Control Panel Visual Walkthrough?

[GAtekwriter]

Well, I did a search for Control Panel drilling and got some great suggestions, but the amount of information is completely overwhelming, with a lot of either conflicting advice or hard-to-picture advice.

Is anyone aware of a visual walkthrough of drilling a control panel?  Pictures?  Video?  I'm a brave sort, but I want to make sure I'm drilling and cutting wood and plexi properly, as well as CPO. 

Thanks, all.

Jim

[leapinlew]

Not that I'm aware of... how boring is it to watch someone drill?

For the wood - you'll want to use either a spade bit or a forstner bit.

The plexi is trickier because there are quite a few different ways to do it. My first one I used a spade bit in reverse and drilled real slow. All the ones since have been done with a router.

[ChadTower]

Buy the book.

[GAtekwriter]

I do own the book  

It's definitely a great read, but it doesn't cover everything.  I'm specifically trying to figure out how to properly route out the joystick area so it's flush with the CP... I may just break down and try to find a good woodworking book, but I wanted to check to see if anyone knew of a pictorial walkthrough that demonstrates the techniques to properly drill button holes, joysticks, etc. as well as plexi.

Jim

[ChadTower]

Oh, well, do some searches, that has been covered here many times.  Read through the wiki, too.

[GAtekwriter]

Chad,

My question was whether there was a visual walkthrough, which I have not found.  I've done plenty of searches and read dozens of threads. 

Jim

[Knievel]

Hey Jim have you read this tutorial by Timoe?
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=51235.0

I usually point people to it when they ask how I made my templates.


As for carving the holes in your plexi I use a router with one of these bits..
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=30184&cat=1,46168,46173&ap=1

It allows you to plunge through the plexi and carve it out without pre-drilling a hole.
Big time-saver and cleaner than a drill bit.

[Timoe]

Well, I did a search for Control Panel drilling and got some great suggestions, but the amount of information is completely overwhelming, with a lot of either conflicting advice or hard-to-picture advice.

Is anyone aware of a visual walkthrough of drilling a control panel?  Pictures?  Video?  I'm a brave sort, but I want to make sure I'm drilling and cutting wood and plexi properly, as well as CPO. 

Thanks, all.

Jim

search through the project threads.  There are lots of photos in there.  Spend some time looking at other peoples projects.  All the info you need is here.  Just relax and enjoy the reading.

[GAtekwriter]

Knievel,

That is EXACTLY what I am looking for... thank you VERY much.

The problem us newbies have with this board is that it's been around so long - so much good stuff is out there but it's buried and even a good search can be too much to sift through.

Thanks again.

Jim

[alandrogers]

see my blog ... http://midlifemame.blogspot.com/

measure, measure, measure

this is also in the project db somewhere.

[alandrogers]

have you laid out those parts in some cardboard or linoleum yet? just curious...

in particular .. read the entries:

March:
$&%*#@!$^%!!!!!
the screw up
arrgh
cool

April:
another oops

[Knievel]

No problem Jim. Most of the info you'll want is here someplace, I know it can be hard to find though.

Sometimes I will recall a thread that I've read in the past that can help me with a problem/question I've got. But for the life of me no amount of searches seems to bring it up.

[javeryh]

This is how I drilled out all my button holes using a 1-1/8" foerstner bit (even though this picture is of me drilling out the corners for my coin door).   

[AtomSmasher]

The problem us newbies have with this board is that it's been around so long - so much good stuff is out there but it's buried and even a good search can be too much to sift through.

Which is why good threads like Timoe's tutorial that Knievel posted is stickied to the top of the forum, so it won't get buried 

[alandrogers]

One more thought on this ... are you using MDF or plywood?

That pic of the forstner bit .. apparently works great on MDF, but it sucked when I tried to use it on plywood.

If you're using plywood, I had the best luck with a spade bit. I don't own a hole saw, but remember to clamp it down to another piece of wood to minimize the underside splintering.

[GAtekwriter]

I'm using sandiply... wood, basically.  Spade bit, it is   Thanks.

Jim