Main Restorations Software Audio/Jukebox/MP3 Everything Else Buy/Sell/Trade
Project Announcements Monitor/Video GroovyMAME Merit/JVL Touchscreen Meet Up Retail Vendors
Driving & Racing Woodworking Software Support Forums Consoles Project Arcade Reviews
Automated Projects Artwork Frontend Support Forums Pinball Forum Discussion Old Boards
Raspberry Pi & Dev Board controls.dat Linux Miscellaneous Arcade Wiki Discussion Old Archives
Lightguns Arcade1Up Try the site in https mode Site News

Unread posts | New Replies | Recent posts | Rules | Chatroom | Wiki | File Repository | RSS | Submit news

  

Author Topic: 3/4" MDF and Happs joysticks. Do I need to router the bottom of the wood?  (Read 1375 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

megashock5

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 268
  • Last login:May 19, 2015, 06:51:16 am
Hello, building my first cab using the Project Arcade book and it says something using a router to cut into the bottom of the control panel 1/4" if you're using a stick that's made for metal control panels - so that you're mounting it on 1/2" thickness on a 3/4" piece of MDF.

I bought Happs sticks for my cab. In the instructions for them it shows that it has a little plastic sleeve to go around the stick for wood and another one for metal. So it sounds like it can be used for both.

Has anyone used these sticks on a 3/4" wood control panel? Can I just attach them to the underside or do I need to take a router to it and make it thinner where they mount?

thanks in advance for any help!!!

Goz

  • KOTA
  • Trade Count: (+10)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3421
  • Last login:June 25, 2024, 10:06:41 pm
They can be used for either. The difference in whether you decide to route 1/4" off the bottom side is how high you would like the stick to protrude from the top of the CP.

Hope this helps,

-Goz

Tokey

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 84
  • Last login:June 14, 2007, 07:52:16 am
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
I have 3/4" MDF and my height is fine.  I guess it all depends on preference.

NoOne=NBA=

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2718
  • Last login:July 23, 2011, 08:59:16 am
  • Just Say No To Taito! -Nichibutsu
I would mount one up directly to the bottom, and see how it feels to you.
If you are OK with it, you don't have to do anything else.
If it feels a low you can rout it a bit.

Truthfully though, 1/4" isn't going to make THAT big a difference.

Goz

  • KOTA
  • Trade Count: (+10)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3421
  • Last login:June 25, 2024, 10:06:41 pm
And if you route more than 1/4" you are asking for trouble.

-Goz

Lilwolf

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4945
  • Last login:July 31, 2022, 10:26:34 pm
what trouble?  I've routed my happs supers by about that (didn't measure... about 1/2 a 3/4... ((3/8's?)) and its still VERY sturdy.


Goz

  • KOTA
  • Trade Count: (+10)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3421
  • Last login:June 25, 2024, 10:06:41 pm
what trouble?  I've routed my happs supers by about that (didn't measure... about 1/2 a 3/4... ((3/8's?)) and its still VERY sturdy.



What I was getting at is the more that you route the less stable it will be. Thinner MDF will flex and can bow or break if used in a rough environment. It is still only a matter of personal preferrence on if you route or not. 

-Goz

megashock5

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 268
  • Last login:May 19, 2015, 06:51:16 am
Okay, cool. It sounds like I don't really need to do it, which is fine with me. I don't have any router experience so I will just mount them to the wood as is.

thanks, everyone!

Tokey

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 84
  • Last login:June 14, 2007, 07:52:16 am
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
You might want to use a 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 bit.  It makes it easier to center the joystick do it doesn't hit wood on any side.  Again, up to you.  I used the 1 1/8 bit and didn't have any trouble, but it will be easier with a larger bit.

sofakng

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 646
  • Last login:February 18, 2021, 04:19:21 pm
I bottom mounted my P360 joysticks by routing my 3/4" MDF probably more than I should have (about 1/2" probably) and it's still EXTREMELY sturdy... (maybe I'm exaggerating, I didn't measure the depth).  If I were you I'd route about 1/4" or so.

Darth Nuno

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 220
  • Last login:May 08, 2024, 04:26:02 pm
  • Namco is God !
    • Arcade Lifestyle / Dragon's Lair Fans
Re: 3/4" MDF and Happs joysticks. Do I need to router the bottom of the wood?
« Reply #10 on: January 04, 2005, 02:34:42 pm »
Check my step-by-step story here for doing the job...