diy arcade button holes
Hi
Has anyone cut the arcade button holes on the VCI 100 by themselves, if so how did you do it ?
I’ve called around a couple of places here in the uk to have them laser cut but there looking for over £100 to do it.
all the best
IPM
take a small round vile and spend 4 hours alone in a room and you’ll be just fine.
My fingers nearly started to bleed by the time i was done, but hey! it’s your vci man 
you’ll survive.
Start of with a vile and just make sure to fit in a button every now and than to see how you’re doing.
Hi ricoot, thank you for your reply, really appreciated. were you tempted to drill the hole at any stage, I hadn’t thought of filing, I must admit I hated metal work at school, even the thought filing metal makes my teeth bleed lol.
I might give this a try.
thanks again
IPM
i was tempted, yes but no i didn’t.
No, really filing is the easiest way to do it yourself. You just can’t make the holes to big if you try and fit every time.
Just be carefull no to put to much stress on the plate. Mine got a little bend because in the end i was crying my eyes out because it took me so long so i started “angry filing”.
it’s the cheapest way also. A file will cost you like €8.
Put some tape where you want holes and draw the circles (use something of equal size).
Taking it to a metal shop of any kind wil cost you a fortune!
Ok, I am now crying and my teeth are watering at the thought but I think your right. Altho, I am now thinking what about filling it with some kind of filing attachment for a drill, like a dremel ?
all the best
Ian
You can dremel the majority of it and then file the last bit to perfection.
It took me about an hour…to do mine.
YEah…my dog was howling…
Dremel would be my first choice, but if you don’t have a dremel you can drill smaller holes around the INSIDE of the holes then file the small spot between those holes until you get all the way around. Just be sure your fill will fit inside the hole after you drill them.
Thank you both sarasin and photojojo for your input, that’s pretty reassuring then, I have a friend with a dremel, exciting stuff, I should order my arcade buttons then yeeeh har !
Any pitfalls I should look out for while doing it or any tips.
I’ve got to ask - photojojo are you a photographer ? curious name.
thanks again guy’s
IPM
Yes, I’m a photojournalist by trade. I also have a pretty killer tool set. 
can you use a very fine hose saw a little cutting fluid thne just widen it slowly with a dremel grinding bit?
by hose saw I’m guessing you mean hole saw? Sure as long as it’s a blade for cutting metal. Just be sure to cut smaller than you need rather than cutting to big.
I wouldnt suggest a hole saw…those have the tendancy to skip around on metal…a hole punch yes…but a set costs money if you dont already own it. I would suggest a Uni-bit and then file
I thought you might be. I’m a photographer myself, minus the tool set.
Pitfalls…
Be sure to mark the holes before you start…and make sure its CORRECT!
Once its done…its DONE!
The Arcade buttons JUST FIT!
Cut ONE cable at a time…as not to get lost in which is which.
There are these riser \spacer\ lug type thing that needs to come out too when you cutting the holes…pliers…
any one have a measurement on what size hole it has to be?
ive got a drill press and a vice (used for machining) that i would expect to work pretty well.
never occurred to me you were a photog - wow i am stupid 
photography is my other hobby - not that i have time for that either my most recent “camera toy” is an old pentax K10D…
VCI 100 arcade mod diy
The holes were a lot easier to do than i thought they’d be.
I did my Arcade button mod on my VCI 100 at the weekend, I took lots of photos of the process here. DIY Arcade Button mod walk through with photos