Mounting hardware for joysticks?

[Farmboy90]

What hardware do youg uys use to mount your joysticks to your CPs?  I will be using 5/8" MDF and want to mount the joysticks underneath.

Do you just use like 3/4" wood screws and screw them in under the panel through the holes on the joystick mounting bracket?  In other words the screws don't go all the way through the board.  If so, is this strong enough to hold up to all the abuse joysticks can take?

Thanks!

[mahuti]

Plain screws for me. I use solid Oak panels, I've been beating on my panels for a few years and haven't had one come apart on me. If it was going to be in a commercial setting, I'm sure I'd do something more substantial, but i haven't come close to tearing one out yet. Party after party, kids, whatever... it's worked fine.

I know some people would swear by more substantial methods, but I've yet to have any problems with it.

[Bones]

I used 3/4 MDF and routed the areas where the joysticks and buttons needed to go. I used the longest screws I could find that would not extend past the top of my CP and screwed everything in from underneath.

I figure each screw has gone in at least 1/2" which makes everything pretty damn secure.

[Jabba]

I used carriage bolts to secure my joysticks.

[Farmboy90]

Thank you guys!!

[pmc]

I used carriage bolts to secure my joysticks.

Me too. Drill through the wood and then drop the bolts in through the top. Use a lock washer and nut on the bottom to secure it. Easy to remove and there's no way that it can be accidentally ripped off. Pressure is either sideways on the bolt shafts, or downward on the broad horizontal surface area under the bolt-head. And you can replace or swap joysticks very easily.

Counter-sink the holes if you don't want the bolt heads showing (you can cover them up with art or vinyl).

I wouldn't normally partially screw from the bottom like BrokenBones has. Particularly with MDF. It might work for you (and him), but I would be concerned that downward pressure on the stick could eventually tear the screws out. I've never had good luck mounting things that way without glue. But if it works for you (and you can stress-test it to find out), go for it. The main benefit is that you don't have to disturb the top surface of the CP in any way.

-pmc