Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: markronz on February 03, 2010, 01:42:18 pm
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Hello everyone-
I recently bought some illuminated Ultralux translucent pushbuttons from Ultimarc. I plan on lighting these bad boys up. I did puchase the player 1 and player 2 inserts for the tops of the buttons from Ultimarc as well. I like the way these look. In addition to these two player buttons, I need 6 more button inserts. I need 2 for coins, then a pause, reset, exit, and config inserts. I saw the ones on GGG. Those are pretty good except I didn't see a Reset insert there. One thing I want for all the buttons is them to be consistent. I would order the ones from GGG if I could find a Reset one that looked exactly the same. (Also, I guess I'd want to be sure the GGG ones would fit in the Ultralux buttons).
My real question here is, does anyone know of anywhere else to purchase buttons inserts like this?
I could make the images myself, but I wouldn't know where to print them onto that clear plastic type material. Does anyone know where I'd bring something like that to be printed? Or what type of place would do this? Also, any guesstimates as to how much it would cost to print them?
Thanks!
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you can buy backlight film for inkjet printers (http://www.amazon.com/Inkpress-Backlight-Translucent-Semi-matte-Inkjet/dp/B000CSB752/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1265224729&sr=1-1) and print them at home, worked out great for me
The tricky part is cutting them out, I was able to find a large hole punch that is the same size as the Happ/Nova gem inserts
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Nice! Thanks a lot. I wasn't aware that stuff was out there. Exactly what I was looking for. I'll have to start designing the little pictures now! As far as how to cut out the little inserts, I was sort of thinking that I could remove that plastic difuser thats in the top of the ultralux buttons. After all, that is the size I need the cut out to be in anyway. Then I'm going to try to hold that onto the film and use an exacto knife to trace around the outside of it. Failing that, I'll look for a hole punch like you. ;D
Thanks!
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I picked up some diffusers (from groovy game gear?) and they work great.
I work at a sign shop of sorts so i printed my labels on clear vinyl, computer cut slightly smaller than the diffusers, then applied them to the diffusers prior to install.
Local sign shop may be able to help you out. Most shops have a gerber edge (thermal printer) or inkjet printers like roladn etc to print on clear vinyl. Theres a guy (or more) that seems to do vinyl work so maybe check to see if they do printing?
The nice thing about the gerber edge sign equipment is, it allows to do small runs at an affordable price. It will be more expensive than printing your own and handcutting for sure. But one-off's are possible and shouldnt break the bank.
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Thanks for the suggestions! I think I am still leaning towards printing them myself on the backlight film (the kind they use on overhead projectors) simply because of the cost and effort it would take to do other options. First I was considering buying the package of paper for $18 (linked by Bender) but I was hesitant since I really only needed one sheet. I did, however, check with Kinko's and they said that they can print a single sheet of the backlight film stuff (in black and white) for about 60 cents. Not sure how much it would be for color, but I don't need color. Since I'm not likely to need to do this more than once, I decided this is probably the most economical option for me.
So now all I need to do is come up with the graphics for the buttons. Seems like enough people have made their own already, so do any of you still have your graphics lying around where you could post them? Or, even if you don't have the image files themselves, do you have a picture of your buttons on your control panels so that I can get some ideas of what to make mine look like?
Any help would be appreciated!