@MadDogMe: It would look nice but it would be too much work, also we don't have lexan here and plexiglass breaks too easily.
@bigben2k: I think it's nice to have some contrast, it also gives a more "industrial" look, when I see somethin that is all "raw" copper it looks like something homemade to me (unless it's all polished). Of course that's just my opinion but there's also another thing to be considered: It's faster to paint it than to give it a nice copper finnish.
And hey, just because it's cheap it doen't mean it can't look expensive
In case someone got the discussion in the half of it, we're only talking about the top here. The block will have the "brushed/shiny copper loook".
Thanks
Bruno