i’m pretty sure you can find a local printing shop near your place. Print shops also does custom sizes. I only went to kinkos because they open til 11pm.
Get decent table saw. Other than that, you can stick with Ryobi. :wgrin:
a) what’s the durability of a wood case versus plastic? Scratch resistance, ability for quick fixes to any surface marring?
There are way too many types of woods and plastics to say. Of course, if you want the best you go for plastics, specifically kevlar because of its low weight/strength and high abrasion resistance :lol: but that is a whole different game. Generally, for arcade sticks almost anything can be used and be strong enough. It is just a question of using the right thickness. People have even used shoe boxes!
b) are there any parts that absolutely cannot be installed or used in a wood case?
AFAIK anything can be installed in a wood case but it may take some work. Sanwas/Seimitsus are not made to mount in thick wood panels so you will have to remove some material to get the joystick/buttons to sit at the proper depth.
c) is there any real risk for fire or burn damage from normal usage? (Assuming no because the electrical flow doesn’t heat up the wires enough…)
No risk at all for arcade sticks. The voltage and current are very low and cannot cause a spark that will ignite wood.
d) what are the recommended woods for durability, best strength-to-weight ratio, and resistance to rotting and all that nice stuff associated with organic material…
For an arcade stick … it doesn’t really matter all that much. Use an appropriate thickness of wood. I think 1/2" sides with a 3/8" top is ok for an arcade stick (maybe too much? :)). For rotting I don’t really know, I really don’t think it’s an issue once you seal it with a clear especially because it will be indoors all the time (and not getting wet hopefully).
d)1) do these wood cases really weigh more than comparably sized plastic cases?
Depends on the type of wood and the type of plastic really. They usually come out to about the same weight.
HEY VMA! I found this online while doing research on saw blades that specifically cut acrylic.
I know you recommended freud diablo 1080n but this looks good in my eyes. Check this out.
http://www.amazon.com/Freud-LU94M010-10-Inch-Plexiglass-Plastic/dp/B00004T7AL/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1245831880&sr=1-4
I hate using my home made plexi cutting tool by hand. I’m desperately in need of a tool to get the work done faster, and I really hate the smell. Like ecks described, its smell is death.
ROFL
Hello there, I’ve been lurking on this forum for a couple of weeks but I’m still uncertain about certain things.
For instance I would like to use 30mm sanwa buttons (the most common size used here it seems) yet I canno’t seem to find the appropriate drill-hole: they only have either 29 or 32mm.
The people at the hardware store advised me to take a 29mm and use sandpaper to enlarge the hole (with 11 button holes this looks like a tedious job), what do you think?
My woodworking skills are non-existant, I don’t have any tools and I am on a budget (I guess I like challenge). I was thinking about buying this paper box and put some wood into it in order to increase the thickness and resistance of the case (I would then screw the joystick to the wooden base), do you think its doable?
That is every woodworker’s dream. My little shop is a 9’x13’ space in the basement. My tablesaw and miter saw are out in the garage and I paint out there when I can. I would love to build a 20’x15’ shop or even larger.
LumberJocks is a good site for inspiration, so is WoodNet where I hang out more.
I get my Plexiglas in 2’x4’ sheets and cut them down to 12"x8" with a blade like that. Then I score and snap each piece to about 1/16" oversize as I need them. The final fitting using a hand plane. The only downside is that the plane iron needs to be sharpened about every 2-4 sheets. The little block plane in the pic below is not the best for the job. I have since switched to a Jack plane (Stanley #5) with an upgraded iron since this picture was taken. Now I can final fit 6-10 sheets before sharpening the iron.
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee314/KaytrimsKustoms/MakingSticks/FitPlxi.jpg
hehe…
For cutting strictly plastics, that blade is definitely the one to buy…this is straight from a freud guy in one particular forum i checked out when reading up. IIRC, the LU94M010 is not recommended on anything other than plastics, whereas the Diablo can also cut non-ferrous metals. The 1080 probably doesn’t cut plastics as cleanly, but has a wider range of applications. Btw…cutting lexan and plexi on a table saw…tickles…:lol:
hth
V.
Welcome, John:)
The closest I was able to find locally was a 1-3/16 saw-tooth forstner. If you’re using the threaded Sanwas, I believe that leaves a clearance of .25mm all the way around. I’d be curious to get Micheal’s or 3cks’s opinion on this one.
As for the paper box scenario, I think you’d be opening a can of worms. If an economy solution is what you’re after, you might consider getting pre-cut lumber for your frame, top and bottom panels. The end result certainly won’t be as elegant as what you’d get from Kaytrim or 3cks, but it would be functional.
hth
My garage is my workshop (and storage area for 2 sets or winter tires, shovels, etc…lol). Fortunately, my router cab is on casters, as is my table saw, cause it does get tight in there:). Oh…I use an unfinished room in the basement as a “dust-free environment”…<cough>…for finishing :rolleyes:.
John,
The paper box you linked to should work out fine if what you are after is an upscale ghetto style case. For the drill bit you might have better luck looking online. I get mine from Woodcraft but there are other sources and maybe you can find something close to you that way. I don’t know where you live but judging by the link you posted you are somewhere in Europe. Look for ‘30mm forstner bit’ and see what comes up for your part of the world.
Michael
I realized that i’m getting all my dad’s old tools, seeing as he just moved into another apartment and has no use for them, so one of these days, when we go get them out his friend’s storage area, i’ll have access to a bunch of old-school heavy duty craftsman gear and a few other things. i can’t wait to get the radial arm saw set up, and i may find use for the planer. 
For Forstner 30mm and 24mm bits, you will find CMT brand within USA, internet order. For 30mm and 24mm spade bits IRWIN speedbor, I found them on ebay from an Austrailian vendor. You can find 30mm Spade Irwin 14" long shaft in Ebay, US vendor but you need a grinder or so to but the shank to a reasonable length like 6in or so.
Yes do get 30mm and 24mm - don’t settle for less because the buttons get too tight or too loose when using US sizes.
Hope this helps.
Thanks Michael, I love looking at show and tell with pictures from your posts because it feels like reading a fun magazine!
Also see that awesome Pepsi sodapop in the background as Pepsi is my preference over Coke. Well I drink diet these days…
I had no idea you used hand planes to get equal sides matching the glass and mdf. When I built my 2p controller I drilled the holes first, I put one or two buttons in the CP, and then lined up the acrylic and MDF together. And then I sanded each sides on my lap.
For your miter joint cases do you use frame clamps? 
Cap,
You’re putting the cart before the horse again. :nono: Drilling the holes for the controls is one of the last things to do when building one of these cases. The MDF you see in my pic is just there to support the plexiglas. If I were to show you the back you would see all the epoxy spread out from when I mix up different batches. If I didn’t support the plexi it would flop around and get messed up trying to plane it.
Guess I’ll have to do a better tutorial on how to fit the bottom, top and Plexiglas. Maybe even a video. I did have someone tell me that I had a voice for radio.
Michael
Oh no, michael, I’m just saying what has happened with my dual player CP. Remember I made all those mistakes while building it and only came across your valuable tips after I made those mistakes?
For future builds, I plan on taking the right steps.
Will we hear you at a radio station any time soon?
Thank you vma & Mickael. I’ve given up on the paper box thing and considering other solutions. Maybe something like a poker-case (these metallic cases made of aluminium, I suppose the forstner bit could drill through as Neoblood did).
That’d be the easiest way for me until I’m ready to go with a proper wooden case.
Edit: found these two for 20/30?, first is in wood, second in aluminium
http://www.rueducommerce.fr//m/image-offre/e/1/e/8/e1e890e239b20d2b6221fa8bf7b64257-500x500.jpg
Then I’d only have to cut holes for the buttons, and maybe at a later time add some plexiglass (I suppose its better to drill the holes in the plexi/case at the same time tho to ensure perfect alignement right?)
Make sure that there will be enough room for the joystick body inside anything you use for a box. The thinnest case I made was 1 7/8" and the bottom of the shaft was rubbing against the bottom panel until I removed a bit from the panel where the stick was rubbing.
As to your question on drilling, read back a few pages I cover the steps for drilling the top and plexi.
Michael
Gotcha (this deserves its own thread so that it can be refered to in the noob’s sticky imho)
Mickael I’ve noticed you are using a spare plexi to drive your pilot holes, is this necessary in order to avoid the actual case’s plexi to crack while drilling or is it merely to avoid drawing on the “real” plexi?
Does anyone know the difference between the freud Diablo Router bits and the freud Avanti router bits?
That is my marking template. I use that to place the center points for the joystick and button holes. After I have marked the placement I set the template aside. Then I drill my pilot holes at those marks.
Michael