Painting Vinyl!?

[Billy_Goatfeet]

    I was at a local arcade reseller today to check out an auction.  Didn't see much at the auction but in the store they had four 33" Dynamo Showcase cabinets on clearance for $690 (cdn).   These are brand new cabinets, with brand new monitors all pre-wired for JAMMA.   I am in the planning stages of a cabinet build and this was very tempting at this price to sort of skip a bunch of steps.  I could still make my own control panel.  Here was the big issue for me though, the cabinets came covered in blue vinyl & blue t-molding.  I would really rather it be black, one of the staff suggested that it could be either spray painted black or rolled with flat black.  I am pretty skeptical that this would look presentable.   Has anyone tried this before?

Oh also, seems like a pretty good price too...

[severdhed]

those are pretty nice...i'd just keep it blue.   everyone has a black cabinet

[bkenobi]

Get some custom artwork to go with the blue and you'll be fine!

[Billy_Goatfeet]

  Yeah I suppose you are right, there aren't many blue cabinets out there.  Matching artwork also might do the trick.  Good suggestions.  I will post the results when I get it all together.  The only part of the building process that I have any skills in is the design/art aspect of it so I am taking my time on that.   Thanks for the ideas!

 

 

[javeryh]

All I know is that I wouldn't spend all that money and skimp on anything.

[Billy_Goatfeet]

  javeryh, I couldn't agree with you more...Settling would be wrong.

[Turnarcades]

I'm curious to know why they are blue in the first place. Did you inspect them? It could just be an anti-scratch film covering the true paint/laminate/vinyl underneath.

[bkenobi]

Actually, that's a good guess!  Look at the second from the left.  Half of the blue is gone to show that there's a monitor back there.  It's possible they used the same material for the whole thing.

[Kayden]

If they actually are vinyl coated, you could use Krylon Fusion spray paint.  It chemically bonds to plastics and works pretty well.  I wouldn't recommend rolling on wall paint 

Alternatively, just cover the whole thing in stickers/ vinyl artwork.

[Billy_Goatfeet]

  Yep, I did inspect them, the blue on the wood surfaces is vinyl for sure.  You are both correct that there us a blue anti-scratch coating on the plexiglass covering the monitor and the marquee (which is not seen in the photo).   Would another layer of black vinyl work overtop?  Would it adhere and would it stick out past the t-molding?  I will be creating art for the rest of it so I could put it right over top.   I have a great connection at a print shop so I can get stuff printed to vinyl for peanuts.   Considering the price, I don't care what colour it is at this point, a good deal is a good deal.

[Kayden]

It would be better to have your vinyl too big rather than too small.  You can always cut it with an x-acto knife.  Just stick it inbetween the t-molding and the wood and gently trace.  It also might be possible to remove the t-molding, apply the vinyl, fold it over the edge and pin it down with the T-molding.  Should give a very clean look if you can't cut strait, hard corners might take some work though. 

When you make your design, just make sure to give yourself at least an inch of play all around.  Either have a solid color or a pattern you don't mind truncating.