retrocade.us 2" trackball

[Arcade1980]

In looking to build a smallest barcade possible, I came across this 2 inch trackball from Retrocade.us website, which claims to be of 'arcade quality'. 

https://www.hollandcomputers.com/store/pc/Track-Ball-2-inch-Arcade-Game-Trackball-for-PC-or-MAC-USB-Connector-2515p10641.htm

Wanted to check in with anyone here who might have come across this product before, and what the thoughts are with regards.

Thanks

[mahuti]

arcade quality

is a pretty low bar these days 

Here's a few thoughts.

You'll need one of the following to install:

1. a metal control panel to mount this in
2. or you'll need to use a router to cut a recess under a wood panel, and then mount this with carriage bolts through the control panel... or you'll have to get creative
3. or you should buy a metal mounting plate if retrocade sells one. I checked, they do. Here's the link


The white ring around the ball is going to show (unless you mask it with paint or a sticker or something). It's kind of wide. White seems an odd color choice for something arcade quality.

The 2" ball is going to be quite a bit lighter in addition to being smaller than an arcade trackball. It won't have the same feel, but obviously that's a trade off for space saving.

As far as it's function, trackballs aren't too complicated. I'm sure that part works fine.

[Arcade1980]

Thanks for the reply and details!  I don't think I will go to the metal CP route, so I guess it'll have to be a mounting plate that shows on the control panel, which is not my preference. 

Curious, why can't I install the trackball recessed into the wooden CP as if it was metal?  Sorry, might be a 'dumb' question.

[PL1]

Curious, why can't I install the trackball recessed into the wooden CP as if it was metal?

There's nothing stopping you from routing out a pocket so the top of the metal mounting plate is flush with the top of the control panel then covering the control panel and plate with art.   


Scott

[mahuti]

Curious, why can't I install the trackball recessed into the wooden CP as if it was metal?

I was assuming you meant, why can't you just "cut a hole for the ball in the wood and mount it with screws." The lip around the ball is probably 1/8" deep... something like that. Which means that all of the wood underneath around that hole has to be routered out to that thickness to accommodate the rest of the trackball body. That was my #2 option, which I assumed as I wrote it would probably be a poor choice because the wood would be so thin, 1. because the wood becomes weak, 2. because there's nothing left to screw the trackball into.

I guess it'll have to be a mounting plate that shows on the control panel, which is not my preference. 

A long time ago, I had a panel where I installed a mounting plate, then used bondo around the edges, and sanded & painted everything until the wood was indistinguishable from the mounting plate. It's possible, just takes a bit of patience and bondo & painting know-how. I eventually just covered it all with an overlay anyway.

routing out a pocket so the top of the metal mounting plate is flush with the top of the control panel

That's what I do. Then you can get art printed and put it over the top. You'll barely be able to tell that there's a mounting plate. I think the second trackball mounting plate picture... I sanded that plate smooth at some point and repainted it. The routing around it is so tight, I bet I could just use 2 in 1 Sandable Fillable primer and make it so you couldn't even tell there's a plate there, without any bondo or other filler. Might eventually crack under use... but it would look super smooth with an overlay.

[MartyKong]

Wow, That's some clean routering! I did something similar with a joystick (designed for metal cp.), Paradise universal mounting plate and a bit of bondo. That's the idea I'd go with.