Custom Metal Control Panel top?

[CD_Vision]

Ok, I want to rebuild the CP on this monstrosity:

http://www.darkravenwind.com/cdvision/sfcab.htm

It is made of a sheet of thick metal, bent at the top to cover the bezel a little when it shuts. I need to replace it, but I'm not going to want it at the same angle, since I want to make it flush with the ground.  Anybody know the kind of place I could solicit to make one for me? Actually what would be best is if I could just get that top "lip" made, so I can do the rest out of wood.

[flampoo]

Look in your local directory for machine repair or sheet metal shops. They can make all the cuts, holes and bends you need.

[Ken Layton]

Also look in the Yellow Pages under "Metal Fabricators".

[krick]

Well, since you are planning on replacing the metal panel with a new wooden one at a different angle, do you still need the metal strip?

My control panel is made of wood.  The back edge of the panel where it meets the glass is cut at a steep angle so it sits flush.  You might be able to do the same thing.  Here's a thread with some pics of my control panel that show the angle...

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=17110


If you have to keep the metal strip at the top, you might want to see if someone can cut the top edge off the existing control panel for you.  you might be able to drill some holes and attach it to your new wooden control panel.

[DrewKaree]

If I understand you correctly, you don't want the newly designed CP to have ANY angle at all(you say flush with the ground, parallel is what you mean, right?)?

Wouldn't that require a new piece of Plexi, or do you want the bezel and plexi to stop where it is?

Attached is a pic of what I think you're intending to do (or at least what I would do in your situation).  

*edit*
Thanks RayB, gotta screw my head on the right way next time!

[RayB]

perpendicular is what you actually mean, right?)?

"parallel" is what he means.

[CD_Vision]

Sorry, yes parallel is what I mean.  I thought about cutting the edge at an angle too, but I think that a metal lip like before would look really professional.

[CD_Vision]

Ok here is a pic of what I'm thinking of:

[AmericanDemon]

Anyone who does metal working should be able to do that pretty easily and on the cheap I believe.

[lint]

if you approach a metal shop, certainly shop around. When trying to get my new Ms.Pac-man CP drilled, the first 2 shops didnt wanna waste their time and said no, the 3 shop quoted me 2hrs @ $95hr! (i laughed in his face) and the 4th quoted me 30min @ $60/hr. So $30 later and a few days and I had exactly what i wanted.

Also http://local.google.com has been invaluable to me lately. When i thought I had been to the only 2 machine shops near me, this thing found 10 more...

[DrewKaree]

I'm thinking if you're set on having the metal trim strip mebbe see if you can find a siding guy around you who has a piece you could buy off of him.  He'll have a brake (metal bending tool) to form it to what you need and it'll be from his scrap pile so he'd probably sell it to you for a few bucks....make sure you have the angle in solid form to check it, just giving him the angle, you may be a bit off.  

Worst case scenario, you get a piece of aluminum flashing from Home Depot, sandwich it between two pieces of wood with a crisp edge, and bend it yourself.