Drilling laminate. Router or Forstner?

[nickbuol]

I've done searches and have been reading for what seems like hours now, but can't find the answer to my question.

I have a nice router, I have a drill press.  For control panel holes (joysticks and buttons), with a laminated top, which is better, using a forstner bit and drill press, or drilling my wood with a spade (cheaper than other bits), and then laminating it, and then drilling a hole just big enough to use a laminate trim bit and my router?

I found people asking about spade vs. forstner, and spade vs. router, but not router vs. forstner.

While I am already going to have to buy a laminate trim bit for my router, if the forstner is better or easier, I would rather buy it too because I am working on a larger 4 player, so I have a lot of holes to drill.

Also, what do I do for a 3" Happs trackball?  Router method?

Thanks for any insight.

[CJK]

If you're going to be drilling a lot of holes (and in this hobby, who isn't?), best to do it in one step. I'd go for a carbide-tipped Forstner bit -- if you're using a drill press, the Forstner bit will be easy to use. High speed steel bits will get dull fast if you're drilling through laminate, thus the recommendation for a carbide bit.

My $0.02, and worth every penny.   

-- Chris

[nickbuol]

What about the trackball hole?

[Timoe]

Are you flush mounting the trackball mount under the laminate?  Or will it be flush mounted under printed vinyl?

[pointdablame]

If you're using a trackball mounting plate, its a lot easier.  Your hole can be far from perfect.  You can either use a router to recess the plate so that the CP is flush, or leave it on top of the CP.

The plate makes it pretty self-explanatory.  You'll need a hole for the trackball (obviously), and the holes for the bolts welded to the plate.  After that, you'll be good to go.

[markrvp]

If you're using a trackball mounting plate, its a lot easier.

[nickbuol]

Thanks for all of the tips.

On the trackball, I am looking at getting some artwork for the CP from MameMarquees, so I think that ultimately I am going to want the mounting plate (yes, I have one on order) flush with the top of the laminate.

I know, why laminate it if I am covering it with art anyway, well I want the added durability of the laminate under the art.

I've also heard that the product from MameMarquees doesn't need lexan on top, but I could be wrong there too.

So I think that I will go with a good Forstner bit for the buttons and joysticks.  For the trackball, I will cut out the trackball hole in the particle board (route out any excess to get the right height for the trackball.  Then do I cut (route) out the laminate bit enough for the maounting plate to fit, and fill the cracks with something so it is even for the artwork, or what?

[CJK]

I know, why laminate it if I am covering it with art anyway, well I want the added durability of the laminate under the art.

I've also heard that the product from MameMarquees doesn't need lexan on top, but I could be wrong there too.

Personally, if you're using MDF, I'd just give it a coat of primer and a single coat of paint and put the overlay on top of that. Whether you put Lexan over top of the panel or not is personal preference. Mark, for instance, didn't use it on his son's mini Pac-Man cabinet and was happy with the result. (He did laminate the artwork, though.) A lot of other people here have used Lexan to protect the artwork, and the results (from the pics they've posted) look great.

If you're going to use Lexan, I wouldn't bother with the laminate underneath. If you aren't, it saves having to paint the CP first, but other than that, I don't see that it adds much except extra work. 

So I think that I will go with a good Forstner bit for the buttons and joysticks.

[nickbuol]

I was going to use particle board, and not MDF since I am laminating it, but I guess that I could always skip the lamination of the CP, use some MDF (not sure if I can get it in a size just for the CP) for the CP, cut it, get the holes, etc, install the art, and put lexan on top.  Protects the art, saves on having to drill holes in the laminte (I've done plexi and lexan in the past without problems)...

Hmmm.   Wheels are turning.  You guys are great with these suggestions.!

[CJK]

Home Depot (aka the Borg) should have 3/4" and 1/2" MDF in 2x4 sheets. (They call them something like "HandyPanels" or similar.)

-- Chris

[pointdablame]

Home Depot (aka the Borg) should have 3/4" and 1/2" MDF in 2x4 sheets. (They call them something like "HandyPanels" or similar.)

-- Chris

I really wish they had those in 5/8" since I need a sheet for my CP.  I've had a hard time finding a lumber yard near me that stocks them.