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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: caykroyd on March 10, 2003, 05:33:45 pm

Title: Trackball Mounting
Post by: caykroyd on March 10, 2003, 05:33:45 pm
I'm about to start building my control panel and was wondering if anyone mounted their trackball without the mounting plate.  I don't want to have any bolts showing through the top.  ( so I don't hurt the fingers when playing golden tee).   Any suggestions?

I will most likely be using 3/4" MDF
Title: Re:Trackball Mounting
Post by: Jakobud on March 10, 2003, 05:48:12 pm
What I did was I used a router so my mounting plate was set 'in' my CP.  So the top of it is flush with the rest of my CP.  Then I just added my CP artwork on top of that so you never see the mounting plate.

By the way, with the happs mounting plates, there are NO bolts involved.  All the bolts and nuts and stuff is on the bottom side of the mounting plate.  The top is flush all the way across.
Title: Re:Trackball Mounting
Post by: SirPoonga on March 10, 2003, 06:15:54 pm
I hear that happs mounting plate with out the bolt heads is not a good plate.  The posts tend to break.
Title: Re:Trackball Mounting
Post by: Auntie MAME on March 10, 2003, 06:28:44 pm
Say it ain't so.  I would assume the Happ plates break when pounding on it like some Golden Tee fans do.  I can't imagine Centipede or Missle command would do it in.  The last thing i want to do is make a new CP. :)
Title: Re:Trackball Mounting
Post by: Minwah on March 10, 2003, 07:36:56 pm
I can't decide how to mount mine...I don't want bolts showing and I don't plan to use artwork to hide the mounting plate.

That said those round-headed bolts look quite cool.  Can't be as lethal as this golf game in a local pub of mine that splits your finger open on the lock plate thing in front of the trackball   :o
Title: Re:Trackball Mounting
Post by: Stein on March 11, 2003, 03:29:51 pm
I just built a desktop trackball ccontroller, and I didn't use a mounting plate either...  maybe this isn't exactly what you have in mind, but maybe it'll give you an idea. I used carriage bolts and routed a recess in 3/4 oak.

I actually ordered the Happ Mounting plate before deciding on the recess... as much as I love the TB the mounting plate wasn't nearly as nice as I would think it should be, especially for how much it costs... Seeing the mounting posts on the thing I would tend to belive, like SirPoonga pointed out, that they would break easily.

Good luck in whatever you decide.
Stein

http://webpages.charter.net/mjellis1/ (http://webpages.charter.net/mjellis1/)

btw the carriage bolt heads never get in my way on my TB ;)
Title: Re:Trackball Mounting
Post by: Minwah on March 11, 2003, 06:46:04 pm
I just built a desktop trackball ccontroller, and I didn't use a mounting plate either...  maybe this isn't exactly what you have in mind, but maybe it'll give you an idea. I used carriage bolts and routed a recess in 3/4 oak.

I actually ordered the Happ Mounting plate before deciding on the recess... as much as I love the TB the mounting plate wasn't nearly as nice as I would think it should be, especially for how much it costs... Seeing the mounting posts on the thing I would tend to belive, like SirPoonga pointed out, that they would break easily.

Good luck in whatever you decide.
Stein

http://webpages.charter.net/mjellis1/ (http://webpages.charter.net/mjellis1/)

btw the carriage bolt heads never get in my way on my TB ;)

I saw this the other day...very nice job, I'll be glad if mine turns out 1/2 as good!
Title: Re:Trackball Mounting
Post by: caykroyd on March 13, 2003, 12:25:17 pm
I saw that site, too.  Very nice.  The trackball will get some beating (Golden Tee) and put in MDF so trying to find most secure way.  I heard the high-lip Happs trackball can be mouting without any top mounting.  Is this true?  If so, can someone describe how it is done?
Title: Re:Trackball Mounting
Post by: Auntie MAME on March 13, 2003, 12:34:06 pm
Has anyone actuallly had a bottom mount trackball plate fail?