A few general questions

[dweebs0r]

I just put together a joystick and I was wondering if it's acceptable to mount a Happ joystick base with wood screws underneath the panel rather than putting carriage bolts all the way through.  It seems to be holding fine, and this way no bolt heads are showing through.

What is the most common ways to mount a joystick?

Also, for 3/4" wood is it necessary to route out 1/4"?  The joystick doesn't seem too short to me, but with my Hotrod SE the underside was routed out.

thanks,
-Dweebs

[Lilwolf]

If the joystick aint too short... your fine!  I routed mine out... but had it unrouted for about a year... and you can't unroute it later.

the wood screws from the bottom I hear have problems after a while.  If you don't want the bolts to show up on top, go out and get some of those...what do you call them?  you pound them in and then screw into them...

I think they are TNuts. 

I used them on my dreamcase and like them.  Of course I messed up and forgot to cover the wholes on the top before I put the vynal on (doh!) so my kids poke at them... I give them a month before they are ripped open.

[mahuti]

I've been beating on my sticks daily for about 2 years with no problems and they're screwed in. I guess if you have really aggressive folks playing it might be an issue.

[LPZ]

I don't have a wooden control panel, but I think carriage bolts are overkill.

[dweebs0r]

Well, I am no woodworker, but I'm learning.  It is 3/4" wood and we used 4 maybe 1/2" wood screws and the base is in there pretty solid and it doesnt seem like the base would take that much punishment anyway. 

-Dweebs

[LPZ]

Sounds like a winner.

[APFelon]

I would suggest flat headed stove bolts mounted flush with the panel and covered with the overlay. Something tells me that wood screws wouldn't hold up against an hour long Robotron game or some intense Street Fighter action. And keep in mind- NO commercall arcade game has had their controls mounted with wood screws, and there is probably a reason for that.

If you are going to build it, build it to last and build it for abuse.

Good luck on your project!

APf

[JCKnife]

I did what APFelon suggested and it worked great--I countersunk the bolts into the wood from the top, and covered with my vinyl overlay. No exposed bolts.

[NoOne=NBA=]

I've had all my joysticks mounted via wood screws for a few years now, and never had a problem.

A few things I would point out though are:

1) I used 1x poplar (3/4" actual thickness) for all my modules.
I think the results with MDF would be less durable than solid wood.

2) I used 1" #10 screws with the tips cut off of them with a dremel tool.
That lets the full length of the screw be near maximum diameter, rather than relying on the pointy part of an unmodified screw to hold them in.

3) Durability will be more influenced by who plays your machine, and how they play, than anything.
If you have a bunch of people that are respectful of the controls, they will hold up better than if you have a bunch of people just beating on them in frustration.