/\ I’m using mame marquees and ordering a custom CP for mine.
I have yet another really stupid question. Well, a few of them, actually.
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I’m working with 3/4" MDF. I’ve cut six sides to assemble into a box.
Should I assemble and then sand? Sand a little bit first? A lot? Completely? Don’t sand after assembling? -
This was discussed to some degree in the past couple of pages… what is the optimal drill type to use for drilling button (and stick) holes into 3/4" MDF? Hole saw? Fostner bit? Wood spade? My own nails and teeth?
Any secrets for trying to get a good vertical (ie. not crooked) hole if I can’t find a drill press and have to use a handheld one? -
What would you consider more durable for a control panel: two layers of 1/8" hardboard, or one layer of 1/4" hardboard? Is hardboard really the same thing as masonite? Is using this and reinforcing it an insane, silly, or good idea for trying to make a stick using Japanese parts without having to do any metalwork?
Thanks in advance once again for all of the help, everyone. It seems like the more I get into building and modding, the more I feel like a beginner. :looney:
has anyone found a way to hack ps2 pads yet?
This is really all I can answer out of your questions.
For the drill, either a hole saw or a wood spade will work. Trying to cut through 3/4" anything with a fostner bit is tough even with a drill press. Using a hand drill I cant say which of the two is easier since I have a drill press.
For a straight hole, they do make attachments that allow a hand drill to act as though it were a mini drill press. Basically its a guide that you would attach the drill to so that it will stay at what ever angle you want it to. If you dont want to get one of those, my advice would be to get a small sanding drum, one that would fit into what ever hole you are making. This way if your hole is off enough so that the buttons wont fit into it you will be able to easily remove enough material to get it to fit. And as long as you dont touch the top side of the panel you should still have a nice circle on the top so it will look clean.
Hole saw will be fine. I recommend drilling a small hole just inside the circumference of the hole to be cut, so that the chips/dust created by the hole saw can drop out and therefore alleviate burning.
I dont need no help as I resolved my problem, but as I said I would post pic for your enjoyment.
so here it is… the stuck screw!
one of my coworkers was able to get it out so it’s all good! he succeeded where another failed (and caused most of that damage, lol)
Thanks a ton for the answers to my last set of questions, guys.
sambao, I’m fighting with the same thing right now. Thanks for the pic, it gives me a sense of hope, hahah.
PAYBACK, as far as I know, DualShock 2 PCB’s are hackable but it’s an incredible amount of work, and they are in no way better than just using a PS1 pad. Paint your controller cord black and it’s the same thing, haha.
I have more new questions!
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What’s the easiest way to illuminate a pushbutton? Should I wire an LED to the PCB’s 3.3v line and stick it underneath? Is it easy to replace an already-existing LED on the PCB?
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Does anyone have a picture or measurements for the placement/layout of stick and buttons on a Korean arcade cab? I’m interested in trying to build one and I want it to be as authentic as possible instead of that weird slanted mess Saulabi uses.
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Does anyone know off the top of their head what the standard mounting height is for a Happ stick? (ie. the accepted height for GOOD cabs… nowhere but North America has so many bad cabs with broken junk crazy layouts) The only cabs near me are trash but they all seem to use a 3/4" panel with 1/8" plexi on top, making the depth about 7/8".
N00b Question:
Would 1/4’’ hardboard be strong enough to mount a JLF onto (top mount)?
Would 1/4’’ plywood be better (I’d rather not go buy some as it is hard to find one that is not big enough to roof my house).
I gotta question too! I’m a first time user of jpn parts, I got a set of seimitsu snaps and sanwa screws for my T5 mod. The bottom of the buttons look a little something like this:
so between the red and blue thingies (prongs?), which one is the ground and which one is the one that gets wired to the button part of the pcb (is there a specific word for this one too?)
thanks!
are you serious??
is that independent of each button tho?
for example, if I wire ground to the red prong (above the TKC diamond) do I have ti wire ground to that same prong on every button as well, or does it truly not matter at all??
sounds weird, but thanks!
AFAIK, for JPN parts, it doesn’t matter. Just plug it in and have fun =)
I’m toying with the same idea, man. I believe it will be strong enough, especially if I reinforce it with other wood around it. I think hardboard will be better than plywood at that thickness.
Anyone have any clues on my batch of Q’s? (oh hot that rhymed)
First off you wouldn’t get the proper mounting stick height. Standard stick height is 24-25mm from the case surface to the bottom of the ball. Second, if you are hard on the stick the 1/4" wood will eventually break down. You should use at least 1/2" to mount your stick properly. Ask around at your local HD or Lowes they have smaller sheets of this off in a corner someplace. I have found 2’x4’, 2’x’2 and 4’x’4 sheets. I normally get the 2’ x ‘4’ x 1/2" MDF they should also have the same size in plywood.
The key is to ASK, this stuff is not normally next to the big sheets. Sometimes they will refer to it as hobby size sheets.
TTFN
Kaytrim
1/4" wood is too thin for a top panel, it’s just not strong enough. What you can do, though, is use two sheets of 1/4" on top of each other, where one has the whole stick area cut out and and the whole button area cut out and the other just has the small holes for the stick and buttons. That way you get enough support and can still use wood.
I assume it’s cheaper to build a new stick then to buy a previous made one correct?
Well if it is how hard is it to build a new stick and how much time does it take?
Depends on what you have on hand. If you have all the tools you need, yeah, it’s cheaper than buying even T5 sticks, and even if you don’t have tools, it’ll probably be cheaper than buying a super high level custom stick. As for how long it takes, if you’ve never worked with wood before, I don’t know, it’ll probably take quite a while. I’ve been several sticks now, and it probably takes me half a dozen hours, although most of that is just because I don’t have power tools.
If you want a quality made stick then you are looking at upwards of $1,000 for tools, materials and experience. This has been discussed before in other threads. If you are already good working with wood or metal and have the tools on hand then by all means go ahead and build your own stick. It will be cheaper. Otherwise hire a builder or buy one of the manufactured sticks on the market.
Most builders will take 2-4 weeks to build you a stick. A lot of that time is waiting for the finish to dry then reapply. Then there is the time waiting for the controls to arrive. If you have all the stuff on hand and are willing to cut a few corners it can take about a week.
TTFN
Kaytrim
Yeah, that’s what I was planning :). My fear of it being weak looks to be confirmed.
I’m going to go check Home Depot for some 1/2’’ hardboard or plywood.
Thanks.
Yeah, I should clarify thta when I said it takes me half a dozen hours, that’s half a dozen total work hours spread over a good week and a half, most of which, as Kaytrim said, is waiting for stuff to dry.