i use laminate. i get the pics printed somewhere, and then get them laminated. the stuff doesn’t crack, is really cheap, and really thin. and all you have to do is glue it on.
edit: forgot to link to a sample…
would the place that cuts the plexi or lexan also cut the holes for you?
Actually, I very much prefer the CPO material offered by Mamemarquees. The texture and sheen provided by that material is SO PRO. It is coated with polycarbonate (the same stuff lexan is made of, and bullet proof glass) It is very durable.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb300/tmogaming/ForSaleSFvsCentipede7.jpg
I’d actually like some information about this service. I found it a little difficult to figure out what I’d be doing on the website to make a panel like that.
I assume I’d be uploading a custom image and doing a “customer designed control panel”. I guess I’d have to cut my own holes in the surface, right? How tough is it? How long does the process take.
Thank you, sir. You are a gentleman and a scholar.
[[==========THREAD REVIVAL STARTS HERE==========]]
Hey sorry to revive this thread out of nowhere, but I’m considering using MameMarquees instead of a glass overlay since my stick (VSHG) is a bit difficult to mod with a plate. I’ll expand more on that if anybody wants to know.
So can you submit any kind of artwork to them or do they go against copyrighted material? Also, do they cut holes for you? If not, is it easy to do yourself? Is the stuff durable enough so that it won’t fade or smear from your hands lying on it?
Any help is appreciated! THANKS!
BTW, Lexan or Plexiglass from Lowe’s is pretty good IMO. Just know that they have minimum size sheets so if you want, lets say a 12x7 cut, and their lowest size is 30x30, you have to pay the full price of the sheet. But that’s okay if you want to get multiple cuts out of the whole sheet.
Bump!
Clear vinyl isn’t too shabby either. You don’t really need special tools to cut it (good sharp scissors and exacto knife/razor/boxcutter). Relatively cheaper to plexi too. The only downside is that you can’t really buy just 2 square feet. You’ll usually have to get a square yard of it or so.
Any advice on removing scratches on lexan cover ? When light comes down at an angle, it’s pretty awful !
Plexi may not be as durable overall, but it’s more resistant to scratches. I would recommend getting a piece of plexi cut by a glass-cutter shop for your stick.
There isn’t really a practical way to get rid of scratches on your lexan, other than replacing the piece altogether.
Some guy here is using a resin coating.
Yea I hear that guy is pretty great :wgrin:
Tru Story! BARTOP STICKS FTW!!! :nunchuck:
no really…
I personally like it better just because its more durable, and mostly if i spill a coke on it, its all good…moisture cant ruin your artwork!
in short…
Plexi and/or Resin: Higher Difficulty to get right, much higher durability
Lexan: Easier to use…but will scratch if anything sharper than Jello touches it
Just gotta try it and see what works best for you!
heheh
Anyone have experience with clear Polystyrene sheet? Theres a brand called “crysta-glas” and is quite cheap.
i use polycarb plexi from lowes. .220 thick (maybe to thick, but i’ve used it on a few sticks).
i use a table saw to cut but i ALWAYS put the inner piece of my stick under it to help guide plexi and not get scratched on the table.
i had a glass place that wanted $40 for a custom cut glass with all the holes.
might consider it if anyone ever wants a custom stick made.
also i like the .220 because of it’s stiffness. all the other sheets i have i can probably cut with scissors.
i like glass. the only thing is that it shatters when you try to cut it :).
plexi and lexan are nice. but i also hate cutting them. so i’ve taken to buying precut sheets from an always cheap reliable source 
about $6usd for one piece cut though. cut your own holes. who can guess where from!?
…office max picture frames :). yeah, lots of wasted frame pieces but always precise cut sizes. score and snap like anything thing else if you want a smaller piece depending on what you’re doing. also, no protective cover sheet like lexan and plexi come with.
so yeah to counter my previous post, i’ve moved away from cutting them myself.
I just bought 2 sheets of plexi from home depot and i was wondering if i can cut it with a hacksaw? I asked the info guy and he told me to cut it with a hacksaw but he wasnt too convincing about it so thats why im asking this.
They should sell a knife in the same section as the plexi. Clamp or hold a straight edge where you want to cut the plexi and score it with the knife. Then put on some gloves for safety and snap the plexi at the score line.
Well since i was in a hurry i didnt see the full aisle where the plexi was so i just found it and rushed to pay it,but thanks for the info,i’ll have to go again to see this knife.
EDIT: I went to the store and bought the knife so tomorrow i have work to do on my new stick
I used 1/8 acrylic myself on two sticks. The ones I bought were pre-covered with protective paper…which I used to draw the button holes, etc. These things are quite resistant to scratches as TMO Gaming mentioned.
My problem was, after drilling the holes, there were two instances of a crack on the acrylic between two adjacent buttons. It’s very hard to notice after putting it on top of the artwork and adding the buttons, so I’m fine with that. Still, I put a mental note on my mind that these things do crack easily when cutting holes on…at least with my drill bit.
I also tried using heavy laminate on the artwork without any cover…and so far I’m pleasantly surprised at how resistant it is to scratches.