27" Happs Bezel doesn't fit my TV :( AtomSmasher or anyone else please read.

[greaser]

Well my Happs (curved) bezel arrived today and doesn't seem to fit my Sharp 27" TV very well at all. Think they might give me a refund? Anyway I am beginning to get very worried about hiding the fact that a TV is inside my cab. I have cut all the wood according to the Project Arcade (Lusid) plans exactly. Construction is the next step. I really like Atomsmasher's cab and if I can't use the Happs bezel I'd like to use the same approach he did for a bezel. I have a few specific questions for him or anyone else who might be able to help.

1. I have test fit my television on the monitor shelf and the fit is almost exact but with not much room at all on any of the sides. If the monitor shelf is angled did your TV touch the back of the cab at all? Seems that if the shelf is angled then the top and back of the TV will start to go towards the back of the cab and might touch and push against the back of the cab.

2. How exactly did you attatch the plexiglass bezel to the cab itself? Any pics would help.

3. Where did you buy your plexiglass, how much did it cost, and what where your approximate dimensions for the sheet of plexiglass?

4. How did you go about painting the plexiglass except for the screen area?

Finally I'm sorry for all the questions. I just want everything to be perfect in the end. I just want to know what to be in store for. Thank you to anyone who can help.

[RandyT]

Ditch the bezel and slap a piece of dark plexi (or glass) over the TV.  Nobody will ever know if you do it right.

For the bezel to fit well, the TV would need to be de-cased (not for the novice).  They are designed to go around a fully exposed tube face.  If the TV is a "flat screen", it may still not fit very well.

RandyT

[AtomSmasher]

1. My tv does touch the back of the cab, thats the main thing that keeps it from going any further back.  I later added a bit of extra wood pushed up against the tv on the monitor shelf as an extra precaution so that there was no chance it would break though the back board.

2.I just cut 4 small blocks of wood (1''x1''x3'' I believe, although the size doesn't really matter) and attached them to the cab at each of the four corners around the tv.

3. I actually used lexan because its easier to work with and I just got it at home depot.  I think it was around $20 for the sheet and they only carried one size, which I had to cut down.  Cutting it with a flush trim router bit is by far the easiest way to cut it.  I cut it down to 26''x26 1/2'' although I'd recommend measuring the height where you're going to put the plexi because it would vary from cab to cab.

4. There was a nice tutorial on this at http://spystyle.arcadecontrols.com/index1.htm  unfortunately that seem to be dead and the web archive holds an older version that doesn't say how to paint it, but it has advice on securing the tv, so here it is http://web.archive.org/web/20041029111548/spystyle.arcadecontrols.com/index7.htm

Now, the way I painted the plexi was I secured the plexi to the cab with the tv already installed and marked on the plexi with tape the outline of the tv screen on all sides, you may want to mark it slightly larger (1/8'' to 1/4'') so that it won't block the vision when viewing it from one side or the other.  After the plexi is marked, I took it out and then using newspaper and masking tape I covered the area on the inside of the plexi that I had outlined on the other side.  Once it was covered I just used black spray paint and put a few coats of paint on it.  Viola, you have a nice looking bezel.

[rdowdy95]

Very good topic here.  Thanks AtomSmasher.  I had some of the same questions as well.  Hey Greaser does your TV auto turn on when you press power buttn on surge

[rdowdy95]

Just wondering cause I may have the same Sharp 27inch TV.

[rdowdy95]

AtomSmasher another question.  When you angled your monitor shelf.  On the shelf brackets did you angle them too? OR did you just move the back two lower a little bit, but keep them straight up and down.  Or are the shelf brackets at an angle>  It is hard to say.  But is your shelf brackets angled are or they going straight up and down.  I know the little wood supports underneath would be angled.

PS this is some good stuff.  I am no where near this part.  I am still cutting wood and stuff, but still good info.

[Hoopz]

If you do with Lexan/Plexi, when you paint it, you want to paint the BACK side of the sheet.  That's something that RandyT ( )  suggested in a post I read a long time ago and it really does make a difference. 

You can test it by using spray paint on a scrap piece of lexan.

Also, Home Depot and Lowes will cut your plexi/Lexan to size.  I think the first cut is free and second costs 50 cents or a dollar.  May save time/effort for very little cash.

[rdowdy95]

Damn dude is that NightStalker??  LOL!!! OLDSCHOOL!!!  I was born in 1977.  My Dad I think got the first Intellivision in 1981.  Then he got the Intellevision 2 in 83.  Man those are what I started on.  TOTAL OLDSCHOOL!!!  BUT I LOVE IT!

[AtomSmasher]

My shelf brackets are also at an angle.

And Hoopz is right, paint the back side of the lexan.  I'm not sure if that was clear in my original post or not, but you mark the outer edges of the tv screen with tape on the front of the lexan, take the lexan off the cab, turn it over, and since lexan is clear you can easily see the tape on the back side, so you then use newspaper and masking tape to cover up that area.

[MiKman]

Sounds like you are ditching the happs bezel anyhow, but I had the same problem and what I did was bought myself some good black velcro (i.e. REAL Velcro brand, heavy duty stuff) and I ran the "fluffy" side around the very edges of the existing TV bezel and the "stiff" side around the back edge of the Happs bezel (where it will meet the TV) and guess what it sticks VERY well.

Then I trimmed the edges of the happs bezel to fit in my cabinet opening, bought some smoke plexi to put in front of it and VOILA!  perfect!

My 2 cents

[greaser]

Very good topic here.  Thanks AtomSmasher.  I had some of the same questions as well.  Hey Greaser does your TV auto turn on when you press power buttn on surge

I'll be damned if I know the exact model off hand. It's sitting at my girlfriend's parents house along with everything else mame related right now. It doesn't auto turn on as far as I know but then again I haven't tried it yet. All I know is that the picture is superb on s-video. One concern I AM having before construction is that the TV may start to push against the back of the cab once it is angled. I'm really hoping everything works out well. I'll keep everyone posted. Check my NEW post on a GunCon2 in the main section.

[AtomSmasher]

One concern I AM having before construction is that the TV may start to push against the back of the cab once it is angled.

Its not that much of an angle so its not pushing on it very hard, but you can always add a few supports to keep it in place as I mentioned that I did.  All I did was secure some wood against the bottom/back of the tv on the monitor shelf which should keep it from sliding back any further.  I know I'll have to remove the TV if I ever need to move my cab to another location, but that doesn't happen very often so I'm fine with that.  You may consider fully securing the tv which is detailed how to do that in the link I posted earlier.

[greaser]

One concern I AM having before construction is that the TV may start to push against the back of the cab once it is angled.

Its not that much of an angle so its not pushing on it very hard, but you can always add a few supports to keep it in place as I mentioned that I did.  All I did was secure some wood against the bottom/back of the tv on the monitor shelf which should keep it from sliding back any further.  I know I'll have to remove the TV if I ever need to move my cab to another location, but that doesn't happen very often so I'm fine with that.  You may consider fully securing the tv which is detailed how to do that in the link I posted earlier.

I know I'm probaly just jumping the gun again since construction hasn't begun. Just sizing up the area where the TV will go looks smaaaaaall. I cut EVERY piece of wood according to the Project Arcade plans like I said. Just looks small to me. I think I'm just concerned about the TV height. But then again the plastic area surrounding the screen does seem pretty thin on all four sides so I'm probably just being paranoid...again lol.

[greaser]

Asked AtomSmasher what thickness and his preference concerning Plexiglass/Lexan and this is how he replied:

1. 1/8'' is what I used, plenty strong.

2. I like Lexan a lot better then plexiglass because its a lot easier to work with.  I actually first used a piece of plexiglass and shattered it when I tried to cut it with a jigsaw.  Thats when I went back and got the flush-trim bit and a piece of lexan.  Basically, if you hit plexiglass with a hammer, it will crack it.  If you hit lexan with a hammer it will scratch it.

3. Yes, you can buy lexan and plexiglass from home depot, thats where I got mine.  Its possible they'll cut it for you, but I have no idea what they would use to cut it.  You'll have to ask them when you buy it.

[camsauce]

Now, the way I painted the plexi was I secured the plexi to the cab with the tv already installed and marked on the plexi with tape the outline of the tv screen on all sides, you may want to mark it slightly larger (1/8'' to 1/4'') so that it won't block the vision when viewing it from one side or the other.  After the plexi is marked, I took it out and then using newspaper and masking tape I covered the area on the inside of the plexi that I had outlined on the other side.  Once it was covered I just used black spray paint and put a few coats of paint on it.  Viola, you have a nice looking bezel.

Dude!  I was about to make a bezel out of 1/4" hardboard, paint it black then put some Optix (acrylic plexiglass type stuff) over the top of it.  Your method sounds waaaaaayyyyy easier!  This kind of reminds me of painting R/C car bodies, where you paint the inside so it doesn't get scratched.  I suppose if you wanted instruction cards or similar you could just stick them on before painting.  I'm also wondering how black contact paper would work instead of paint??

[NightGod]

One thing to remember with black paint is that you have to account for IR passthrough if you end up buy LCD TopGuns.

[Chunce DeLeone]

I know it may be obvious but I just cut a piece of construction paper and put it behind the plexi...looks fine

[greaser]

Well major dissapointment today. Both Lowe's AND Home Depot have carry Lexan. However unless you want to pay $50 a sheet then it's not an option. They also do NOT cut it to size for you. This really sucks. I had no idea it would cost this much for Lexan. Any suggestions?

[Hoopz]

What size are you looking at?  4' x 8' sheet?  Thickness.

I have had Lowes cut mine and in several different stores.  You may want to call around and see if they do it at other stores.

[greaser]

What size are you looking at?  4' x 8' sheet?  Thickness.

I have had Lowes cut mine and in several different stores.  You may want to call around and see if they do it at other stores.

I only need a 1/8" thick. Probably 26" wide and I guess about 27" or 28" long. This is for the bezel. I'm taking a similar approach to AtomSmasher's cab.

Anyway best price so far was $28. I had to call a million glass places.

[NightGod]

$28 sounds about right for that size sheet.

But every Home Depot and Lowe's I've ever been in has about 10 different sizes of Plexi and Lexan in various sizes, it confuses me that you couldn't find anything close to what you want.