*sigh*..ok..trackball..which one to buy :)

[HeadRusch]

IF I cave in and decide to buy a happs trackball...which is the right one to get?
And what parts do I need?

I want to mount it in my 3/4" MDF panel with a lexan top..the lexan is like 1/8 of an inch or so thick I think...whatever the normal thickness is that they sell at...the depot.

I dont have a router so I'd PREFER to not have to plunge-route out a mounting recess....it would be much easier for me to cut a square in the CP

I'd prefer it be transluscent so I can put a cold cathode light in the CP and have it glow..but....I'm still trying to rationalize if I really need this or not..

Crystal Castles (eh...)
Missile Command (eh..)
Marble Madness (eh..)
Cabal is more fun with joysticks (I think its cabal that had the dual trackballs for player 1 and 2)...
.....and yes the dreaded golden tee golf....which I assume is the PC version....

[shmokes]

LOL....Don't bother trying to rationalize.  I can tell you right now that you don't need illumination on your trackball.  That said, the translucent trackballs cost the same as the opaque ones so the only extra cost is the light.  If your short on money right now just plan for the future and get a translucent one.  It'll look fine without illumination too.  From what I understand the highlip version (which is on a very good sale right now) is perfect for lexan covered panels as the lip will be flush with the top of the lexan.

[caykroyd]

High-lip good, but doesn't come in translucent if I remember correctly.  without recessing the mounting plate, you will have a little "bowing" uner the lexan not to mention an ugly black piece of metal not covered by an overlay.  

Don't forget to leave a lot of room between the trackball and the monitor for Golden Tee!

[HeadRusch]

Well wait a sec.

Can't you treat the trackball the same as any other joystick? Its got 4 openings for carriage bolts (to hold it to the underside of the CP), all I'd need to do is drill 4 holes and a 3" opening for the trackball, right?

Is there enough clearance in a Happs trackball to go through 3/4" MDF plus 1/8" Lexan?  I'm guessing there wont be much trackball coming through....which means lots of jammed fingers.......

Ehhhh this idea is looking worse and worse.....

[Homebrew]

This is actually what the highlip is for.  It gives the added height to clear the 1/8" lexan.  A normal trackball won't clear correctly.  Caykroyd is right, it only comes with a white ball, but you can buy a translucent ball for $23.65 from happ, so considering the high lip trackball is on sale, it kinda ballances out if you buy a translucent ball as well.  The high lip trackball is also the only one known to be shipping for sure with the new "red board" optics.

-Kevin

[HeadRusch]

What about the mounting issue...can I just cut a 3" hole and screw the darned thing into the underside of the MDF with carriage bolts and nuts, like I am doing for all the joysticks???

Or do I need to route/chisel out a "recess" into the 3/4" MDF in order to get the proper height...

[Homebrew]

trackballs have to be mounted from the top of the wood on CP's unlike joysticks.  Theres nowhere near enough lip to stick through a wood panel.  The highlip allows just enough lip to make it though 1/8" for the lexan.  You'd have to route the panel down to an 1/8" which would be weak and would also do no good once you added lexan.  What you need to do ideally is to route a recess on the top of your CP that is thick enough for the trackball mounting plate(about a 1/16" i believe).  You then put your CP overlay on and then mount the lexan top.  

-Kevin

[Smittydc]

If you're trying to convince yourself whether you need a trackball, another use I have is as a mouse.  My mame computer is also my main home computer -- wire up two of your buttons as left and right click and you can surf the net, check email, etc without breaking out the wireless mouse and keyboard.

So far as lighting the trackball -- it looks cool at night, but most of the time you don't notice it... right now I'm thinking of replacing my 2 1/4" ball with a funky billiard ball (they are the same size).

Borrow a router from someone and inlay the mounting plate as suggested by homebrew -- it looks much better that way.  I'd suggest screwing in your joysticks from the bottom instead of using carriage bolts too -- but I like a really clean looking control panel.

[GSXRMovistar]

I'd say it's worth lighting your trackball, all I used for mine was a single LED, the correct resistor and a tiny bit of wire (cost about

[HeadRusch]

Damnit GSXR.....I didn't need to see that