Quick release restrictor plate?

[notbillcosby]

Howdy folks! I'm new here. After years and years of wanting my on TMNT machine, I decided to buy an XArcade to keep me occupied until I had the space to build a legit Mame cabinet. I've done a ton of reading about arcade sticks and everything else over the past few weeks, and this forum has had so much great info! Super glad to finally be approved to be a part of it

So, I ordered my X-Arcade (which has been treating me very well) along with an OMNI2 from GGG. It took about 3 seconds of using an 8-way square restrictor for me to realize that they are not for me, and an unrestricted stick is my preferred 8-way method. I NEED that 4 way restrictor though, because... well, Pacman. 'Nuff said.

I like the sticks in the X-Arcade. I know a lot of folks have issues with them, but I'm not enough of an arcade connoisseur to know why I should have an issue with them. I would LOVE to find a way to attach a 4 way restrictor plate to one of these sticks (or the Happ Super, which seems to be what this is modeled after- right?) in a quick release fashion, so I could just take the thing off completely when I wanted to play a Konami game, Mortal Kombat, or whatever other 8 way games.

So, three questions:
1) GGG sells a restrictor plate for the Happ Super. Are the actuators and switch placements so similar on my XArcade stick that this will work, or will I need to buy a Happ? Is there a different plate that will work for the XArcade sticks?
2) Has anyone experimented with any sort of quick release plate? Randy from GGG suggested using 4 neodymium super-strong magnets, but I'm worried that they would falsely trigger the switches, keep the stick from centering, or not hold in place. If they did hold in place, it might be super tough to get the thing to let go. Also worried that they'd be strong enough to garf up my computer that sits fairly close to my X Arcade stick.
3) Anyone interested in buying/trading this OMNI2? I know, I'll post it in the buy/sell/trade forum, but I figured as long as I was here...

Thanks!!

[notbillcosby]

After thinking some more, I think maybe the smartest and easiest way to do it is to drill bolts through from the top (not unlike the way the OMNI2 is set up) and just use simple wingnuts to hold the plate on. It's not a SUPER quick swap, but at the end of the day, it probably doesn't need to be. Wingnuts would still let it happen without any tools, which is probably the important part. I could make a little trap door on the bottom of the X-Arcade for quick access, and boom. Done.

So now, is there a restrictor plate that'll fit the X-Arcade sticks? Will I be much much happier if I just buy a Happ for $9?

[AGarv]

Do you have a sketch of what you're considering?  I can't quite visualize it (not sure exactly where the restrictor plate mounts) to suggest ways to make it a faster swap.

[PL1]

Do you have a sketch of what you're considering?  I can't quite visualize it (not sure exactly where the restrictor plate mounts) to suggest ways to make it a faster swap.

How about a picture.

GGG's SUPER 4-way™ Precision True Restrictor installed on an IL Compact. (Same as a Happ Super)

The two large screws hold it in place.  The corresponding holes in the body are on all Supers/Compacts.


Scott

[notbillcosby]

Awesome! It's hard to tell from that picture, but could those large screw holes be drilled through from the top, so i could have the bolts going in from the top and just use wingnuts to hold the plate in place? I know the bolts would probably need to be countersunk, but that's not a big deal... Assuming the stick could stand up to it.

[PL1]

Awesome! It's hard to tell from that picture, but could those large screw holes be drilled through from the top, so i could have the bolts going in from the top and just use wingnuts to hold the plate in place? I know the bolts would probably need to be countersunk, but that's not a big deal... Assuming the stick could stand up to it.

If you can find a #10-32 or slightly larger version of this #8-32 dowel screw, you might not have to drill.  The only hard part would be ensuring that it went in perfectly straight.

Just tried sticking a probe into the body of a Super and there is no discernable obstruction in the path until you hit the far side, even when the joystick is moved.

My only concern on drilling would be if the shavings gummed up the joystick's movement.  No idea how sensitive the internals are on these.

If you install the dustwasher under-the-panel style, it will almost certainly hit the head of the bolt when you move the joystick.  Over-the-panel style install should be no problem.


Scott

[notbillcosby]

Cool cool cool... that's all very good to know. thanks for looking into stuff for me! I think maybe this is spelling, "just buy a Happ" instead of trying to modify my X Gaming stick.

[CoryBee]

I am fairly new to wanting only 4-way on my joystick. Does nobody else have the rubber part on the bottom of their joystick that can just be flipped? So that it only hits one direction at a time.

[notbillcosby]

Flipping the actuator makes only one switch engage at a time, but the restrictor plate is what lets you physically lock into directions.

[CoryBee]

Okay, so you can only press it left, right, up and down but not at an angle of these?  Thanks. was thinking about making a dedicated pac man and this would be useful.

[PL1]

Okay, so you can only press it left, right, up and down but not at an angle of these?  Thanks. was thinking about making a dedicated pac man and this would be useful.

Kinda sounds like what you need is an Omni2 -- like the one that OP is selling.

3/4 of the way down the page you can see an animated .gif of the restrictor plate .

If you try to follow a big circle in 4-way mode, the joystick moves in a diamond. Push in a general direction and the restrictor plate will guide it to the point.


Scott

[notbillcosby]

Yes! Buy my OMNI2 so I can buy a Happ and a restrictor plate that I can modify

[CoryBee]

I might have to do that. Why does the omni not work for you then? What is the main difference between the restrictor plate and the omni then?

[notbillcosby]

The plate on the omni2 rotates 45 degrees to allow it to be an 8 way stick if you so choose. I love it as a 4 way but don't like the feel of a square restrictor plate for 8way and am working on finding a way to modify a Happ stick, so I could easily pop the plate off entirely to have a circular range of motion when I'd like.

[PL1]

Here's a way that might work for you.

Add a metal plate (green) with a hole for the joystick actuator to the restrictor plate. (orange)

Grind the restrictor plate screw threads that stick out past the plate so that the resulting pin is the same diameter as the holes in the Super's base.

Either add a board or a bend in the metal (red) for reinforcement.  Countersink board to allow clearance for restrictor plate screw heads and joystick actuator.

Wingnuts and bolts (blue) can have some play for easy connection/disconnection.

The critical part of this is grinding the screw into a pin. It has to be exact.


Scott

[notbillcosby]

Man oh man. I'm having a pretty awful time understanding these concepts... To the point where I don't even know which part to ask you to clarify. Maybe I need to see the diagram on a bigger screen than my iPod and think it through again. Forgive me for being dense!

[PL1]

Take two.

Side under-the-panel cutaway view--joystick handle not shown.

Diagram resized for easier viewing.

Added actuator and countersink on board for restrictor plate screw heads and actuator.  (Oops, forgot to include hole in metal to match restrictor plate.)

Disclaimer: It's definitely NOT drawn to scale.  Way too compressed horizontally.

Not shown: Tee nuts or screw-in insert that the wing nuts connect to.

The standard GGG installation method uses a Happ Super (black), the restrictor plate (orange), and two screws. (gray)

Add a metal plate (green) with a hole for the joystick actuator to the restrictor plate. (orange)

Grind the restrictor plate screw threads that stick out past the plate so that the resulting pin is the same diameter as the holes in the Super's base.

Either add a board (red) or a bend in the metal for reinforcement.  Countersink board to allow clearance for restrictor plate screw heads and joystick actuator.

Wingnuts and bolts (blue) can have some play for easy connection/disconnection.

The critical part of this is grinding the screw threads into a pin. It has to be exact.




Scott

[notbillcosby]

I think I get it. This would be doing, more or less, the same thing as what I was talking about earlier with running bolts in through the top of the joystick's mounting panel/block part. Right? Just the metal plate you talk about would extend the "wingspan" on the restrictor enough that the mounting bolts could be attached to the underside of the controller panel rather than through the body of the joystick. Yes?

if so, that might be a little cramped. I'm working inside an X-Arcade Dual Joystick, and space is limited!

[PL1]

I think I get it. This would be doing, more or less, the same thing as what I was talking about earlier with running bolts in through the top of the joystick's mounting panel/block part. Right? Just the metal plate you talk about would extend the "wingspan" on the restrictor enough that the mounting bolts could be attached to the underside of the controller panel rather than through the body of the joystick. Yes?

if so, that might be a little cramped. I'm working inside an X-Arcade Dual Joystick, and space is limited!

You've got the idea.

Super space saver version.

Lose the wood (red) use metal with a wide low U-shaped profile.  If you can't find anything suitable at the hardware store, use this tool to bend sheet metal into the basic shape shown in photo.


Alternate bending method -- clamp center of metal piece tightly between two 2x4s and bend against a flat section of concrete.

Instead of the wing nuts, use something like this.  It's shaped like a tee nut with threads on the inside, and you tighten it with an allen wrench.



Scott

[notbillcosby]

If I lose the wingnuts, i lose my quick release! i don't want to need tools to move this plate out of the way. What's the perk to this method over running bolts through the joystick, just the fact that i wouldn't be modifying the stick?

[PL1]

PM sent.

[notbillcosby]

Again, not trying to argue with you or debunk your ideas, just trying to get my head in the same space as yours- what's the advantage of extending the plate and attaching outside the joystick?

[PL1]

what's the advantage of extending the plate and attaching outside the joystick?

This.

My only concern on drilling would be if the shavings gummed up the joystick's movement.  No idea how sensitive the internals are on these.

Also, the need for precise positioning.

If the angle's off on the drilled bolts, the restriction won't be symmetrical, possibly causing dead spots or accidental diagonals.

[notbillcosby]

Sounds like I need someone to buy my omni2 so I can order a happ and see it up close