Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: vorghagen on April 20, 2007, 01:58:36 am

Title: Personal build plate for arcade
Post by: vorghagen on April 20, 2007, 01:58:36 am

I'm getting to the closing stages of my built-from-scratch cabinet and I'm quite proud of what I've managed to accomplish, so I'm looking to add a little metal "built by" plate somewhere on the cabinet. Now the questions.....

What have you done on your cabinet to say you built/restored it?
Is it difficult to make a built by plate from scrap metal?
Are there places that sell blank plates that you can engrave?
Are there places that can make a custom one for you?

As always, any advice is much appreciated.
Cheers.

Title: Re: Personal build plate for arcade
Post by: knave on April 20, 2007, 02:22:04 am

I remember a place at my local mall that used to do engravings, also it seems that any trophy shop could do it.

If you want to engrave it yourself just get a piece of copper, brass or if you prefer aluminum...all should be pretty easy to engrave.  I think the results would turn out better from a shop though.

Title: Re: Personal build plate for arcade
Post by: Tahnok on April 20, 2007, 02:31:53 am

If you're planning on a doing a few, you might consider one of these:

http://www.rockler.com/CategoryView.cfm?Cat_ID=433&filter=branding%20iron

I'm not sure how well they would work on man-made boards though.

Title: Re: Personal build plate for arcade
Post by: vorghagen on April 20, 2007, 03:06:50 am

Quote from: Tahnok on April 20, 2007, 02:31:53 am

If you're planning on a doing a few, you might consider one of these:
http://www.rockler.com/CategoryView.cfm?Cat_ID=433&filter=branding%20iron
I'm not sure how well they would work on man-made boards though.

Very cool idea, but I don't think I'll be making enough cabinets to warrant that. Also, there's not much bare wood where that would show up and I don't think branding side-art or overlay would work too well.

Title: Re: Personal build plate for arcade
Post by: bfauska on April 20, 2007, 03:18:52 am

Definitely check out a mall or trophy shop.

Title: Re: Personal build plate for arcade
Post by: NoOne=NBA= on April 20, 2007, 07:27:09 am

Alot of sign shops are putting in laser engravers to do their trophy engraving and such.
The lasers can do much more intricate work than mechanical engravers.

Title: Re: Personal build plate for arcade
Post by: rovingmind on April 20, 2007, 09:55:49 am

http://steampunkworkshop.com/electroetch.shtml (http://steampunkworkshop.com/electroetch.shtml)

depending on how far your willing to go or how detailed, they are doing some nifty color etching now.  If you follow the links there is a site from france with a downloadable guide.

or look at photocopier toner transfer circuit board etching.  print, iron, etch.

You could do a pretty detailed plaque that way. 

go on cnczone.com forums and see if there is anybody willing to mill a small piece?

Build a mini dremel headed cnc machine and Make plaques for everybody here. (plans available from cnczone also.)

I'd like mine in brass please   :D

Title: Re: Personal build plate for arcade
Post by: Steve B. on April 20, 2007, 10:00:07 am

Maybe something like this?

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=2027

or

http://www.usbrassshop.com/

-Steve

Title: Re: Personal build plate for arcade
Post by: vorghagen on April 21, 2007, 03:29:51 am

Now that's what I love about this place, ask a question and you'll get a bunch of top quality replies.

I checked out the local trophy shop and they can do a simple 2"x4" engaved panel for $8. They also mentioned that since all their engraving is done by computer I could design a slightly more complex one and email it to them. $25-45 depending on size and complexity.
I'll check out the other links as well and let you know what I end up going with.

Thanks heaps.

EDIT: That brass etching on the steampunk sites looks AWESOME!!! And it has the benefit of being DIY. Top find rovingmind.