Help on wiring and top mounting

[System_1]

I have a red octane box which ima add happ buttons and a JLW-TM-08 sanwa stick.
I was planning on bottom mounting the sanwa stick and putting a nut on the top of the shaft of the stick to make the stick higher. but it still looks short and i would like it higher.
So i though of top mounting it, and was wondering if i can just cut out a square on the box so the bottom of the part of the stick fits, and the mounting plate stays on top of the box, well this work? or do i have to cut it in a certain way for it to top mount?

My other questions is the wiring of the pcb to the buttons and the joystick. im thinking of wiring this way like sexy instructor’s joystick.
http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/8509/dscn2463qm3.jpg

Im pretty sure i connect the wires from the pcb to the barrier strips and then then connect the new wires to the other side of the barrier strip and connect them to the buttons with quick disconnets (correct so far?) the only thing i dont know is how to connect the ground wires to the buttons and the joystick with the barrier strips and the quick disconnets. since u only use one wire from the pcb for the ground.
and what are the best quick diconnets, and barrier strips to get? and what wires should i get as well.

[Chaosdragon13]

You are right about how to use the barrier strip.

For the ground, try to follow the wiring in that picture, the ground is the black one. In that pic the ground actually goes to two spots on the barrier strip, one is for the stick and one is for the buttons. You dont have to do it this way though, one ground is fine.

Now if you notice, the ground wire just gets chained around to all the buttons. This is known as a daisy chain. So basically to do this some QDs need to have two wires. If you take a close look at the picture you should see it.

For QDs, any ones will work really, as long as you get the right sizes. Sanwas have smaller terminals than Happs so you need to get 0.110" QDs for them. Where as happs take the larger size, 0.185" I think.

Any kind of barrier strip will work. Just make sure you as many spots on the strips as you do buttons. You will probably need two strips like in the picture above since you dont normally find extra long ones with enough spots on one strip.

For wire the easiest thing to work with is 24 gauge wire with a stranded or solid core. There is not real reason for it being the easiest other than it being a nice size to work with. Although the QDs you get will have gauges listed that they can be used with also, so you have to remember to match the QD to the size of the terminal and the gauge of the wire. The more common QDs are 22-18 gauge, these should work no problem on 24 gauge.

If you cant find 24 gauge then 22 gauge wire is good also. Its a little thicker but it still works. I use 22 because the radio shack by me doesnt stock 24 gauge.

[System_1]

You are right about how to use the barrier strip.

For the ground, try to follow the wiring in that picture, the ground is the black one. In that pic the ground actually goes to two spots on the barrier strip, one is for the stick and one is for the buttons. You dont have to do it this way though, one ground is fine.

Now if you notice, the ground wire just gets chained around to all the buttons. This is known as a daisy chain. So basically to do this some QDs need to have two wires. If you take a close look at the picture you should see it.

For QDs, any ones will work really, as long as you get the right sizes. Sanwas have smaller terminals than Happs so you need to get 0.110" QDs for them. Where as happs take the larger size, 0.185" I think.

Any kind of barrier strip will work. Just make sure you as many spots on the strips as you do buttons. You will probably need two strips like in the picture above since you dont normally find extra long ones with enough spots on one strip.

For wire the easiest thing to work with is 24 gauge wire with a stranded or solid core. There is not real reason for it being the easiest other than it being a nice size to work with. Although the QDs you get will have gauges listed that they can be used with also, so you have to remember to match the QD to the size of the terminal and the gauge of the wire. The more common QDs are 22-18 gauge, these should work no problem on 24 gauge.

If you cant find 24 gauge then 22 gauge wire is good also. Its a little thicker but it still works. I use 22 because the radio shack by me doesnt stock 24 gauge.

ohh thanks a lot that helps a lot. so the ground wire is it just one wire going in and out of all the buttons?
i have the happ buttons so the QD size i need is 0.185 right?
thanks for the reply again helped a lot
im still wondering about the top mounting part.

[Chaosdragon13]

My mistake, I just looked up the QD size for happs, its 0.187" not much of a difference from what I said though.

For top mounting it, you could do it the way you say, but then you will have the mounting plate on the top of your stick. If you are okay with this then go for it. But most people, when they want to top mount, cut the rectangular hole, and then route out and additional section, with a router, for which the mounting plate will set into. The depth of the part they route out depends on how deep they want to set the stick. But in all cases the mounting plate ends up below the wood of the top panel so the mounting plate isnt visible.

[System_1]

My mistake, I just looked up the QD size for happs, its 0.187" not much of a difference from what I said though.

For top mounting it, you could do it the way you say, but then you will have the mounting plate on the top of your stick. If you are okay with this then go for it. But most people, when they want to top mount, cut the rectangular hole, and then route out and additional section, with a router, for which the mounting plate will set into. The depth of the part they route out depends on how deep they want to set the stick. But in all cases the mounting plate ends up below the wood of the top panel so the mounting plate isnt visible.

thanks again, i dont really care if the mounting plate shows so ill probaly do it that way since i dont have a router to cut out a additional section.
thanks for the awesome responses they’d help this noob out. lol

[zxain]

I needed this help to, thanks for posting this cat. But uhh, on my next pad im going to bottom mount my stick.