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Main => Project Announcements => Topic started by: CoryBee on December 13, 2012, 02:57:42 am

Title: TUT - Making serial plates with Soda Cans
Post by: CoryBee on December 13, 2012, 02:57:42 am
Quick and easy tutorial on making cheap serial plates for your projects

_Supplies List_

Avery #18665 - "Avery 18665 Clear Full Sheet Inkjet Labels" (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Avery-18665-Clear-Full-Sheet-Inkjet-Labels-8-1-2-x-11-/390497865321?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5aeb7c8e69)

Any Clear Coat Paint - I am using Rust-oleum Picture (http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j227/corydrippon/GEDC0330s.jpg)

Soda Cans - Preferably not diet because diet soda sucks

Serial Plate Template - Provided by Tighe Lory (http://me.tighelory.com/images/Virtual_Boy/plate.xcf)

Clamps\Iron & Patience


Cutting the can to size (be careful not to cut yourself - gloves maybe)

(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j227/corydrippon/GEDC0289.jpg)

(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j227/corydrippon/GEDC0290.jpg)

The Aftermath

(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j227/corydrippon/GEDC0294.jpg)

(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j227/corydrippon/GEDC0296.jpg)

Once you get the piece just right you can either iron it (takes forever) while bending it - "not recommended"

(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j227/corydrippon/GEDC0292.jpg)

(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j227/corydrippon/GEDC0293.jpg)

I am making a bunch so I decided to go the press route. I have 8 pieces clamped between two scrap pieces of smooth MDF
MDF isn't over it completely in the first two pictures for illustration purposes

(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j227/corydrippon/GEDC0297.jpg)

(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j227/corydrippon/GEDC0298.jpg)

(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j227/corydrippon/GEDC0299.jpg)

(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j227/corydrippon/GEDC0300.jpg)

Keep the clamps as tight as possible to ensure a perfect flat surface  :cheers:

_All of these techniques have been taken from aluminum paper craft websites_
Title: Re: TUT - Making serial plates with Soda Cans
Post by: CoryBee on December 13, 2012, 02:58:08 am
Flattened

(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j227/corydrippon/GEDC0327.jpg)

Cut out the image and apply -carefully, it is fragile and very sticky- to the can

(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j227/corydrippon/GEDC0328.jpg)

(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j227/corydrippon/GEDC0329.jpg)

A light coat of the clear coat - Too much and you might make the ink run

(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j227/corydrippon/GEDC0330.jpg)
Title: Re: TUT - Making serial plates with Soda Cans
Post by: mcseforsale on December 13, 2012, 01:35:36 pm
subscribed...

AJ
Title: Re: TUT - Making serial plates with Soda Cans
Post by: CoryBee on December 13, 2012, 08:42:46 pm
Finished product - Just drill small holes to accept the screws in the corners, there are little dots to guide you.

(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j227/corydrippon/GEDC0340.jpg)

_______
Title: Re: TUT - Making serial plates with Soda Cans
Post by: jammin0 on December 14, 2012, 12:17:34 am
Sweet   :applaud:
Do you go to work? Sleep?  Keep the good stuff coming.
Title: Re: TUT - Making serial plates with Soda Cans
Post by: CoryBee on December 14, 2012, 01:06:12 am
Sweet   :applaud:
Do you go to work? Sleep?  Keep the good stuff coming.

I am my own boss  >:D

Sometimes I forget to sleep.......
Title: Re: TUT - Making serial plates with Soda Cans
Post by: CoryBee on December 14, 2012, 02:36:06 am
What do you guys think?

(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j227/corydrippon/GEDC0340.jpg)
Title: Re: TUT - Making serial plates with Soda Cans
Post by: ccmathome on December 14, 2012, 03:23:45 am
Looks really good will do something like the for my next cab. >.< already got a few cabs designed in sketchup, just need to figure out which one I want to make. The flash is kind of killing it can't really tell if the aluminum is showing through.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
Title: Re: TUT - Making serial plates with Soda Cans
Post by: CoryBee on December 14, 2012, 03:35:26 am
Looks really good will do something like the for my next cab. >.< already got a few cabs designed in sketchup, just need to figure out which one I want to make. The flash is kind of killing it can't really tell if the aluminum is showing through.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

Yea sorry about the flash. The aluminum shows through pretty well.
Title: Re: TUT - Making serial plates with Soda Cans
Post by: GnobarEl on December 14, 2012, 05:21:32 am
This is great!
I will use it when I buil my arcade cabinet.

Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: TUT - Making serial plates with Soda Cans
Post by: rablack97 on December 14, 2012, 08:13:46 am
Very cool man....

My only thought is I would modify the design to get rid of those sharp sides and edges, unless your wrapping the label around the can.

Slip of the hand around those suckers and your headed to the hospital....

For protection you might even consider, getting you some lamination sheets, sandwiching the plate and running it through a hot laminator.  They even make business card pocket, scale down the design to fit and it will seal the entire plate....no sharp edges....
Title: Re: TUT - Making serial plates with Soda Cans
Post by: threedprof on December 14, 2012, 10:43:36 am
Really awesome idea! Thank you for sharing :)
Title: Re: TUT - Making serial plates with Soda Cans
Post by: CoryBee on December 25, 2012, 01:18:55 am
Really awesome idea! Thank you for sharing :)

Extra mini-tron serial plates is a good idea ;D
Title: Re: TUT - Making serial plates with Soda Cans
Post by: griffindodd on December 26, 2012, 05:06:55 pm
You win 10 Internetz points for this, now I'm off to buy some soda
Title: Re: TUT - Making serial plates with Soda Cans
Post by: DaOld Man on December 26, 2012, 05:11:20 pm
 :applaud: :applaud:
Title: Re: TUT - Making serial plates with Soda Cans
Post by: mcseforsale on December 26, 2012, 07:57:15 pm

Agreed ^^   :applaud: :applaud:

Idea (and template) officially stolen:

(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p191/mcseforsale/GUNSLINGER_MAME_CAB/SERIAL_plate.jpg)

It's going on this:

(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p191/mcseforsale/GUNSLINGER_MAME_CAB/DSC03338.jpg)

AJ
Title: Re: TUT - Making serial plates with Soda Cans
Post by: CoryBee on December 26, 2012, 11:21:21 pm
Hell yea! All I needed was ten internet points to afford my pirate flag  :cheers:
Title: Re: TUT - Making serial plates with Soda Cans
Post by: CoryBee on December 27, 2012, 01:48:40 am
Agreed ^^   :applaud: :applaud:

Idea (and template) officially stolen:

I am glad my post has been inspiration enough for others to improve their already awesome MAME machines!

I stole the template from a KLOV member so feel free!