Do I need to pad my inserts?

[ladysephiroth]

I'm using threaded inserts for my joysticks and trackball -- no carriage bolts for me!   

I've also had artwork printed on vinyl to cover the CP.  The threaded inserts are pretty flush with the panel, but not below it -- i can feel them if I run my hand across it.  I have some "Plastic Wood" wood filler (the drill slipped when I was drilling for the assembly pegs and dinged the front, so I had to patch that) and I'm wondering if I need to use that or something similar to cover the metal fittings before applying the art? Or could I lay some of the scrap vinyl over then and then put the main art over the whole panel? 

The vinyl seems pretty thick.  Am I worrying about nothing?

[yotsuya]

Don't put scraps of vinyl under the good vinyl - it'll show.

[harveybirdman]

The real question is, will it bother you?

Do you have any scape material around the edges of your art?  Could you cover one with a small square to simulate what the art itself would feel like applied?

[Brouhaha]

Used some inserts for my joysticks and didn't pad with wood filler or bondo:


As you can see, it does show with laminated vinyl. Seems I am the only one noticing though.

[HaRuMaN]

Why would you do inserts from the top?

I do inserts from the bottom so the top is completely smooth, no need for filler / etc.

[ladysephiroth]

Why would you do inserts from the top?

I do inserts from the bottom so the top is completely smooth, no need for filler / etc.

You can do that? Never even thought of this -- My brain kind of thought that the inserts had to go against the bolts for physics' sake.

[RandyT]

You can do that? Never even thought of this -- My brain kind of thought that the inserts had to go against the bolts for physics' sake.

The whole idea of using inserts is to bite into more material, which they do, thanks to the larger diameter and greater thread depth than a simple screw.  In theory, they are stronger if the insert has a lip and is mounted from the opposite side, but they are also made with no lip, and these obviously won't be any stronger based on which side they are installed in the material.

[PL1]

You can do that? Never even thought of this -- My brain kind of thought that the inserts had to go against the bolts for physics' sake.

T-nuts mount from the top since the prongs or nails will keep them from turning but won't keep the nuts from pulling out.

Under mount (tee-nuts)


Threaded inserts can mount from the bottom since the outer threads keep the inserts from pulling out.

Under mount (threaded inserts)

The inserts from GGG have the wide part that makes putting them in from below the panel much easier than trying to put them in from the top.



Scott

[ladysephiroth]

I routed the joystick area out too thin to use the undermounts from the bottom -- I have the GGG kit.  I just tried and it sticks up from the top -- I used the same router setting as for the trackball so gonna have to roll with what I have.  I'm not super picky about lumps, I just want to make sure it doesn't cut through the art

[PL1]

I routed the joystick area out too thin to use the undermounts from the bottom

Then the option to use is the "Under mount (support blocks)" method mentioned here in the FAQ.



The threaded inserts go in the full-depth part of the panel.




Scott

[thomas_surles]

Hell I have seen someone here mount there sticks from the bottom by screwing in little pieces of metal over the corners of the stick like little band aids. I don't remember who it was so I can't link to it.



OK so I was bored and looked for it. It was in the pedestal build by Milky.