Successful arcade mod - budget styles: metal file
Just completed my arcade mod. While it may not be as precise as a machine job, it does perfectly well for me.
Just thought i’d give some notes for those attempting the same thing. Obvious stuff, but useful none-the-less.
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Don’t be scared, as long as you aren’t a maniac with the file you run no risk of making a bad fit. Take it slow, and remember that because you’re filing it down manually, its not going to be a perfect circle. This means that even if you over-file one part, you can probably still survive by twisting the button around a bit.
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The arcade overlay works perfectly well a a template to file from. Use a slim marker, the pointier the better, and trace the button holes as close to the edges as possible. The more even the line, the easier it will be to make a smooth hole.
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Two of the four steel ‘poles’ that hold the left and right of each of the old button PCBs are best hack-sawed off with a small saw before you start. Even when cut, this area seems to be tougher to file through than the rest of the frame.
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The curved side of my file just happened to have the same radius as the button holes. If you have a selection of files, try find one which is closest, or smaller. I know, sounds obvious but still…
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After putting the overlay on and inserting the buttons, you may find that the buttons sit just a TINY bit out of alignment. Only a couple of mine fit this description, and they are only out by 1mm or so. I fixed this by throwing down a little black marker onto my silver frame, this just helps to disguise and match the black overlay.
Other than that, I had no problems. I’m super happy with the results, and the arcade buttons look and feel so much better than my old buttons.
