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How to hide bolts?
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pinballwizard79:
Yes its me again, splitting up my control panel related questions in order to ease the pain.

How do I hide bolts on my control panel?

I want a nice smooth bolt free top with a layer of plexi over everything. Do I undermount or is there a way to top mount everything & still hide the bolts? What about those shorter throw galaga pacman direct replacement  4 ways joysticks? I would have to top mount those right? If so man I need to hide me some bolts somehow but really need some direction.

Thanks

PW79
javeryh:
There are lots of ways to do this.  You can recess them using your router, bondo, sand and then cover the holes with art.  Machine Binding Posts worked great for me.  So easy!
LeedsFan:
I don't use bolts as such. I use countersunk threaded "bolts". There's probably a proper name for them. Just like bolts but with a countersunk head. That way you can get them flush with the wood panel and just put the nut on the other end with a lock washer.

The only problem with filling the head over with bondo or similar is that if you ever need to remove the bolt completely then you have a problem. I have done this method in the past and I have not yet had to remove any of those bolts. But if I did I'd have a problem of getting under the art etc.etc.  I don't have the art stuck to the panel anymore and I don't bondo in the countersunk heads. I just make them flush.
bkenobi:
Use T-nuts instead of nuts.  The T-nut is top mounted and the bolt attaches from the bottom.  This only works if you bottom mount though.  If you route out material from the bottom, you get the same look as a top mount without any of the bolts hanging around the surface.  Alternately, you can use mounting plates with threaded studs welded to the bottom and top mount them.  I tried to do that, but couldn't get a spot weld to work without destroying the threads.  A machine shop could do it pretty easily though.
LeedsFan:
The proper name for the "bolts" I was referring to is machine screws. That's what they are called here in the UK anyway. Just get countersunk ones.
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