Material and Decoration

In the final product of a custom controller, there are utility and aesthetic goals to keep in mind.

From the more important perspective of utility, you want a controller that empowers you to play at your best. The joystick and buttons are laid out intuitively to the way your mind and body function. There are as few bolts and rails and other objects hindering your hands and forearms as possible. It does not cut, irritate, or splinter your skin.

This utility perspective lends itself to many of the aesthetic qualities. The controller is smooth and shows little of its pieces that hold the structure together. And objects accommodating the human body tend to have an art to them.

From the choice of wood, glass, and other materials, to the artwork or texture, to the contouring of the box, to the paint or stain and/or finish, to the colors of the devices, there are many ways to decorate your custom joystick.

Wood

There is a huge variety of trees, and woods from those trees, and there are certain ways to evaluate and work it. Pretty much any wood commonly used in furniture or tools works well for a controller. Many volumes of books can be and have been written about various woods. This subsection has just a small sample of commonly used ones.

Pine

Because of construction, pine is the most widely used source of wood, and is the only type of softwood. Usually light-yellow, it has a light density, is moderately easy to work, and is one of the more inexpensive woods. It comes in varieties such as cedar, fir, redwood, and juniper. It is the least-durable natural wood, easily denting. It needs to be worked delicately and given a very protective coat, and needs a conditioner for staining.

Poplar

Poplar is a pale and light, yet moderately durable, wood. It is one of the few lighter hardwoods; it is kind of like a mix between a softwood and a hardwood. It is inexpensive and easy to work. Because it is pale, it can be stained to a large variety of looks. It also takes and holds paint very well. It is great for those new to woodworking.

Birch

Birch is a moderately durable, pale wood. It is also fairly inexpensive and pretty heavy, and somewhat easy to work. It is often used for plywood. It needs a conditioner for finishing.

MDF

MDF (Medium-Density Fiberboard) is a form of durable yet craftable particle board. Since it is engineered wood, it holds a very flat shape and works well as the bottom layer in the control panel; if you do not like how it looks sitting in your controller, cover it or paint it separately. An MDF panel of 1/2" thickness will work well for a control panel; go thicker if you prefer. It can also be used to make the controller box if you plan on painting it. It is very inexpensive. By its structure, it has less splintering and chip out, but can have substantial blow out. Many arcade cabinets are made from this. It also is used a lot for templates, jigs, and scrap wood. You may want to wear a breathing mask when cutting MDF because the dust (of which a lot is made) is a bit toxic.

Hardboard

Hardboard (HDF) is a more dense and heavy form of particle board. It is usually used as a durable, strong form of thin wood. Like MDF, it is very inexpensive and pretty easy to work. Masonite is a smooth form of hardboard.

Oak

Oak is a moderately expensive wood that tends to be white or red. It is durable, pretty heavy, and somewhat difficult to work. It has a prominent grain and large pores that need various techniques and finishes to smooth. It needs a conditioner for staining.

Ash

Ash is a strong, medium-weight, pale wood that is fairly easy to work. It is usually inexpensive.

Maple

Maple is a strong, very durable wood having more different uses than pretty much any natural form of wood. Canadians put it on their flag for more than just the syrup. It is usually light-brown, heavy, and more difficult to work. It is inexpensive to moderately expensive, depending a lot on where you live. Some variations, including bird's eye and curly, have nice patterns.

Walnut

Walnut is a strong, medium-density, dark-brown hardwood with prominent grains. It is somewhat easy to work and moderately expensive.

Cherry

Cherry is strong wood colored light-brown to red. It is somewhat easy to work and moderately expensive.

Availability

Your availability of various woods at a good supply and price will depend a lot on your geographical location and the trees that grow near you.

Most hardware stores have at least a small variety of woods; they often have a section with smaller, exact cuts of woods like pine, poplar, and oak, and larger cuts of MDF. For more choices of wood, you will have to find a specialty hardwood or woodworking merchant.

Sizing

Standards for measuring cuts of wood can be a bit strange. What is called a 2x4 is usually 1-1/2"x3-1/2". In measurements describing woods in North America, a measurement of 1 can actually be 3/4", of 2 to 6 can be 1/2" less, and of 8 to 14 can be 3/4" less. Be sure to measure cuts of wood directly before purchasing.

Combining Woods

Multiple boards of wood layered together using glue and clamps (and sometimes dowels) is a common practice for making larger blocks of wood from smaller ones. Consider doing this if you need an unusually large block of wood.

This technique can also be used to make attractive designs. Layering together different kinds of quality wood can make for alluring stripes in a controller box.

And if you want to go the extra mile, look into inlay.

Warping

By its design, wood affects and is affected by water. Moisture can cause wood to bend and take different shapes. Keep in mind that fresh wood is usual best and that it needs to be sealed with some kind of finish to secure the amount of moisture it contains. Assess wood with the possibility of some warping before purchasing it. The thinner wood gets, the more easily it is affected by moisture; more substantial warping tends to occur when the wood gets less than 1/2" (12mm) thick.

The planar is the main tool used to counter warping. After wood has been thoroughly dried, the planar trims the surface even.

Grain

If you want your controller box to have a nice, uniform look, cut the pieces from the same single piece of wood. If you want the grain to continue around the sides of your box, keep the same side of the wood continuing around the side of the box and use miter joints to make the lines flush.

When saying something goes with the grain, it means in the same direction as the lines in the wood. Usually wood is cut with the grain because, well, the grain runs with the length of the tree. The fibrous ends are where moisture gets absorbed. These parts of the wood also tend to take finish differently than the rest; you may want to use a conditioner, filler and/or extra fine sanding to stop the finish from looking different on the ends.

To avoid splintering and unevenness, when possible, try to sand, cut, and finish wood with and/or going out of the grain.

Splintering, Chip Out, and Blow Out

Because of the fibrous structure of wood, it can react with undesired results when being cut. Splintering happens when bits around the area being cut flake out, chip out when larger bunches of fibers come out, and blow out (also called tear out) when a large chunk breaks out usually on the back end.

Try to understand the structure of wood when cutting it. Do not do things that compromise the sturdiness of a piece. Support the back (and sometimes front) of pieces of wood with some scrap wood to prevent blow out (always do this when drilling large holes). Transition out smaller bits of the wood when possible. And, again, cut with and/or going out of the grain.

Contouring

You can contour wood in many ways. Just make sure you do not compromise the strength of the controller in the process. With designs like the double-box, there is plenty of bulk that can be shaped.

Image: Some contouring router bits

Using a router and a special router bit like a roundover or a chamfer is an easy way to give the box a nice look. Chamfered and rounded surfaces actually have a really good feel to them. Many tools like the router, circular saw, band saw, chisel, sander, and sandpaper can give shape to the box.

Acrylic Glass and Background

Acrylic glass is plastic that emulates regular glass. It makes a nice surface for the top of a control panel for its craftability, synthetic flatness, thinness, and nice feel. It will most commonly be used for the top of the control panel, and often for the base panel, but it can also be worked to form a controller box, usually with the help of acrylic glue.

Types

The most familiar forms are plexiglas and lexan which have a couple differing attributes. Plexiglas is rigid and cracks easily, while lexan is a bit rubbery (which is kind of sticky) and very flexible. Lexan scratches and takes smudges and surface wear easily, while plexiglas does not as easily. Lexan is two to three times more expensive than plexiglas. I like using plexiglas on the control panel (even though it is harder to cut) because it is not sticky, and using lexan on the bottom panel because it is more durable.

Acrylic glass also comes in various shades and colors. It can also be opaque and even mirrored.

Availability

Standard plexiglas and lexan can be found in most hardware stores in usually a couple thicknesses of about 1/10" and 1/4" (2mm and 6mm); some common exact sizes are .22" and .093" (this size seems to be more like .075" for some reason). You can often special order other varieties with different thicknesses and coloring from them, or find a seller online.

Cutting

There are a few methods for cutting acrylic glass. In cutting it yourself, make sure to leave the film on it until it is completely cut; you can add some tape along where it is being cut to further keep it from cracking or scratching. Also make sure it rests on a flat surface when cutting it.

Most stores that sell acrylic glass also sell inexpensive cutters for it. To use one of these, you will need a metal straight edge and maybe some clamps to keep it in place; make sure the edge covers what will be the panel so mistakes will not be such a big deal. Run the glass cutter along the metal edge while pulling the cutter slightly into the edge. Use a gentle push of the cutter into the glass; a heavy push will cause an uneven line and make mistakes happen much more easily. Run the cutter in the same line enough times to put a strong seam into the glass (about 20 or 30 light cuts work well). Lay the cut, seam side up, on a defined corner and push the sheet into it with even pressure along each side to snap the line (wear ear and eye protection). Because of lexan's strength, it needs to be nearly folded before it snaps. Put a seam in both sides of the line first if you want to be extra certain.

Many power tools can also be used, often much more easily than a knife. Make sure the line being cut is strongly reinforced. Many power saws will work, but may need a certain blade (there are blades specific for acrylic). Routers work too; clamping the glass to an already-cut lower panel and running a trimming bit along the panel can make an exact fit.

Some hardware stores will cut glass for you if you purchase it from them. But their device or employee will often be inexact in doing it.

Again, remove the protective film only after all the cutting, drilling, and buffing are done.

Drilling

Drilling acrylic can result in problems, especially with plexiglas. Be sure to have the glass supported on a flat surface. Be sure to transition small to large bits through it (like 1/16" to 1/4" in five increments) to make it much easier, more exact, and much less likely to crack. If you have a drill press, you may not need to transition, but need to take it slowly. A lot of friction can cause acrylic to melt.

A hole drill bit will be used in putting joystick and button holes in the glass. It is usually best to do this drilling at the same time you begin cutting lower panels. Stack the set of panels and run the hole through all of them at once. Be sure the pilot hole is the same size as the arbor on a hole saw before using it so the arbor does not pull on the acrylic. You may want to run the drill bit in reverse so the blades on it do not grab at the acrylic and possibly crack it.

Smoothing

The cutting of most any material can produce rough edges. Like other materials too, it can be smoothed using things like sandpaper, but also a clean, hot torch.

Heating

Acrylic glass has properties similar to candles; it can be melted and reformed. With some heat, edges can be bent to form a box. But the most common use for heating acrylic is smoothing edges. After sanding an edge even, quickly run a clean, hot torch (like propane, butane, or hydrogen) along the edge to melt it slightly and make it uniform with the rest of the sheet. Torching acrylic takes practice; doing it too long burns it black; practice on scrap pieces before working the final piece.

Background

One of the most common controller decorations is placing images on thick paper under the acrylic glass used on the top layer of the control panel. With a nice graphics program, you can make your own custom image. There are many sites with various images and backgrounds that can be brought together. Any image you can print or cut out can be used. You can just use a simple texture or color for the control panel if you prefer. Just give it the same dimension and holes used on the top layer of the panel.

Placing the paper under the top layer and tracing the holes can help in cutting it. An exacto or other sharp knife is good for cutting the holes. Use stronger paper like thick paper, glossy photo paper, or adhesive vinyl paper for the background; standard paper tends to wrinkle under the pressure.

Mounting

Often screws are used to hold the top acrylic layer to the other panel(s), sometimes going through to the supports of the box also. When using screws, you want to place them where the heads do not get in the way. If your panel is designed nicely, often the buttons can be enough to keep the acrylic against the other panel(s) and you may prefer not to have screws in the acrylic. Having screw-in buttons hold down the top acrylic panel is usually the best design.

Metal

Metal gets the most strength for the smallest volume of common materials. The downside to this is it can be difficult to render. Factories generally either forge it heated in molds or machine it from either a wire or sheet form. In building a controller and using it as at least one of the materials, you will most likely work with thinner sheets of metal.

The best use for metal material in a controller is the panels. It can be used to make great control panels that are often better than those made of wood; with the addition of spacers like washers, it is not difficult to make a single metal panel support several joystick models; also simple holes are just needed, removing the need for more complicated routing. Some builders install small metal plates to hold the buttons and joystick in wood panels. Metal can also be used for very thin base panels.

When working metal, even stronger note of the already given safety tips should be taken.

I recommend using metal sheets at least .05" (1.25mm) thick because less tends not to be rigid enough; this somewhat depends on the supports in the controller box for the control panel; note the bottom of the metal panel can be supported with another layer of material. Thinner panels also warp easily similar to wood.

There are usually two main metals from which to choose in building things, steel and aluminum. Brass is another to consider, though it is a lot more expensive. Beyond these are weak and/or precious metals that are pretty impractical, though maybe you can do something with gold leaf.

An alloy is a mixture of different kinds of metals, usually centering on one much more than the others. Mixing the metals gives the resulting alloy more diverse properties. Standard alloys are given standard numbers to describe them. Because of the advantages, most metal is sold in some kind of alloy. There are many, many standard alloys; I will only name a few in this subsection.

Hardness is an important thing for a control panel. If the metal is not very hard, it will bend to a certain extend when hands rest on it (this depends also on thickness and support). Note the hardness ratings given different metal materials. On the other hand, softer metals are easier to work.

Steel

Since iron is a common metal and can be oxidized to great strength, steel is the most used metal in building structures. It is a very dense and heavy material. Stainless steel has added chromium that prevents corrosion and gives more shine; much of the steel produced today is stainless since it adds a lot of quality for a low cost; there is not much difference in strength, though hardening occurs faster with stainless steel; brushed stainless steel has a lot of shine like the kind on many kitchen surfaces. Steel gives the most sturdy structure, but it is very difficult to work; some very strong blades may be necessary, depending on thickness.

T-304 is the most commonly used of the varieties of stainless steel alloy. It is not very hard compared to other steels; it will likely need a lot of supports in a controller. And it is weldable.

T-316 is the second most commonly used of the varieties of stainless steel. It is much harder than T-304; in fact it is about the hardest of the more available metals. But it is a bit more expensive than T-304. And it is weldable.

Aluminum

Aluminum is another common metal with a lot of strength, and seems to be used in more and more applications. It is less expensive (about 1/2 the expense) and much lighter than steel (about 1/3 the weight per volume). It tends not to be as durable, but has similar rigidity, and is much easier to work. It is likely the best choice for those new to metal work. Aluminum has a shine very similar to brushed stainless steel.

2024 is a moderately hard aluminum alloy. It is a bit harder than T-304 steel. It is not weldable. It is a good choice for a metal panel.

6061 alloy is most commonly used among aluminum. It is the least hard of the listed materials. It is popular though because it is very inexpensive, easy to work, and weldable. If you use it, plan on adding a lot of support, unless you are making a fairly thick panel. I tend to recommend a different aluminum alloy.

7075 is a very strong aluminum alloy. It is quite a bit harder than 2024, and actually nears the hardness of T-316 steel. It is a bit more expensive than 2024. It is not weldable.

Brass

Brass is a copper and zinc alloy that usually has a yellow glow. It is used in many applications as well. It has a strength and workability between most aluminum and steel alloys, but is much more expensive. It has a weight similar to that of steel.

Availability

The most simple way to get metal sheets is to order it from an online place. Other machining and metal places offer it as well. Besides generic sheet metal (like for vents), it is not really a product in common stores.

Bending

One of the great properties of metal is it can bend without breaking. Bending as an intended part of the construction is difficult without some serious machinery. I mainly mention bending in preventing and fixing problems. Just like wood, metal should be supported when it is worked. Put it on scrap wood, most likely MDF. This will also help prevent some of the protrusion from cutting through it.

Hardening

Hardening occurs through working and heating metal. Through processing, metal can thicken and smooth and temper, making it even stronger and more difficult to rework. I mention it like bending. You want to work through it fast using a lot of pressure so it does not become too difficult to work.

Lubrication

Lubrication of the cutting blades and metal is essential. If they are not lubricated, and lot of friction damages the tool and material and makes cutting generally much more difficult. Lubrication also disperses heat. Some kind of oil or similar lubricant needs to be added consistently when cutting or drilling.

Cutting

There are so many tools that are used to cut metal, I will not even vaguely cover all of them. Most commonly very large shearing, laser, plasma, or water machines do this job, but most people do not have those available. Handheld power metal shears (one of the best options), grinders, snips, and jigsaws work well, though getting exact lines can be difficult. Thinner pieces of metal can be cut using a band saw or table saw; there are special metal blades with many teeth available, though they usually use the same materials (like carbide), just taking impacts of metal better.

It is often just best to order from a custom metal cutter the dimensions you want and avoid much of the cutting aspect, especially if you are just using metal for the panel(s). Some places may even do button holes for you.

Through cutting (and drilling) a lot of metal shavings are produced. They can be very sharp, so try not to touch them directly with your skin. Make sure to clean them up thoroughly after cutting.

Drilling

There are only a few types of bits that work well in drilling metal. Hole saws should be used in making joystick and button holes (though spade bits can work on aluminum with some effort). Twist bits should be used in making smaller, uniform holes; some twist bits are specific to metal and will do a better job. But more useful than twist bits will likely be countersink bits. Countersink bits will make conical holes so that sinking screws that leave a flat surface can be installed. Use a slow speed with high pressure when drilling metal. Again, support the base of the panel when drilling it.

Soldering and Welding

Soldering is discussed in the PCB section. A higher wattage or torch will be necessary in soldering together materials. Roughing up a surface can make solder attach better. Brass works well with the solder used in electronics, but steel and aluminum are more tricky. Aluminum generally is very difficult and often not viable for soldering. Steel is also difficult since it is oxidized iron; a strong flux (which removes oxidation) like in phosphoric acid solder can help. There are also specialized solders for different metals available.

Unlike metal glue, welding melts the metal surfaces themselves together using temperatures many times greater. Welding makes much stronger joints, but will require more expensive gear and much stronger safety.

In the control panel, soldering or welding can also be used to attach fasteners like bolts for mounting the joystick or panel itself. There are many different procedures for soldering and welding various materials, so look up how your materials interact.

Smoothing

Cuts of metal often leave jagged edges. Soldering and welding often leave protruding and uneven seams. Smooth them using things like files and grinders. Sandpaper for metal is also available.

Other Materials

There are many tough materials out there. Plastic (of which acrylic glass is made) is another great material, but equipment for shaping it is not usually viable. Resin is similar. Fiberglass sounds like another good material which may have potential. To cover the surface on a controller, some use decorated vinyl and/or some t-edging.

These other materials can help expand design possibilities. Most other materials should have procedures similar to working wood, acrylic, and metal.

Finishing

For safe and proper use, follow the instructions provided for finishing products, especially noting lung protection. Finish in lined (like with newspaper) and ventilated areas.

There are many ways to decorate a controller using things like paint, varnish, and other things specific to wood. Most woods need some kind of coating to protect against hits and moisture, especially when the wood is thinner.

There is such an enormous variety of products and techniques for finishing, it can be overwhelming. It will be your choice whether to use just a couple or several things. This subsection will mention and describe some of the more commonly used finishing substances, but I do not want to go into details about the process itself. Different techniques will yield different results which may have a different appeal to different people. The way a builder's final product looks depends a lot on their techniques, and this can become part of their trademark.

It is often a good idea to test finishes at the start of a build on small pieces of the materials to be used because you want to find your favorite technique and products, and drying through testing takes a long time. You may want to look up suggestions for finishing the specific substance (like type of wood) you are using. Some products are also more difficult to locate than others; you may want to check a specialty paint or wood store for more exotic things like grain filler and compounds.

Image: Finish testing

For all finishing substances, adding many thinner layers will get smoother, better results than adding fewer thicker layers. They can be applied using various tools like brushes, rags, pads (perhaps on a power tool), and sprays. Follow and respect given instructions like drying times and application methods. You can often lower drying times using fans. As in sanding wood, apply the various finishes with the grain (excluding wood filler).

Many finishing products like conditioner, primer, paint, stain, dye, varnish, polyurethane, and acrylic are either oil-based or water-based. Oil-based finishes tend to add an amber color tone to things (if it is visible), while water-based ones make for a wet look. If a product does not state whether it is oil-based or water-based, assume it is oil-based.

Preparing

Wood (Grain) Filler: Different wood fillers add body to the surface of wood to make it more uniform. The pasty form of wood filler fills the pores and smaller imperfections in the wood to give the surface a more uniform texture; it gives the wood a smoother look and feel. The putty form fills large holes and imperfections in wood. They can also be sanded, painted, or finished, and often matched in a way that makes them almost unnoticed. They also can often be applied after a coat of paint or stain to fix problem areas. Another pasty form of wood filler usually called grain filler can be an easy way to give the surface of wood a mirror look; it specifically fills the pores and grains. Grain filler can be difficult to find in local stores, and thorough sanding and recoating can substitute for it.

Sanding: Before applying any finishing products, the controller needs to be very smooth. This is often done best through transitioning of grades of sandpaper. You can visualize sand transitioning like a rough paper having and leaving mountains, a medium paper having and leaving hills, and a fine paper having and leaving dunes; you cannot really take out mountains using dunes, and you do not want to ruin hills by making them into mountains. You want to compare the texture of the controller to the texture of possible sandpaper, and get to a texture of at least 220 grit (I suggest at least 320) before starting the finishing process.

Dusting: Sanding and other process often leave a lot of dust behind. You want to remove it because it mixes poorly with finishes. Use a clean cloth, brush, and/or vacuum or compressor to remove it.

Mineral Spirits / Paint Thinner: Mineral spirits (also called white spirit; paint thinner is kind of a diluted form) is a good cleaner, especially for finishing. It makes the controller extra clean before starting finishes. You may also want it for cleaning brushes if you ever want to use them again. It can also remove finishes. Minerals spirits should not effect the natural tone or color of wood once dried.

Primer: A primer is an adhesive base coat that helps paint apply better. It tends to bring better results when painting, and can make refining before actual painting easier. Primers are usually formulated to be very sandpaper friendly, being sanded very smooth and making more uniform surfaces. Use one that has a shade similar to the paint being used. Also, since they can be formulated differently, use the same manufacturer as the paint so they interact ideally. There are also some primers for clear finishes.

Wood Conditioner: Since wood can be more porous in some spots than other spots, wood conditioner may help a stain apply more evenly, bringing often better results. End grains of wood are naturally more porous and may need an extra application of conditioner. Since some protective coatings also change the shade of wood, conditioner may be necessary to keep natural finishes more even. Shellac can also work as a wood conditioner.

Coloring and Shading

Paint: Paint can be used to decorate any material. Different formulas are designed for different surfaces. Varieties of plastic paints are also available if you want to change the color of some components, though I do not suggest using it on the parts being touched on joysticks and buttons. Some paints come with a varnish, but doing or adding your own protective coating will get better results. If you want to get more artistic, you can do more defined painting of the controller box. You can put on different colors using masking tape, or paint details with a small paint brush, or use whatever method you create. Paint seals best to either primed or cleaned surfaces; mineral spirits are usually best for cleaning.

Stain/Dye: Stain and dyes are an option separate from paint. Unlike paint, it gets absorbed into the wood. A stain is just a dye resembling a type of wood. If you like the look of the wood, but do not like the color, find a tone of wood stain or dye to get it to a preferred shade. These are usually applied with a brush, and rubbed away with a cloth after enough has been absorbed. Some of them can be added to various protecting finishes.

Oil: Unlike stains, oils simply enhance the natural look of the wood. It makes the wood look more moisturized and healthy, usually adding an amber tone. Consider oils instead of stain if you just want to bring out the natural beauty of the wood. Examples include Danish oil, tung oil, and linseed oil. Some oil products contain more varnish than others.

Shining and Protecting

Coatings are often graded by how much shine they give; high gloss (or just gloss) is very shiny, semi-gloss has a medium shine, and satin has a low shine.

Varnish: Varnish is a general term describing a mixture of oils and resin; it comes in many types.

Clear Coat: By definition, a clear coat is a paint without an added pigment. It can be formulated in many ways using things like resin, lacquer, polyurethane, shellac, and acrylic. Because of this, when putting it on paint, you should use the same manufacturer so they interact well. Products labeled as an enamel are very similar.

Lacquer: Lacquer is a moderately old form of varnish sprayed using a solvent that can be very toxic. It is often considered the premier shining finish. You need a mask and suit to apply it. It is the most commonly used furniture finish. Some products claim to be brush-on lacquer, but are technically a simple varnish.

Polyurethane: Polyurethane is a newer form of varnish that is like a hardening liquid clear plastic. It can give some of the most shine and durability, and is much safer than lacquer, but can be difficult to rework and smooth, and can work poorly on detailed areas. Be sure to use multiple thin coats instead of thick coats to avoid blotching and bad results. It is often not suitable for softwood.

Shellac: Shellac is an older form of varnish considered obsolete by many. It has a clear, yellow, or orange tint. It can be used in conditioning and priming for other protective coats. Some can make nice results with it, but it is a difficult process.

Acrylic: Acrylic varnish has a low shine and does not work well with wood. I do not recommend it.

Epoxy: Epoxy varnish has a very strong coating that can be toxic. It is often for more industrial work, but you may get it to work on a controller.

Glaze: Glaze can be given different definitions and uses. It can be used like a stain. It can also be used as a protective coat enhancer and make polyurethane and lacquer look better. Glaze can also refer to a grain filler.

Wax: Wax is a very simple coating and buffing agent. It is often used as the final coat on top of all other rubbings and protective coatings (as it is on cars).

Smoothing

Like wood, coatings can be smoothed as well.

Sandpaper: Sandpaper is also used in smoothing coatings. It can be used between coats of primer, paint, and at least the first few protective coatings. You may want to wet the paper when working coats because they can otherwise stick to the paper. Use at least 220 grit, though I suggest at least 320. Transitioning in sanding also applies to smoothing coats, and grit goes upwards of 2000, and even 12000.

Steel Wool: Steel wool is frayed steel and takes on different grades like sandpaper. It can smooth coats without the sticking problems of sandpaper. It should not be used with water-based finishes because of rust.

Rubbing Compound: Rubbing compounds are pastes or liquids containing various tiny abrasives like grains of rottenstone and pumice. They have various grades of roughness and are used for finer smoothing than sandpaper or wool can often achieve. Rottenstone is generally finer than pumice. Rottenstone and pumice also often come by themselves and need to be added to some lubricant.

Polishing Compound: Polishing compound is finer than rubbing compound and brings out a very smooth surface. It can also be used to restore a worn surface.

Devices

There is a large variety of alluring devices in many colors and variations from all manufacturers, especially Seimitsu.

Joystick handles come in many varieties of colors. Many can be replaced using alternate tops and sticks. Seimitsu offers some clear and bubble-filled tops that are very attractive. Sanwa offers tops with a mesh pattern.

Images: Sanwa LB-35-M (mesh top); Seimitsu LB-39 (bubble top); Seimitsu PS-14-DN (disassembled), Seimitsu PS-14-KN (with a penny inserted)

Buttons also come in a large variety of colors. If desired, plungers can be interchanged in buttons for different mixes (usually the same model has to be involved). Seimitsu offers buttons with clear caps so images can be inserted like under acrylic glass (you can insert some of the pieces left over from cutting through the background for continuity; trace the background under the top panel, then trace the plunger head before cutting; do the larger button hole cutting with a knife, then the small button faces with scissors). Also, using clear tops and buttons and a hollowed shaft and LEDs, illuminated tops and buttons can be made.

Image: Plungers exchanged on Happ and Sanwa buttons (one having a clear Seimitsu nut)

Note that the shade of color made by one manufacturer will not likely match the same shade produced by another manufacturer. Sanwa shades of color tend to be softer while Seimitsu's are bolder.

Illumination

One of the best ways to decorate electronics is with LEDs (light emitting diodes). You can use them throughout the controller, most popularly in clear buttons and joystick tops.

Electricity must flow through an LED in the correct direction since diodes only work in one direction. The voltage goes through the positive anode (usually the longer wire) and out the negative cathode (usually the shorter wire) to the ground. You can also distinguish the two by looking in the bulb; inside the anode has a smaller plate than the cathode. Every individual LED requires a resistor between the voltage source and the anode or the LED will instantly burn out. The resistance can range from a couple hundred to a couple thousand ohms, with more resistance making the LED dimmer.

LEDs are available from electronic components stores. They come in red, orange, amber, yellow, green, blue, purple, ultraviolet, and white (the last four are usually more expensive). There are also infrared versions, but they are invisible (they are used in remotes). Plus there are LEDs with multiple anodes that can display multiple colors. Note the mixing of colors in the light spectrum; red and green make yellow, red and blue make magenta, and green and blue make cyan; red, green, and blue make white. LEDs have intensity ratings that rate how bright they can be, and size ratings that reflect the diameter of the bulb.

To illuminate a ball top, the joystick shaft needs to be hollowed so wires can be threaded through it. Some sell these for the JLF and Competition. The base of the top will also have to be hollowed a bit with a drill to make room for the LED. Some kind of insulation will be necessary to keep the two LED wires from touching.

To illuminate buttons, I recommend inserting the LED into the button itself. Drill a couple small holes in the base through which to thread the wire from each side of the LED.

LEDs can potentially be fed electricity from the PCB, but sometimes it can interfere with the functioning of the PCB. Often a separate battery pack is installed to feed electricity for the LEDs.

Adding LEDs with constant illumination is simple enough. Just chain voltage to each resistor connected to each positive anode (long wire) and chain the ground to each negative cathode (short wire). You can distribute this with the help of a terminal strip. You can also install a switch to toggle the voltage connection on and off.