Question about cabinet glass..

[gojira26]

So yeah this is my first time building a cab, but Im wandering what kind of glass you guys usually use, and if you order it offline or get it locally....

im assuming i prolly should get tempered glass.

[gojira26]

also one more question while im in here, can you guys give me the links to the sites where you guys buy most of your controls, i know mostly happ buttons are used here, but what kind of joysticks. Also since im building a jamma cab, i have the jamma harness but im wandering if i can buy a brand new one. not any adapter, just the actuall jamma....thingy.

Thanks guys, i love this board.

[RoninEditor]

Look for Divemaster on here, PM him... he's got great deals from Happ and standard pricing with Ultimarc (but it saves on shipping if you plan to get Ultimarc and Happ, just get it from one place).  Overall, just think everything through and get everything you want so you can save on shipping, vs. doing it piece mail.  I got all of my stuff through him, minus the odds and ends.  He's a good dude, especially when you're starting... he'll answer questions and give great suggestions, especially to first time builders... whereas, with Happ direct, it's just an online form and that's it... good luck getting a reply for a question you might have. 

Or, you can find wholesale pricing at a Happ 'in-person' store, like the one in Vegas... for example, the marquee retainer retails online for $13 or so, in person... $6 for 10 feet of it.  But obviously, not everyone's within driving distance of Vegas.

And also, I was pointed to http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/ for the LED marquee light... haven't hooked it up yet but I know it's gonna be as great as everyone says... saves you the hassle of swapping bulbs every so often and it quietly feeds sips from your computer power supply.

As far as glass, I think most of us are using Lexan, it's more crack-resistant than Plexi, but get it from a place like OSH, where they'll cut it for you... if they break it, you're not out the money   Scoring it at home can be done but it's kind of a pain, especially with 3/8 or so.  A lotta times, you can find perfectly good 'scrap' to build your CP from.  And, when you order your marquee from Mamemarquees.com or Emdkay.net, they'll cut your Plexi or Lexan (respectively), sized for your art.

[ivwshane]

I plan on getting my smoked glass from onedayglass.com, several people on this board recommended them and their price seems decent enough.

[ddw]

I would go to you're local glass shop I bought mine from Royal glass 25x25 1/4 in for $40
seamed like a good price to me.

 ddw

[Ginsu Victim]

Though mine isn't smoked (which I would've preferred), I picked up quarter inch plexiglass (23 5/8" x 17 5/8") at Lowes for $13.99

[Stub]

I got one day glass last week. Smoked 45%

I have not tested it with the monitor yet, but a lot of people recommend 31%. But I have a newer monitor whose screen already has some tint.

Best thing about one day is they made it exactly to spec. One dimension was 1/32 short. I have had glass many times for several local companies and you are lucky to get tempered within 1/8. Also they use some sort of a clamp on one side during tempering. it leaves very slight indentations. Make sure to indicate to them what edge to grab. Put it where you have at lease a 1/8 retainer.

[RoninEditor]

Ah, nice!  They sound great... I haven't pulled the trigger on my glass just yet, I would prefer the smoked glass... but how much tint can you have and still use a light gun?  (I don't have one yet but I'm definitely going to add one in the near future.)

Also, I'm checking their site right now... I only see real 'glass'... not Lexan or Plexi...?  What have you guys gotten from them?

[Avrus]

I plan on getting my smoked glass from onedayglass.com, several people on this board recommended them and their price seems decent enough.

Yup, product seems good, quick and price is good as well.

[RoninEditor]

Though mine isn't smoked (which I would've preferred), I picked up quarter inch plexiglass (23 5/8" x 17 5/8") at Lowes for $13.99

Ginsu... you should check an Auto-tinting place, and see how much they'd do it for, slapping on a sheet of tint shouldn't be crazy expensive, especially if they could use some leftovers from another job.

[gojira26]

damn you guys give a lot of help here. thanks especially to Ronin I think ill check out onedayglass.

but now this gives me another question...why smoked glass instead of regular?

[gojira26]

I got one day glass last week. Smoked 45%

i just went there to put an order in, how did you order it smoked to a certain % i cant seem to find that option during the ordering process, thanks.

[RoninEditor]

damn you guys give a lot of help here. thanks especially to Ronin I think ill check out onedayglass.

but now this gives me another question...why smoked glass instead of regular?

It's all a team effort here

Smoked hides the 'inners' a little bit better while still allowing the screen to pop through... ya know, if your bezel doesn't line up perfectly and there's a gap, you can't see it as well if it's smoked, especially if the lights are off.  The downside is that I heard if it's smoked, light guns won't work with it... which makes sense, I just never heard what was too much of a percent to still use light guns, which is something you'll wanna consider for the future... I know I'm gonna add a light gun soon, I'm just trying to stretch some things out so I don't catch too much static from the wife, lol.

[Ginsu Victim]

Though mine isn't smoked (which I would've preferred), I picked up quarter inch plexiglass (23 5/8" x 17 5/8") at Lowes for $13.99

Ginsu... you should check an Auto-tinting place, and see how much they'd do it for, slapping on a sheet of tint shouldn't be crazy expensive, especially if they could use some leftovers from another job.

Yeah, I've actually considered it before. I have the original smoked plexi that came with the arcade cabinet, but it's scratched all to hell. I tried to clean it up, but it's still pretty bad. I think I'll wind up ordering some rather than tinting mine. The piece I bought had scratches already on it when I got it, but it was the best one Lowes had. It's only minor, but enough to annoy me.

[Fozzy The Bear]

The downside is that I heard if it's smoked, light guns won't work with it... which makes sense, I just never heard what was too much of a percent to still use light guns, which is something you'll wanna consider for the future... I know I'm gonna add a light gun soon, I'm just trying to stretch some things out so I don't catch too much static from the wife, lol.

Smoked has no effect whatsoever on the LCD TopGun..... The IR leds work just as well through smoked glass or plexi as they do without it. Act Labs guns sometimes have a problem with it, but at 31% they mostly work OK.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

[Stub]

onedayglass.com the Solar Gray is 45%

And all smoked glass I have heard of does not affect infrared. Reflection off the glass from lighting might be causing other issues.

[More Cowbell]

Here's another excellent smoked plexi site...  http://www.estreetplastics.com/Grey_Smoke_Plexiglass_2064_s/80.htm

I bought 5 sheets of 1/4" thick 24"x24" for $100 shipped. I will definitely buy from them again.