Table saw. It looked really good until it passed by the backside of the blade. Had access to a high end jointer which we did use for the flat edges but doing the 45s on them was difficult to do well. I will be block sanding them to make a much better joint.

I'm thinking the clouding/crazing is due to the high humidity we still have going on here. If it doesn't get any better with later tests I'll be switching. Also, no flame polishing for me.

My wife has a clear acrylic computer case I built for her from a kit. Part of the inspiration for this project. I agree... It's awesome when it is clean. When.

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Didn't get a lot of playtime this weekend, but a few items were worked on. It's been quite awhile since I played with a router and longer since I worked plastic. I'm starting with the simplest and least visible pieces. Hopefully I'll get better as we go along. Item #1 is the bottom of the lower casing. It was previously sized and cut with the other major pieces so I'm down to the hole where the on/off switch goes and a couple of air slots that are located under the two cross pieces that support the bulk of the machinery for the game. Step one was to drill the switch hole with a hole saw bit. Step two was to make a starter hole where I traced out the opening. 1/2"

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Next, clamp a guide piece to run the router against and carefully run the length of the marked area.

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And....voila! Or tada if you prefer. Now, to add supports, the switch mount piece, etc, etc, etc...

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Wrote to the PPM several times when I first considered doing this and never heard back from them. Lexan was my first choice, having worked with it to make boat windscreens and such in the Navy but it is quite cost prohibitive. The acrylic I have is heat press formed vice extruded and will hopefully hold up to the abuse.

Regular bits seem to do just fine in the router. I did go with a laminate bit in the jigsaw. It out cut everything else.

It's an existing machine. (Super Straight by Sonic) I'm merely replicating all of the support in clear plastic.

The piece I purchased for the playfield is "Acrystar" which is a cast acrylic polymer based on methyl methacrylate. The testing I have done is promising, but does not replicate a steel ball traveling at whatever speed a 70's era Williams flipper can fling it at. I've priced like sized lexan and it is doable. Meanwhile, the material I have is very easy to work with and quite flexible. I tried to overstress and crack it but that still doesn't tell me if it'll take shock loads.

I considered that route. I also looked into doing a S/S frame (I'm a welder) to support all the structure and covering it with a thin, cheap plexi but in the end I decided whole hog is the way to go. Nothing really new here, just different material and different glues.

Yup. Lexan is a brand name, like Kleenex. That particular piece was a freebie given by a friend that was sadly too thin for the playfield so it went to the bottom piece and will be in a few other places as well.

Replicating the on/off switch mount. Hole saw for the large circle then routed out to the proper depth. Regular bit for the remainder. Some edge polishing next.

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OK. Deep breath, and lets start on the coin door piece. First, we'll drill some pilot holes for the door and the plunger.

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Next, we'll jigsaw out the major portion where the coin door goes.

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I am acquiring the acrylic locally as shipping makes getting it elsewhere too expensive. (It's freaking heavy!) Fortunately, I have a local vendor who has competitive pricing. The 3/4" sheet to make the case was just over $15 per square foot. My plan is to do the side graphics with sandblasting and light it up w/LEDs.

Now, I'll mate the new with the old and take a 1/2" bearing router bit and clean out the remaining material. This is my "C-N-C"... cut an' copy. AKA lo-tech.

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Last on this part is the hole for the credit button. Regular bit all the way through then a 1" spade bit to recess the button. Ready for graphics!

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I purchased these in several sizes and so far I am reasonably impressed with their performance. Designed "for acrylic and polycarbonate materials." So far I have found that duller is better. The more I use the jigsaw blade the better and cleaner it cuts.

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Trying to use as much original hardware as possible, but still wrestling with what to use where the GI lights were stapled to the back of the score mount and the underside of the playfield. Not sure exactly what you are refering to but I take all suggestions! Pictures are good too. I like pictures.

Sandblast like the little test topper earlier in the post. And while I have you on the phone... 1) What kind of glue would you recommend for the inserts? 2) I'm considering sandblasting the P/F design as well and then covering with mylar. Any thoughts on that?

Yer killin' me, Smalls!

Another small piece completed, but good proof of concept for mounting and polishing. (No flames here - 220grit, 500grit, 1200grit, buffing wheel.)

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Gotcha! Looks good but may be oversized for what I need. Great suggestion!

Yeah, there's a pic way back where I tried hot glue and clear silicone RTV. It was up to the task but looked like crap. My favorite solution at this time is to go with small S/S screws. Just a ton more drilling and screwing. The pieces for that will be the last produced so I have time yet to explore other options. Meanwhile, if anyone wants to know where to get really good ground braid for a really good price, I found it.

Slow week in the progress department. Between work and honey-dos, not a lot got done. I managed to test fit the plunger and start button to the new piece. Like a glove. Next, I completely disassembled the coin door to make it as light as possible while fitting and drilling into the new piece. Boy, does it need cleaning. And 5 pesetas for a game? That must have been a long, long time ago!

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Slowly but surely. Spent the week playing with my new LED strip lights from superbrightleds.com I was attempting to see how well it would light up the graphics that will be sandblasted into the sides. The results were less than encouraging. Did more research and found that depth of cut is key. Since I am merely sandblasting and not carving or gouging I thought that I would not be getting the depth required to cause the images to light up the way I had hoped. Eventually I remembered that one of my test pieces was done with aluminum oxide instead of the cheap playground sand I used elsewhere. I put the LEDs up to it without even polishing the side and BAM!! The graphic popped like a weasel with new springs. I also discovered that it is true that graphics reverse printed on the inside of the case will look much better than ones blasted onto the outside. (And, bonus, it will make it much easier to clean the machine.) Should get around to doing this to the coin door piece this weekend. The rest of the past week was eaten by work and new acquisitions. (2 Space Invaders. It's a disease. There is no cure.) Pics to follow...

Ok, so here's my unscientific test results. (No LEDs were harmed in the making of this presentation.) Pic 1 is the topper test sidelit by the LEDs. As you can see, the sandblasted portions don't really carry the light at all. Pic 2 is a practice sample blasted with aluminum oxide, blasted side out. Pic 3 is what I'll be doing. Same piece, blasted side in. I think it looks the best of the three.

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