Some questions...

[Banacek]

Hey guys, I have a couple of woodworking questions for you:

1) I've started sanding the old cabinet that I picked up, and I was wondering; How much should I sand? Til it's smooth to the touch?

2) Drill holes before or after painting? I'm thinking before...

3) How deep should the grooves for the joysticks be if I'm using 5/8th MDF? 1/8th?

4) I'm installing a Ultimarc Trackball with the cover. Should I be putting the cover OVER the plexiglass?

Thanks!

[Vigo]

1) I've started sanding the old cabinet that I picked up, and I was wondering; How much should I sand? Til it's smooth to the touch?

Yep, especially since thats why you sand in the first place.

2) Drill holes before or after painting? I'm thinking before...

Yeah, it will avoid possibly scratching the paint and also allows you to pencil on the wood for measurements. I recomment this order: cut, drill, sand, bolt together, take back apart, fix mistakes if any found, paint, bolt back together.

3) How deep should the grooves for the joysticks be if I'm using 5/8th MDF? 1/8th?

That sort of thing depends on what kind of joystick you have.

I'm installing a Ultimarc Trackball with the cover. Should I be putting the cover OVER the plexiglass?

I never used plexi, but I'm pretty sure that the plate should still mount into the wood. I'll be corrected if I'm wrong

Well, Good luck

[Banacek]

Yep, especially since thats why you sand in the first place.

I figured as much, I just wanted to be sure.  I know, I worry too much.

Yeah, it will avoid possibly scratching the paint and also allows you to pencil on the wood for measurements. I recomment this order: cut, drill, sand, bolt together, take back apart, fix mistakes if any found, paint, bolt back together.

Sounds like a plan, cause that's what I was thinking.

That sort of thing depends on what kind of joystick you have.

I'm using two Happ Supers, the 4-way I'm not sure on yet. I'd want a real 4-way like the replacement Ms. Pac-Man one Happs has, but it says that it's only for metal CPs.

Well, Good luck

Thanks!

[nostrebor]

For supers, you don't need to route for the bases. They have a spacer for wood panels that makes the stick plenty long. On the 4-way, pick a stick and post back. I use wicos and actually recess them flush into the top side of the CP for maximum stick length. This format also depends on what art you are using, plexi or not, etc.

Step 1... pick the stick.

[Banacek]

For supers, you don't need to route for the bases. They have a spacer for wood panels that makes the stick plenty long. On the 4-way, pick a stick and post back. I use wicos and actually recess them flush into the top side of the CP for maximum stick length. This format also depends on what art you are using, plexi or not, etc.

Step 1... pick the stick.

Ok, I decided to go with the J-Stik with the ball top from Ultimarc.

[nostrebor]

Fairly short stick. I would route the top side of my CP for that one. Assuming it is like a T-stick, you'll have to make a hole in the CP big enough for the body of the stick to fit in, and recess the mounting plate into the wood flush. I had to disassemble a T-stick to get the shape and the hole locations for the mounting plate, for the recess. Cut the recess first, the make the hole for the guts of the stick. You can use machine screws thru the mounting plate with nuts/washers underneath or wood screws if you don't just hammer on your sticks during play. I'm pretty rough on my sticks and they are just mounted using wood screws, but that is into 13 ply plywood, not MDF.

Of course this advice assumes that the j-stick and t-stick are very similar, and that you are covering the CP with art/plexi.

[Banacek]

Fairly short stick. I would route the top side of my CP for that one. Assuming it is like a T-stick, you'll have to make a hole in the CP big enough for the body of the stick to fit in, and recess the mounting plate into the wood flush. I had to disassemble a T-stick to get the shape and the hole locations for the mounting plate, for the recess. Cut the recess first, the make the hole for the guts of the stick. You can use machine screws thru the mounting plate with nuts/washers underneath or wood screws if you don't just hammer on your sticks during play. I'm pretty rough on my sticks and they are just mounted using wood screws, but that is into 13 ply plywood, not MDF.

Of course this advice assumes that the j-stick and t-stick are very similar, and that you are covering the CP with art/plexi.

Yeah, I'm covering the CP with plexi. To be honest, I don't want to make the joystick groove too deep, because I'm only using 5/8th MDF. There's also the fack that if the joystick is mounted on the top of the CP, I have no way to cover that up (cosmetically).

I'm thinking of giving the Betson Space Invaders joystick a try. Other threads have mentioned that it should be long enough.

[nostrebor]

Your artwork goes over the mounting plate of the stick, then plexi over that if your using it. The only thing you see is the hole that the stick comes through. With wicos there is a recess so you can put the dust washer under the artwork, thus hiding it as well. Now if you are not using artwork... my suggestion is not so good.