Different way to cover CP

[Birdtales]

Check out www.frontpanelexpress.com. I downloaded their software, made up a mock 27 X 8 control panel with the below holes in it in 2.5mil anodized aluminium. I don't know if you can see it or not but the buttons are burnin label engraved A B C and D. Total cost was aroud $50.00 delivered in 7 days.

Thought this was a neat idea for an alternate control panel.You can get colors in some thickness'. Not real cheap but virtually indestructable.

[Brax]

Wow, I wonder if you could replicate a panel like space invaders for cheaper than the repros? Maybe not, but it sure is interesting.

Their example on their home page looks like it has painted (or anodized) logos and text, thats why it got me wondering...

[Carsten Carlos]

I thought about doing this with my trackball-panel (Centipede-a-like) - it's a pain to mount a trackball into wood.

Only problem left, I still would need the lexan to be drilled and doubt I could make them exact fitting to the metalpanel.

What I wonder - isn't it rather cold on the hands when playing on the panel? I can't print on vynil here at work, so covering it with this isn't an option.

[paigeoliver]

Why would you need lexan with a metal panel? Have you ever played a real Centipede machine? They don't have lexan.

The only reason any game has plexi/lexan on it is to cover up old holes in the control panel from previous conversions. There is just no real reason to add it to a panel that doesn't have holes in it (unless you really think making your own overlay with an inkjet printer looks good).

Playing with metal panels is usually not cold, unless you just turned the machine on. The machines tend to warm up after they are on for a while

[Birdtales]

I thought about doing this with my trackball-panel (Centipede-a-like) - it's a pain to mount a trackball into wood.

Only problem left, I still would need the lexan to be drilled and doubt I could make them exact fitting to the metalpanel.

What I wonder - isn't it rather cold on the hands when playing on the panel? I can't print on vynil here at work, so covering it with this isn't an option.

 Even if you did want to add Lexan to the metal panel the holes are CNC cut. All you would have to do is hit the holes on the Lexan with a Router using the metal panel as a template. Heck of a template too.

Brax - As for repros all you get is a flat panel I believe. So no bends to recreate the panel. I think this would be more of an overlay than a replacement.

[Carsten Carlos]

All you would have to do is hit the holes on the Lexan with a Router using the metal panel as a template. Heck of a template too.

Whee, this works? I really should get familiar with the router I bought months ago for cheap. Haven't worked with it so far, just thought it might come in handy for future panels when I saw it at the local foodstore. Is there a special trick to follow exact the lines of the metal panel then, or must I look closely not to hit the metal itself?

[Birdtales]

You would use a bit like this one.



The bearing on it rides on the metal of the panel to get an exact hole the same size as the one in the metal.

[Carsten Carlos]

Why would you need lexan with a metal panel? Have you ever played a real Centipede machine? They don't have lexan.

The only reason any game has plexi/lexan on it is to cover up old holes in the control panel from previous conversions. There is just no real reason to add it to a panel that doesn't have holes in it (unless you really think making your own overlay with an inkjet printer looks good).

Okay, first answer: Yep, I have played on a real Centipede machine - hey, this baby has been most of my inspiration to build such a cab!

I have no other choice then printing my own overlay anyway - to support Missile Command I want to make a layout most similar with Centipede but with three action-buttons. My DonkeyKong-Panel is also a modified print from the original one - check it out on my homepage, I think it could look worse!

By the way, my cab is .5" more in width then the original Centipede, due to the diameter of my monitor-rotating mount. So an reproduction wouldn't fit either there.

These printings don't cost me any cent - so this is very helpful. I can print huge pieces up to 60" width, but unfortunately I can't print on vynil here as we don't have pigment-ink. That's why I've to cover the artwork with lexan. I laminated the last one, but you wouldn't like the look and feel of them under your hands. With lexan over it, it get's a clean look.

For the metal-coldness -an original machine would warm up quickly I guess - not sure if my cab ever gets so hot inside.

I thought about just adding black vynil to the trackballpanel, but this would look dull.

@Birdtales
Great, thanx a lot, man! I'm pretty sure I've seen such a bit with bearrings in the package that came with the router!

[abrannan]

Brax - As for repros all you get is a flat panel I believe. So no bends to recreate the panel. I think this would be more of an overlay than a replacement.

Anyone know how bendable/unbendable the aluminum is?  I'm wondering how possible it would be to get a flat panel cut by these folks, have one of the art repro folks silkscreen on top of it, then bend it into the appropriate shape to get an accurate repro CP.

[Apollo]

It's easy to bend but you would need access to a sheet metal bender to do it properly. You could probably get a local sheet metal workers to bend it for you for $10 as it would only take them about 5 mins.