Painting vs Laminate

[Goz]

Ok I'm working on my first MAME cabinet and have gutted, cleaned and added what I need to add. I began painting two days ago and have one side of the cabinet looking beautiful. Unfortunately the other side is jacked. It looks very bad (pits, scratches, etc).

Question:

Anyone have any experience with using a laminate to cover a side?

I found some laminate at Home Depot, but thats about $40 per sheet and figure will need 2 + sheets.

It's not that I'm cheap, but the laminate material look hard to work with.

Any recomendations on other ways to cover the cabinet?

Thanks in advance for any help.

-Goz

[nipsmg]

Vinyl-

The "D" style black 40" vinyl is on sale till 02/29/2004 for $2.18 a foot.
I'm SERIOUSLY thinking about doing this instead of paining it..

But then again, if I do that, the sideart might not look as good..


ARRRGGGHHH!!! DECISIONS!!  

--NipsMG

[Lance]

I just spent the weekend stripping, filling, sanding and putting down primer.  If I were to do it again I would probably just go the laminate route.  Paint and paint supplies aren't cheap, and I probably spent close to 40-50% of the cost of laminate.  I think for the extra few dollars it would be worth it to get laminate for the sides.  You'll have a perfectly smooth surface with perfect color.

lance

[owlicks]

I'd highly recommend going the laminate route.  It can be a little intimidating if you've never done it, but really it's not very tough at all as long as you have a router handy.  I did my cab all in black laminate and it turned out great.  If you have some odd angles it can be tough pre-cutting laminate to fit around those, but it's worth it.  My cab was my first time doing it and it really was not very hard.  Just make sure to get a straight bit for your router and you'll be set.  I can post some pics of mine if you'd like.

[SNAAAKE]

^ everything he said.You will be spending a lot of money on the cab anyway so why not do it right !

So go with laminate !

[Tilzs]

Laminate cuts like butter with a router

[Goz]

Thanks for the feedback, Laminate it is.

I may do the front in the vinyl laminate from Happ and the sides, etc in a formica / wilsonart (hard laminate). When I've got it done, I'll snap some pix.

Thanx,

[Tailgunner]

Laminate isn't that difficult to do, though you'll need access to a router to trim it once it's in place.

I took a few pics when I covered my Dynamo cab, you can see what's involved here: http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=10;action=display;threadid=12414