HELP! What screws/bolts do I buy to mount everything?

[DeLuSioNal29]

I have my components that I want to install and my empty control panel will be on it's way any day now.  But then I realized... how am I going to mount the joysticks and trackball?  Any ideas?  What screws and/or nuts and bolts should I buy?

I have Happ competition joysticks, Happ supers an Electric Ice Trackball and a Happ Flightstick.  The TT2 and buttons are all set since they have the screw-on plastic bolts.

Oh yeah and 3/4" MDF.

Thanks in advance!

~ DeLuSioNaL

[divemaster127]

I have 2 & 3" powder coated bolts a lot of people use they are .25 each
dm

[Kevin Mullins]

I have 2 & 3" powder coated bolts a lot of people use they are .25 each
dm

Carriage style bolts I presume.

[divemaster127]

Sorry yes carriage style happ supplies these
dm

[DeLuSioNal29]

Anyone know if "your local Home Depot" stocks these?  I assuming that you need nuts too correct?

[Kevin Mullins]

They might.
Check in the "specialty" hardware section.
They usually have the drawers with unique fasteners and such in them. (stainless steel, furniture, nylon, etc type stuff)

Keep in mind the diameter and lengths when looking.

[divemaster127]

you will find zinc & stainless but probably not black these are very hard to find that's why i sell so many
dm

[DeLuSioNal29]

I plan to bring the joysticks and trackball with me to the store.

So let me get this straight (just to be sure):

Joysticks (for each one):
-  4 Carriage bolts (size and diameter will fit holes in joys)
-  4 nuts that fit the bolts
-  4 lock washers (is this needed?  Not sure.)

Trackball:
This is where it gets strange.  I ordered a blank panel and the trackball will be flush mounted to it with an overlay preinstalled.  As such, the trackball plate is already in the panel.  All I have to do is drop the parts into the empty panel and the trackball is where I am getting confused:
Do I still need bolts to secure the trackball to the panel?  Or does the trackball plate already have bolts sticking out and I simply have to slide the trackball in and then buy 4 lock washers and 4 bolts to secure to the trackball plate?

**  One other note, I am assuming that everything will be mounted from underneath since I will be having the overlay pre-installed.  In that case do I need to buy wood screws? **

Thanks in advance to everyone who reads/responds.  The bolts issue is something I overlooked when researching at the beginning of my venture to build a CP.

~ DeLuSioNaL

[Sir Auros]

Just out of curiosity...did anyone else see a post by me in this thread, or did I forget to hit the post button?

[Kevin Mullins]

Never saw it......

[Spaz Monkey]

Just out of curiosity...did anyone else see a post by me in this thread, or did I forget to hit the post button?

You forgot.

[LeedsFan]

EDIT: Just realised you said you ordered a precut panel. So the stuff I say here won't apply to you much, except for the joystick mounting.

If you ordered a trackball with mounting panel then you will get everything you need to install it. The mounting panel comes with all the nuts and screws you need. It should do anyway.... my 3" TB from Happs came with everything. All I have to do is jigsaw out the "football" shape and drill the four corner mounting holes. Easy as pie. The trackball then screws to the underside of the plate with four long screws. The plate has four threaded "legs" that these screws go into.

If you are flush mounting the trackball under plexi then you need to find a way to make the whole panel flush. Most people here use a router and recess the joystick and trackball plates into the wood. Looks very cool when it's done well. But I don't have a router and can't really justify the cost of one for my project. So I will be adding in an extra layer all over the panel to fit around the joystick and TB plates. Dunno what to use yet... may just be cardboard to get the correct thickness built up to the plates. Then the artwork will go on one single piece of 0.5mm sheet aluminium over the whole thing. Might look crappy while it's being done but the final result should look cool. (But yours will be done for you already  )

For the joysticks I would just use countersunk machine screws. You would need to work the holes a little in the joystick plate to make the screws sit flush when installed. I just carefully use an oversize drill bit for this. Not particularly professional but it works.  Then when the artwork goes over the top there won't be any screw heads or carriage bolts visible at all.

[Xam]

The ones DM mentioned work very well. HD and Lowes will only have zinc or stainless.

Xam

[Sir Auros]

Over the summer, I thought I heard someone say that Home Depot carried black carriage bolts.

Anyway, if you really want the heads to be black, just poke some holes in a piece of cardboard, put the bolts through so only the heads are exposed, and spraypaint them all black.

[DeLuSioNal29]

Thanks everyone for the advice.  I was trying to have the bolts ready when I received my empty panel, but it looks like I will have to wait and see what stuff I need rather than "guess".

Stay tuned!

~ DeLuSioNaL

[CheffoJeffo]

Anyway, if you really want the heads to be black, just poke some holes in a piece of cardboard, put the bolts through so only the heads are exposed, and spraypaint them all black.

I do this all the time, but at some point I am going to try pr0k's technique (because I am tired of repainting scraped bold heads):

http://www.rgvac.com/restoration.asp?projid=17

[DeLuSioNal29]

I contacted the guy that was building my pre-cut empty panel and here's what he said:

"Your blank panel comes with the trackball mounting kit which has it's own hardware to mount your trackball from underneath. It's just 4 thin small machine screws and washers. Be very careful to only hand tightne and not use a drill with a screw bit as the screws are of soft steel and I have stripped off the heads using a drill driver.
 
We  install the joystick bases from underneath the panel by first drilling a shallow pilot hole smaller than the sctual screw. We use 1" long zinc plated wood screws from Home depot or Lowes at about $4 per 100.
The size is #10. The box would then be marked 10 X 1.
 
The screw does not come through the top of the 3/4" panel as the joystick base is thick enough. We use only the outside corners of the joystick bases for the screws. You can test on a piece of scrap wood to feel confident about using that size."

So there it is... I'm glad he gave me this info.  Off to Home Depot I go!

~ DeLuSioNaL