fffrobsm
Offline
Germany

I know someone who knows someone who has a laser service shop.
He has a regular order engraving stuff for him.
After seeing those laser engraved cases in arfinks thread it came to my mind
that it could be possible to cut the frontlight from the AGS-001 and the case of the GBC to size.
You all know about the mod, I assume.
I know you can cutt perspex with a laser. I read about that somewhere.
I wanna do the perfect job with the frontlight mod and that way I would get rid of the plastic strands and dust.
Maybe he can also cut the metal bar to fit the display, too.

Do you know if that´s a good idea?
Maybe arfink or other people who know about lasercutting, if you read this,
can you tell me if the excess plastic would sprinkle onto the perspex.
Any concerns?

EDIT: sorry I totally put it in the wrong place. What can I do?

edit: thanks now it is.

Last edited by fffrobsm (Sep 28, 2013 12:02 am)

katsumbhong
Offline
Taichung, Taiwan

It sounds like a lot of trouble. So much work with the laser in terms of having everything set up and measured when you can just use a dremel.

thursdaycustoms
Offline
Cleveland, OH

Use two post-it-notes on the frontlight. Put the glue side on the edge you need to cut. It works perfectly and leaves no residue behind.

Jazzmarazz
Offline
Michigan

Not to mention you'd still be cannibalizing SPs. Have your bud laser cut sheets of 0.5mm clear plastic and locate a reflective film to lay over it. well...talk to people who have looked into the materials first. tongue

thursdaycustoms
Offline
Cleveland, OH
Jazzmarazz wrote:

Not to mention you'd still be cannibalizing SPs. Have your bud laser cut sheets of 0.5mm clear plastic and locate a reflective film to lay over it. well...talk to people who have looked into the materials first. tongue

The plexy is just clear. It's all about the refraction film that we have all yet to figure out what it is..

fffrobsm
Offline
Germany

Thanks for your replys peeps.

I already have a working frontlight stolen from a AGS-001 with broken display.
Another one will arrive soon. Got each for about 5€.
Also I searched for a replacement display for the GBA SP because the rest still works and they might get repaired.
And I wouldn´t be cannabalizing it, cause I feel like I am a human being not like a Gameboy ;-) and I am above it on the food chain. (taking a bite SP)

First of all it depends on the pricing. I have already mailed him and asked if he would do such things for me.
He said yes but couldnt tell me a price. I will clarify that.
After that I thought why not also cut the case.

I was just googling "cutting perspex" (actually I was googling "plexiglas schneiden")
and I found some people recommending lasercutting.
I don´t want to use an electric saw.
My first idea was to cut it with a scalpel several times.
And then I need to sand it to keep away unwanted reflections of light.
Where I read about laser cutting perspex the advantage is that the edges will have clean cuts.

Jazzmarazz, are you shure I need a reflective film for this mod or what do you mean? I am not a native english speaking person I may not understand everything.

thursdaycustom, I don´t get it right. Do you advise me against cutting with lasers or do you mean this way I can avoid
harming the perspex while cutting it with lasers?

arfink
Offline
Minneapolis

I don't know quite exactly what you're on about here with cutting the frontlight. Are you talking about cutting the diffuser panel? Yes, it could be laser cut, and fairly easily at that, with a little bit of care. That is, once you know what the material will do.

Years ago, I was modding an MGB to add a backlight. There was no such thing as a backlight you could just buy from Nonfinite or Kitsch to drop into an MGB. There were a couple of very early ones for DMGs being sold, but they were far too thick. In fact, I don't know if Kitsch was even selling them that far back.

I had a busted iPod, and I gutted the LED backlight out, it was perfect for what I wanted, but too big. I covered it up with masking tape and cut through it with a razor knife. Just scrape and scrape and scrape. I used a metal ruler to keep it all straight. Scrape scrape scrape, until it was thin enough to just break along the seam with my fingers, like how you do when cutting glass. It was a beautiful break, and I found I could cut whatever I wanted this way.

With a laser, you would have to worry about heat warping. And you'd undoubtedly kill at least one frontlight while learning how to handle the material. If you only have one piece and it has to be done just right, use your hands and hand tools. All a laser does is give you the power to screw something up VERY fast before you know what's going wrong. tongue It can get it done fast and clean, but only after you know what you're doing.

Last edited by arfink (Sep 28, 2013 4:09 am)

arfink
Offline
Minneapolis

And FWIW, I know what you mean about getting dust and stuff in there with the screen. It can be a huge pain. That said, a little application of a microfiber cloth can work wonders.

Jazzmarazz
Offline
Michigan
thursdaycustoms wrote:
Jazzmarazz wrote:

Not to mention you'd still be cannibalizing SPs. Have your bud laser cut sheets of 0.5mm clear plastic and locate a reflective film to lay over it. well...talk to people who have looked into the materials first. tongue

The plexy is just clear. It's all about the refraction film that we have all yet to figure out what it is..

Refractive, that is the word. Not reflective.

fffrobsm wrote:

Jazzmarazz, are you shure I need a reflective film for this mod or what do you mean? I am not a native english speaking person I may not understand everything.

No, you just need the screen. I was suggesting a new item all together.

fffrobsm
Offline
Germany

Jazzmarazz, Arfink, thursdaycustoms, katsumbhong thanks for contributing.

Yeah I think you all convinced me to cut it myself by hand.
It was just that the opportunity is there and it could have been a good idea.

Arfink maybe you can tell what a fair price it would be to cut the panel?
Just for interest.