stick and button mounting question

[Deinbeck]

Any builders have specifics on how sanwa sticks are actually mounted? I was planning on going with the model that has the flat mounting plate attached because I figured it would be a little more stable but it looks like it will be more work. The problem being that I've never seen how one is mounted, and after searching around a bit I haven't found much help. It *looks* like people screw the stick into the top panel from the bottom. I wanted to top mount the stick using the plate for greater stability.

And as for buttons, I was planning on going with the screw bottom sanwas (OBSN-30 ) but 6mm doesn't seem very thick at all. I was planning on having the control panel top made of plywood, I'd mount the stick with the flat bracket on top with flat headed screws, then have a thin sheet of plywood or something the same thickness as the bracket cut to fit around the bracket, making the top smooth. Then I'd have a graphic and a layer of plexiglass. It's seeming less likely that I'll be able to do this if I only have 6mm to work with. I really want the control panel to be rock solid with 0 flex.

Any and all help is appreciated ;)

[chippermonky]

mounting plate will not give you additional stabability. All it does is make it easier for you to mount in certain cases. As you noticed, most of us like to top mount. Problem with top mounted is you have to cut away a 6mm section out of what you want to mount it on otherwise it won't be arcade accurate and the top plastic can't be flush with the underlying wood. This is rather easily solved if you have a router, otherwise, you'll have to find some otherway (I'd try cutting out entirely, the section where you plan on mounting the stick and then gluing in some pieces of wood at the desired height).

You are awfully confusing about the buttons, but it sounds like you mean you want to have plywood underneath the plastic to provide additional support to the buttons. That's fine and all, just make sure the plywood isn't too thick.

Check paik4life's stick building journal and my "everything about custom stick thread" thread and that should have some more answers. I have no idea what page those two threads are on though.

[Gasp]

yea your 2nd paragraph is kinda confusing i think i got it
chippermonky i think he wants to just put the mounting plate on wood drill it on then put wood around it so its flush :D

deinbeck
most people use 3/4" or 20 mm wood or 1/2" is where id drawn the line

and you should outline where the plate would sit on the wood onto the wood then route out the thickness of the mounting plate into the top wood so the mounting plate sits flush and tight in its hole and be flush with the board

example

http://www.trabusproject.com/images/joystick/unfinished/joystick_top.jpg

chipper what so special about 6mm?

[Deinbeck]

Thanks, that makes more sense now. You're correct about how I want to mount the stick. As for the buttons, I was looking at mounting them through lets say 1/2 an inch of material. I notice the above pic has a metal plate, so I'm assuming I'm not going to be able to mount the buttons I wanted through 1/2 an inch of plywood + plexiglass. Should I maybe be looking at a sheet of stainless to mount the buttons to, or maybe some sort of plastic or composite material? Do they sell button mounting plates possibly?

[blakbuzzrd]

and you should outline where the plate would sit on the wood onto the wood then route out the thickness of the mounting plate into the top wood so the mounting plate sits flush and tight in its hole and be flush with the board

example

http://www.trabusproject.com/images/joystick/unfinished/joystick_top.jpg




That stick doesn't use the standard Sanwa JLF-P-1 mounting plate, so let me add a few words if you intend to go with the stock plate.

If you use the stock plate, not only you do have to route out the thickness of the mounting plate, you also have to cut wide enough to provide horizontal clearance for the black plastic nibs that jut out beyond either side of the mounting plate. I found that cutting 3 mm extra or so to either side did the trick.

Some people would also say that you should route deeper than the depth of the plate, to reproduce the authentic arcade height to the stick (24 mm or so, they say). I think that's a matter of preference, myself.