Flush mounting a trackball help...

[Sinner]

Hi,
I'm looking to add a trackball to my cabinet and I would like to have it mounted flush to the CP.

[Flinkly]

you just get any old trackball with it's mounting plate (two seperate items), and then router out the top of your control panel to a depth the same as the thickness of the trackball plate.  then follow the rest of the directions to mount the trackball.  someone should have a picture of this, so just wait for a day and someone should drop one in.

[Sinner]

OK, if someone could drop in picture, I'd really appreciate it...

[Frosty]

Here's a version of the trackball and mounting plate flush mounted on the CP, with Lexan and artwork on top.

Basically, I set my router depth to match the depth of the top of the mounting plate (about 1/8" of an inch), and routed the outline of the plate.  When dropped into the recess, it sat flush with the top of the CP.  The artwork was placed on the panel and mounting plate (covering it) and then Lexan on top of it.

I don't have a picture of the 'naked' CP after I had routed the top out, but I hope this helps...

[dema]

The only question I have is how do you keep the router so accurate to the template? Do you route out the trackball plate by eyeballing it?

[Shape D.]

The only question I have is how do you keep the router so accurate to the template? Do you route out the trackball plate by eyeballing it?

you use a template to cut your template hole. this one you have to make yourself though.

or be really really good at freehanding.   

oooh...  or use a cnc machine   

or use a straightedge clamped down to your cp. 

[Sinner]

So, I guess in an existing CP with an arborite finish, you would have to refinish it, or have the plate mounted on top?

[Sinner]

How was this done?  It's kind of what I'm looking for...

[Flinkly]

without asking the guy, we can only speculate.

[dema]

I didn't realize that it's best to use a straight edge to cut the trackball/joystick plate depression. I figured everyone did it by eyeballing it once you outlined the plates.

[ErikRuud]

You could do it the way I do, but you almost have to have planned for this from the start.





This was done with a Betson Trackball that has a lip that is almost 1/4".

The panel is built with a 1/4" plywood top layer and a 1/2" or 3/4" plywood bottom layer.

[dema]

That looks really nice Erik! I'm going to be using a cpo, so I'll be doing it a little differently, but your work is definitely impressive.

[Quarters]

How was this done? It's kind of what I'm looking for...

I used a ultimarc 2 1/4" Trackball. I had to modify it a bit. I cut the posts that would usually attach to the mounting plate. I also routed the shape from the bottom leaving almost 1/2 " of wood to screw into.

More pics of this here: http://quarters.is-a-geek.com/arcade/gal1.html

While mine is very strong (the control Panel is solid oak)I would not recommend this approach with MDF. Also I'm looking at a Happ 3" trackball in front of me. It is quite different to the ultimarc version. I am not sure yet how I will mount this one.

[Nocturnaloner]

My trackball is exactly like Erik's, the Betson 3" red translucent, and I did something similar: I countersunk some long togglebolts, filed down their tops a bit, then filled in the holes with JB weld (2-part epoxy).  Then I covered my cp with adhesive backed vinyl from Parts Express.  You can kind of see it on this page: http://www.nocturnaloner.net/cp3.htm