Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Minwah on February 21, 2004, 12:42:49 pm
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I have made a panel for my cab which has a 30mm radius all the way across the front of the control panel - kindof like the bent metal panels used on some machines. It's kindof difficult to explain but I mean the white part in the photo :)
Anyway the problem is I have 'curved' this by hand + eye, using a rasp + sandpaper. Of course using this method it is near impossible (for me anyway) to get totally perfect. It does look pretty good, until it is painted it is really difficult to see any blemishes, but there are a few imperfections; not flat spots but a few differences across the panel.
I wondered if I were to cover this panel using a Control Panel Overlay (I want to do this anyway) whether this would hide any slight imperfections? Or would they be more prominent? I know it's a tough question without seeing it, but I've never had any CPO's before so I'm not sure what it's like exactly...
Alternatively, is there a better way I should have made the panel??
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If you were to use a laminate, like formica, this would hide all your blemishes and create a near perfect radious over your constructed curve. Laminate is a bit thicker than your average CPO vinyle overlay but this is what you need to "bend" over your work. Bending laminate at that radious would be easy all you need is a heat gun and a couple of clamps. In my opinion I think the work you did by hand looks great and if you were to cover it with any kind of CPO vinyle covering, like Happs adhesive vinyle overlay, this would hide any little imperfections and the panel would look outstanding!
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You should paint it with a thin coat of primer, then sand it really lightly so the low spots show up. Then you can fill them in with filler. lather, rinse, repeat... until you're happy with the surface.
If you use some of the textured vinyl that some people here use, I think it will probably cover some imperfections as well.
I think that you could probably get a piece of acrylic bent to fit the curve if you wanted to cover the whole top with that.
Check out these guys who make acrylic bird cages. I think they could probably do it...
http://www.acrylicbirdcages.com/corners.htm (http://www.acrylicbirdcages.com/corners.htm)
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Thanks for the comments :)
I think I might try just putting a CPO on there, since I want to have some artwork printed on there anyway. Hopefully it should look OK.
The bent acrylic stuff looks interesting, I guess I always have that as a back up...