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Cutting trackball hole in plexiglass (revisited)

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drunkatuw:
Definitely don't try to use the trackball mounting plate as a guide for a flush bit on a router...I made the mistake and had to buy a second mounting plate.  Even if the mounting plate is made out of metal, even an old router can rip right through it.  I ended up using my old (read ruined) mounting plate as a guide to create a new template.



And I think it turned out pretty well...

(The flash makes it look like it's not flush, but it's perfectly flush all the way around the trackball)

Edit: Spelling

ras2a:
Hey drunk, that's brilliant...sorry about your first trackball plate.  I'll deffo not be using mine!

ras2a:
Ok, I am getting pretty worried about cutting the trackball hole out of the lexan for my CP.  I've done a rough drawing of how I understand some of you (I think) have/intend to do it using your Trackball plate as a 'guide' >>>



The way I see it, if the router bit is tight within the router and a steady-hand used, then there can be no movement up and down and therefore no chance for the router bit to 'dig in' and ruin the trackball plate.  Does this approach look ok and is this the method used by some other people?  Of course I'll be clamping the lexan to the cp firmly so it cannot move!

One more question, do you guys sandwich your CP art in-between your lexan/plexi and CP so that you can cut holes through it at the same time as the lexan/plexi, or do you cut the holes out of it after with a scalpel/craft knife etc?

thanks a lot

EDIT: Just read those posts stating that this method can't be used due to the space between the bearing and the cutting blades on the bit.  I'll re-read through some of these posts!  DOH!

EDIT 2: Is the Trackball mounting plate hole exactly 3"?  If so I'll use a scrap piece of MDF and drill a 3" hole through it..then attach this piece to the plate and use the extra depth for the flush-trim bearing to ride along.  

Dekelia:

--- Quote from: drunkatuw on November 15, 2004, 01:50:47 pm ---Definitely don't try to use the trackball mounting plate as a guide for a flush bit on a router...I made the mistake and had to buy a second mounting plate.  Even if the mounting plate is made out of metal, even an old router can rip right through it.  I ended up using my old (read ruined) mounting plate as a guide to create a new template.


--- End quote ---

I wish this topic had come up prior to last weekend.  I was going to do the same thing with mine (trimming laminate though, not plexi).  I realised that with my trimming bit I couldn't use it for a guide.  I finally decided to take the chance and just be very careful with the router and just "feel" when the bit got the metal and glide around the inside.  

Well, mine didn't look quite as bad as your ruined plate but the same idea.  It was too late to replace mine (had already laminated it...to much work to go back now) and it doesn't look too bad (I'll probably be the only one that notices).

Once I realised I was hacking it up a bit (only in one place) I just used the router to get very close to the edge freehand and used my dremel with a grinding bit (which does stop when it hits the metal) to make the laminate flush.

ras2a:

--- Quote from: Pixelhugger on November 14, 2004, 04:41:44 pm ---May not need to mooch much. Should be around $7 at the local hardware store.

--- End quote ---

Still can't find one of these polishing wheels.  What are they made from Pix?  is it a soft material.  I've seen something called a ''flap whee', but this looks to have abrasive 'flaps' protruding from it.  I would have thought the polishing wheel would have been smoother.  Unless it's just a case of getting the correct grade?

just had another thought, would using very fine wire-wool be ok for polishing the chamfered edge?  maybe in combination with a plastic polishing compound?

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