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Main => Woodworking => Topic started by: mlcampbe on February 26, 2007, 10:48:10 am

Title: Question about recessed trackball covered with plexi
Post by: mlcampbe on February 26, 2007, 10:48:10 am: I'm about to attempt to mount my trackball but have some concerns about how this is going to work. I have no problems recessing the trackball mounting plate into the MDF to make it flush. However, my concern is that once the trackball is flush with the MDF then I cover it with a 1/8" plexi the ball will be too deep and tough to use.

How do I mount the trackball so it is flush with the plexi and not the MDF and still covert the mounting plate with artwork?

Is this something I even need to worry about? Will the additional 1/8" plexi even cause a problem using the trackball?
Title: Re: Question about recessed trackball covered with plexi
Post by: mountain on February 26, 2007, 01:28:58 pm: I have been wondering the same thing. I plan on using 1/16” acrylic because I want it to be flush with the lip around my Happ 3” trackball. I have noticed on other people’s panels that the trackball does not have this lip. Can anyone tell me what brand these are? Are they cutting the lip off?

The last thing I want to do is try and round the edge of the acrylic and then try to polish it.
Title: Re: Question about recessed trackball covered with plexi
Post by: Tahnok on February 26, 2007, 06:23:24 pm: This question has come up a couple times recently. This should help:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=62625.0

The short answer is that 1/8" thick plexi over the trackball is not a big deal. It does help though to either round or bevel the edge.
Title: Re: Question about recessed trackball covered with plexi
Post by: xmenxmen on February 28, 2007, 11:43:13 am: Quote from: Tahnok on February 26, 2007, 06:23:24 pm
This question has come up a couple times recently. This should help:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=62625.0

The short answer is that 1/8" thick plexi over the trackball is not a big deal. It does help though to either round or bevel the edge.

I have found filer that comes with those all in one pocket tool works great as a sander for smoothing out plexi glass or rounding them out.
Title: Re: Question about recessed trackball covered with plexi
Post by: acevedor2 on March 09, 2007, 08:50:16 pm: Chamfer the edges of the opening for the trackball on the plexi like I did below.

It came out great and you almost can't even feel the difference. It really came out great - In my humble honest opinion. ;D
Cheers

(http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/2240/dsc02070nu8.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
(http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/9607/dsc02071pm4.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
Title: Re: Question about recessed trackball covered with plexi
Post by: mountain on March 09, 2007, 11:12:45 pm: Thats what I ended up doing as well. It really came out great. I think I will polish the edge also. Here is a link to my project, there are a few pictures of my trackball installation and an explanation how to cut the circle perfectly as well.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=63629.0 (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=63629.0)
Title: Re: Question about recessed trackball covered with plexi
Post by: AtomSmasher on March 10, 2007, 08:50:35 pm: Or you can get a highlip trackball from Happ (actually from ponyboy or divemaster) where the trackball has a 1/8'' lip around the trackball, making it the perfect height for plexiglass. Thats how I did mine.
Title: Re: Question about recessed trackball covered with plexi
Post by: mountain on March 10, 2007, 10:22:33 pm: grrrr.... I wish I had known that sooner.