Black Marble Contact Paper

[kgriffin]

Does anyone have any good advice for placing the contact paper on a metal control panel?

It is a NEO GEO 2 player metal control panel that is hinged to swing open.

(you can see pictures here http://kaden98.tripod.com)

I can't for the life of me, do this without excessive air bubbles. Whats the secret?

[SNAAAKE]

secret is sanding and then apply the paper then add a lexan top of that

[rampy]

I don't think that'll work with a METAL control panel, snaaaake... although it's probably good advice for a wooden oontrol panel .....

of course I could be wrong... maybe they put lexan over metal cp's... but I don't think I've seen it ever...

rampy

[james]

ive got plexi on my metal cp

[rampy]

Doh! open mouth insert foot... I stand corrected...

Any pics or a site of the cp/cab james?

Did you use contact paper and have tips for the original poster?

rampy

[JustMichael]

kgriffin, have you tried one of those plastic wedges people use to put up wallpaper?

[kgriffin]

Yes I do have a plastic putty knife. The problem is that the contact paper is so sticky that is really sticks hard to the metal in places where you dont want it to stick yet. Then, after you pull it up in that place, it stretches out and gets even more bubbles.

I wonder, since it is metal, if I could spray a mist of soapy water (like doing window tinting) and put it down, but I am scared it will make the glue not stick anymore.

[PCC]

You might try a different type of overlay material.  The contact paper might be more difficult to work with.  Others have used Happ's Black Pica Vinyl (part# 49-0474-10).  It's 49" wide and cost $4.80 a foot.

Otherwise you might take a razor blade and score through the air pockets; if you're careful, the slices will be hardly noticeable (better than air pockets anyway).

[rampy]

Yes I do have a plastic putty knife. The problem is that the contact paper is so sticky that is really sticks hard to the metal in places where you dont want it to stick yet. Then, after you pull it up in that place, it stretches out and gets even more bubbles.

I wonder, since it is metal, if I could spray a mist of soapy water (like doing window tinting) and put it down, but I am scared it will make the glue not stick anymore.

Hey kgriffin... that gave me a possible idea that might or might not work (*Warning it could be a little dangerous*)

When I regripped my golfclubs (trust me, there's a parallel) the tecnique I used was wrap doublestick tape around the shaft, and then soak it with lighter fluid (butane I think) this temporarily dissolves the glue enough to slide the grip over the shaft (that sounds a little dir-tay doesn't it?)  eventually the butane/lighterfluid evaporates and the glue film drives and it's time to hit the range =P

So... I wonder if you could use a simliar technique with an evaporating solvent to make the contact paper a bit easier to manuever...

But then agian, you might be better off getting the happs vinal and contact cement =P

good luck... all standard disclaimers apply... YMMV


rampy

[Howard_Casto]

Have you considered getting a new neogeo overlay.  They are still quite popular and you can get a nos neogeo overlay for around 35 bucks.  Also the key to laying contact paper is to have a flat hard surface to push the bubbles out with... (usually a spatula or a 1 by 1 piece of wood will do)  

Btw please for the love of god don't use the black contact paper... find a solid color, use a different pattern, heck use the little ducky contact paper.  Black marble is so generic, you can get more creative than that.  

[nullb0y]

my sugestion is put it on with bubbles and get a pin pop th bubbles and push the air out  its done on siateboards with griptape

[madk]

My question...Why does EVERYONE use black marble contact paper!?  Serisouly....looking though the example pages,  almost everyother example is black marble!  Come on now...lets be a little bit more creative.

-madk

[SNAAAKE]

yeah used black marble before then thought it was too and i mean too generic.it looks really nice and all but then decided to add some custom art.

my advice > > >  Print some art in vinyal then use that and add a piece of lexan.thats the best you can do for your cab to make it creative  

dont go try to drill damn plexi...its too weird...just cracks most of the time however,personally i went with plexi because lexan cost like 3 times more then plexi.

your panel is small so go with lexan.you can hammer lexan if you felt like it and still wont break.