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control panel project question

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JDFan:


--- Quote from: dkersten on August 14, 2014, 02:19:24 pm ---The reason I chose to use illustrator for the layout is because it allows you to manually enter dimensions of each object, so it was exact.  In photoshop you can set guides and draw your circles and stuff but it could be off by a millimeter or two and you may not notice.  Also if you have a bleed set up in photoshop, your guides will be referenced off the bleed edge, not the edge of your layout line for your control panel, which makes it that much harder to place something in the right spot just using the rulers in photoshop.  Certainly not a "deal breaker" but I found it useful.

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TIP for Easy Button Holes -- Use the Paint brush with a round brush set to 338 Pixels for 1 1/8 inch buttons ( 1 inch = 300 pixels at 300 PPI and 1/8 inch = .125 inches or 37.5 pixels (round to 38) Gets you a perfect sized Circle for the button hole !!   :cheers:


--- Quote from: dubstylee on August 14, 2014, 03:00:39 pm ---Thanks for all of the info guys.  I have seen the slagcoin layouts before, those are very helpful.  Is there anything similar for a 3" trackball?  Or should I draw a square the size of the mounting plate and use that?  I am trying to decide how to handle the mounting plate.  I am going to get a flat top one, so I am thinking of recessing it to be flush with the top of the panel, and then cover it with the artwork.

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Same as the Tip for 3" Trackball Hole make the round brush 900 Pixels !! (assuming you are making your art @300DPI )

yotsuya:

Like Dave, I use Illustrator for all my designs. It allows me to be extremely precise, plus I can directly export my files into a .dxf for the plasma cutter.  :cheers:

mgb:

I used Paint Shop Pro X for all my art work on my arcade and for other projects.
It's a fairly old version now but I have grown so accustomed to it. It can really do alot.
My artwork had a lot if layers.
Best $50 I ever spent on software.

dubstylee:

Excellent.  I am starting to design the layout of my control panel using GIMP, since I have it available on multiple computers.  Once I have the layout "finalized" then I will start to mess with the artwork as another layer in the same document.

Does anyone have any recommendations on where to get the artwork printed?  I will include the hole placement with the artwork, so that I will have markers for punching the pilot holes before drilling.  Also, what is the best way to get rounded corners on the MDF?  My layout is mostly rectangular, but I would like to round the edges so that there are no sharp corners for the T-molding.  Thanks for all the input so far!

Le Chuck:

Souldraw is cheap for printing.  Their adhesivie can use a bit of help with some rattle can glue but other than that I've heard nothing but good things for the price.

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