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Opinion on Ultimarc 2 1/4 Trackball?
GeoMan:
I plan to build a control panel with a trackball and as i am very tight on space (i'll be using a box of specific size), i am looking at the 2 1/4 Trackball by Ultimarc.
What's your opinion about it? Is it any good?
I read at it's info page, that it uses 5 ball bearings. How's that? Isn't the ball resting on 3 shafts with 2 ball bearings each? Or is it made like the old computer trackballs with 2 shafts at 90o and a large ball bearing across them?
mgb:
I'm assuming you're talking about the U-Trak. I can't specifically speak of how good it is but Ultimarc products tend to be good quality.
I'm not sure where you saw 5 bearings but I just read the page and it says 3 stainless steel shafts and 6 bearing races.
heres a review that someone posted
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,83988.0.html
BobA:
I would think that the smaller TB from Ultimarc would be a good product as Andy stands behind everything he sells 110%.
PL1:
From the Ultimarc site:
--- Quote ---A High Quality 2 1/4 inch (57mm) Trackball assembly. Uses a heavyweight solid (non-translucent) "pool ball" type ball with ball bearing mounted rollers. Same hole mounting pattern as Happ trackballs. Supplied with wiring harnesses for connection to Opti-PAC.
NOTE these trackballs have grease-packed bearings and as such have a "bedding-in" period. To shortcut this, remove the 3 screws and lift out ball and shafts. Pull off bearings and soak in WD40.
--- End quote ---
From Divemaster's site:
--- Quote ---Trackball 2 1/4 in (57mm). Top quality trackball with 5 ball-bearings, Steel shafts.
--- End quote ---
If the mention of "ball bearings" is a bit confusing, here's a build that shows the TB partly disassembled.
The guy who posted that build says he really likes the TB other than the bearings not being sealed, but he admits that he didn't protect the bearings from getting dusty during fitting.
He also modified his TB by removing the cover which makes it easier for dust to get into the bearings -- see 3/4 of the way down for details.
Scott
EDIT: Found his BYOAC thread here.
GeoMan:
Thanks for the links. From another picture...
...it seems that the ball rests on top of two shafts and the third one is a mini-shaft with a ball bearing instead of an equal size shaft. I have seen many computer trackballs using this holding pattern and none of them rolls well in the directions opposite of the 2 shafts.
The unsealed bearings would be a problem as the trackball will collect dust inside sooner or later.