Tightening Happ Competition Sticks

[vanrose72]

Would anyone know if it is possible to tighten the action of a Happ Competition stick so that it requires less movement to activate each direction?

If not, could I get a recommendation on a stick that has tighter action?

[vanrose72]

As usual, I found help on my own.

Thanks!

[Gray_Area]

What was that? Get different sticks?

[vanrose72]

That'd be my solution, unless there is a better idea out there somewhere.

Thanks, Gray_Area!

[RandyT]

There is a mod you can make.

What I think you are referring to is joystick "throw", which means the distance the knob travels before switch actuation.  Something to keep in mind when looking at the the throw of a stick is that it is directly related to the length of the shaft, where the switches are in relation to the pivot point, and the type of actuator and switches used in the design.  For instance, a long shaft, with the switch actuator close to the pivot point will require longer travel before actuation.

Long shafts make for easy installation in thicker panels, but they come at the cost of a longer throw.  If you are set on using the Competitions, you can make a mod which will shorten the throw by reducing the height at which the stick sits.  There are multiple e-clip grooves on the shaft, so all you need to do is evenly sand down the height of the plastic spacer until you can just get the clip onto the second groove with the actuator under spring tension (pushed toward the base).  When you re-install the spacer, make sure the factory surface (the side you didn't sand) is down toward the base.  This will shorten the height somewhat, but it will add some responsiveness to the stick.

RandyT

[mgb]

It's probably not the best solution, but you could thicken up the actuator with some tape. I know this would more normally be done on a stick with a round actuator (albeit, still a sticky solution) but it should work on the comps square actuator if needed in a pinch.

[vanrose72]

I started thinking about this a few weeks ago after playing on some dedicated classic cabinets and noticing that I liked the tighter action of those sticks.

I think the tape solution could be a great fix. I'm also considering replacing the bat-top shafts on my Competitions with ball-tops. So, that would be a good time to try shortening the throw of my sticks as recommended.

Thanks for all of great ideas! You've been an excellent help!

[mgb]

Just remember when changing comp bats to balls, there are not many options.

Theres the versa-ball from GGG but they're more expensive than just changing over to a Sanwa or Seimitsu

http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=229

[vanrose72]

Just remember when changing comp bats to balls, there are not many options.

Theres the versa-ball from GGG but they're more expensive than just changing over to a Sanwa or Seimitsu

Thanks for the heads-up.

If I were to change over to a Sanwa or Seimitsu, would the position of the mounting bolts be the same as a Competition? I'm not sure if there is a standard or anything when it comes to that.

[mgb]

Yeah, the majority of sticks have the same mounting bolt pattern except for a few.
If you go with Sanwa, go for the JLW because it has the standard mounting pattern, where the JLF is smaller.
I believe some of the Seimitsus also have a smaller mounting pattern.

[vanrose72]

You've totally sold me on the Sanwa JLW. It's exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks so much, mgb!

[mgb]

No problem, I hope they work out well for you.

[vanrose72]

One more question on the Sanwa JLW:

Would you foresee any issues using that stick on a CP that is 3/4" thick?
I'd like to think the Sanwa shaft would move freely in all directions without hitting the sides of the CP.

Here is an image of my CP for your reference.

[GregD]

I would recess mount a JLW or it is going to be really short.  I would leave about 1/4" of material or top mount them.  You can also purchase longer shafts for them.

[vanrose72]

I would recess mount a JLW or it is going to be really short.  I would leave about 1/4" of material or top mount them.  You can also purchase longer shafts for them.

My recesses are roughly 1/3" deep, which means I have slightly less than 1/2" of material.

This wouldn't provide enough space for free movement, then?

[Gray_Area]

You used real wood there.

[mgb]

You may still have full movement (maybe?) but the shaft may look oddly short.

[vanrose72]

You used real wood there.

Yep! Real wood! 

You may still have full movement (maybe?) but the shaft may look oddly short.

If I'll have full movement, at least I can try it out and then see if I need extensions. Thanks for the advice!