Total Router Noob! Help Recessing joysticks

[Purple Tophat]

First, I'm sure this has been asked before, but I don't know what to search for.

Here is my project: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,123114.0.html

I decided I want to route out the joystick areas for the 1-4 player competition sticks. Since it's a 5/8" panel, I figure if I route out 1/8", I'll still have 1/4" to use hex drive wood inserts, and an additional 1/4" buffer before I hit the top of the panel. Hopefully an extra 1/8" will make a difference. I just want the joysticks up a tad higher.

Maybe I should route it out 1/4", but that would only give me 1/8" before I drill all the way through and that makes me nervous. I am not much of a woodworker (Woodworksman? Woodsman? Carpenter?).

I got the bits in the picture for Christmas last year. I also have a Craftsman Bolt-on Router attachment. See: Surprisingly, so far I have found the Bolt-on system to be awesome. I didn't figure I'd be able to easily rip 4x8s with the circular saw, but it was like butter. So, I'm figuring the router will be decent. I mean it looks easy enough in the video above. It still makes me nervous because I've never routed anything in my life and the horror stories have me a bit scared to try.

Which bit do I use? Any of the ones in the picture? How do I get the depth right? Can I plunge right in? Work from the joystick hole outward? Has anyone ever shot any video of doing this? I have no idea what I am doing!!! Total noob here!!!

I was thinking of tackling this tonight perhaps!

[JDFan]

Adjust the depth by rotating the plastic clear piece (shown in the video you linked at 20 seconds)

Could use either of the 2 straight bits in the kit you have as they will cut straight edges

SInce the joystick hole is already there and large enough to get the bit started could just start cutting from there and work out to edge of cut

IF you feel comfortable freehanding the outside straight edge just mark the line and start cutting or if you want a perfect cut setup a template with wood pieces either screwed or clamped into place the distance from the outer edge of the router to the bit outside the rectangle you want to cut

ie first measure distance of outer edge to blade and add that much to the cut line to create the guide edge


then place wood around the outside so that router hits those wood pieces when cutting the proper size rectangle


That way when you are cutting the router will hit against the template when cutting and stop you from cutting too far

EDIT : Might want to try it on spare pieces of wood first -- to ensure you have the right depth and that the guides are placed correctly to get the rectangle you want !!

[Purple Tophat]

Thanks for the help!! I have a piece or two of spare shelf board so I think I will drill the same size hole in the scrap board. trace the joystick outline on therfe and practice free-handing from the hole. I like the template idea, but I was hoping to do this without removing more than a couple of buttons and I think the template would force me to do some major dismantling to fit it. If I can't free hand it properly though, I will have to go that route (get it?).

Any thoughts on whether I should play it safe and go 1/8" deep and if that will be enough extra height to make a difference, or if I should really go deeper than that and leave myself a very small amount of room between the wood insert and the top of the panel? Anyone with experience on that?

[JDFan]

Figure can always do the 1/8th and test for awhile to see if that makes enough difference - It's much easier to recut deeper later if needed than trying to replace wood you cut out already 

[Purple Tophat]

So true! I'll start with 1/8" and see how I like it. I guess it's all personal preference anyways. Thanks again!

[PL1]

You may also want to look at using the "Under mount (support blocks)" method that EMDB used.

http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=FAQ#Joysticks




Scott

[Purple Tophat]

Thanks PL1. I love the support blocks idea, but how would I pull that off with competition joysticks that don't have the top metal plate?

Something like the support block method is going to be necessary if I am going to recess because I can't find any threaded inserts that are 1/4". Smallest seems to be 3/8".

Will be thinking about this. Maybe I could make a smaller top plate, larger bottom plate, sandwich them together with wood inbetween, drill mini countersink holes for the screw heads on the top plate, and mount the bottom plate to the underside of the panel. That all probably made no sense, but I can see it in my head...hmmm...

[PL1]

No need to add a top-plate.

You can still use the same basic approach that EMDB did.

First I routed a 12 mm recess at the bottom side of the CP. The CP is 15 mm thick. Perfect fitt for the joystick.

   

Filled up with small blocks of MDF just a tiny bit above level with the CP.

After this add a metal bar parallel with each support block. (2 bars replace the square plate.)



The bars need to be ~2 inches longer than the blocks.

Four screws into threaded inserts (two per bar) will support the joystick/blocks/bars just fine.

If you want to add 2 flat-head machine screws/nuts per block (4 total) that secure the joystick, blocks, and bars together, that would be a good way to ensure that all the torque from the joystick is transferred to the mounting screws/threaded inserts, not the thin wood surface above the joystick.   


Scott

[Purple Tophat]

Thanks for the great advice. I have a plan now for sure. I borrowed my brother's heavier duty router last night. I want to try to keep the recess nice and tight so that the joysticks press in tightly and I thought I would have an easier job of it with a full sized router. I will do a bunch of practice cuts and try to get everything down before I do the actual thing. Hopefully I can get started on that tomorrow. Why does life have to always intrude on the fun stuff???