Routing for joystick, with no router?

[Intel_Sebastian]

I'm starting work soon on a one-player Desktop CP soon to tide me over until I move and am allowed to start work on a real cab, since it's just a temporary project I'm using Particle Board from a DVD case me and my girlfriend both hate (expect a thread on this in the future hahaha).  I figure I'm most likely going to go with a  Ultimarc T-stick.

Basically the only thing I can't figure out how I'm going to accomplish is routing out the rectangle on the bottom-side of the top plank of the CP. The main drawback being that I don't have a router, only an electric drill.

Is there a bit I could buy that would somehow work this out? Or possibly a technique to use with a drill bit? My wacky theory on this, that I assume won't work, is to use a drill bit with a mark on it at the depth I need and drill as many holes as I can in the rectangle space to that depth and then somehow get rid of the left-over non-drilled out wood in the space.

And one other quick question: Down the street from my apartment is the Art Institute of Seattles IDT workshop, what do you think the odds are that if I bought all the materials I could pay them to do the cuts for a cab?

[REBIRTH]

I wouldn't be suprised if you could get the IDT workshop to help.  Otherwise a cheap solution if you have no router is to just buy a cheap chisel.  Get a 1 inch wide one or more - you can usually get a cheap one for like $5... heck, the local dollar store by me has really cheap ones for $1 (not near the quality of a $5 Home Depot one, but for one use like this it may be fine especially since it is particle board which is soft).  Then just chisel out the joystick box.  This assumes you have a hammer to hit the chisel with, if not use a box of frozen peas...  

It won't be pretty but it should work.  I would sugeest practicing on scrap partical board first... chisels take a few minutes to learn how to chisel out just a certain depth of board as opposed to the chisel going to whatever depth it wants to.

[Minwah]

I would use 2 layers of thinner wood stuck/bolted together.  The top layer would be the thickness you want after routing (1/4"?), and you could then jig-saw out the square for the joystick on the lower (thicker?) layer.  Stick together and job done

Or you could get a sheet of metal

[fredster]

Drill, get a drill.  If you can, get a cheap drimmel tool with a sanding drum.

If you just use the drill, drill your holes in wood or metal with bits.  Then you can use a sanding disc to get it to size.

You would be surprised what a sanding drum can cut through.  I use it for metal, wood, and plexi.

[blue]

Im in the same boat as you Intel_Sebastian ... no router.
What i'm planning on doing is just renting one for an hour (maybe 2) and getting it all done. There is a local shop here that rents out power tools. I don't think that i'll be that it'll end up costing that much and you get it routed to what you want and a groove for t-molding if you want.

[Jakobud]

Why do you feel that you need to route out the bottom side of the control panel for the joystick?  The Ultimatc T-Sticks come in two different length shafts.  The longer shaft is made specifically so that you can just put the joystick flush up against the bottom of the control panel and not have to worry about routing.

[jcoleman]

Jakobud, that's only if you buy the extra balltop shaft...

Intel_Sebastian, do yourself a favor and just get the right tool for the job.  Otherwise, one or more of the following things will happen:

1) You will hurt yourself
2) You will ruin the tool
3) You will do a terrible job and be ashamed of it

I have done all three, all because I didn't want to buy a router.    You will be surprised at the projects you find that a router is useful for in the future.  (particularly furniture when your girlfriend becomes your wife and wants a nice table ) If you're not into woodworking at all, I personally think you'd be better off with a pre-built cabinet or CP.  RedOctane makes decent desktop panels.

Coleman

[Aceldamor]

My first cp was routed with a rotozip....it was sloppy and it took 20 minutes to do each job....but it got done. I redid a new cp with a router that I bought after I saw the horrible job I did with the rotozip.

I agree with jcoleman, just bite the bullet and get a router...it'll come in handy in the future

[JustMichael]

In this thread I suggested using a hammer and chisel for countersinking.  Oscar then decided to try and do it that way just for kicks.  His reply is here.  In my opinion the hammer and chisel hole looks better than the routed one.

[DaveMMR]

In this thread I suggested using a hammer and chisel for countersinking.  Oscar then decided to try and do it that way just for kicks.  His reply is here.  In my opinion the hammer and chisel hole looks better than the routed one.

Yeah I remember that thread from way back when.  Just takes some patience (and if you're building a cabinet you probably already have patience).

And I don't think you really need to buy a router.  Just befiend someone who owns one.