Metal CP - Mount trackball how?

[grbgemen]

so i bought a converted Stargate cabinet a little over a week ago.  Nothing was left of the original Stargate and the cabinet was not in the best of shape so i decided i want to MAME it. 

the original Stargate controls were filled at one time and a new two player setup with 3 buttons each was drilled.  Nothing is centered/even so i need to rebuild the control panel.  Rather than build another out of wood, a good friend of mine is going to bend a metal sheet into my new panel.  the depth will be a bit deeper to help fit a trackball comfortably.

I searched on here for average metal CP thickness and came up with 1/16".  The thread i read this in said 1/16" is just thick enough to countersink machine screws.  is this correct?  for a trackball, i would assume i would want to use bolts rather than screws.  will four countersunk bolts in 1/16" metal be strong enough at holding the trackball? 

should i consider mounting the trackball a different way?  I read in another thread about welding bolts underneath the CP.  I personally have never welded before but know others who could do it.  I would like to go the countersunk bolts method as it would be easiest but i am afraid that when i countersink them, i will be removing to much material.  i want the bolt heads to be flush with the rest of the panel. 

as for the joysticks, i planned on using carriage bolts on top of the CP.  kind of like the look.  i supposed i could do the same for the trackball but that would be ugly and players would probably hit there hands on them when playing...not good.

so...help?

[severdhed]

if you are already planning on using carriage bolts for the joysticks, why not use them for the trackball as well?  i don't know why they would be ugly and the joystick bolts wouldn't be.  I have always used carriage bolts to mount my trackball..this cabinet was a midway cabinet coverted to golden tee when i got it.  it had a trackball mounted in a metal panel with carriage bolts.  i used the same method in my plane wood panel, as well as my plexi covered wood panel.  they worked great in all 3 configurations.  i don't know whey anyone would hit their hands on them, they barely stick up at all.

[grbgemen]

well since i posted that, ive been searching around the site(mainly the CP database thread) and i did see some trackballs that were mounted with carriage bolts on top.  to be honest, it does not really look all that bad. 

the reason why i want the carriage bolts on top for the joysticks is because thats what i always remember seeing in the arcades.  i guess i am just used to it.  however with the trackballs, i dont ever remember seeing the bolts on top with games like Golden Tee.  but you are right, they do sit pretty low and i dont think they would be a problem now that i am looking at one.

[TheShanMan]

Carriage bolts. I have a centipede (metal panel), and it's trackball has carriage bolts. To get screws countersunk enough to be flush on a panel that thin seems to me to be nearly impossible and not worth the effort given the risk of screwing up a hole.

One other option that's slightly flatter than a carriage bolt is a threaded post. If you search on "threaded post" you'll find a post by me with pics of exactly what that is.

[u_rebelscum]

...  however with the trackballs, i dont ever remember seeing the bolts on top with games like Golden Tee....

FWIW, most metal CPs were 1/16", but GT's manufacturer Incredible Technologies now (and for half a dozen years) uses 3/16" thick CPs (and why we have the "high lip" TB aka "GoldenTee TB").  Just thought I'd toss it out there.