The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: lanman31337 on June 10, 2007, 09:07:21 pm
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Hello, as I was cutting my acrylic, it wasn't scored as deep as it should have been, and it broke in a spot I didn't want it to break. it's maybe a 1/4 inch deep, maybe 3 inches long at best. Anything I can do to cover it up?
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i never liked acrylic its trash. lexan is the way to go. acylic is too fragile and always makes nasty cracks. i just spend the extra cash and get the lexan. unless you put something over it i dont think its hidable.
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Yeah...lexan is great. If you want scratches.
Acrylic is good if you know how to cut it. A friend of mine showed me a handy trick of cutting it on a tablesaw with the blade lowered. You cut backwards on the table, so feed it from the back of the table rather than the front. Takes me about five minutes to make all my cuts and I get nice clean smooth cuts everytime. Leapinlew uses a router and says he gets excellent results with that as well.
The bottom line...if the cut is going to show, best off buying a new sheet and cutting it with a saw or router than an utility knife.
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[...]Leapinlew uses a router and says he gets excellent results with that as well.[...]
A router is definitely the way to go. I've never had it crack when using a router, unlike other saws I've tried. Maybe something like an 80 tooth table saw blade would work, but the router is easiest if you don't have special equipment for it.
I've also used a normal drill bit in reverse when drilling small holes (like for bolts). Anything bigger (like button holes), use a pattern bit and the router.
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after my minor mishap, i decided to use my dremel tool and i have this bit with big flutes that fits into it, it did very well, and just some minor sanding really prettied it up. when it comes time to cut for the trackball i have this circle cutter that i'm going to use in reverse, hopefully that'll work well.