Main > Main Forum

Cutting trackball hole in plexiglass (revisited)

<< < (3/13) > >>

FractalWalk:
If you are using a trackball mounting plate, then you want your hole to match exactly to the plate. I would be wary of anything that didn't derive it's dimensions directly from the plate.

In other words, I wouldn't use a hole saw. How can you tell if it is the exact same size and cut exactly in the middle of your plate?

Pixelhugger:

--- Quote from: FractalWalk on July 26, 2004, 07:25:11 pm --- In other words, I wouldn't use a hole saw. How can you tell if it is the exact same size and cut exactly in the middle of your plate?
--- End quote ---

....by clamping the plexi beneath the wood and cutting the hole thru the existing one. Assuming the existing hole lines up with the plate.

Or.... cut a smaller hole the same way. Then flip it over and flush trim it out.

The 3" hole saw works well. It's how I made mine. After cutting it I HIGHLY recommend bull nosing the edge of the plexi (if it's 1/4" stock) and polishing the bejeezus out of it. Here's a pic of mine. The image doesn't do it justice tho. It shines like glass. Oh, BTW the hole saw does cut a hole larger than the lip of the trackball.... but the mounting plate covers the gap and actually looks pretty cool.

Only regret is that I did this before Happs "invisible" mounting bracket was available. DOH!!

Kremmit:
Pixel-

How does one "Bull Nose" plexi?  It looks really good!

Pixelhugger:
With a router and a bullnosing or "round over" bit like this

http://woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FULLPRES.exe?PARTNUM=110-129

Available at any woodworking or decent hardware store. The trick is the polishing. Use a plastic polishing compound (a gritty brick of solid wax like material - around $5) and a polishing wheel (cloth wheel on a spindle - few bucks as well) in your drill or Dremel. You want a smooth (although frosted looking edge) prior to polishing. I smoothed the edge with 220 followed by 400 grit sandpaper before polishing.

So you:

Cut hole

Bullnose or round it off with a router using the matching hole in the wood below as a template for the router bit's bearing.

Sand it smooth with fine grit paper, taking care not to change the bevel of the edge

Polish with a cloth wheel in a drill or Dremel using polishing compound going lightly and carefully.

BLING... glass like shine appears out of the frosty edge.

This is always the most impressive thing about my CP when people first see it.

Here's a closer close up. Still doesn't do the edge justice....  :-\

Nannuu:
One of mine was similar to Pixel's.  This a a 2 1/4" with Ultimarcs mounting plate and 1/8" plexi.  I cut the hole smaller than 2 1/4"  and wish I'd gone smaller even.  The hole sets between the mounting plate and the trackball lip.  Rather than a bullnose I used a 45 chamfer bit and followed the same procedure as above to shine it up.

This is why I brought up the smaller diameter hole  :P

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page

Go to full version