Control Panel ... Cover in Lexan... Pros and Cons ???

[lojac005]

Hey Everyone... I'm new to the forums and just want to say thank you ahead of time.  I've surfed a lot... this place is filled with great information... so thank you again. 

My question is ... I'm building my first MAME cab... and its been a very fun project... I'm to the point where I'm putting the control panel together and I'm trying to decide on whether I should cover it with a piece of 1/8" lexan or similar ... or just leave the vinyl artwork on the CP as is.   

What are the pros and cons of putting lexan over your CP    

Obviously artwork protection is a pro...  what other pros and cons am I not thinking of ?

Thanks gang !!!

[PL1]

Welcome aboard, Lojac005.

Several cons to consider:
(listed in decreasing order of importance)

- If someone spills a drink on the CP, it can seep between the art and lexan layers, forcing you to take it ALL the way apart --  at least 18 buttons -- instead of just the part(s) hit by the spill.

- Many arcade art print houses add a clear polycarbonate lamination layer over the printing making the extra layer overkill.

- Lexan can crack easily during drilling.

- Most original games didn't have plexi/lexan covers.


Scott

[Well Fed Games]

It's a tough one, but I have been happy with just the vinyl on my first project. Later on I put some lexan on a bartop I made, and it was a pain... mostly trying to keep any sort of dust or fingerprints from getting under it when applying it... of course the artwork underneath was mostly black which did not help.

One benefit is if you have a control panel with unnecessary holes, the artwork/lexan make it so you don't have to fill the holes. And, depending on your experience with cabs in the past and preference, it might feel more authentic.

[yotsuya]

I just submitted some artwork to This Old Game to get printed up as a CPO. I'm really excited about this. For two years my first MAME cab had a wooden control panel cover with that Home Depot Faux Leather Special. Now I have the origial metal CP, filled, drilled, and painted, and I'm waiting to put on the custom CP I designed. I know Rich does a great job, so I'm looking forward to this. Since it will be laminated vinyl, I don't need to worry about Lexan. My other MAME Cab has a flat wooden CP (think Defender), so the Lexan isn't an issue.

[lojac005]

Those are all great points... thanks for the reply guys !   

I guess for me... I'm a real do it yourselfer and being this is my first build and want to see how things turn out... trying to keep costs down as much as possible.  I ordered a very inexpensive 10 mil vinyl banner that I put a custom logo on... because it was dirt cheap.  Now I don't know if its going to be the same kind of 10 mil vinyl that an actual CP vinyl layover is made out of ... but for the price I got this for... If I end up throwing it away its no big deal. 

So if the vinyl is sturdy enough then it should be good to go on its own .. right ?    Would another option be a clear coat of say a wood polyurethane ?  I was thinking of that as well instead of lexan just for added protection.  I think I read somewhere of someone doing that with some poster art he used as side art of the cab.  I guess I really just need to get the vinyl and see the weight and durability of it.. and go from there.

Sound about right ?

[lilshawn]

"Lexan" (TM)

and

"Plexiglas" (TM)

are 2 different animals, made of 2 VERY different materials.

Plexiglas is a very hard plastic. it splits easily due to it's brittleness. but it's very durable if it won't be flexed. hard plastic means it's pretty scratch resistant. Best suited for home use control panels.

Lexan is a soft plastic. It will bend over 180 degrees and will only bend (will not break). Very resistant to vandalisim due to this strength. but soft plastic means it will scratch VERY easily. Papertowel wiped over it's surface will scratch it. Best suited for public panels where people will punch it and intentionally try to pry up the plastic.

[lojac005]

Well thats def good info !  Thx !!!

[emb]

Welcome aboard, Lojac005.

Several cons to consider:
(listed in decreasing order of importance)

- If someone spills a drink on the CP, it can seep between the art and lexan layers, forcing you to take it ALL the way apart --  at least 18 buttons -- instead of just the part(s) hit by the spill.

I experienced that first hand. Pain in the butt.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[paigeoliver]

I use plexiglass whenever I am using custom graphics (as they often simply aren't as durable as the original overlays, particularly if printed on top). When I am using a real silk screened overlay then I don't use it.

Most original machines didn't use plexiglass until around the mid 90s and almost nothing from the classic era used it (seen a couple B&W era games that had paper control panel graphics with plexi over them).

[C-DUB]

Another option to consider is finding someone to laminate the vinyl after it's printed. My sign guy prints vinyl for outdoor use. He ran my artwork through his laminator, adding a clear protective film over the vinyl. It looks great and protects it very well.