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

--- Quote from: PL1 on October 12, 2012, 11:38:13 pm ---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.

--- End quote ---

I experienced that first hand. Pain in the butt.


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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.
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