Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: HeadRusch on May 15, 2003, 02:17:35 pm
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I think I have just enough space to squeak in one of those 3" Trackballs on my cab.
But...my question is this: If I go with a 3" ball, and I want to mount it on 3/4" MDF with 1/8" Lexan on top, what other hardware do I need to mount it.
I was looking at the High-Lip ball as it would seem to stick further out of the CP.....but can I just mount this directly underneath the CP after cutting out a 3" hole and drilling holes for...screws? Bolts?
Confused on what I'd need besides the trackball...
I think the mounting kits are the direction you go when you just want to cut a square in your CP and have a metal mounting plate securing the trackball, yes?
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I posted this to someone's question regarding mounting an imperial trackball. It might work for others.
"I have the same trackball. I cut out a hole the exact football shape as the housing. (Make sure you cut it out with the trackball orieinted in the right direction.) Take the housing apart. I used 1/2" birch ply with 1/4" lexan. Press the upper part of the housing into the hole you cut into the plywood. (hopefully it will be a press fit). Screw thru the housing into the four sides of the plywood. Like this;
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the screws are the short horizontal lines. Then place your lexan over the panel and use a pattern cutting bit with a bottom bearing to cut out the hole for the ball. The bearing will follow the lip of the housing. Round over the edge of this hole in the lexan. Place artwork between the ply and lexan to cover the housing. No bolts needed or shown. There is a lip that protrudes from the housing around the ball. I used a router to shave this down flush with the housing. It makes the ball sit a little bit higher and it's flat for the artwork or whatever you'll use to cover the ply. Works very well, it's been beat upon for weeks and is holding up fine."
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I have a happs highball. I bought the highball mounting plate to go with it.
I cut a hole to the size indicated on the mounting pic at their site, then routered down the rest of the footprint so the plate is flush with the MDF so that I could laminate right up to the lip for the ball.
You could do something similar with the high lip and lexan.