Joystick holes button holes.

[rdowdy95]

Hey guys I have the 1 1/8" forstner bit.  Do I use this bit to cut pushbutton holes, and joystick holes.  I am going to be rolling with the 1 1/2" spacing on the buttons, but how about the Joystick how far to the left should I put it from the center of the first buttons.  Going with the SF2 Capcom fight layout?

[dkammer]

Rdowdy,

   I don't know about all the measurements but I can tell you that you will need a larger hole for your joysticks than 1 1/8".  I made a hole about 3/8" less than the round plastic disk that goes around the joystick.  This gave me plenty of throw distance for the joystick and the plastic disk keeps the hole covered.

    Darren

[rdowdy95]

Thanks Darren anyone else care to chime in.  Also Darren when people say throw on here does that mean the distance of the joystick press won't hit the wood of the control panel so it will extend as far as the base of the joystick will let it?

[Taborious]

I used the same size bit as you have with buttons from happ and it was perfect.

Throw is the distance the joystick moves from center before making contact with the switch. Per dkrammer, it depends on how you are going to mount your joystick whether you will have problems or not. I recessed my joysticks so the 1 1/8 bit worked fine.

this is the bottom of my CP...

[dkammer]

Ahhh...good thinking Taborious!  Yes...if you make the MDF thinner where you mount the joystick then the 1 1/8" hole will be just fine.  I did not do this so I needed a larger hole.

Rdowdy: The "Throw" is the distance the joystick moves in order to actuate a switch.  It is somewhat adjustable on some joysicks...some prefer a long throw and others prefer it short (I guess size does matter...even though they'll never admit it! ).

   Darren 

[rdowdy95]

Very good replies.  I won't be recessing the joysticks.  I did do 2 buttons on my angled back section today.  They are going to be my TV Power On/Off and my main power button.

My TV doesn't have the auto power on so I am hacking a cheap RCA Universal remote.  I have got the TV power button down, but need to use some electrical tape to tape the wires from the pushbuttontape to the remote PCB. Then I just need to desolder the IR then extend it to the front of the TV.  Bought me a lil solder kit tonight.  I am going to practice some first.  I have not soldered in over 10 years.  Back in 1996 I took some college courses in electronics.

[rdowdy95]

I am going to practice mount it on one of the holes I cut into some spare wood and mess around with it some.  If need be I will get a bigger forster bit to make the 1 1/8" bigger.  I will stick the shaft in the hole and see where it takes me.  LOL!!!!!!!!!

[rdowdy95]

I would figure as long as it hit the switches it would be all good.  I gues what I will do is use some scrap and rout out one and then not rout ouit the other.  Just play with some sticks side by side.  Like a sword fight LOL!!!!

[miles2912]

Really it depends on your sticks and the only way to know is test cut a hole in a scrap piece and try it.  I have Perfect 360's and I went with a 1.25" hole and it worked out great.  Don't cut the hole so large that the dust washer exposes the hole.

D-

[TeamTEOR]

Soon I'll be working on my CPs, am I going to want to plunge down about 1/4  inch to recess the joystick into place on my 3/4 inch MDF? Also, am I going to need to take some of the MDF away to make sure that the buttons have enough threads to have their retainer screwed on tight? I am going for the 7 button fighter setup, how far away should I atleast space the space the joystick to the closest button. I figured that if I left 3/8 inch distance from the closest button retainer to the edge of the joystick base it might be ok.

[Taborious]

      TeamTEOR, the distance from joystick to buttons is, as usual here, personal preference. I would look at a cab you feel confortable with and measure or create a mockup of your own design; there is no exact number to be placed here. Also, some like to angle there buttons; I personally dont, so a lot of personal preference. Just remember this is your cab, you will be playing it, so do what you like not nessecarily what everyone else has done or is doing, that is the GREAT thing about building it yourself...

      As for you joystick recess, I used 3/4 MDF and I don't know the exact depth I recessed but it was the depth of the joystick rim. Came out great no complaints or issues. For the buttons, I bought them from HAPP and I don't know the PN but again 3/4 MDF no recess for the button and it's fine.

      Something you may come to if you are going to use a lexan/plexi overlay. I didn't attach my lexan to the CP with anything, no screw or tape, nothing. Once the pushbuttons were installed they hold it on place perfect and no movement what so ever AND not bulky screwes or bolts sticking through my CP. I did you a rounded router bit to round the edge of the lexan so it looked nice and smooth; loved it ever better once I saw it completed.

[miles2912]

Soon I'll be working on my CPs, am I going to want to plunge down about 1/4  inch to recess the joystick into place on my 3/4 inch MDF? Also, am I going to need to take some of the MDF away to make sure that the buttons have enough threads to have their retainer screwed on tight? I am going for the 7 button fighter setup, how far away should I atleast space the space the joystick to the closest button. I figured that if I left 3/8 inch distance from the closest button retainer to the edge of the joystick base it might be ok.

Go to an arcade and bring something to measure with.  I used a dollar bill.  Find games with a joystick next to buttons and see what feels good to you.  Mine is 6 inches or so. 



D-

[NiteWalker]

Hey guys I have the 1 1/8" forstner bit.  Do I use this bit to cut pushbutton holes, and joystick holes.  I am going to be rolling with the 1 1/2" spacing on the buttons, but how about the Joystick how far to the left should I put it from the center of the first buttons.  Going with the SF2 Capcom fight layout?

The 1 1/8" should work fine for the button holes and joystick hole. How thick is your panel? If it's a full 3/4" thick, I'd recess the joystick definitely. Otherwise you'll be playing with a stump. For the spacing between the joystick and buttons, 4" on center from the joystick to the laft most buttons. If you need a template, let me know.

[rdowdy95]

Yeah could you hook me up with a template in jpg format.  Also I am thinking recess about 1/4" into the wood.  I do have 3/4"  I am spacing the buttons 1 1/2" all around.  I was thinking 3" from the far left hole to the stick, but you say 4" can you send me a template?  CAN you post one

[NiteWalker]

Here's the template:

Just print it out with no scaling. The easiest way is to open it with photoshop or another art program and just select print with no scaling or print at 100%.

Here's how it turns out:

Great layout IMHO.

The 1 1/8" bit will work fine with recessing the joystick 1/4".

[javeryh]

Awesome - I'm trying to figure out how far away to place the joystick from the action buttons.  4" sounds good to me. 

Also, if anyone cares, I've been using 1-3/8" center to center spacing for my buttons and I like it - you get about a 1/16" gap between buttons doing it this way. 

[NiteWalker]

FWIW, I have the buttons spaced 1 1/2" on center. As far as I know it's the standard capcom layout. Works fine for me as well.

[holtdoa]

Very good replies.  I won't be recessing the joysticks.  I did do 2 buttons on my angled back section today.  They are going to be my TV Power On/Off and my main power button.

My TV doesn't have the auto power on so I am hacking a cheap RCA Universal remote.  I have got the TV power button down, but need to use some electrical tape to tape the wires from the pushbuttontape to the remote PCB. Then I just need to desolder the IR then extend it to the front of the TV.  Bought me a lil solder kit tonight.  I am going to practice some first.  I have not soldered in over 10 years.  Back in 1996 I took some college courses in electronics.

If you don't mind a bit more DIY, you could install WinLirc (or just lirc if you are using linux), build you a cheap IR transmitter. and use the PC to turn the TV on and off.

[Dmod]

I am thinking recess about 1/4" into the wood. 

I just cut my holes.  I'm using the Ultrastik 360s from Ultimarc on 5/8" MDF with no plexi.  I ended up routing the bottom of the wood so that it is 7/16" thick around the joysticks and countersinking some #10 flat machine screws just below the top surface.

I was a bit concerned about the thickness of the wood around the machine screws after countersinking but it seems pretty solid to me and gives me enough height to not drag my knuckles.

From what I've found on the board most people seem to route the wood to somewhere between 3/8"-1/2" thick.  I think the right thickness depends on the height of your joystick and whether or not you're using plexi.