need opinions/suggestions and printing options for CPO art I made

[Mikeosoft]

Hey guys I am really new to working with anything photoshop/ai/art in general and am working on my first mame cab.  I have a build log in the project announcements section.  I have been working on a control panel overlay for about 2 weeks now and I think with my limited art abilities and lack of funding I have done ok.  I am stumbling around in illustrator and though I am trying to follow the guides on arcade artwork vectorization and everything, I am stumbling hard with working on a mac (guide is for windows AI version CS4 i'm guessing?)


The theme I am going for is a 1980's gradient look, with a "throwback 1980s scifi" feel.  Something that'd fit in in today's basement arcade yet answers to the sounds of "subdivisions" by rush.

So to today I am about ready to print with this:



I got this file as an .ai file which I have in RGB mode, 26in x 13in, but I had to copy the gradient to keep the size so it goes over the left edge and I can't figure out for the life of me how to remove the over-bleeding edge...  I hope it won't print with it.


As for printing, I was trying to read up on options, I need to print it on vinyl, and I don't want to put plexi on the top, so it'd be just the printed vinyl and that's all.   I was going to use gameongraphix but they wont email me back and for my first time for that much money were talking 80+ dollars, I'd rather not take a chance.

So I read here about using Souldraw, or megaprint.com I think they are the same? If anyone can tell me if this is safe for my first time, I'd be really appreciative.  I just feel really uneasy with this art part since I am in really unknown waters at the moment. 

Here's a pic of the cab so far:


I don't know whether or not to work on side art or quit while I am ahead and leave it black.

So if anyone can tell me how to crop off that left side part without losing half the circle dots that are in the black, I'd be forever appreciative.  Also I have the .ai file and have 3 layers.  Do I need to "Reduce to 1 layer" before submitting to print? and is .ai the best format to send off to print with?