glass over monitor?

[neil99a]

I'm trying to decide whether to use glass or plexi to cover my monitor.  Glass doesn't scratch as easily but plexi doesn't break and is a bit easier to cut.  I was hoping for a tinted cover but I haven't seen any such plexiglass for sale at any local hardware places.  If I do go glass where can you get a tinted sheet?  Should I forget the tint and get the no glare stuff at a picture framing shop or something?  How thick of a sheet should be used here and how have others fixed it to their cabinets.  It looks to me from the project arcade book that it just rests on the monitor shelf but that seems a bit insecure.

Thanks for any help.

N

[the3eyedblindman]

LEXAN! Stay away from plexi, it cracks wayyyy to easy, almost impossible to cut, lexan is like glass wood, you can cut it drill it and everything, and it turns out perfect.

[Grasshopper]

LEXAN! Stay away from plexi, it cracks wayyyy to easy, almost impossible to cut, lexan is like glass wood, you can cut it drill it and everything, and it turns out perfect.

But Lexan scratches more easily and is more expensive.

[nipsmg]

I'd go with Smoked, Tempered glass.

Look in your yellow pages for a local glass shop.  The guy had to send out for it, but I got smoked, tempered plexi, and it cost me somewhere in the neighborhood of $40.  Lexan is expensive as well, the glass it worth it.  Looks great & doesn't scratch easily.

[ChadTower]

Take an old Atari cab with tinted glass and put it next to a more modern cab with lexan or plexi... there is simply no comparison.

Glass, every time.

[Level42]

I agree. Why do you need it to be unbreakable (or less breakable). Are you planning on banging it out of frustration when your last Ms.Pac Man dies just before you break your record score ? (I normaly abuse my stick or buttons for that  )

My Jamma cab came with a nice piece of brown smoked glass.  no scratches, nothing. This cab is from 1991 and has been in service....think about it

And ChadTower, yes next sunday I will lay my eyes on an old Atari with glass

[the3eyedblindman]

plexi glass is simply garbage, I used some of it on my cab, and I also used lexan...lexan is just wayy easier to handle, its worth the extra money. If you can find a shop that specializes in glass cutting, they will cut the shape of the lexan for you, and charge you by square seat, so its not that expensive. Even if money is an issue, I would still save up and go with Lexan, plexi is too damn hard to cut, and almost impossible to drill.

[Bones]

Tinted glass. Won't scratch, looks classy and is completely safe. I compared both Lexan and glass recently and the difference is substantial.

Glass will be cheaper and I think produces a much better result. If you have to buy one or the other, there really is no comparison in my opinion.

[skippy]

Go to a small local glass shop with your size and have them order you a piece of DS(1/8)  Bronze or Grey Tempered glass.  Looks great and will not scratch like plexi or lexan.  If it gets broke(almost impossible the tempering makes it stronger)  it will shatter like a car window.  I've been in the glass/plastics industry for 20 plus years and always shudder when I have to sell plexi or lexan cause it looks so bad distoration wise compared to glass.

[neil99a]

Thanks for the helpful info...

It looks like I'll be going with glass (tempered and tinted if I can find it).  How did you guys fit your monitor covers into your cabs?  I mean how do you make sure it stays in place?  I was thinking of just having it rest on the monitor shelf but I am worried that may not be secure enough...

Thanks,
N

[pcates]

I used 1" thick bullet proof glass on my cab (PIcked it up free at the hospital during renovations). No worries here about it breaking......

[quarterback]

I used 1" thick bullet proof glass on my cab

I wish I could find some of that for a decent price.

[TheBrokentoken]

Thanks for the helpful info...

It looks like I'll be going with glass (tempered and tinted if I can find it).