How to make a faceplate/surface mount

[exoscoriae]

My search skills on this board may be retarded, but I didn't find a thread on this - I probably just don't know what exact terms to use.

I'm looking for a way to create a faceplate for some ports I'd like to add to the front of my cab control panel box.  I picked up an LED usb hub and 2 ps2-usb adapters.  I'd like to find some way of flush mounting them cleanly in the control panel box without it looking like a hack job.

One thread I found a guy mentioned making a faceplate out of a cork dinner place mat.... I'm not sure how he made that sturdy, but I def. want to make sure that mine stays where I put it and is strong enough to last plugging and unplugging of the ports.

Any suggestions are very welcome!

[Ginsu Victim]

Without looking like a hack job? That just depends on your skill.
www.frontx.com might give you some ideas.

[exoscoriae]

Thanks for the link - if i could cast molded plastic I'd be in business! heh.

I built the entire cab, so I'm not worried about my own skills - I just really didn't want any suggestions that include fake marble, as that seems to be a staple to so many badly built cabs.  I would consider that to be a hack job.

I think I may buy some heavy duty cardboard for the clean port cuts and reinforce it from the back with a 1/8 inch wood frame and center support.

[severdhed]

what about plexiglass?  you can cut it easily with a dremel or similar tool, and paint the back side of it black. it will give you a nice glossy finish and should be more sturdy that cardboard.

[Ginsu Victim]

What he said.
I love the look of the plexi I painted black on the back. Mirror black!
Easy to cut holes in and the end result looks awesome.

[Helmgar]

Instead of heavy card board, you could use balsa wood. It will be sturdier and can be cut with an exacto blade. You can get it at most any craft store.

[exoscoriae]

Plexiglass is a great idea - although I've never had much luck cutting it.  I finally ordered a piece of lexan to make my control panel overlay, which just showed up yesterday.

So dremel's work ok with plexiglass?  I suppose I'll go get a sheet later on today and screw around with it.  Any tips on working with the plexiglass, or possibly links to threads which deal with that (I'm sure it's come up before)?

Also - should i use any specific dremel tips?  Thanks a bunch.

[severdhed]

i cut all of my button holes in my plexiglass with a dremel, it took a little while, but worked well.  i havent tried making really small holes, like those needed for a usb port though.  i just clamped my plexi to a piece of wood to hold it steady and keep it from flexing.  i used a high speed cutting bit.  i drilled a pilot hole with a drill, (big enough for the dremmel bit to fit inside) then just let the dremel do the cutting. i have a low end dremel that only has one speed...fast, so i don't know what would happen at slower speeds, but at high speed, it pretty much just melts through the plexi leaving a nice hole.   the reinforced cutting disks do a nice job on plexi as well, if you need a bigger hole. 

the best part about plexi is how wonderful it looks when the back side is spraypainted black.  i used $.98 flat black spraypaint from wallmart on the back of my plexi bezel, and i am very pleased with how it turned out.  it looks very glossy.