Oldie But Goodie

[CPickler]

How do you attach your joysticks to your CP?

I have read about the carriage bolts, and screws, and I would just like to hear some of the pros and cons of each or what a better alternative to both is.

[paigeoliver]

Carriage bolts are the norm, screws can (and will) come unscrewed over time. It is really easy to use them, just lay the joystick base on top of the panel and mark all 4 holes with a pen, and then drill your holes.

[Grauwulf]

I used carriage bolts on my CP, but I countersunk them and put bondo over the heads for a nice, smooth looking CP.

[Franco]

I used insert nuts after not being able to find some suitable carriage bolts over here.



In the end I was happier with the result than If I had used carriage bolts. I pre-drilled the holes slightly smaller than the O/D of the screwed shaft so that it was a force fit. There are no way that these babys are comin out in a hurry!!

EDIT: Oh yeah, dont wanna be too obvious but they are fitted to the underside of the CP, meaning you have a smoooth CP top 

[Nocturnaloner]

I ended up using those aluminum clips that are used to hold in storm door panels.  Works great if you routed an area for your joysticks.

[CPickler]

how do you countersink bolts, or screws for that matter?

[tommy]

I have used just screws for many years and havent had anything come loose, who wants to see those bolts anyway.

[tommy]

how do you countersink bolts, or screws for that matter?

You dont need to countersink screws , you screw from underneath, no sex jokes please. 

[LordKaosNY]

I'm also in favor of mounting joysticks without seeing any bolts.  I thought that screwing from underneath wasn't very secure and that the joystick could be ripped from the control panel during some intense play.

I think I've seen several examples where the heads of carriage bolts are countersunk then filled and covered by some kind of overlay.

[Grauwulf]

how do you countersink bolts, or screws for that matter?

Countersinking is basicly drilling a hole the size you need for the threaded part of the bolt to go through, and then you drill that hole out to the size of the bolt head, but only down deep enough to get the bolt head below the surface of the CP. In profile your hole would look like a step, with the top step being the surface of your CP and the second step being where your bolt head would end up.

[CPickler]

thanks

[crsdawg]

i've also used screws mounted from underneath for awhile (and i've built a crapload of cp's), no problems. you'll be surprised how strong it is.

use a screw that's just barely shorter than the depth of you top and predrill the hole. make sure the bit you use to predrill is the right diameter. if it's to wide you will have problems.

[Xiaou2]

 depends on the thickness of the wood, type of screw... and the abuse you apply.

 Try an intense hour of robotron.   Ill bet you tear a few screws loose on that game.
(unless you have 1" thick oak cp)

[NoOne=NBA=]

Try an intense hour of robotron.   Ill bet you tear a few screws loose on that game.
(unless you have 1" thick oak cp)

Actually mine are 1x Poplar (which is only 3/4" thick).
I've even recessed my Tron sticks by about 1/4", or so, and never had anything come loose.
I did have to knock the points off the screws for the Tron sticks, to keep them from coming through the top of the CP.

[Stingray]

Welded studs to the inside of my metal control panel.



-S

[Tiger-Heli]

Actually, the proper way to use T-nuts (and the most professional way to do this also), is what OSCAR did on the Williams Multicade at http://www.oscarcontrols.com/sinistar/index.shtml  Note that the T-nuts go on the top, screws go from the bottom, dust washer is routed out, and overlay and plexi go above everything. (might have used two sheets of plexi?)

how do you countersink bolts, or screws for that matter?

Actually, (for wood screws, not machine screws) they make countersink bits that you are supposed to use that match the chamfer of the screw head.