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Cutting through control panel overlay?
sofakng:
Ok, did you do this same method for the button holes? (eg. pie-method or entire-circle method)
...or did you just use it for the trackball hole?
Other than that, I think I have all the information I need to cut out from the artwork.
Thank you!
FractalWalk:
I did the same method for the buttons and joys, however I had plexi underneath my artwork and so I had a built-in guide. If you have wood directly underneath your artwork it might not be as easy as the exacto blade likes to "catch" and dig into wood much easier than plexi.
But then again, since the edges will be hidden by button skirts it doesn't have to be perfect. You might want to try my way out on the buttons. If you can trace out a button with wood as a guide, then the trackball with its metal edge and large circle will be a breeze.
sofakng:
Gotcha. Thanks for everybody's help!
ThePaul:
sofaking have you cut your artwork yet? I need to cut mine and I'm just not sure about cuttin the TB hole with a razor. Everything else is easy uses the pie method.. but the TB .. there's no hidding it if it isn't perfect.
sofakng:
Actually I'll most likely be cutting mine tonight. My first piece of artwork was a little banged up so I got another one. The good thing is that I get to use my first piece as scrap to practice cutting the holes, etc.
I've tried the pie method but it I can't seem to make very many cuts before it gets hard to make small slices (wedges?).
So, the best method I've found is cutting circles by following the holes inside the mdf (or lexan/plexiglass for that matter).
Just insert your exacto-knife in the center of the hole and then gently, slowly, cut (with the middle of the blade) to the edge of the hole. Next, turn the blade sideways (be careful) and have the edges of the hole guide the blade along the entire size of the hole.
Using this method my holes have been coming out great -- almost exactly like the hole in the mdf. I'm going to do the same for the trackball... There's really no other way to do it, but I think you'll be very pleasantly suprised on how good it comes out.