Main > Main Forum
More Control Panel Questions From The Biggest Newb Ever!
Dak-ak:
i just mounted the pushbuttons through a hole i drilled with a 1-1/8 spade bit... mounted it in a drill press and drilled the hole.. no big deal...
I did the same with the super... its got a button size hole for the stick and 4 holes around it to for the mounting holes...
rampy:
bah...
the forstner bit in a drill press is supposedly the greatest/smoothest/best results.
I sorta liked using a hole saw bit
A spade bit will work to0... but you have to be careful about "bloow out" ... which can be minimized if you go finished side first ( I think) and have a spare piece of wood underneath to drill through when you drill gets to the "otehr side" to lessen blowout...
*shrug*
rampy
PS do a forum search for forstner and you'll find the last great button drilling debate/discussion in the forum
OSCAR:
--- Quote from: Scott84 on April 13, 2003, 06:23:59 pm ---1. With the Happ Super 8's.... i plan on doing a top mount, but what are the measurements i would cut for the hole (for the joystick to fit into)? And what tool should i use to do this? Jigsaw?
--- End quote ---
I would highly suggest bottom mounting the joysticks. I think you will be much happier with their appearance and that is how they are intended to be installed. You can use a 1-1/8" spade drill bit (same for buttons, except Wico translucents which need 1-3/16") for the center hole. If you use a 3/4" thick control panel, many people recommend you route 1/4"-3/8" recess for the joystick base. In the below pic you can see how I have the joystick base recessed into the control panel. The reason for the recess is so your joysticks are a bit taller.
--- Quote ---2. For the buttons, i know you have to drill the holes with a 1 1/8" Drill Bit, I know its not a screwdriver drill bit, whats the name of it? Also, could someone provide a link to it on a website i could buy it from?
--- End quote ---
Spade bits are the cheapest way to go. They will dull quicker than hole saws or Forstner bits, but they are very easy to use. A Forstner bit is probably the best type of bit you can buy for making holes, but they can get expensive. Your local Home Depot/Lowe's/Ace Hardware will have the 1-1/8" spade bits and you can expect to pick them up for around $5 I'd guess.
--- Quote ---3. I plan on screwing the IPAC to the wood, what nessary steps should i take to make sure the Ipac is on properly? Can it touch the wood? Do i need anything to keep it from touching the wood?
--- End quote ---
Definitely use some kind of standoff or PCB feet. In the above photo, you can see I used standard PCB feet to secure the I-PAC.
--- Quote ---4. Does anyone know of a tutorial that can teach me to apply quick disconnects to gauge wire?
5. What type of gauge wire and why? People keep telling me whats the best, but its always different from what someone else said!
--- End quote ---
I have used many different kinds of wire for control panels and I have found the easiest to work with is 20 or 22 AWG stranded. You can find this in a local Radio Shack or other electronics retailers. It's typically referred to as "Hook up wire".
With 22-18 AWG, you will need to use the "red" female disconnects for all your buttons. Most arcade controls use the 3/16" size connectors.
To connect the disconnects, simply strip off about 1/8" of the wire insulation, insert the bare wire into the connector, then crimp the connector. A cheap wire crimper will make this much easier.
Frostillicus:
wow oscar that's the cleanest CP wiring i've ever seen...is that heat shrink tubing I see? what's it like to easily identify which wire is which? hehe
My forstner bit was 15 bucks at lowes. Kind of pricey BUT i ended up using it for each joystick and button - many many times so well worth the cash. I'd only recommend it though if you have a drill press or hand drill precision guide.
OSCAR:
--- Quote from: Frostillicus on April 13, 2003, 10:16:44 pm ---wow oscar that's the cleanest CP wiring i've ever seen...is that heat shrink tubing I see? what's it like to easily identify which wire is which? hehe
--- End quote ---
It's actually a multiconductor cable, 5 conductors. This cable here, to be exact. I still have a few spools of it left over from when I changed my optic board design and now I use it for everything. It works great for wiring control panels since every wire is a different color, and if you were to get a 7 conductor cable you would only need one run of cable for a 6 button layout w/ ground. I did heat shrink the ends (seen in black) where I stripped back the sheath. Not necessary, but I like to keep things neat looking when possible. :)
The price isn't too bad either. Figure $22 for about 500' of wire (5 conductors x 100' each), that's only around $.05 per foot for a very clean and neat installation.