Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: emb on September 11, 2011, 11:57:54 am
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My wife and I keep scratching the heck out of our wrists because of the acrylic sitting above the control panel. Does anyone know of any ways to fix this problem?
I have searched the internet for some offset tmolding or lipped tmolding to cover the acrylic edge, but was not able to find anything that would fit because of where my slot is cut.
The control panel is 3/4" thick
The slot is cut through the middle of the control panel wood (3/8")
The plexi glass is 1/16" thick
I currently have 3/4" tmolding installed on the panel.
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Your t-molding slot should have been 1/16" closer to the top of the panel. Bevelling the edge of the plexi with some sand paper should help.
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Can you remove the plexi?
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Can you remove the plexi?
I could but I would like to protect the finish of the wood.
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Get a polish wheel for your drill (probably an english word for it, I dunno, so I''m describing it). They are made of a +- 6cm thick stack of cotton cloth sheets, and you apply some polish paste on them. Go along the edge, and it will be perfect rounded in a few minutes.
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Get a polish wheel for your drill (probably an english word for it, I dunno, so I''m describing it). They are made of a +- 6cm thick stack of cotton cloth sheets, and you apply some polish paste on them. Go along the edge, and it will be perfect rounded in a few minutes.
Thanks for the idea. Actually this gave me a perfect excuse to buy a dremel. I'll try the cloth polishing wheel once the battery charges.
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You won't get a great look though unless you fiix the tmolding properly. Eiither look for wider molding or recut the slot. Gettng xtra wide tmoldiing is fine. Its very easy to trim with a chisel.
If it were me I'd just get some 1 inch stuff and trim.
http://www.t-molding.com/store/product.php?productid=7&cat=21&page=1 (http://www.t-molding.com/store/product.php?productid=7&cat=21&page=1)
You just run a sharp chisel around the edges, flush with the surface and it trims up nice and neat.
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IMO: The 1" T-molding is probably a better solution.
Once the new stuff is installed, use a razor blade to trim off any of the molding that is taller than the plexiglass.
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Get a roundover bit for your router and trim the edges. This is the best way to keep the rounded edges clean and precise.
(http://www.woodcraft.com/AffiliateWiz/aw.aspx?B=604&A=38&Task=Get)
It's what I did on my Cocktail cabinet. The CP's have plexi over the top of the metal.
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=90051.0;attach=136146)
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=90051.0;attach=136148)
You can then quickly run a torch along the newly rounded edge to get rid of that "frosted" look, and return it to clear.
IMO: The 1" T-molding is probably a better solution.
Once the new stuff is installed, use a razor blade to trim off any of the molding that is taller than the plexiglass.
If you go this route, you're better off using a chisel as syph007 mentioned above. A razor blade is way too prone to slipping, and requires a really steady hand to get straight trims.
Here's a thread I had going a while back:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=86699.0 (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=86699.0)
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The plexi looks like 1/8", so the total depth would be 7/8". You can buy 7/8" T-Molding from most vendors. Fill in your slot, then route it in the center of the total depth, which would be 7/16".
You can avoid this by using 5/8" MDF which will make the total depth 3/4".