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Author Topic: Bella's Arcade [FINISHED]  (Read 131092 times)

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Tiger-Heli

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Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
« Reply #240 on: May 08, 2007, 09:23:23 am »
I use Gimp rather than Photoshop, but I posted the RGB values above.  Again, I think you could get the artist to play around with this and maybe get even closer than I came - I'm not naturally very good with colors and such.

I do have access to Photoshop (but not rapidshare), if you can't find any other takers and need me to mod the .ai file let me know and we can figure something out.
It's not what you take when you leave this world behind you, it's what you leave behind you when you go. - R. Travis.
When all is said and done, generally much more is SAID than DONE.

javeryh

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Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
« Reply #241 on: May 09, 2007, 09:36:20 am »
I use Gimp rather than Photoshop, but I posted the RGB values above.  Again, I think you could get the artist to play around with this and maybe get even closer than I came - I'm not naturally very good with colors and such.

I do have access to Photoshop (but not rapidshare), if you can't find any other takers and need me to mod the .ai file let me know and we can figure something out.

Thanks.  Someone at work uses photoshop so I'm going to see if she can alter the image based on the color code you posted.  The reason I don't want to go back to the artist is because I feel like I've bothered him enough - he did all this work completely for free (including my marquee) and I keep making small changes because I'm so picky.  I'm sure he would do it if I asked though.

Last night I put on pink coat #4 and it looks pretty good.  I think I'm going to apply one more coat before I lacquer it and polish everything super smooth.  I'm a little torn on what I should do for the last coat though. 

Option #1:  Apply the 5th coat of paint and then sand with 220, 600 and then 1500 to get the surface very very smooth before applying the lacquer - I'm afraid that by doing this I will dull the pink color.

Option #2: Apply the 5th coat of paint and apply the lacquer - I'm afraid that by doing this some of the "orange peel" from the last coat of paint will be visible underneath the smooth lacquer top layer.  I used this method on my test panel and it came out pretty good so this is what I'm leaning towards unless anyone has any suggestions.

No matter what, I'm applying about 20 coats of a spray-on lacquer, letting it cure for 7-10 days, wet sanding it super smooth with 1500 grit sandpaper, applying 3-4 coats of rubbing compound and applying 3-4 coats of finishing polish.

Any thoughts?

Tiger-Heli

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Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
« Reply #242 on: May 09, 2007, 10:22:30 am »
Thanks.  Someone at work uses photoshop so I'm going to see if she can alter the image based on the color code you posted.  The reason I don't want to go back to the artist is because I feel like I've bothered him enough - he did all this work completely for free (including my marquee) and I keep making small changes because I'm so picky.  I'm sure he would do it if I asked though.
Understood, but again, all I did was download your image, open it in Gimp, use the color-picker (eye-dropper) to select the current color of the border, use the color selector to change that to a darker less-red pink, and use the bucket-fill tool to apply that to the border.

It took me all of 60 seconds and someone with a real eye for colors could do it faster and get better results.

That was all I was trying to get at.
It's not what you take when you leave this world behind you, it's what you leave behind you when you go. - R. Travis.
When all is said and done, generally much more is SAID than DONE.

Kaytrim

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Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
« Reply #243 on: May 09, 2007, 10:23:00 am »
I would treat coat #5 just like the rest in prep for the lacquer.  The lacquer will give you the shine you are looking for not the color.

TTFN :cheers:
Kaytrim

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Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
« Reply #244 on: May 10, 2007, 12:03:10 am »
I second Kaytrim's suggestion.  A smooth but mat finish should get shiny when it is covered in a high gloss clear.  This way you will get rid of the orange peel and have a kick-arse shiny pink cabinet that looks like automotive paint.

theCoder

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Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
« Reply #245 on: May 10, 2007, 12:41:51 am »
What they said.  The color coat gets you the color.  The lacquer gets you the shine.  On my last color coat on the Xcelerator project, I sanded and sanded.  I started with 200 grit, then to 600 grit, then a whole lot of wet sanding with 1000 grit.  A few pieces of advice.

1)  If you thing you have sanded enough, sand a little more. 
2)  Get a car polish orbital buffer.  Worth every penny.
3)  More thinner coats of lacquer is better than fewer thicker coats.
4)  Sand, sand, and more sand the lacquer layers.  Did I mention sanding?

Thanks again for inspiring me to go for the polished look.  Yesterday I had an air conditioner repair guy in the house.  He thought the cab was made from molded plastic.  His second guess was laminate.  He did not believe me when I told him it was painted plywood.  Take your time, you'll love the finish you get. 

javeryh

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Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
« Reply #246 on: May 10, 2007, 11:25:00 am »
What they said.  The color coat gets you the color.  The lacquer gets you the shine.  On my last color coat on the Xcelerator project, I sanded and sanded.  I started with 200 grit, then to 600 grit, then a whole lot of wet sanding with 1000 grit.  A few pieces of advice.

1)  If you thing you have sanded enough, sand a little more. 
2)  Get a car polish orbital buffer.  Worth every penny.
3)  More thinner coats of lacquer is better than fewer thicker coats.
4)  Sand, sand, and more sand the lacquer layers.  Did I mention sanding?

Thanks again for inspiring me to go for the polished look.  Yesterday I had an air conditioner repair guy in the house.  He thought the cab was made from molded plastic.  His second guess was laminate.  He did not believe me when I told him it was painted plywood.  Take your time, you'll love the finish you get. 

I'm a bit confused - did you do all that sanding (200 grit, then to 600 grit, then a whole lot of wet sanding with 1000 grit) before or after applying your last color coat?  If it's after then didn't all that sanding dull the color right before you put the lacquer on?  If it's before then that makes sense since you want your last coat to be as flat as possible before applying the lacquer.

Should I go:
1.  5th coat of paint, insane sanding, 20 coats of lacquer, more insane sanding OR
2.  insane sanding, 5th coat of paint, 20 coats of lacquer, more insane sanding

Thanks!!

Thanks.
« Last Edit: May 10, 2007, 11:59:19 am by javeryh »

Tiger-Heli

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Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
« Reply #247 on: May 10, 2007, 11:48:07 am »
Should I go:
1.  5th coat of paint, 20 coats of lacquer, insane sanding OR
2.  insane sanding, 5th coat of paint, 20 coats of lacquer, more insane sanding
This isn't my area of expertise, but from what everyone else is saying, I think you go:

3. insane sanding, 5th coat of paint, insane sanding, 20 coats of lacquer, with insane sanding between each coat.  8)

Hopefully, I'm wrong, though!!!  :laugh2:
It's not what you take when you leave this world behind you, it's what you leave behind you when you go. - R. Travis.
When all is said and done, generally much more is SAID than DONE.

theCoder

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Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
« Reply #248 on: May 10, 2007, 06:19:31 pm »
It's more like #1.  In the end you want as smooth a surface that you are willing to put in the time on.  To get there, you want as smooth a surface you can afford just before applying the lacquer.  Regardless of what you do leading up to the lacquer layer, sand the heck out of the last color coat.  This will definitely remove its sheen.  That is OK.  You get the sheen from the lacquer coats, not the color coats.  It is similar with the lacquer coats.  Regardless of what you do along the way, you want the sand the heck out of the last lacquer coat.  This will dull the sheen as well, but that's OK.  I'd recommend a light sanding with 600 grit or steel wool between lacquer coats to remove the bugs and overspray.  You then move on to using the buffer, which will get the sheen back plus a whole lot more.  Good luck with it.

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Question on painting technique
« Reply #249 on: May 13, 2007, 10:52:54 pm »
Wwooooo Javeryh!

I just went through your whole post ... it took me about 2 hours  :dizzy:

Impressive project and very well documented.  :applaud:

I have a question for the painting job.
For the black paint, did you roll, spray or brush?
Do you have any "interior" angle (90deg = interior angle, 270 = exterior angle?
If so, how did you paint that area? (unreachable with a roller??)

And last question, on your pink side panels, is the lacquer is rolled too

I'll probably use the same technique as you for my uroMAMEstyx cab,

Thanks
Jay

javeryh

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Re: Question on painting technique
« Reply #250 on: May 14, 2007, 12:28:52 am »
Wwooooo Javeryh!

I just went through your whole post ... it took me about 2 hours  :dizzy:

Impressive project and very well documented.  :applaud:

I have a question for the painting job.
For the black paint, did you roll, spray or brush?
Do you have any "interior" angle (90deg = interior angle, 270 = exterior angle?
If so, how did you paint that area? (unreachable with a roller??)

And last question, on your pink side panels, is the lacquer is rolled too

I'll probably use the same technique as you for my uroMAMEstyx cab,

Thanks
Jay

Thanks for the kind words!  As for the black paint, it is rolled on using a 4-inch foam roller.  I should really post a picture of the packaging so people can see the exact brand I used because it is very good quality and leaves minimal "orange peel" when it dries.  I tried a few other foam roller brands and I did not like the results at all so it definitely makes a difference.  The inside corners were very tough to get just right.  I ended up using a foam brush to paint the corners - the trick is to paint the corners first and then use the roller to get as close as you can to them - this minimizes the surface area that the brush strokes show up on (because you are hopefully covering the brush strokes with the roller).  The end result is that the corners look very very nice and everything is uniform - I think this has to do with the fact that I used black paint and everything kind of dried evenly.

Luckily, the places that I'm applying the lacquer have no inside corners - I am just applying the crazy finish to the front coin door panel and the two side panels.  The top and back of the cabinet will be pink but not lacquered.  I am using the same roller to roll on the pink paint but the lacquer is sprayed on out of a can.  I'm putting on 20 coats of lacquer (a coat takes less than 5 minutes to apply and you can recoat every 20-30 minutes) and letting it cure for 7-10 days before sanding. 

I hope this helps - it's pretty late right now and I'm tired so I'm not sure how clear I'm being...   :cheers:

javeryh

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Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
« Reply #251 on: May 14, 2007, 12:32:06 am »
FINAL SIDE ART!  The artist made the change for me - I had him match it exactly to the color of the walls in my daughter's room from the chair rail to the ceiling so it will definitely match.  It's "Pretty as a Princess" color by Behr (the Disney line).  The cabinet was painted in "Pretty in Pink" which is also part of the same line and designed to match.  I think it looks great.  I'm placing the order with Scott tomorrow.  Check it out:

theCoder

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Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
« Reply #252 on: May 14, 2007, 01:59:56 am »
That's going to look great.  Hopefully she likes pink for a while.

Have you picked up a buffer yet?

superbigjay

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Re: Question on painting technique
« Reply #253 on: May 14, 2007, 08:42:43 am »
the trick is to paint the corners first and then use the roller to get as close as you can to them - this minimizes the surface area that the brush strokes show up on (because you are hopefully covering the brush strokes with the roller).
...
 the lacquer is sprayed on out of a can.  I'm putting on 20 coats of lacquer (a coat takes less than 5 minutes to apply and you can recoat every 20-30 minutes) and letting it cure for 7-10 days before sanding. 

I hope this helps - it's pretty late right now and I'm tired so I'm not sure how clear I'm being...   :cheers:
Thanks for the info Javeryh, I'll try that (and do some testing before).

For the lacquer, it's a spray can that you usually get in the automotive paint?
If I understood right, you're gonna apply a few coats of lacquer at 20 minute intervals, then let it cure for 7 days and if necessary, sand it and repeat?

Thanks
Jay

javeryh

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Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
« Reply #254 on: May 14, 2007, 07:13:09 pm »
That's going to look great.  Hopefully she likes pink for a while.

Have you picked up a buffer yet?

I did not pick up the buffer yet.  Spraying starts for real this weekend and I have to let it cure for at least a week before I'll need the buffer.  I'm doing the final sanding and putting on the final coat of pink paint on Thursday and then I'll start spraying the lacquer on Saturday and Sunday (and Monday if necessary).  I'm really going to put on 20 coats because I can't risk sanding down to the pink paint and the primer.  I'm going to be home alone all weekend so I will be able to go out and spray every 30 minutes over the two days so I should be able to get the 20 coats on.

What are people's thoughts on "finishing" the top panel?  I don't think I'll be able to make it look nice with the shiny finish because of the two inside corners - I won't be able to use the hand sander in there.  Should I try it?  I'm definitely not finishing the back because there's no point but the top will be seen.  Thoughts?

javeryh

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Re: Question on painting technique
« Reply #255 on: May 14, 2007, 08:27:00 pm »
the trick is to paint the corners first and then use the roller to get as close as you can to them - this minimizes the surface area that the brush strokes show up on (because you are hopefully covering the brush strokes with the roller).
...
 the lacquer is sprayed on out of a can.  I'm putting on 20 coats of lacquer (a coat takes less than 5 minutes to apply and you can recoat every 20-30 minutes) and letting it cure for 7-10 days before sanding. 

I hope this helps - it's pretty late right now and I'm tired so I'm not sure how clear I'm being...   :cheers:
Thanks for the info Javeryh, I'll try that (and do some testing before).

For the lacquer, it's a spray can that you usually get in the automotive paint?
If I understood right, you're gonna apply a few coats of lacquer at 20 minute intervals, then let it cure for 7 days and if necessary, sand it and repeat?

Thanks
Jay

The lacquer is Rustoleum "clear" as shown in the pic.  I bought 2 cans for this project at $3.98 each.  You are correct - I'm spraying on 20 coats at 20-30 minute intervals.  I doubt I'll do any more than that and I will not be sanding at all in between lacquer coats - I didn't sand the lacquer for my test panel and it came out great.  Also, the guy I copied (the link is somewhere in this thread) didn't sand in between lacquer coats either and I'm just doing what he did.

I also posted the rollers I used - they are really great.  The brand name is Whizzer.


GAtekwriter

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Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
« Reply #256 on: May 14, 2007, 08:27:44 pm »
Let me throw in one question while the lacquer process is being discussed - if I'm going to be applying vinyl sideart, is lacquer possible?  Recommended?  Impossible?  Should it possibly be applied in the middle of the lacquer process (like after 2 coats of lacquer, put on the vinyl and then lacquer more)?

Thanks.

Jim

javeryh

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Re: Bella's Arcade: It's PINK!!! (05.02.07)
« Reply #257 on: May 14, 2007, 08:52:24 pm »
Let me throw in one question while the lacquer process is being discussed - if I'm going to be applying vinyl sideart, is lacquer possible?  Recommended?  Impossible?  Should it possibly be applied in the middle of the lacquer process (like after 2 coats of lacquer, put on the vinyl and then lacquer more)?

Thanks.

Jim

I am ordering vinyl sideart from Scott at mamemarquees and I will be applying it like a giant sticker AFTER the lacquer process is completely finished.  I would recommend against applying it and spraying over it. 

Someone around here was familiar with the process of applying some glass-like product that starts out in liquid form and hardens and flattens due to gravity so you could embed something like you've probably seen in tabletops but it supposedly adds about a 1/2" to the surface which would totally mess up the t-molding and probably not look right, IMO.  I forget what thread it was in but it was definitely an old one.

javeryh

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Re: Bella's Arcade: GLASS has arrived!! (05.17.07)
« Reply #258 on: May 17, 2007, 11:32:20 am »
Not a big deal but post-worthy I suppose since I'm posting just about anything and everything I can think of that has to do with building this thing.  I finally got a chance this past weekend to go and pick up the glass I ordered to cover the monitor and bezel area. The glass shop is only open during the week and I took Monday off to do some chores and stuff around the house so I was able to go pick it up.

I ordered a 3/8" thick tempered piece of GRAY tinted glass. The gray tint actually enhances the colors of the monitor and makes the edges of the graphics look sharper. It's hard to explain but if you've ever seen the difference up close it's a no brainer - gray tinted glass is the way to go.

One pic is just the glass rectangle laying on the workbench and the other is of it laying in its place (don't mind the little cork squares on the bottom - they are only there for protection right now). The fit is unbelievable - I really did a nice job (surprisingly) with making everything square and level. The glass goes right up to the edges on all 4 sides and everything is perfectly square.

Enjoy!


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Re: Bella's Arcade: GLASS has arrived!! (05.17.07)
« Reply #259 on: May 17, 2007, 01:25:08 pm »
I ordered a 3/8" thick tempered piece of GRAY tinted glass. The gray tint actually enhances the colors of the monitor and makes the edges of the graphics look sharper. It's hard to explain but if you've ever seen the difference up close it's a no brainer - gray tinted glass is the way to go.
If you don't mind me asking: how much did the glass run you? I'll soon be to my glass stage and was curious as to the cost difference between tempered glass and plexi/acrylic

Aurich

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Re: Bella's Arcade: GLASS has arrived!! (05.17.07)
« Reply #260 on: May 17, 2007, 01:40:20 pm »
IIRC my 1/4" smoked tempered glass was around $40 or so. It's so much nicer than plexi, I've done both.

Looking good, bet you're starting to fell as impatient as I am by now to get the paint and glass installed. :p

javeryh

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Re: Bella's Arcade: GLASS has arrived!! (05.17.07)
« Reply #261 on: May 17, 2007, 02:03:08 pm »
I ordered a 3/8" thick tempered piece of GRAY tinted glass. The gray tint actually enhances the colors of the monitor and makes the edges of the graphics look sharper. It's hard to explain but if you've ever seen the difference up close it's a no brainer - gray tinted glass is the way to go.
If you don't mind me asking: how much did the glass run you? I'll soon be to my glass stage and was curious as to the cost difference between tempered glass and plexi/acrylic

I paid $32 at the local glass shop for it.  It's definitely worth it over plexi because plexi is easier to scratch, IMO.

IIRC my 1/4" smoked tempered glass was around $40 or so. It's so much nicer than plexi, I've done both.

Looking good, bet you're starting to fell as impatient as I am by now to get the paint and glass installed. :p

I am definitely getting impatient.  The good news is that I have been working on it even though it doesn't really seem like it.  Over the past 2 weeks I've sanded and repainted the entire cabinet 5 times (actually 10 because I did the black and pink areas separately).  Tonight I am doing the FINAL sanding of the entire cabinet going all the way up to 1500 grit to get it super smooth and I'm applying the FINAL coat of paint!  I am going to let it dry until Saturday and I will begin to apply the lacquer coats to the side, front and top panels (20 in all over the weekend).  I anticipate being completely finished with this project the weekend of June 2 and 3.  I have no choice really beacuse baby #2 is coming at the end of June so I probably won't have much free time after that!

Aurich

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Re: Bella's Arcade: GLASS has arrived!! (05.17.07)
« Reply #262 on: May 17, 2007, 07:42:30 pm »
Heh, I always seem to build my cabinets while my wife is pregnant too...  :cheers:

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Re: Bella's Arcade: GLASS has arrived!! (05.17.07)
« Reply #263 on: May 17, 2007, 11:37:32 pm »
When the wife is pregnant, you better get out of her way when her mood isn't that great.
In that case, the workshop/garage is probably the safest place  :laugh2:

javeryh

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Re: Bella's Arcade: GLASS has arrived!! (05.17.07)
« Reply #264 on: May 18, 2007, 09:34:14 am »
Heh, I always seem to build my cabinets while my wife is pregnant too...  :cheers:

Haha - yeah I know what you mean.  I started my first cabinet the same month my daughter was born which is probably the reason my wife isn't so approving of the hobby.  I was going crazy with the not sleeping and constant worry so I had to channel my energy somewhere...

Last night I began the final sanding of the pink paint.  I started with 220 grit and moved up to 600.  I had planned to take it all the way to 1500 but I think 600 is good enough.  I am definitely adding one more thin layer of pink paint before applying the lacquer.  I know some people have said I should sand the pink smooth and then apply the lacquer but I just don't trust that the color will be vibrant enough.  The sanding really dulls everything.  Besides, the test panels I made came out great and I sanded, then applied the final coat of paint and then lacquered so I think I'm just going to stick to that.

It took me way longer than I anticipated to sand everything down.  I kept thinking "when you think you've sanded enough, sand some more" so I probably went over the entire thing 4 or 5 times.  I was out in the garage for about 3 hours and I wanted to stay out later but I felt like a bad neighbor for running the power tools so late at night.  I will finish up tonight for sure, add the final coat of pink paint and then start lacquering in the morning.

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Re: Bella's Arcade: GLASS has arrived!! (05.17.07)
« Reply #265 on: May 18, 2007, 11:00:32 am »
This thing is going to look HOT!  As far as the buffing goes, when you think you're done buffing, buff it some more.  That is easy to say if you have a power buffer, not the same if going by hand.  I still can't believe the finish you can get on a piece of wood with enough coats of paint/lacquer/polish.  Go easy on the lacquer fumes this weekend.  Makes for a sleepy afternoon.

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Re: Bella's Arcade: GLASS has arrived!! (05.17.07)
« Reply #266 on: May 18, 2007, 01:08:34 pm »
Hi javeryh and all, I have just read this entire thread with great interest. The work I have seen that has gone into this cabinet from the photographs and planning is truly amazing. I can't wait to see the photo of the finished cabinet along with the big smile on Bella's face.

I have been working with paints, lacquers and other special coatings for 18 years and I have to say it, you have me sitting on the edge of my seat with anticipation. I can't wait to see the finish.

The only advise I can give you is don't rush it and if it does not look right on the last coat don't panic and be tempted to spray it yet again, dry edges* can be buffed out to give you a spectacular finish.

*Dry edges = When you spray into an area of recently applied lacquer that has started to cure, leaving a dull area where the two overlaps.

I can't wait to start building my cabinet all this reading of other peoples projects is making me hungry to get going.  This is a great forum/community and an excellent thread, thanks to all. Have a great weekend javeryh  ;)
« Last Edit: May 18, 2007, 01:10:46 pm by Hornet »
ME- Its a bartop.
WIFE- But we don't have a bar.
ME- That's my next project! ;-)

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Re: Bella's Arcade: LACQUERING has begun!!! (05.19.07)
« Reply #267 on: May 19, 2007, 11:13:56 am »
Thanks for the kind words!   :cheers:  I could probably use your help since you are so experienced with lacquers and this will be my first time - are you sure you don't want to come over and do it for me?   ;)

Anyway, last night I finished sanding and I applied the final coat of paint - it looks great as it is without any lacquer so hopefully the lacquer will come out nice and take this thing to the next level.  I just spent an hour prepping the cabinet.  Check out the attached pics.

Do I have to worry about peeling the tape off for the lacquer?  When I let the tape sit too long and then peeled it off it took some paint with it and I don't want the same thing to happen to the lacquer.  Any tips?  Coder - I'm looking at you...   ;D
« Last Edit: May 19, 2007, 11:16:32 am by javeryh »

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Re: Bella's Arcade: LACQUERING has begun!!! (05.19.07)
« Reply #268 on: May 20, 2007, 12:25:01 am »
Looking good. 

It looks like your tape is in a place that will be covered by the t-molding no?  If that is the case I would leave it so that you don't get any misting of over spray on the rest of the cabinet.  When you go to remove the tape you can cut right along the edge of it with a razor and then you don't have to worry about the paint pealing with it.  Since it is behind t-molding you don't have to be too precise with the cutting either.  If it was not hidden I would have a hard time saying which way to suggest.  The trick of cutting the edge always works, but with an exposed edge you have to cut very carefully. 

Keep up the good work, and thanks for keeping us posted, it's going to turn out great.

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Re: Bella's Arcade: LACQUERING has begun!!! (05.19.07)
« Reply #269 on: May 20, 2007, 02:58:47 pm »
Thanks - I think you are right.  The only place I'm concerned about it the top panel.  After thinking about it for a while I dicided I will be "finishing" that panel as well so all visible pink will have the super smooth lacquered/polished finish.  It is going to be a huge pain to do that panel because of the two interior corners I will have to sand up against but I've come this far so what the heck.  The only panel that will not be "finished" is the back one which will never be seen.

I just put the 25th(!) coat of lacquer on the cabinet.  I went through 5 cans of the stuff and probably breathed in more than I should have.  It looks pretty good and it's already smooth to the touch - that stuff dries very very quick.  I'm pretty confident it has a thick enough layer so I can sand it smooth but not sand through to the paint.  I'm going to strictly be wetsanding with 1500 grit sandpaper - I'm not going to be working my way up to it or anything because I don't want to remove too much.

Now comes the hard part - waiting.  I think I need to give it two weeks to cure just to be safe but I really really really want to finish everything next weekend since we have the holiday and everything.  Argh!

I guess I can turn my attention to the finishing details.  I still have to:

1.  Install the speaker covers (and don't forget the screw caps)
2.  Install the plug that spacies graciously sent me (which involves splicing my SmartStrip so I'm a bit nervous)
3.  Figure out a way to powere on and off with one button (I'll probably wire the computer power button to a button on the back of the cab somewhere)
4.  Install the marquee (cut the retainer strips too) and apply the side art
5.  Make a bezel out of black posterboard/matteboard or something
6.  Install the CP (figure out a way to keep the joystick in place)
7.  Install and wire the coin door
8.  Install t-molding
9.  CONFIGURE THE COMPUTER - this is easily the biggest hurdle for me because I stink

I'm sure I left some stuff out but all of this can be done in an afternoon so it's really not that much.

 :cheers:

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Re: Bella's Arcade: UGLY progress pic!!! (05.22.07)
« Reply #270 on: May 22, 2007, 11:46:20 am »
I couldn't resist popping everything in there and snapping a few pictures to get a sense as to what the finished cabinet will look like.  Jeez it sure looks UGLY.  You can totally see the last spray lines from the final lacquer coat - good thing this will all get sanded out in the finishing process.  The pink also comes out really white looking from the camera flash and the front and sides look like 2 different shades but they are identical in person.  Something tells me I'm not going to be able to get an accurate picture until this thing is up in Bella's room (taking the picture at night in an unlit garage probably doesn't help either).

Anyway, I wasn't going to share because it really looks bad but I figure that someone else might follow my lead and get to this point and start to panic so here goes:

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Re: Bella's Arcade: UGLY progress pic!!! (05.22.07)
« Reply #271 on: May 22, 2007, 12:16:57 pm »
That is not ugly - it looks great! You are slowly inspiring me to build something similar for my kid's playroom. However, I am successfully fighting the urge, as I have not finished my system yet - plus I have to refurb my Sega Turbo, and am waiting on a replacement part for my English Mark Darts. Stop making this look so good - I may weaken and fall...

 :)
« Last Edit: May 23, 2007, 01:29:31 pm by Havok »

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Re: Bella's Arcade: UGLY progress pic!!! (05.22.07)
« Reply #272 on: May 23, 2007, 10:19:23 am »
it's looking great, wheel it out in the sun for a pic if you get a chance so we can see the colour.
just thinking regarding the impending arrival to the household , you better tell your wife that if she has a boy , you're going to have to build a blue version too, you cant favour one child more than the other. :laugh:

that my friend, is the excuse youre looking for :cheers:

she may hit back saying if its a girl then no need , but i think its only fair your children have one each, i mean its not like you enjoy building them , its just fairness thats all. :angel:
got COLOR codes from projects, post them here

add stuff to the uk wiki section

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Re: Bella's Arcade: UGLY progress pic!!! (05.22.07)
« Reply #273 on: May 23, 2007, 12:47:20 pm »
Looking good javeryh.

Try placing a piece of white paper or tissue paper in front of the flash to defuse it, it should help a bit. Keep up the great work.  ;)
ME- Its a bartop.
WIFE- But we don't have a bar.
ME- That's my next project! ;-)

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Re: Bella's Arcade: UGLY progress pic!!! (05.22.07)
« Reply #274 on: June 01, 2007, 11:48:49 pm »
Thanks everyone!  It has been a long two week wait but tomorrow and Sunday I will be finishing the outside of the cabinet - FINALLY!  I am going to be doing the final wetsanding with 1500 grit sandpaper and then applying the rubbing compound and polish (and then t-molding!).  I anticipate doing one side and the coin door panel tomorrow and then the other side and the top panel on Sunday.  Then it's just miscellaneous stuff for the rest of the project.  I'm excited but nervous because I don't want to screw this part up.

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Re: Bella's Arcade: UGLY progress pic!!! (05.22.07)
« Reply #275 on: June 02, 2007, 11:23:39 am »
Loooooooking real good so far Javeryh!!!

Make sure to post a lost of pic of that last sanding step and the polishing
(product used, tools, etc...)
That finish is going to be awesome and I'm pretty sure a lot of us will try it on their cab  :applaud:

BTW, I didn't know what wet sanding was.  I looked on google and found this page
http://www.mobileworks.com/wet_sanding.html
Will it be the first time you try wet sanding, or are you some sort of expert...

Anyhow, keep us posted, I'm pretty sure, everyone wants to know how the final product will look like  :D

Jay

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Re: Bella's Arcade: UGLY progress pic!!! (05.22.07)
« Reply #276 on: June 03, 2007, 10:38:38 pm »
Loooooooking real good so far Javeryh!!!

Make sure to post a lost of pic of that last sanding step and the polishing
(product used, tools, etc...)
That finish is going to be awesome and I'm pretty sure a lot of us will try it on their cab  :applaud:

BTW, I didn't know what wet sanding was.  I looked on google and found this page
http://www.mobileworks.com/wet_sanding.html
Will it be the first time you try wet sanding, or are you some sort of expert...

Anyhow, keep us posted, I'm pretty sure, everyone wants to know how the final product will look like  :D

Jay


Thanks!  I'm definitely not an expert by any stretch.  In fact, this weekend I only finished 1/2 of the cabinet instead of the entire thing like I planned to.  I did the right side and the coin door panel - what a pain!  I don't think I'll ever do another finish like this... well, maybe I will but it's really trying my patience.  Plus, it is VERY tough to get a perfect finish.

I spent 5(!) hours sanding the one side of the cabinet on Saturday.  Five hours.  One side.  I used 1500 grit sandpaper, a palm sander, and a sponge.  I divided the panel into thirds and spent about an hour and a half wetsanding each third. 

I'm still not finished with it entirely.  I can still see a bunch of reflective sparkles all over the place when the light hits it just right - these are small divots that are still present even though I've sanded like crazy.  I don't know what to do next - I'm debating whether or not to continue sanding this week trying to remove the tiny divots or if I should move on to the rubbing compound and polish.  Will the rubbing compound remove those divots?  I'm not so sure the rubbing compound does anything to be honest - I applied a bit to a lint-free rag and started rubbing it in and I didn't notice a difference at all with the finish.  The divots were still there. 

Also, there are some sections that are starting to appear duller than others - I'm not sure if the dull sections indicate that I am getting the finish I want (and I just have to keep sanding) or if they indicate that I've completely sanded through the lacquer and I'm sanding the pink paint.  The last thing I want to do is sand through the paint to the white primer or worse, the MDF.  I am quite frustrated.

As it stands now (without rubbing compound and polish) it looks very nice from across the room (or even right next to the thing but if the light hits the cabinet just right you can definitely see imperfections which are making me nuts).  I'm probably the only one that will notice them... or maybe I'm not - I don't know.  I wish I could consult an expert to get some tips or some hints.

 :angry:

I snapped some pics but haven't looked at them yet - they are probably horrible, as usual.  Oh, I also got the side art from Scott - it came out great but I think I might have told him to print it a little small.  I'm also not sure how I'm going to apply it completely flat. Oh well that's a post for another day. 
« Last Edit: June 03, 2007, 10:40:18 pm by javeryh »

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Re: Bella's Arcade: UGLY progress pic!!! (05.22.07)
« Reply #277 on: June 04, 2007, 01:41:42 am »
I ran into similar issues with the divots on the Xcelerator project as well.  I did my best, then went on.  Polishing will not remove all the divots, but it does make them less noticeable.  Regarding the sections that are appearing duller than others, I'd give it a quick polish, with the course grit stuff and see.  I had similar spots and some polished up very nice, and a few (on the back side) were still a bit flat.  I went back and hit those with a few more coats of lacquer.  Of the remaining areas, about half turned out nice, and half are still a bit dull.  Dull meaning that it is not as reflective as the mirror finish areas.

It is definitely harder than you might think getting a piece of wood to look like the roof of a new car.  I'm very satisfied with the surface finish I got on mine.  You have to look at it at just the right angle, in just the right light to see the flaws.    You're daughter and her/your friends will probably never notice. 

Sorry to hear about your 5 hour sanding sessions.  Glad to hear of your progress.

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Re: Bella's Arcade: UGLY progress pic!!! (05.22.07)
« Reply #278 on: June 04, 2007, 09:12:49 am »
5 hours of sanding.... ouch!

I remembers when I restored my kitchen solid oak cabinet, I must have spent at least 25 hours total sanding and I swear to never do this again  :banghead:
It took me about a month to sand/stain/varnish those  :soapbox: kitchen cabs...

But I said the same thing about doing the joint for the gyproc in the basement, but ended up doing some more later...

I'll see how I feel when I'll get there.  Who knows, maybe, I'll forget how painfull the sainding was  :laugh2:

Can't wait to see the final product.

Oh and BTW, I'm pretty sure only you will notice the imperfections.

PS: sorry for the pic spam in your post  ;D

Jay  :cheers:

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Re: Bella's Arcade: UGLY progress pic!!! (05.22.07)
« Reply #279 on: June 04, 2007, 09:19:36 am »
Jay is right only you will notice the imperfections.  Just remember one thing, nobody is perfect and you are not nobody.  I am calling my bartop done and it is far from perfect.

TTFN :cheers:
Kaytrim