Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: DreamWeb on February 27, 2005, 01:56:31 am

Title: Betson Imperial 3" Trackball - Part question.
Post by: DreamWeb on February 27, 2005, 01:56:31 am

Hey folks.  I just received my 3" trackball.  And there's a thin plastic part that covers the top of the trackball (with the hole still protrudin) in the same shape as the plastic enclosure for the trackball.

I also bought a mounting plate that got shipped along with the ball.

My question is... What is that thin plastic part supposed to do?  Was it part of the trackball itself... or is it for the mounting plate?  Or is it perhaps for some kind of metal cp mounting mechanism?!

Thanks guys

d.

Title: Re: Betson Imperial 3" Trackball - Part question.
Post by: paigeoliver on February 27, 2005, 07:56:18 am

I have owned a few of these trackballs and I am not sure exactly what you are referring to. All you should have or need is the trackball assemby itself and the mounting plate. Is the extra plastic perhaps an alternate top casing (for highball action perhaps).

Title: Re: Betson Imperial 3" Trackball - Part question.
Post by: SirPeale on February 27, 2005, 08:35:10 am

It's a spacer.  I'm also not exactly sure the application.

Title: Re: Betson Imperial 3" Trackball - Part question.
Post by: mp2526 on February 27, 2005, 03:07:47 pm

Sounds like you have a trackball made to go in thicker CPs.  The spacer is used when you want to use the trackball in a "regular" CP.

Title: Re: Betson Imperial 3" Trackball - Part question.
Post by: u_rebelscum on February 27, 2005, 07:01:32 pm

Like others said, you have a newer "high rim" aka "high lip" aka "Golden Tee" trackball, with that black spacer to fit it on older CPs without having the lip sticking above the CP.


FYI, old trackballs were mounted on 1/16" thick metal CPs.  So they have 1/16" lips.  Then Golden Tee came out (with standard lips) and was put in bars, ect.  The extra heavy abuse broke too many CPs.  So Golden Tee came out with a thicker CP (3/16"), so trackballs needed 3/16" lips to fit properly.

Your black spacer is 1/8" thick so you can mount your TB on 3/16" & 1/16" panels. 

edit: link to happs' equivalent spacer instructions (http://www.happcontrols.com/images/pdf/ins0060.pdf)

Title: Re: Betson Imperial 3" Trackball - Part question.
Post by: Nocturnaloner on March 01, 2005, 03:02:50 pm

If you're mounting it in 3/4" wood, it also makes a nifty template to draw out the routed area.