criteeker's Full Review: Accudart Premium Quality Solid Pine Dartboard Cabi...
Every game room, garage, pub and sprts bar should have an area set aside for darts. Whether you fancy steel tip or soft tips, it's not enough to just pop a dartboard on the wall. It takes a bit of planning.
Set aside a "safe area" for the darts to be thrown - this is especially true for steel tip darts. Be careful not to play darts near any doorway or opening that people might just walk through. Then put up some drywall or plywood that will act as a "catch-all" for people who miss the board and cabinet altogether. You know there's at least one in every crowd - especially if the alcohol is flowing. Accudart also makes a black foam dart backboard for simple dart setups.
When creating a background for a dart setup with a cabinet, note the size of the cabinet and allow ample space around the perimeter for errant dart tosses. This accudart cabinet measures 27" tall x 24" wide x 4.5" deep and weighs in at 21 pounds (including the board and darts). Other cabinets vary in both size and weight.
Next, mount your dart cabinet to the surface you've chosen. There's a metal bracket inside the cabinet to mount the dartboard. Make sure that the cabinet is mounted so that the opening of the metal bracket is exactly 5' 8" from the floor. This will, in turn, ensure that the center bulls-eye is the proper 5' 8". Then measure out 7' - 9 1/4" from the face of the board to the line of tape that you'll place on the floor to be the foul line or the line each player tosses from.
Expect to pay anywhere from $60 up to $250 (or more) for a dart cabinet depending on the materials used, the place you purchase it from and the quality of the darts and dartboard. I spent $89 for my Accudart cabinet. I like the finish and the fact that the doors have a groove routed in them. It adds another element of class. Also keep in mind that some cabinets are sold by themselves and that you must purchase a board separately. So make sure to ask before you buy. This Pine Accudart cabinet, however, comes with a common bristle board and two sets of basic darts. Yes, there are better quality boards and darts available.
If you're a serious dart enthusiast, you'll probably want to buy better darts than the ones that are included with this Accudart cabinet set. I recommend going to a local pub and trying the different weights of darts and see which weight works best for you. I prefer Hammer-head darts because they have spring-loaded tips so they're less likely to pop back (and fall to the ground) if striking the wire of the board. The spring causes the tip to retract (like a shock absorber) and then spring out again - in most cases ensuring the dart sticks into the board.
In every situation the use of a dartboard cabinet really says that you take your dart hobby seriously. Why? It's quite simple. The Accudart cabinet has a pair of dry erase score boards on the inside of each door. So when you're playing "Cricket" or "501", it just makes things easier. Underneath both dry erase scoreboards is a piece of wood with three holes in it - that keeps two sets of darts safe when not in use.
In my cabinet, I felt the need to mount dry erase markers as well. I did this by cutting a small 3/4" x 3/4" piece of wood. Next I drilled a pilot hole in each of the two caps of the markers. Then I simply drove a screw through the cap and into the wood so that the cap is securely fastened to the wood and pointing upward. Pushing the marker down into the cap keeps both markers in place and keeps them right where I need them.
Keep in mind that some cabinets come with chalk board scoreboards instead of the dry-erase scoreboards. I guess it's personal preference, but I really prefer the dry-erase much more than the dusty chalkboards.
Also have a plan for lighting. You'll need a good light source - single or double. I have used two lights above and slightly to each side - pointed at the center of the board. Currently, I'm using one bright halogen light mounted at 12 o'clock and pointed at the center. Both are good enough. I would hesitate using flourescent lighting or regular light bulbs. Halogen gives off the best light for the board and for the players to see.
Is Accudart the only game in town when it comes to dart cabinets? Certainly not. I like their craftsmanship and their reputation. Are they the best ones made? Perhaps not, but they are firmly in the upper middle level. You can find cabinets with a variety of logos on the front, but the simplicity of the wood really keeps it classy in my opinion. If you just have to have your favorite team on the front, it might just look sharp in a sports-themed game room or bar.
With regard to the dry eraser, you can either elect to just place it on the bottom shelf of the cabinet or you can do what I did. I used two small eye hooks and a piece of string. I screwed one eye hook into the hard edge of the eraser at one end. The other eye hook is screwed into the underside of the cabinet. Then attach the string to both hooks and you have a "leash" for the eraser that won't get walked off with or lost.
When not playing darts, the doors of the cabinet can be closed and it does a great job of hiding the clutter of all the stuff inside. The antique broze hinges are slef-closing and keep the doors closed. Other cabinets use common hinges and a large door magnet to keepo them closed. I don't like the magnets because it's one more thing for the darts to strike.
Accudart makes many darts, boards and accessories for steel and soft tip dart players. Shopping for dart equipment is as easy as the internet, sporting goods stores or you might be lucky enough to have a dart specialty store in your neighborhood. In my Southern California area, there's a store called Darts n' Things that caters exclusively to the dart community.
If you'd like to learn more about steel tip darts, click here
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