Control Panel Overlay Question

[Ren Hoek]

I

[Tailgunner]

I'd expose the rim on the trackball plate.

[mushmouth]

except, unfortunately, to mount it without the plate, you'd only be able to use 1/16" plexi over the top of your CP because the lip on the ultimarc (2-1/4) trackball is only 1/16". It's a bummer, I bought one, and you pretty much have to use the plate on top, or lose another 1/16" of height off an already low trackball...

[grafixmonkey]

I have a Happ trackball and plate not an Ultimarc one, but it looks very nice with the plate just sitting on top of the surface.  I'd only worry about sinking it flush if it has sharp corners that can cut hands, or if the edge looks different (like if the top is black metal but the sides are shiny bare metal or something.)

[Ren Hoek]

Thanks.  I'll probably just go with black pre-laminated mdf and sit the black plate on top.  I've seen similar in examples and they look good, but I was just keeping my options open if I wanted to go for another colour/pattern/design other than black, because the contrasting black plate would look a bit cruddy.

[etumor]

Thanks.  I'll probably just go with black pre-laminated mdf and sit the black plate on top.  I've seen similar in examples and they look good, but I was just keeping my options open if I wanted to go for another colour/pattern/design other than black, because the contrasting black plate would look a bit cruddy.

For the record, I've done it the other way twice, with perfect results both times.  I routered the surface of the control panel and set the trackball plate flush into the wood, then covered the surface with formica.  The hole I cut in the formica allowed the whole rim to come up through the formica, not just the ball.  Again, this was using the Happ 3" ball, so your mileage may vary with a different trackball.

-Jeff "etumor" Allen
http://www.cybercoma.com/supercade

[Zakk]

Happ also has a Hi-lip trackball,  which is the one I use.  The lip will then go through the plate, and up through the plexi, to sit flush on the panel.  Looks really good that way.  One other solution for the ultimarc ball is to use a custom plate made of thinner steel.  Bolt through the plate and the overlay plexi and it comes much closer to being flush.

[Ren Hoek]

Thanks for the responses.