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GaryMcT's 2-player generic control panel layout

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GaryMcT:

I picked up a 3/4" long 5/16" diameter pattern bit today to route the joystick cavities. I'll make a template for that when I get home.

Do you route the joystick cavity first and then drill the hole for the handle or vice versatile?  Any advantage to going either way?

GaryMcT:

What's the best way to make the template for the joystick routing?  Router and clamped straight edge for each side?  I just failed miserably at making one out of plywood.  I think it's MDF for me from here on out. :)


Bender:

I made a jig for cutting squares and rectangle templates it looks like this just 4 strips of wood you just slide them to the desired shape and size then
you can either screw, glue, doublesided tape, or clamp them down

I like doing the hole after to make sure it's centered
I take the metal plate off the joystick and use to trace and after the area is routed out, I screw it in THEN mark the center and drill it



GaryMcT:


--- Quote from: Bender on August 08, 2009, 11:05:51 pm ---I made a jig for cutting squares and rectangle templates it looks like this just 4 strips of wood you just slide them to the desired shape and size then
you can either screw, glue, doublesided tape, or clamp them down

I like doing the hole after to make sure it's centered
I take the metal plate off the joystick and use to trace and after the area is routed out, I screw it in THEN mark the center and drill it



--- End quote ---

Hey that's a nice jig!

I finished making the joystick template out of 1/2" plywood a bit ago.  I marked the rectangle and used an angle clamped down once for each corner and template routed the template.  Certainly good enough for something on the backside of the panel.  I made the template such that the distance from one of the edges is the same as on the control panel to help with lining it up.

Next thing I did was to completely screw up the MDF prototype I was working on!  I don't know what I was thinking, but instead of just routing to the correct depth for the joystick, I decided to drill some starter holes all the way through. . ummmm, FAIL!!!!!!

I'll start over again tomorrow.  With all the templates and such building up, I'm getting faster at this at least. :)


GaryMcT:

Looks like I can actually finish the one that I'm working on and have it be ugly where one of the joysticks is at.  That'll give me some more practice at least. :)

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