Best control panel to work with Sanwa ?

[Tathan]

Hi folks,

I hope I'm in the good place for my post because it's my first one on this forum who's been recommended to me by a Reddit user (don't know if he will recognize me  )

I promise, that I tried to look on internet for an answer before posting, but everyone says something different.

I'd like to build my first ever cade with 100% Sanwa (30mm OBSC buttons and JLFD-TP-8YT stick) following the Sega astrocity plan, 2 players, but with 8 buttons. I've only played on two type of cades, the Sanwa equipped near my house (yeah, I've been a lucky Belgian kid) and the ones I played in Japan, I say that because a lot of people said that other buttons could be easier to use, but I don't want to change my mind  (sorry I'm a little bit stubborn).

I'd like to have 1 plexi on the top of the control pannel, with an art below, and was planning to do the whole thing in wood (laser). But Sanwa buttons are very thin, and if I work with 3 layers, I don't even know if I will still have space for wood... Metal could be a good solution as I saw on the internet, but I don't know then how I could customize nor get the metal sheet from. Looking how expensive this type of work can be, I prefeer to pay someone to do it for me, than to try my luck and ruin a panel. But even if someone had to do it for me, I wouldn't know what to ask him to do. I'm sorry if this as already been asked, and that I can look a little bit noob, but I'm new into this and would like to avoid errors.

Thanks in advance for your time and answers.

NB:
If this type of build could really work with my Sanwa stuff, it could be a good "template" to know what to do, but I'd like to have some answers before making my plans, I don't even know the width of the plexi, wood, ...
https://www.befr.ebay.be/itm/Arcade-Control-Panel-with-Custom-Graphics-and-Sanwa-Control-Kit-MAME-Cam-Lock-/232147775670

[ZTylerDurden717]

Hey,

So I have a wooden control panel with seimitsu(same as sanwa in this case) screwbuttons and a sanwa joystick.  I have vinyl art layered on the wood.

I used 1/2" thick wood which is 12.7mm thick.  The vinyl is really thin so that layer doesn't matter too much.  If I added a thin layer of plexi it would still maybe work, but I'm not sure.  My guess is just barely.

That's for the buttons.  The joystick is mounted from the bottom (slagcoin.com to see definition and visual).  Works fine.

[Tathan]

So I have a wooden control panel with seimitsu(same as sanwa in this case) screwbuttons and a sanwa joystick.  I have vinyl art layered on the wood.

I used 1/2" thick wood which is 12.7mm thick.  The vinyl is really thin so that layer doesn't matter too much.  If I added a thin layer of plexi it would still maybe work, but I'm not sure.  My guess is just barely.

That's for the buttons.  The joystick is mounted from the bottom (slagcoin.com to see definition and visual).  Works fine.

Well, thank you very much for your answer! Have you got any picture of your WIP? Or do you still know the thickness needed by the buttons? I'd like to be able to already do my calculations... But if you don't it doesn't matter too much... I suppose that making the shape of the button inside the wood would avoid the problem of the size? My matter now is this thing : https://scontent.fbru2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.15752-9/100754831_575920126391344_7313517882686570496_n.png?_nc_cat=110&_nc_sid=b96e70&_nc_ohc=dOydPjex778AX9t31UF&_nc_ht=scontent.fbru2-1.fna&oh=acae577bbc0fa05740d8cf772f85c0f0&oe=5EF21743
Which I can't find the size anywhere.

[ZTylerDurden717]

Oh I see, you're talking about the diameter of the holes you need to cut to fit the button, correct?  That's easy, just get any hole-cutting tool with a 30mm diameter.  It'll fit perfectly.

Here you'll find a list of hole sizes you need to cut for all different brands including your sanwa:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,71031.0.html

There's two types of buttons, screwbuttons and pushbuttons.  Screwbuttons is for wood and works fine with 1/2" wood+art thickness (12.7mm)

[PL1]

My matter now is this thing : https://scontent.fbru2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.15752-9/100754831_575920126391344_7313517882686570496_n.png?_nc_cat=110&_nc_sid=b96e70&_nc_ohc=dOydPjex778AX9t31UF&_nc_ht=scontent.fbru2-1.fna&oh=acae577bbc0fa05740d8cf772f85c0f0&oe=5EF21743
Which I can't find the size anywhere.

ArcadeWorldUK sells several kinds of 30mm Sanwa OBSC. (snap-in)

This button is ideally suited for mounting in metal control panels, with a thickness of approx. 2 - 4mm.

This button is ideally suited for mounting in metal control panels, with a thickness of up to 3.7mm maximum

30mm round holes in 2-4mm plexi.
- Mount the buttons on the plexi.

For the art and wood, add two small notches just large enough so the clips aren't pressed and small enough that the button bezel will cover them.

With plexi that's this thin, you may want/need a screw near each corner to hold down the edges.


Scott

[Tathan]

Hi, thank you very much for your time and your answers. I'm sorry, I've been a little bit busy at work and couldn't answer earlier.

Arcadeworlduk was a really good choice! Everything was even cheaper than on the french reference Smallcab, and for someone who lives in Belgium like me, it had even cheaper shipping fees.

Now that I've got all your useful answers (and after searching a lot too, because it isn't so easy to found tutorials on internet, everyone's using different stuff and working in a different way lol). I still have 2 little questions.

Firstly : How can I light up OBSC-30-CWX buttons ? Do I have to make a little hole in every button to input in it a 12 or a 24V light ? I'm using an I-PAC Ultimate I/O Interface

Secondly : Where can I print a nice looking customized layer for the panel ?

Thank you in advance everyone, you've been very useful and I hope it will be the last time I ask before enjoying with my cade !

[bsweet0us]

I can't help you with question #1, but I may have a solution for questions #2.

Check out https://www.gameongrafix.com/ for your control panel artwork.  They have an option where you can upload your own artwork and they will print it for you.  You can get adhesive backed or not, but this feature is what I think you'll be most interested in:

Our Control Panel overlays are covered with Polycarbinate laminate (also used for bullet proof glass!) which offers a very tough, scratch resistant and textured surfaces. This will last a long time and take a lot of abuse.

This may eliminate your need for a plexi covering, reducing the thickness of your panel.  I have not utilized their services as of yet, but I've not seen any negative reviews for them.

[Mike A]

That is odd. Ploycarbonate is not very scratch resistant at all. It is harder than acrylic, but scratches easier. Maybe they have some magical scratch resistant coating?

[bsweet0us]

That is odd. Ploycarbonate is not very scratch resistant at all. It is harder than acrylic, but scratches easier. Maybe they have some magical scratch resistant coating?

Not sure.  I found another website (http://www.regalplastic.com/491-scratch-resistant) that indicates

"Scratch resistant polycarbonate plastic sheets have an abrasion-resistant coating on both sides of the sheet which provides a high level of resistance to abrasion and defies graffiti to help ensure a "like-new" appearance for many years to come."

Maybe it's the same or a similar process? 

[Mike A]

That is entirely possible. Good to know.

[Tathan]

Thanks mates, well, I dunnot really know how good quality those things are but for my needs it seems to cost 70€ which isn't too much indeed (with the shipping and taxes included)... If this can solve my layer problem, it could be a really nice solution! So I think I'm gonna try to work with them. And tell everyone who wants to play on my cade to remove their watches before a fight


NB: I just seen they can give me a nice template layer that will match my needs and dimensions for only 15 €, I'm definitely going to try to work with them! 

How ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---, I thought we were talking about cm and not inches... The site sais it would cost 1432 dollars, which is a little bit to much for me ^^

[bsweet0us]

Thanks mates, well, I dunnot really know how good quality those things are but for my needs it seems to cost 70€ which isn't too much indeed (with the shipping and taxes included)... If this can solve my layer problem, it could be a really nice solution! So I think I'm gonna try to work with them. And tell everyone who wants to play on my cade to remove their watches before a fight


NB: I just seen they can give me a nice template layer that will match my needs and dimensions for only 15 €, I'm definitely going to try to work with them! 

How ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---, I thought we were talking about cm and not inches... The site sais it would cost 1432 dollars, which is a little bit to much for me ^^

That doesn't seem right. I priced a marquee (6 inches by 24 inches) and control panel (9 by 24) and the total was less than $100 (US). You sure you put the measurements in correctly?

[Tathan]

Well excuse me, it was a long night working and I was a little bit tired converting from cm to inches
It's about 70€, like I first said, and that could be a really cool price.  do you recommend the template layer? My "hole marks" appear on the art, but a big layer could be useful if I want to avoid errors imho. But one thing... is this layer still "cutable"? Because the shape of my panel isn't "rectangular, so I'll have to cut inside it...

NB 2: I forgot about how bad the shippings were in corona time, does someone know a similar website in the UK or at least in Europe?

[bsweet0us]

NB 2: I forgot about how bad the shippings were in corona time, does someone know a similar website in the UK or at least in Europe?

Maybe try https://rockstarprint.co.uk/control-panel.html?

[MartyKong]

Hi, While not overseas, I've used Lucian045 who can be found in the retail vendors section. A very knowledgeable guy
who if he can't help you might be able to point you in the right direction.

[Tathan]

I've sent an email to him, I hope I will not have to bother anyone else after that 

Once again, thank you very much to everyone for your help!