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Drilling Sandwich (question)
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fjl:
leapinlou,

how did you do the trackball hole?
GAtekwriter:
I'm wondering the same thing - cutting  3" hole in Lexan seems tricky...

Jim
fatfingers:

A router with a flush trim bit is a good way.  For mine I just used the trackball mounting bracket as the guide to run my bit along.

Good luck.

scotthh:

--- Quote from: efjayel on July 05, 2008, 09:56:11 pm ---leapinlou,

how did you do the trackball hole?

--- End quote ---
Here's how Lew did it.
Here's a thread about cutting 3" holes.
leapinlew:

--- Quote from: scotthh on July 07, 2008, 12:08:27 am ---
--- Quote from: efjayel on July 05, 2008, 09:56:11 pm ---leapinlou,

how did you do the trackball hole?

--- End quote ---
Here's how Lew did it.
Here's a thread about cutting 3" holes.

--- End quote ---

Thanks Scott... for those of you lazy ---daisies---:

Cut the trackball hole today. For those wanting to do the same thing - here is how I did it.

First I created a jig using some spare pieces of MDF.

* The bottom piece is the base. It's big enough to stradle a couple horses and support the weight of the next pieces.
* I used 2 peices with a gap beween them wide enough for the trackball hole. I screwed them to the base
* straddling those 2 pieces I put the trackball plate and screwed it into the scrap pieces under it.
* I put another peice of MDF on top - this is going to be your template piece and you should drill a hole in it big enough to fit your flush trim router bit in. Before screwing your template into the pieces of mdf under it - make sure the flush trim bit is aligned properly. You can look down between the middle and see how it's aligned. Remember, the flush trim bit will cut right through the trackball plate too.
Once your positive the flush trim bit won't eat up your trackball plate, put your safety glasses on (you do have safety glasses don't you?!) and slowly route out the hole while watching it closely.

It'll look like this:




Over to the right you'll see my first attempt. My pilot hole was too close to one side and messed up the jig.



Test fit it on your trackball - it should be a good fit. Now you can place your plexi over this hole, clamp it down, drill a pilot hole to put the flush trim router bit in, and cut out a perfect hole with no fear of ruining your trackball plate. This is an oversized piece of plexi. I'll trim it down once I make the CP.

I went this route because it seemed less risky.



Fits perfect!


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