I have a solution. And one I'm very proud to have come up with myself too!
It even works for Happ sticks! I've made top mounted Happ sticks myself, and managed to fit them into boxes every bit as small as tha-darkside's last couple projects.
However, it's ridiculously hard to explain without pics, but I'm not going to be able to make any and upload them any time tonight or tomorrow. So I'll just outline the method for now and try to post the pics in a couple of days.
Here goes!
1. Measure the length and width of the stick to be used in the project and add 1/4" to each of those dimensions.
2. Mark the area on the deck, and drill a pilot-hole somewhere inside those dimensions.
3. Cut out the area of the deck into which the home-made mounting plate will be set with either a rotary tool (dremel), a jigsaw, or even a thin hand saw.
4. Sand down the edges smooth.
5. Take a new measurement of the rectangular hole you have made in the deck; length and width.
6. Now *I* use 3/4" MDF for my boxes. So when I prepare to measure and cut a piece of sheet metal to make a mounting plate out of, I add exactly 1-1/4" to both length and width. That is, I add 3/4" to each side, but then I subtract 1/8" from each side to accommodate the height of the mounting plate in comparison to the to of the deck. There is always going to be a discrepancy with this method. It will never mount flush. Not ever. So you want to lower it, rather than have it stick up. Well, *I* do anyway. You can do whatever the Hell you want for your project. (Also, for decks made out of 1/2" MDF, I would only add 3/4" to the measurements. That's 1/2" to each side, minus 1/8" to account for aforementioned discrepancies.)
7. Take your measurements for the mounting plate and cut this over-sized rectangle out of a piece of rigid 1/16" sheet metal. I used a jigsaw, and later trimmed the edge with a rotary tool (dremel). You may be able to do this with a really large pair of metal snips, but your sheet metal will come out all bent up and ugly afterwards. That is, if you manage it at all.
8. Alright. By now, you've noticed how ridiculously over-sized this home-made mounting plate really is, and you're why you're even following my half-baked, shitty explanation. Well, read on! SO! Now you want to cut off the corners. You do not want to dog-ear cut them, but rather, measure in 5/8" by 5/8" at each corner and cut out little squares. For those of you using 1/2" MDF for your deck, you only want to measure in and cut out 3/8" by 3/8" squares from each corner. The result leaves you with a rectangular piece with tabs running the entire length of each side.
9. Now you'll need a small hand-brake or sheet metal crimping tool for this step. It's used for bending small pieces of aluminum siding and soffit. Use it to bend all those tabs in the same direction at a 90° angle. The mounting plate/box is now complete!!!
10. Drill 2 holes into each side of the mounting plate/box and mount it into the deck. Take care to mount it lower than to top or it will be clearly noticeable no matter how much putty, bondo, paint etc. you use to vainly attempt to cover it. It must not be flush, but lower. About 1/8" works for me. Screw it into place, and do your best not to screw through the top-side of your deck. Sharply angled screws are very bad, and only worse if you used 1/2" MDF instead of 3/4". Go slowly here!
11. Figure out where the hole for the stick and the anchoring screws or bolts will go. Drill a small pilot hole into the sheet metal, then open it up using a rotary tool (dremel). Both Sanwa and Happ sticks only need 13/16" to be pushed to their limit in any given direction when top-mounted, but the dust cover will completely hid any mistakes you make. Perfect circles are nice, but difficult to obtain. Just make sure you have enough room, which is 13/16" diameter in all directions. The bolts holes should accommodate your preferred hardware while also keeping the heads of the bolts also lower than the deck. If only by a hair.
12. Make sure your holes are perfect, or damn close, or get ready to make another mounting plate/box before doing this next step!!! Put your hardware into the mounting plate and glass over everything by applying a few layers of Bondo. Take care to keep the joystick hole clean and neat, and above all, 13/16" in diameter. Apply slightly more Bondo than needed in layers and wait for it to harden. This actually goes fairly quick.
13. Sand down all the high spots. Everything should be completely flush to both sight and feel.
14. Paint or wrap with contact paper.
15. Mount your stick from underneath your custom, home-made, and extremely sturdy mounting plate/box. slide it up onto the hardware and tighten it down with nuts or whatever you may have used to modify this technique further.
16. Wire that shit up and play!
pictures
