The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls
Arcade Collecting => Miscellaneous Arcade Talk => Topic started by: 2PacMan on April 27, 2005, 09:21:34 am
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I'm building my own arcade machine, and i need a bezel. Rather than going with glass which is expensive, can i use plexiglass, or will it distort the picture....would any other material work?
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yes - but i think glass is better finish as it does not scratch as easilly
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Glass!
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Well, i understand that glass would be the best way to go, but it's expensive! It's going to be adults playing my game, so i don't think i'll have to worry about scratching too much, no one will be very rough with it. I just want to make sure it won't distort the picture...sometimes i've seen it give off a rainbow tinge to the light.
How much did it cost for your glass including cutting...i need about a 24x24 inch square.
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I used plexiglass. The picture looks fine through it. I've never noticed any distortion.
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If your going to use plexi dont leave you cab near any windows, the plastic will get cloudy over time from the sun , ive seen it time and time again installing plexi in windows for houses. Where i come from i charge more for plexi then the same size in glass, glass is a better choice and at some point your going to have to replace the plexi, the glass not really.
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Wouldn't Lexan be the best of both worlds?
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If your going to use plexi dont leave you cab near any windows, the plastic will get cloudy over time from the sun
Good advice. Arcade machines are supposed to be in dimly lit environments anyway. My wife calls my game room "the cave" because it's always so dark in there. :)
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Thanks for the input guys...i just called Lowe's and actually, it's cheaper to buy glass than the plexi....i had no idea, i thought plexi would be way cheaper. So i'm going with glass. Thanks again guys.
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Make sure you're getting tempered glass!
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Lowes, Home Depot & the like will gouge you on plexi. You can get it way, way cheaper from a plastics specialty shop.
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No kidding. Plexi from Home Depot in the size I want for mine would cost me about $35. The local glass place quoted me $27 for tempered.
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Actually I bought a 36x28 piece of acrylic from Home Depot for $13.00. I don't notice any ditstortion at all. The only downside is that it's easy to scratch. But cutting it is a breeze.
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Considering you can get a 22" x 32" piece of 1/4" thick glass for the top of a Midway cocktail table, including 4 radius cuts, frosted rounded edges AND tempering for about $45 in most cities, a 24x24 piece of tempered 3/16" glass for an upright bezel without rounded edges or corner radius cuts, should cost only about $25... much less than a similar piece of Lexan.. and a LOT less scratchable.