I am all for DIY projects, especially with wood stuff.
What are you estimating you materials cost will be?
Cost of travel to work space and use of tools, etc..?
Plus cost of your time doing this?
If it ends up being close to you getting a cab, get the cab first, build this enclosure at later time.
Derick2k,
Thanks for the advice and encouragement. I agree the foundation you provided would be better. There's for sure some more seemingly negligible things, that would improve this design/project.
I have built things out of wood before, but nothing of fine craftsmen ship or home use. I've built skate ramps, skate boxes, mailbox edger, ramp to a mini barn, saw horses. I am also in the middle of a life long project to carve an entire chess set out of wood by hand with just one knife. I have completed 5 pieces in the last 3 years, but they look good and I got a long life to complete it.
MATERIAL:
MVP - I would estimate $90-$100. It's roughly $3 a foot, woodglue and hardware plus tax.
Utopian cab - $200+. Wheels, paint, mdf, shelving, otherhardware.
TRAVEL/TOOL:
Library - $FREE - my local library has space and tools for free, I also have friends, who have built beer-pong/beer-dice tables, green house, and other basic items in their yard.
Campus Shop - I think fees for semester were something like $200, but you get the best tools, and access to the wealth of knowledge from the woodshop junkies.
TIME:
Time to travel to workspace, getting tools, and working on this project are pretty negligible.
I go by library almost everyday. And like I said I have no deadline, I am enjoying the process, so time whatever time that goes into is fun time well spent.
Hunting for a cab on boards, potentially driving to vegas or SoCal to get it, fixing up and working on a candy, are also all huge time eats, so the "this project is going to take a lot of time and patience, just get a candy" argument is a little lost on me, "just getting a candy" also takes time and patience. I have lots of both, but I think that is required of an Arcade junkie whether they work with wood or not.