asking what you'd do to make this have a door.



I was thinking i'd just cut a piece of plywood and use dowels to locate the door into place. Stealth isn't a concern, so it doesn't have to look like a cab door.

But, What have ya'll done for cab doors? I know most people probably just repurpose an actual cab, but lets see ya'lls creativity.
 

Jellyfish

Invertebrata Inebriata
Veteran
I would do it in two layers. First, hang a piece of black plastic from the top of the door opening that you can roll up to access the inside. It doesn't have to attach to anything on the bottom, but that alone will block 80-90% of the light.

Then make a second layer with something solid. Could be a piece of plywood. Let me ask you this about your box- is it going to have an intake and exhaust fan? If so, you can take advantage of the suction created by the exhaust fan to help hold your door in place.

I like some stuff, it's like corrugated cardboard only it's plastic. It comes in white, but it can be painted black to block light, and it's no heavier than corrugated cardboard.
Cut a piece to size, and use some of the corrugated plastic to make a frame around the door. Make it so that when your corrugated plastic door meets the four-sided 'frame' you made, the suction will hold it tight in place. Then you could put a third layer over that, like a cut out piece of insulation to cut down on sounds.

Hope that makes sense, and hope it helps. Poke around in the forums under grow room designs, you'll get lots of ideas.
 

aridbud

automeister
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Had a furniture guy (neighbor) build me an indoor cabinet - looked like a nice piece of furniture, lined with silver foam sheet insulation, 2 large CPU fans in the back w/ carbon filters using 4 dual 2 ft. T5's- and floor space enough for 6 auto plants in 2.5 gallon containers.

It had black foam strips around the cabinet door. No light leaks. Door was flush with outside and had three table leaf latches (Google for pics)...worked wonderfully for 6-7 years.

At one time I had pics but don't have em now. Looks like you have a great start! Good luck!
 
I like some stuff, it's like corrugated cardboard only it's plastic. It comes in white, but it can be painted black to block light, and it's no heavier than corrugated cardboard.

THIS! I forgot all about that stuff. Wonder if the local box store has it. It'd be perfect!

Thanks!
 
In the new house I may hire a good furniture builder to build a bunch of "Workshop cabinets" Lol. I know all about them leaf latches too. Good ideas, Thanks!
 

Jellyfish

Invertebrata Inebriata
Veteran
THIS! I forgot all about that stuff. Wonder if the local box store has it. It'd be perfect!

Thanks!

That's where I bought mine. The brand name is Coroplast.
coroplast-corrugated-plastic-sheets-cp4896s-64_1000.jpg
 

aridbud

automeister
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Probably...neodymium magnets as long as not excessively exposed to water/moisture. Read where they can corrode....but really, you'd have to have humidity high and consistently (or if on bottom of cabinet door, flooding might make it corrode.
 
I'm using kilz primer+paint in one, base 3, color true black.
Got it at Walmart,
It was like 10 bucks. I'll be honest thought I kind of wish I would have bought some plastic Fusion paint (rattle cans, I think kryolan or rustolem makes it) because one coat isn't blocking all the light. I painted the inside surface with flat white (same as cab) and tomorrow I'll see how much it helped. If another coat on the black side doesn't finish the coverage I'll go buy some high build primer from the auto parts place lol
 
2 coats of black and it's still leaking light through the plastic door lol. I'm either going to HVAC tape it, or get a couple cans of "Stick to anything omg etching action" spray paint and paint in the dark lol.
picture.php
 

aridbud

automeister
ICMag Donor
Veteran
You can always add satin/clear polyurethane (spray or brush on) for that "furniture look"....or keep it rustic.

What's inside it is the make or break time! Nice if you can alter if it's not suitable or the optimum inside the cab. I added another light another 7" CPU fan....'twas an excellent investment!

Looks great!
 
Well, I was thinking of lining one side with the hvac tape, as no light gets through that. but i'm worried about it making hot spots from the reflections of the light inside. I could always hvac tape, then paint it flat white... but that seems like a lot of freakin tape and i'm not sure i have that much left on my roll. The darker spot of black in my pic is where I used some spray paint in a spot to test coverage, and sure enough its solid and light blocking. I'll probably just grab a couple cans of black and spray the outside. :)
 
Flat white paint works wonders, too (inside).

Did that. I've come to realize that Kilz latex paint just sucks for painting polycarbonate.

I just found some enamel (oil based) paint I used to paint a shelf with, and whadda know, took care of most, if not all of my light leaks. considering I just want to keep light out, and the intensity of the light inside versus what would be shining on the cab itself, I'm calling this a win.
 

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