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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Swatwolf on April 19, 2008, 05:48:26 am

Title: Control Panel made out of Plexi or other clear material
Post by: Swatwolf on April 19, 2008, 05:48:26 am
Heya all,

I am looking for a talented person to create a control panel from my Mameroom software template that I designed in a form of plexi or lexan. The main problem is I am wanting this to be made out a plastic transparent material that I could later attach a control panel template to. I contacted a few local places in Colorado, but wanted to try the experts in here first.

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I dunno!
Title: Re: Control Panel made out of Plexi or other clear material
Post by: Mameroom on April 22, 2008, 02:32:01 pm
How about Mameroom?  Email me the file (sales@mameroom.com) and I'll let you know what it will cost.
Title: Re: Control Panel made out of Plexi or other clear material
Post by: Swatwolf on April 22, 2008, 08:56:06 pm
E-mail sent :applaud:
Title: Re: Control Panel made out of Plexi or other clear material
Post by: BASS! on April 23, 2008, 04:31:16 am
if you end up doing this, you have to post lots of pics of the awesome plexi glory that mameroom does for ya.
Title: Re: Control Panel made out of Plexi or other clear material
Post by: RoninEditor on April 23, 2008, 04:51:27 am
How much is your quote, I'm curious because I was gonna do something like this (before going the cheaper underlay route) and there's a printshop on campus where I work, they were going to do it for me for $90, reverse printing on 30x14 plexi. 
Title: Re: Control Panel made out of Plexi or other clear material
Post by: Ginsu Victim on April 23, 2008, 08:29:43 am
You could add a limo tint inside so it looks black, but then you have a light inside and suddenly your CP lights up transparent.
Title: Re: Control Panel made out of Plexi or other clear material
Post by: massive88 on April 23, 2008, 10:11:06 am
You could add a limo tint inside so it looks black, but then you have a light inside and suddenly your CP lights up transparent.

I vote for this as well, and many build pics, and videos of it when done.
Title: Re: Control Panel made out of Plexi or other clear material
Post by: brandon on April 23, 2008, 11:58:07 am
wouldn't 3/4" lexan be quite expensive?
Title: Re: Control Panel made out of Plexi or other clear material
Post by: Swatwolf on April 23, 2008, 06:41:40 pm
Sent the control panel to Mameroom, I am like everyone else have no clue on the cost. Will let ya all know, here is my finalized CP design that I plan to illuminate
Title: Re: Control Panel made out of Plexi or other clear material
Post by: massive88 on April 25, 2008, 03:11:18 pm
I love it.  Good luck!
Title: Re: Control Panel made out of Plexi or other clear material
Post by: Franco B on April 25, 2008, 04:16:35 pm
Good luck with it.

Are you talking about the whole CP made or just the CP top?

If you are just talking about the CP top (hell, even if not) I still think you could use the method I suggested to insert plexi pieces into the CP top for the individual segments and then back light them with LEDs. Imagine the boot up/attract sequence you could have using each segment!  8)
Title: Re: Control Panel made out of Plexi or other clear material
Post by: dmworking247 on April 28, 2008, 07:43:47 am
Good luck with it.

Are you talking about the whole CP made or just the CP top?

If you are just talking about the CP top (hell, even if not) I still think you could use the method I suggested to insert plexi pieces into the CP top for the individual segments and then back light them with LEDs. Imagine the boot up/attract sequence you could have using each segment!  8)

I agree, I'd mount plexi on MDF but cut out spaces in the MDF to allow light to pass through. This would save cost and give you the option of different colored/independent lighting circuits.   
Title: Re: Control Panel made out of Plexi or other clear material
Post by: Swatwolf on April 28, 2008, 11:34:07 am
Thats not a bad ides, do a normal panel, then where the graphics are just cut out squares and use lights under it...hmmmmm

See thats what I liked about this place large brains in action      :applaud:
Title: Re: Control Panel made out of Plexi or other clear material
Post by: jace055 on April 28, 2008, 08:25:21 pm
I like this idea.  The input I have is with the diffusion of the LED light.  Experiment with the graphic and see if light will come through evenly like it should.  How about 1/2" MDF with cutouts for the lighted areas, then 1/8" plexi/ lexan lightly sanded for a more diffused look with the LEDs.  Then the graphic and then the final layer of plexi/ lexan on top.  this would also sandwich the graphic between two layers of plexi/lexan to make sure it doesn't sag in the areas the wood is cut out. 

The edge might need some attention to look right.  Maybe offset t-molding.  ( 1/2" wood plus 2 x 1/8" plexiglass / lexan = 3/4" total width)