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My "Tied To The 90's" Cab or: How I Learned to Stop Planning and Love the Router
mgb:
I like the lines of the cabinet. The bump out adds a very nice style to it.
Great work so far.
push2reject:
Just when I thought I was out...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&rt=nc&nma=true&item=170611513009&si=QlfJY%252B60%252B6J2F6uVVzgx61EetiM%253D&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT#ht_500wt_1156
They pull me back in....
I'm really trying to stay on a tight budget for this build. I was going to just have just a 2 player panel with iL comp sticks and buttons. I figured I'd buy a trackball down the line and remake a new control panel. After having the winter to think it over I figured once I get this puppy built I'm not going to want to pull it apart again. Off to evilBay I went... I found what I think is a smoking deal on a 3" trackball! I was going to buy a X-Arcade unit at first. This looks to be the same quality, if not a little bit better, if it turns out to be a Wico NOS. I'll be here tomorrow. ;D I think the seller poached some photos from here - looks like mwong168's showcase panel in one. It includes a mounting plate. Should be a no-brainer install.
My panel is 36" wide x 14" deep. I worked up a plan for it. I need to make some art for it once I settle on a final layout.
I moved the trackball an inch to the left and an inch down from being dead center for room to use it. I'm trying to avoid hitting the P2 stick. Is there an established spacing for trackballs? I'll admit I haven't given this aspect a whole lot of thought yet.
Pretty spacious I'm thinking. Any suggestions?
Donkbaca:
looks good. My only advice is to get some CP overlay to hide the mounting plate. I think mounting plates are ugly as sin.
push2reject:
DRAT!
So this is the style of mounting plate the TB came with... and no bolts with it...
The picture on the listing showed the new style plate. I'm not upset. Just disappointed. For the price the plate was basically a freebie.
Now the trackball itself is an Imperial unit. It was new in the plastic and functions perfect. I'm really happy with it. It needs to be mounted very shallow to be used.
Should I scrap or sell the plate and buy a new style one? I just don't see how this is going to work well. Do the exposed bolts restrict any play? Am I just being too vain?
VanillaGorilla:
First: I normally HATE 90's cabinets, but I LOVE yours :applaud:
Second, the new style mount appropriate for the Betson/Imperial trackball is WAAAAAAY better than that plate. Firstly, it has welded studs that are flush on top (no protruding bolt heads! WINNING!). Second, it has a nice lower 'carrier' that ever so gently cradles the trackball housing, and has a nice grommet opening for routing your wires, so they are not hanging off of the plastic trackball housing.
LINK FIXED!
http://www.happcontrols.com/trackballs/55032100.htm
Its only $12, which is the opposite of what Happ usually charges for things. Usually they want ridiculously too much money; Here, it seems like they are asking too little? I would think some of the vendors on this site would have them too...
Im making the assumption that you are going to cover the panel top in plexi/graphics? If you are trying to under-mount everything and not have plexi on top , well I just wasted a lot of hot air. The mount disappears under plexi/graphics. I just routed a slight recess in my panel, so that it was about a millimeter sunken, the plexiglass bridged right over it.
I would only have 1 critique: Put in a coin door, even if it doesn't function! A cabinet without the coin door is akin to a face without a nose, something just looks 'missing' otherwise. :P
But i'm splitting hairs, great work so far! I enjoyed you color commentary as much as the pics, I look forward to seeing this project progress.