What type of Glass?

[chris2922]

Im about to build an cocktail mame cab with a 17" PC monitor.
(Its not for me, and its on a budget).

I intend to use a large piece of glass to cover the top - give it a kind of coffee table look.  Underneath that will be a piece of mdf with a square cut out revealing the monitor.

Has anyone built something similar?

I intend to use smoked, strengthened glass but im interested in hearing other peoples advice.

[Ken Layton]

Tempered glass is extremely sensitive to any taps on the edge. The glass will shatter and go everywhere.

[javeryh]

I am waiting for the local glass shop to finish my tabletop right now.  I am using a standard Ms. Pac-man shaped top and there is going to be a piece of 1/8" grey smoked glass covering the monitor (sitting in the groove around the monitor cutout on top of the bezel and flush with the table top) and a piece of 1/8" tempered clear glass covering the entire top held in place with glass clips.  Everything total was $150 ($100 for the tempering process!).  It's a bit much but at this point it doesn't even matter anymore.  As soon as it comes in I am going to assemble it and I will post some pictures on my stupid blog www.knightsofthearcadetable.blogspot.com.

[jedi27]

Definately go for the tempered stuff..  about 10 times stronger than "normal" glass...

I almost went the smoked route - wished I would have... yes - beware of the bronze vs the grey smoked stuff..

I haven't heard anything about the tendency to chip...

[Bones]

Mine was described as "laminated glass" which is 2 pieces 3mm glass fused together with a grey tinted film between the two pieces.

It was explained to me that if it does break you won't get shards of glass fly everywhere, it resembles a car windscreen break where the glass is safely retained in place.

[javeryh]

$100 for tempering?

OUCH.

Highest I got quoted for glass, cut, radius corners AND tempering on a Ms.Pac cocktail was about $60. cheapest was $45

Yup.