choice for controller build

[f.pelosa]

Hi,
I started building a bartop and I am focusing now on the controller part. I do not know how to build it so that it is ergonomic, durable, and nice to look at.
Here are some alternatives I'm considering, I hope you can give me some feedback.

- using a plain wooden plate with a T-molding at the player's side.
     PRO: the easiest to make
     CON: very ugly; T-molding may peel off with intense usage; vinyl on the controller may also loose quality with intense usage

- plain wooden plate with a plexiglass on top.
    PRO: vinyl on the controller not in direct touch with the hands
    CON: sharp edge of plexiglass may be uncomfortable; smoothing the edge may be overcomplicated

- one-piece aluminium/steel frame encompassing controller and front panel
    PRO: very nice!
    CON: no idea where I can buy one; vinyl on top can get bruised with intense usage

- one-piece plexiglass frame encompassing controller and front panel
    PRO: looks neat
    CON: no idea where to buy it; it maybe not very nice to look at

- one-piece "L"-shaped wooden frame that cover the controller and part (1-2 inches / 3-4 cm) of the front panel
    PRO: looks neat
    CON: vinyl on top can get bruised with intense usage

I hope you can share your experience and help me finding THE solution
Thanks in advance
AC

[Titchgamer]

Use T moulding on the front and Plexi on the top.
You got everything then

[f.pelosa]

how easy do you think ruining vinyl stickers is?
e.g. if I use a vinyl without plexiglass? how many hours of playing can I have before discolouring/scratching the sticker?

[Mike A]

Use the plexiglass top. Get it laser cut. The edges will be polished and smooth.

Where are you located?

If it fits inside my machine's work area, I can do it for you for the cost of the materials plus shipping. If I can use enough of the extra acrylic, I won't even charge for materials. My machine work area is 300mm x 500mm. Until I can build a custom material base for my machine, I have to stick to those dimensions. The z axis right now is too sloppy to index larger parts accurately.

[f.pelosa]

Thanks Mike,
I appreciate! But I live in Europe - quite far away
There is a german website that laser-cuts actylic plates, but the edges of the plates are so sharp that I'm afraid one can cut his wrists if used on a controller.
Do you know if I can bevel them somehow? Preserving the shininess maybe?

[yamatetsu]

There's a sticky Working with Plastics in the woodworking section. Perhaps you'll find something useful there.

[paigeoliver]

Go look at pictures of a Playchoice 10 countertop and basically copy that.  What you normally see around here has no basis in reality at all.

[keilmillerjr]

To do this really quick: You can stick a belt sander upside down in a vise and run your plexiglass across it. You could do it by hand as well. Take time to make it uniform. Use painters tape to try to make roll edge stop and also prevent slips from scratching surface. Then take a propane toutch and very carefully melt edges it will have a glass like finish. It's really not too hard. Try it. If you mess up, you wasted like five bucks.

[f.pelosa]

Go look at pictures of a Playchoice 10 countertop and basically copy that.  What you normally see around here has no basis in reality at all.

That would be perfect! But it is a bent metal sheet. Where would I get one?