Control buttons thickness for custom arcade

[kataleen]

Hey guys, I just started building a custom arcade cabinet with an MDF control panel. The thickness of the panel is 3/4. For the controls I wanted to test Sanwa, Seimitsu, IL and Happ, but before that I just need to confirm my fear so far: does anybody know if the Japanese ones can fit such a thickness for the CP? Form the specs I can find on the web it seems that they can only fit to very thin panels (screw buttons not snap in). Am I left with the only choice of Happ/IL?

Thanks in advance.
Stefan

[keilmillerjr]

What ive seen most people do is route out an area around the buttons and sometimes the joysticks. Take away 1/4". Go through the control panel sticky thread ans you will see what i am talking about.

[shaolindrunkard]

The Japanese buttons will not lock into the 3/4 mdf, unless you want to glue them in (which I don't recommend) You could route the underside of the control panel to make it thinner, but that would be a lot of work, the other thing you could do it use a thin sheet of plexiglass on top of the panel and the buttons would lock into the plexi. The Happ/IL buttons wont fit the same hole size as the Japanese either... I highly recommend you test the buttons on a test control panel to choose which ones you like best.

Honestly if you ask me your complicating the issue more than it need be. Japanese buttons are great for fighting games and shooters, most prefer american style buttons if you are playing a variety of arcade games. I prefer Happ over IL. What ever the case, all of the brands work just fine for just about any game, I wouldn't spend too much time worrying about buttons when you have a lot of work to do on the rest of the machine...

[JDFan]

If you cut the holes a bit small for the buttons and sand slightly so that they are a tight fit the buttons will stay in place (figure the Control panel sits so that gravity will hold them in place unless someone tries to pry them out) - the part that snaps onto the metal control panels will press against the side of the hole and provide a pretty tight fit and then to remove them you have to give a good push from the underside to pop them out. I did it this way on my barstick build and have not had problems with them staying in place (just need to be sure not to make the hole too big so that they fall out - which isn't a problem in an upright build that will not be turned upside down but could be a problem for a barstick or small build)

[Scassidy24]

Can you get away with a 1/2" thick control panel?  That's what I did. It's plenty sturdy enough


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[UEDan]

"long" Happ style buttons were just enough to screw on my 3/4" mdf + 1/8 Acrylic.
Anything shorter. Forget about it.

[DeLuSioNal29]

A forum user Franco B created a routing template for just this purpose:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=103416.0

However, to do it on the cheap if you don't have a router it's pretty easy following these steps:  (This is how I do it anyway).
1)  Grab a template here, print it out and tape it to the CP (Make sure it's printed in the correct size of course):  http://slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html
2)  Drill a small pilot hole in each button hole on the template all the way through from front to back.  Remove the template.
3)  Get a 30mm Forstner bit (I usually order them on Amazon, they are hard to find at Home Depot).  Put the center of the bit in the pilot hole you just made.  Drill 1/4" deep.  Do not go all the way through.  Do this for all button holes.
4)  Flip it over to the back.  Get a 1-1/4" Forstner bit.  Put the center of the bit in the pilot hole you just made.  Drill 1/2" deep.  Do not go all the way through.  The holes on the back should overlap.

The end result should look something like this:


I've used this method on my 1/2" panel as well (I recommend 1/2" if you want to mount Sanwa sticks).  You need to drill 1/4" on each side for that thickness.

Good Luck!

DeL