Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: tkuper05 on July 02, 2005, 01:48:55 pm
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Anyone know what I can use to sand the edges of my plexi?
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A Dremel should work.
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What bit? Would that melt it?
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Use the sandpaper tools. The grit would be determined by how much you need to sand. I didn't have any problems with melting on the slow speed.
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Anyone know what I can use to sand the edges of my plexi?
Cheap: Go to the dollar store and get a rubber sanding block and some sandpaper.. Use coarse grits to get the surface uniform, and finer grits to get a better finish.
Not cheap: Do the same with an orbital.
Expensive: Use a free-standing belt or disc sander, but be careful. It's really easy to take off too much material with these if you are a novice.
RandyT
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Yes a dremel would melt it, use a rubber sanding block but make sure the sandpaper is drawn really tight over the block. Make short precise motions one at a time with the block... Thats how I do it at least...
-=XD=-
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Since I discovered this I've never gone back!
I use a dremel cutting disc to rough cut formations in plexi. But for a fine edgeing I do this...
I use an electric palm sander with a special 3m brand fine grit specially designed for paint strip jobs. Hardly any elbow grease, and wears down lexan and plexi smoothly and quick, but not too quick and wild like a belt or disc sander.... You can maintain great control with a palm sander.
If you don't want to invest the $20 or so bucks in a palm sander (Which will come in very handy for lots of other stuff), I'd say avoid the belt, disc, and dremel entirely for fine edge work and go for the ole' fashioned rubber hand grip! It's basically the concept a palm sander was designed around anyways! lol!
Home Depot sells the paper for sure... It's usually teal colored and a bit more expensive. However, the cost is offset because the paper is tough and the grain is much more strongly adhered to the paper. You'll go through regular sandpaper like an old millionaire in a brothel on plexi... Trust me, this stuff, although more expensive, is cheaper in the long run for fine forming plexi and lexan.
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Try this trick.....
When you are done sanding it as much as you can stand or if you can't stand sanding it at all. Take some weld on water thin bonding agent on a clean lint free cloth and wipe it around the edges. It will create a nice smooth edge and if you've sanded it to any degree it will almost look flame polished.