Need something sticky

[rackoon]

Well I need some input here. I have a 3/4 plywood control panel with a comercial trackball plate and jlf's routed into it. I have a large graphic I am ready to put over it but I might need to remove the graphic later if I need to replace a joystick. Oh, it will have a piece of plexi glass over it.

I was thinking of smearing it with wax then laying down the graphic. But what if it gets real hot? Making the surface rubbery would work but how would that be done?

Last resort, I just glue the damn thing in and throw down $40 for another overlay if a joystick goes out. Or I could punch holes where the joysticks screw in.

[keilmillerjr]

Graphic should have adhesive on face to adhere to bottom of control panel plexiglass.

[mahuti]

I put one down over a trackball plate. Took about ten years before I had to replace it. $40 well spent

[rackoon]

well I'm using jlf's and I am afraid of how they will hold up. This machine gets lots of use here in my classroom. The staff at the school play for two hours every day and students use it for at least an hour a day before school.

I have no adhesive on my graphics. I ordered it that way. I also bought here some labels for the joystick and I am going it buy a golden tee sticker and cut it up and put it on the control panel as well.

I am almost at the point where I think I should glue it down and just get a hole punch and pop out some holes ahead of time for the jlf mounting. I suppose I could just paint the head of the screws black. The dust ring will cover some of it.

[keilmillerjr]

well I'm using jlf's and I am afraid of how they will hold up. This machine gets lots of use here in my classroom. The staff at the school play for two hours every day and students use it for at least an hour a day before school.

I have no adhesive on my graphics. I ordered it that way. I also bought here some labels for the joystick and I am going it buy a golden tee sticker and cut it up and put it on the control panel as well.

I am almost at the point where I think I should glue it down and just get a hole punch and pop out some holes ahead of time for the jlf mounting. I suppose I could just paint the head of the screws black. The dust ring will cover some of it.

Countersink the mounting plate and use e-z lok mdf threaded inserts in your routed mdf? Possibly use Super 77 spray adhesive to bond CPO and plexiglass control panel overlay?

[yamatetsu]

I had a similar problem, I have no router but wanted to top-mount the controls. I used two pieces of plexi. The joysticks and the trackball went on top of the CP, with the screw heads sticking out a few millimeters. I drilled the holes for the joysticks, the trackball and the screws into a piece of plexi and put that on top of the CP, thus having a level surface for the art. I put the art on top of that, put a second piece of plexi over it and screwed that and the inner piece of plexi down from the top. The screws that hold the plexi are visible, the joysticks sit 3mm deeper, but if you want to remove a stick, you only have to loosen some screws and take the plexi off.

[yotsuya]

well I'm using jlf's and I am afraid of how they will hold up. This machine gets lots of use here in my classroom. The staff at the school play for two hours every day and students use it for at least an hour a day before school.

I have no adhesive on my graphics. I ordered it that way. I also bought here some labels for the joystick and I am going it buy a golden tee sticker and cut it up and put it on the control panel as well.

I am almost at the point where I think I should glue it down and just get a hole punch and pop out some holes ahead of time for the jlf mounting. I suppose I could just paint the head of the screws black. The dust ring will cover some of it.

I turn on my Super Pac-Man cocktail on Fridays during lunch. The kids love playing it. They're fascinated by it.

[mahuti]

By the way you could use some of that adhesive used for temporary mounting if it's going under plexiglass. I don't remember what it's called, but I used to use it to make print-ready art back in the days when we were still shooting film as part of the printing process. It was sticky enough not to move, but not permanent like Super 77.

[aldub516]

i made the terrible decision of top mounting my joysticks on my very first build. once i realized i hated the joysticks i had, i also realized how much effort it would be to remove all the wiring, microswitches, lift it all out, etc just to change the joysticks.. NEVER will i top mount my joys again lol. Now i just have my graphics printed and place them over my cp, cut the holes where they go, and lay plexi over it. good luck.. its a pain. The only thing i was wondering in your situation is.. why do you have to use adhesive at all? if you place the graphic on the wood, and then plexi over it, whats the issue? unless im misunderstanding

[DeLuSioNal29]

+1

The buttons should hold the plexi down with the artwork sandwiched in between.  No need for adhesive.

DeL

[rackoon]

I have not even though to not putting adhesive on it. Hmmmmm.

I do have plexiglass already cut and drilled out.

I cant even remember why I have been doing it that way. Heck this is my 6th cab and I never even thought this out till now.

That' :applaud:s why I post here

[mahuti]

Honestly I was wondering the same. I figured there must be a reason hah hah.