Some trackball questions.

[JesterDEV]

I am planning on buying a trackball soon and have a few questions. I searched though the board, but couldnt really make out anything. Could be because it's late.

First I am trying to decide between the Golden Tee, and the High-Ball Trackball.
I have a 3/4" MDF cp, with 1/8" lexan. What I plan to do is cut out the shape of the trackball in the wood, and then drill a hole in the lexan and mount the trackball with a mounting plate. I would rather not cut the wood but it seems that i have no choice. If I where to buy a mounting kit would I still have to cut the wood? Seems that's the point of buying one (So I dont have too.) but I'm unsure about this.

About the Oscar USB mouse interface. Will this allow 2 players to use the trackball or just 1? What I mean is say me and a friend are playing centipede. After my turn will he/she be able to play as player2?

[u_rebelscum]

I am planning on buying a trackball soon and have a few questions. I searched though the board, but couldnt really make out anything. Could be because it's late.

Go to advanced search and increase the max number of days.  "trackball happs" or "trackball wico" should do it.

First I am trying to decide between the Golden Tee, and the High-Ball Trackball.
I have a 3/4" MDF cp, with 1/8" lexan.

Golden Tee TB (aka high lip): cut the 3" hole in the lexan, use a mounting plate, and the top the the lip will be level with the top of the lexan.

High Ball TB: the top of the lip will be ~1/16"-1/8" below the top of the lexan, so you'll need to smooth and curve the inside of the hole.  More work, but the ball will be higher that with the golden tee.

What I plan to do is cut out the shape of the trackball in the wood, and then drill a hole in the lexan and mount the trackball with a mounting plate. I would rather not cut the wood but it seems that i have no choice. If I where to buy a mounting kit would I still have to cut the wood? Seems that's the point of buying one (So I dont have too.) but I'm unsure about this.

You need the cut the wood.  The TB case gets in the way.  They are designed to be mounted on metal CP of ~1/16" to 3/16" thick; and wood that thin isn't strong enough.  No need to drill a 3" hole in the wood, though, since the cutout is bigger.

5.25"x5.25" well measured is fine for either happs TBs (5.75" for wico or betson); but you can go a little bigger for leeway.  Looks like you can cut as big as 6.25" for the high ball mounting plate, but you don't need to cut any bigger than the other.  If you cut the "football" shape instead of square, make sure it's in the right direction.

I cut the football before I routered ~1/16" to counter sink the mounting plate so I could see the lines, but put the "football" back in the cutout to help keep the router level.

About the Oscar USB mouse interface. Will this allow 2 players to use the trackball or just 1? What I mean is say me and a friend are playing centipede. After my turn will he/she be able to play as player2?

This really depends on the game, game driver, and game dipswitch settings.  I the original centiped game, player 1 & 2 had to switch off using the same trackball*, and that's fine for oscar's interface.  I hope I am addressing what you mean.
*Except for the cocktail game in cocktail mode, where the players used different trackballs.

[HeadRusch]

Confused:  Doesn't the Hi-Lip ball sit lower than the other trackball that happs makes, ie: the one where the ball actually sits higher-up??

If you had a 3/4 CP with 1/8 lexan, wouldn't you want to go with the ball that actually sits higher up out of the CP, rather than the "high lip" model??

[JesterDEV]

Thanks for the info. I managed to find an almost new Golden Tee Trackball for $25 which I couldnt pass up. What should I use to lube the bearings? I've never had any dealings with trackballs before (besides playing games). I was going to use WD40 but wanted to make sure before I try anything.

Also would anyone happen to know what happs would charge for shipping on a mounting plate for this thing? $10.97 for the plate. I just dont want to pay $40 in shipping...

[rampy]

I wouldn't recommend wd-40... unless it was rusted and you wanted to use it just to clean it.

Lots a people like 3 in 1 oil... but it isn't a miracle worker...

I'll be back with an ancient thread where this was discussed *zooooom*
EDIT *swooosh* I'm back...



one thread on bearing lube

another trhead with more threads linked within it

rampy

[u_rebelscum]

Also would anyone happen to know what happs would charge for shipping on a mounting plate for this thing? $10.97 for the plate. I just dont want to pay $40 in shipping...

Shouldn't be more than $12 UPS ground; that's what I paid shipping for 12 buttons, 2 trackball case tops, & optical boards.  A year ago, I paid $15 shipping for a trackball + plate + buttons.

My guess would be ~$9-11.50 for just the plate.

[JesterDEV]

I found a mounting kit at Bob Roberts site for $10, about the same I'd be paying at happs, and shipping will be less. But thanks for the info anyway.

And thanks Rampy for the links!

[u_rebelscum]

Confused:  Doesn't the Hi-Lip ball sit lower than the other trackball that happs makes, ie: the one where the ball actually sits higher-up??

If you had a 3/4 CP with 1/8 lexan, wouldn't you want to go with the ball that actually sits higher up out of the CP, rather than the "high lip" model??

Happs has three models: high ball, high lip, normal.

The ball on the "high ball" is highest ball, period.  The ball on the high lip and normal have the same ball height above the top of their lip.

The lip on the "high lip" is the highest lip, the lip on the "high ball" is the second highest lip, and the lip on the normal ball is the lowest lip.

Yes, the high ball model will get the highest ball, but the high lip + 1/8" lexan + mounting plate results is the exact same ball height of the normal and mounting plate (no lexan).  In other words, the high lip will result with exactly the normal arcade ball height.

Approx height top of ball above top of 1/8" lexan:

high lip: (height above lip) = ~0.6"  <-- "normal" arcade height

normal: (height above lip) - (lexan thickness) = ~0.6" - 1/8" = ~0.48"

high ball: (height above lip) - (~lexan thickness) = ~1" - 1/8" = ~0.87" (plus/minus 1/16")



Notice on both the high ball and the normal, the lexan is used as the "lip"; while on the high lip, you use the TB's lip.  Easier to cut a straight 3" hole than try to curve your own finger friendly lip in the lexan.

[skirge66]

hey u_rebelscum...(now that just sounds too funny)...but anyhow just wanted to say, that is an excellent pic that illistrates this question (asked all the time) really well...save the link to it, this woulda been a great help back when I started, and shows the differences with measurements perfectly.

[u_rebelscum]

hey u_rebelscum...(now that just sounds too funny)...

Why do you think I go by this alias?

but anyhow just wanted to say, that is an excellent pic that illistrates this question (asked all the time) really well...save the link to it, this woulda been a great help back when I started, and shows the differences with measurements perfectly.

Thanks.  

A picture's worth a thousand words, blah, blah blah.  I already tried writing the thousand words a few times, and still wasn't clear. So I sketched the pic.

I'll keep it on my site.  I want to double check the numbers and throw in some more dimensions, but they're all within 1/16", I think.  If you want a direct link to the image: http://urebelscum.speedhost.com/images/TB_ballHeight.gif

[skirge66]

for your records too...I installed a highball (should be the same for a standard) I used formica laminate which also happens to be the exact thickness as the normal lip on happs balls...very much the same as your diagram of the high lip with lexan