control panel material?

[megashock5]

Hello, I have a question about control panel materials

My CP is made of 3/4" MDF - so I'm afraid adding plexi or lexan would make it to thick and I don't want to make another one out of thinner wood.

I'm trying to do this as cheap as possible, so I was just going to paint it. Has anyone done this, and if so how does it feel? I painted some bedroom furniture and months later it still has a bit of a tacky feel.

I've also seen some panels that look like they have a formica or vinyl covering. Any tips with using something like this? I was thinking about getting a graphic CPO printed on vinyl, but I thought it would get worn with use.

Anyway, thanks in advance. I appreciate any tips people have before I get to the finishing stage!

[Hiub1]

I would say that getting one of the generic CPO's with the vinyl on them would be one of your best choices. Those things are TOUGH, and by no means will they wear out. Just think, the machine will not be getting used 24/7, nor will it be in an arcade environment, so it should work out no problem.

In my CP, I put formica over it, which feels great but the black attracts a LOT of fingerprints. I am looking to get it replaced with a CPO. Laminate is very easy to work with given you have a laminate flush trim router bit (I think that is what it is called, guys help here.).

As for the paint, you will really have to test here. I am unsure of what kind of paint will feel nice to the touch and still be durable. Maybe someone else can help out here.

IMHO I would go with the CPO, as they look very professional and feel great. After experimenting with the laminate that gets fingerprints, I almost wish I would have never gone with that. Show us some pics of your progress and good luck!

[big daddy]

the CPOs they have I had understood to be thin, so it's not like it's going to add much thickness to it.

[megashock5]

Guys, could you point me to an example of the CPOs you're talking about? I've seen people make their own and then put plexi or lexan over them, but it sounds like you are talking about something that already exists and is being sold.

thanks!

[Stingray]

It's just a thin textured vinyl material. Very tough and won't add any thickness. There are several places that sell them, you can usually choose from their stock graphics or design your own. They're also available with just a pattern or solid color if that's what you're after.



-S

[mjrsting]

I'm using 3/4 MDF as well for my CP, but I'm using a sheet of real thin plexiglass to go over the top.

[Oddfeld]

If you get a CPO overlay printed onto adhesive vinyl you can get it laminated with a durable see-through laminate. For example, the ones sold by http://www.mamemarquees.com all come laminated with polycarbonate (the stuff used for bulletproof glass). That should stand up to just about anything...

If you do want to add lexan on top of your panel but haven't allowed for this by using a thinner sheet of MDF for the top of the panel, you could always router out a 3/4" wide channel around the edge of the CPO on the underside, as deep as the thickness of the lexan, so that the front and sides are recessed into the top a little - that way the visible edges would still be 3/4" thick, so would be the right width for t-molding and stuff. Of course, your panel would still be thicker, so you'd lose some height on your joysticks etc (unless you router some depressions on the underside of the CPO for them to sit in).

[mahuti]

Take a look at my site. I have one panel that has textured vinyl & one that has printed vinyl(ish) material.

NO lexan... blech.

[Stingray]

NO lexan... blech.

I could not agree more with this sentiment. Only my opinion of course. When I was a kid in the early '80s every game had a metal CP with a vinyl overlay. I didn't start seeing lexan on panels until later when shoddy conversions became the norm.

-S

[JCKnife]

Stingray, what is your source for your CPO pictured above? Looks sharp!

[Stingray]

I knew someone was going toask me that. I can't remember the name of the place. I'm thinking it was called classicarcadegraphics.com, but that seems to be a bad address so either I'm wrong or the place has folded. In any case yes the printing is very crisp and it looks exactly like how I remember control panels looking back when I was just a punk kid with a pocket full of quarters.

Here is is applied to my panel:



-S

[Stingray]

Oh and I've since replaced the sticks with three that actually match.

-S

[JCKnife]

Hey, I'll bet this is it:

http://www.classicarcadegrafix.com/

Thanks! Looks awesome.

[mjrsting]

So they're just like really thick stickers then? I have to assume they stick well to the MDF...do you prep the CP at all or just apply it straight to a clean surface?

[Stingray]

Hey, I'll bet this is it:

http://www.classicarcadegrafix.com/

Thanks! Looks awesome.

Yep, that's the place. Thanks for connecting the dots for me

mjrsting- I don't know how well they stick to MDF, as I've never used that material. My control panel is steel, and they stick fine to that.

-S

[Minwah]

mjrsting- I don't know how well they stick to MDF, as I've never used that material. My control panel is steel, and they stick fine to that.

I believe it is recommended you paint (prime and topcoat, and wait to harden) the MDF first.  Some people like to apply the overlay with a water/washing up liquid solution to make positioning easier - painting would be a must if doing it this way.

[mahuti]

If you don't want to paint (which I didn't) you can do it the way they used to do... just apply the "sticker" to the CP and then staple around the edges to keep it secure & tight.

[megashock5]

Thanks for the great advice, everyone.

I'm talking to Scott and Mame Marquees about getting one printed. I mocked one up in Illustrator and I'm getting pretty excited about it.

[mjrsting]

mjrsting- I don't know how well they stick to MDF, as I've never used that material. My control panel is steel, and they stick fine to that.

I believe it is recommended you paint (prime and topcoat, and wait to harden) the MDF first.

[FractalWalk]

I'll try that first, see how I like it, and if I don't, get an overlay and stick it directly to the painted CP.

If you go with option 2, I would suggest applying the overlay on top of the plexi. This gives you a nice smooth surface to adhere to and since you already bought the plexi it won't be an adidtionbal cost.

[NoOne=NBA=]

I didn't start seeing lexan on panels until later when shoddy conversions became the norm.

Actually, you DID see lexan all the time, you just didn't realize it.
If you look at most of the Williams games, alot of Midway's games, etc... they all had .010" backprinted, textured lexan overlays on them.
That's the stuff that cracks with age on the Tron panels going around the tight 90 degree corners on the front/rear of the CP.

For home I would go with vinyl, but find a place that can do a 1mil to 7mil (whatever they have) polyester (mylar) overlaminate on it.
That will protect the graphics from moderate abrasion, chemicals, etc... and still keep the overlay thin.

[Stingray]

I stand corrected. However, by "lexan" I of course meant an 1/8 inch thick sheet of plexiglass type material over a printed overlay. I just assumed the other type was vinyl.

-S

[NoOne=NBA=]

You can actually get the thin Lexan backprinted, but it's expensive to have done--even if it's done digitally.
You just need to find a screenprint or sign shop that has a Gerber Edge, and will print Gerber Lex-Edge material.
I did the overlays for my swappable panels on our Edge at work.

The problem with finding someone to do it commercially is that the size is limited to 11.5 inches, the materials themselves are expensive, and the blow rate on it is so high that you have to charge an arm and a leg for it.
That's why we are really particular about the jobs we take in for that material where I work.
They have to be short-run, and from companies that are willing to pay huge prices for a one-off piece.