Creative Advice Needed

[HeadRusch]

So I've got this little coctail cab......(ps: this was taken at noon today, now this thing is 100% disassembled and I've already got half the woodpaneling off, leaving the intact plywood underneath)......and I'm ready to start having big fun with it.  (Bringing it to MAME glory)......

The top wood monitor opening is going to be widened and I'll probably take a wedge out of the bottom of the cabinet and let a larger monitor's ass-end "drop down through"...thereby the floor of the cab provides support and I can brace it laterally with a few 1x2's.

Now, what I am tempted to do, is do custom art all over where the awful wood paneling is now.....print out on decent glossy paper, using a nice can of 3M spray adhesive....but then, finally, I want to seal that artwork with a spray or brush on clearcoat of some kind.

Now, has anyone done this before (the sealing part)......Obviously I'll be trying to NOT get bleeding or running of the art, so I'll use a decent glossy paper for the printouts before adhering them to the cab.

Any thoughts?

[paigeoliver]

This is not about what you are asking about. But, those legs are so fixable. That rust should come right off.

Glass looks good too, the scrape around the monitor and repaint scheme chould work just fine and allow you to keep those instruction cards in place.

I used to have one of those cabinets (or a very similar one). Biggest monitor I could get in it was a 14" PC monitor with the case taken off.

[HeadRusch]

Well the cards are nice, just taped to the underside of the glass.  I have em here.......but they wont go back on the cab.  I'm thinking MAME logos would be the smart move there (personal preference).

I can't really justify that much real-estate for just a 13" mini-monitor though, even though thats about all that will fit.....thats why I'll be cutting out some of the base.  I've got a 17" monitor upstairs I'll "try out" to see how it all fits.......see if I can get a 19" in there without completley destroying the bottom.

I gotta remember I still need space for my motherboard and whatnot...

OH hey..regarding the rust on the legs.....polish will take that off???  When you say clean up I assume you mean clean up to repaint (refinish)....or am I missing the point here...where rust was only un-chromed steel will remain, no? EVen though the 'feet" for the legs look like freakin sand-castings...

[paigeoliver]

The actual bottom parts of the leg assemblies are supposed to be like that. I was talking about the actual chrome parts up higher. Those should clean up pretty nicely with some chrome polish. That rust looks like surface rust to me. I have taken chrome polish to wheels that look like one mass of rust, and gotten back awesome looking chrome wheels.

I was basically talking about using the polish to get the chrome back, and like I said, if it doesn't work, then at least you will have less rust to sand off if you do paint them.

A 19" isn't going to fit in there unless you just build a whole new body and just reuse your glass and feet.

[Amra]

Another thing that takes rust of without marring the surface, is good old dirt.  Find some soft dirt outside, pour water on it, take a washcloth, pick up the mud, and rub the rust.  It will look shiny in NO time flat.  Then simply rinse the lesgs off and wipe with soft dry cloth and be amazed at the power of dirt!

[spectre]

I'm going to sound like I don't know what I am talking about with this, and i probably don't, but maybe you could coat it with some kind of clear laquor (pronounced lakoor, going on my junior year of college and I still can't spell, I'm terrible, haha) I dunno if that will work or not, but thats my 2am thought of the day!

[ErikRuud]

Krylon Satin Clear is a good choice.

Just make sure you test it on a sample before you print and spray all your artwork.  Some clear coats and printer inks do not mix well.

Print your artwork, let it sit for two days to make sure the ink has complete set.  Then spray with the top coat. Several light coats is best.  Let the top caot dry for a few days.  If none of the colors have started bleeding you are good to go.

[HeadRusch]

Amra...this is very, VERY IMPORTANT...please, hear what I am saying.

GO IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR MEDICINE CABINET AND CHECK THE EXPIRATION DATES ON ANYTHING YOU MIGHT HAVE TAKEN BEFORE YOU POSTED THAT NOTE.......PLEASE!

 


Also, on the clearcoat: Is it an Enamel vs Acrylic thing on the printer inks?  Do you think an Enamel would work better than an Acrylic?  I'll look into it.....

[mahuti]

You should spray it with something that has UV blocking ability for durability. Krylon makes some, that I haven't used. This company makes some as well. See the link below.

http://www.papilio.com/clearjet.html

[ErikRuud]

It is more a question of the solvents involved.  I printed some dcal once and used the spray that came with the decal kit.  Everything looked fine after 24 hours.  After 48 hours the colors had started bleeding badly.  I tried it again with Testors Clear top coat.  No Bleeding.  I know other guys that swear by Krylon.  As far as I know, the Testors only comes in small cans and is not as economical as the Krylon.

[Amra]

Amra...this is very, VERY IMPORTANT...please, hear what I am saying.

GO IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR MEDICINE CABINET AND CHECK THE EXPIRATION DATES ON ANYTHING YOU MIGHT HAVE TAKEN BEFORE YOU POSTED THAT NOTE.......PLEASE!

::runs into bathroom, checks medicina cabinet and runs back to computer::

Well, Ive got good news, and bad news.  The bad news is, all my prescriptions are out of date, the good news is dirt still gets rust off metal and chrome better then any chrome cleaner on the market right now.    

Ill put it this way, if you havent tried it, dont bag it.  

For anyone curious as to why, I could explain that there are things in dirt called silicone and tiny abrasives, this combination helps protect the metal from getting scratched at the same time is rubbing off the rust.  You could possibly have thought I was being humerous about using dirt as a rust remover, but I assure you it is quite safe and very effective.

Also, be sure and use a fine dirt, not dirt with big chucks of rock in it.  ::gets a mental image of somoene trying to sand something smooth with a huge peice of granite::  

You gotta open yourself up to new experiences, k?

[HeadRusch]

hehehehe...no, its ok...my neighbor used to think I was nuts when I used to polish the little "Cobra" emblems on my mustang with toothpaste......she'd say "You want their fangs minty fresh?", and I said "no, this stuff is some of the best fine-grit abrasive substances out there...takes scractches out and polishes like a dream".  She thought i was nuts.

I'll try the dirt tomorrow.   If that don't work, I still got the rubbing compound in the garage....