Posted by Joshua on 9, 2001 at 12:01 AM:
In Reply to: How about 3/4" Lucite for control panels?? :-) posted by Mojo2000 on 8, 2001 at 11:54 PM:
My first Joystick used a thick Lucite Tuf sheet for the top (I now just use it for a test rig as I build my cabinet) It worked fairly well. I got the thickest I could get (I think it was only a 1/4" - where have you seen 3/4" Lucite?) and it was very sturdy, didn't flex at all or anything. Of course, this was probably a 1/3 the size of a cabinet control panel, so something as long as that may need a support in the middle to keep it from flexing. Maybe not.
I decoupaged a few pieces of game artwork underneath, but left plenty of open space. I found it rather difficult to cut this thick with a rotary tool, and instead used a plastic cutting knife, and made plenty of strokes until I was as far through the material as I could get, then did the same from the other side, and snapped it apart, and used a dremel tool and a sanding bit to smooth the edge down.
: : I have a tip for cutting 1/8" lucite to cover your control panel. I found that using my Black & Decker rotary tool with a cutting disk was easy and made a nice cut. Just be sure to hold the gap apart so the disk does not jam, and wear safety glasses.
: Earlier on I asked about whether it was practical
to make the entire top surface of a control panel in 3/4"-thick Lucite-Tuf. I think it would be neat to:
: 1) see the innards
: 2) light up the innards with a custom tube of neon around the inside perimeter of the box.
: Any thoughts on this wacky concept?