Pac man joystick/trade

[mattfl]

I purchased a happ REPLACEMENT JOYSTICK FOR MS PAC-MAN/GALAGA for my control panel. Stupid me forgot to measure the distance between the mounting piece and the actual joystick stem and I already mounted the bottom and put my laminate over only to discover that the actual joystick is too short for my panel Now I'm left with an already mounted bottom piece and a joystick thats too short for my panel. So I'll either buy the J-stick from ultimarc or unless someone is will to trade me just the joystick part for the j-stick. I really can't unmount the base of the joystick and this just the stick of the joystick does me no good

[rampy]

I'm confused... do you want a whole joystick (j-stick) or just a longer balltop shaft?

Did you end up orphaning the base of the pacman stick under neath your laminate recessed in the wood?

confused... could you clarify?

rampy

[mattfl]

I'm confused... do you want a whole joystick (j-stick) or just a longer balltop shaft?

Did you end up orphaning the base of the pacman stick under neath your laminate recessed in the wood?

confused... could you clarify?

rampy



sorry I'll clarify..
I need a longer balltop shaft,
the base of the original joystick i bought from happs is still underneath my laminate where it will stay, i dont want to hafta pull up the laminate to get it out
hope that clarifies things

[eightbit]

If it is only under laminate how can it be so deep as to be to short? I think this is what is confusing us.

That and what you actually asking for in trade? The only thing that would make sense to me is that your asking to trade your short stick for a longer one. Is there a longer stick that will fit your base?

[mattfl]

If it is only under laminate how can it be so deep as to be to short? I think this is what is confusing us.

That and what you actually asking for in trade? The only thing that would make sense to me is that your asking to trade your short stick for a longer one. Is there a longer stick that will fit your base?

apparently, the length of the stick from happs isn't long enough to go thru my 3/4" mdf and have enough room from the top of the control panel, i mount my joystick bottom pieces underneath the 3/4" mdf, so there is 3/4" mdf + the width of the actual joystick box that the stick needs to go thru. The J-stick from ultimarc looks like there may be enough length in the stick to fit above my control panel...basically, when i put the happs controller together on my control panel the ball sits pretty much on top of my control panel

[rampy]

Here's my issue... the j-stick shaft is probably the wrong diameter for your needs.. further more... it isn't THAT long to begin with...

I was contemplating trading my j-stick red ball top whole joystick for your pac replacment stick straight up... but not the shafts =)

you konw there is  a guy that sells longer replacement shafts separate right?

*shrug* I'm still confused as to what you did to your self, a picture perhaps?

rampy

[mattfl]

Here's my issue... the j-stick shaft is probably the wrong diameter for your needs.. further more... it isn't THAT long to begin with...

I was contemplating trading my j-stick red ball top whole joystick for your pac replacment stick straight up... but not the shafts =)

you konw there is  a guy that sells longer replacement shafts separate right?

*shrug* I'm still confused as to what you did to your self, a picture perhaps?

rampy

ok this is what my control panel looks like, this isnt mine, but i used the same plans

http://www.leafstation.com/images/ms2images/ms2cabpics/l-first-coat.jpg

i was gonna put the joystick under the trackball, i mounted the controller base underneath the mdf, when i put the joystick shaft into the base, the red nob touches the top of the mdf, the shaft isnt long enough to go thru the mdf and into the base and still have clearance for the balltop.  I've got regular happ ultimate joysticks, the size from the top of the joystick to the top of the base is 3.41inches, which when you subtract the 3/4" for the mdf gives plenty of clearance. The size of the pacman stick clearance is 2.01" coupled with the fact the red knob is over an inch in diameter gives little to no clearance. does that make any sense?

[eightbit]

If it is only under laminate how can it be so deep as to be to short? I think this is what is confusing us.

That and what you actually asking for in trade? The only thing that would make sense to me is that your asking to trade your short stick for a longer one. Is there a longer stick that will fit your base?

apparently, the length of the stick from happs isn't long enough to go thru my 3/4" mdf and have enough room from the top of the control panel, i mount my joystick bottom pieces underneath the 3/4" mdf, so there is 3/4" mdf + the width of the actual joystick box that the stick needs to go thru. The J-stick from ultimarc looks like there may be enough length in the stick to fit above my control panel...basically, when i put the happs controller together on my control panel the ball sits pretty much on top of my control panel

If your base is beneath the control panel why can't you remove it? The way your describing it doesn't sound like the laminate would prevent this.

[mattfl]

If it is only under laminate how can it be so deep as to be to short? I think this is what is confusing us.

That and what you actually asking for in trade? The only thing that would make sense to me is that your asking to trade your short stick for a longer one. Is there a longer stick that will fit your base?

apparently, the length of the stick from happs isn't long enough to go thru my 3/4" mdf and have enough room from the top of the control panel, i mount my joystick bottom pieces underneath the 3/4" mdf, so there is 3/4" mdf + the width of the actual joystick box that the stick needs to go thru. The J-stick from ultimarc looks like there may be enough length in the stick to fit above my control panel...basically, when i put the happs controller together on my control panel the ball sits pretty much on top of my control panel

If your base is beneath the control panel why can't you remove it? The way your describing it doesn't sound like the laminate would prevent this.

the screws, which go from the top of the mdf board down under to the base are underneath the laminate, i have no way to remove the screws without pulling up the laminate

[rampy]

would yo believe i'm still lost?

if the head of the screws is under the laminate and go through the mdf and then through the joystick base... what holds on the bottom of the screws, below the base of the joystick?  Nuts?

I'm not trying to bust your stones... trying to help...  If you are totally stuck I'd think the replacment 3" or 4" ball top sticks from the guy who does the tron repo's (  N2NEW@aol.com   ) *might* work...  but i'd hope you could get the base off and could just route/chisel away some mdf to make it seat lower/higher...

rampy

[mattfl]

would yo believe i'm still lost?

if the head of the screws is under the laminate and go through the mdf and then through the joystick base... what holds on the bottom of the screws, below the base of the joystick?  Nuts?

I'm not trying to bust your stones... trying to help...  If you are totally stuck I'd think the replacment 3" or 4" ball top sticks from the guy who does the tron repo's (  N2NEW@aol.com   ) *might* work...  but i'd hope you could get the base off and could just route/chisel away some mdf to make it seat lower/higher...

rampy

ya..there are nuts on the bottom of the base that hold the screws on..i would probably hafta chisel/route away almost half of the 3/4" mdf to get it to sit in a position where the joystick could be used.

[Chris]

ya..there are nuts on the bottom of the base that hold the screws on..i would probably hafta chisel/route away almost half of the 3/4" mdf to get it to sit in a position where the joystick could be used.

Probably more than that.  The Happ site says "Shaft length for metal mounting only."  You're almost certainly gonna need a mounting plate.

Bob Roberts sells a mounting plate for this joystick for $10.00.  You can probably use OSCAR's mounting plates as well; they're $15.00.

[mattfl]

ya..there are nuts on the bottom of the base that hold the screws on..i would probably hafta chisel/route away almost half of the 3/4" mdf to get it to sit in a position where the joystick could be used.

Probably more than that.  The Happ site says "Shaft length for metal mounting only."  You're almost certainly gonna need a mounting plate.

Bob Roberts sells a mounting plate for this joystick for $10.00.  You can probably use OSCAR's mounting plates as well; they're $15.00.

CRAP..i wish i would have read the whole descritpion of that part and seen the metal mount part \
I'm not sure how a mounting plate would help? where does the plate go and how does it help in this situation?

[Chris]

I'm not sure how a mounting plate would help? where does the plate go and how does it help in this situation?

The mounting plate creates a mini metal control panel in the middle of the wood panel.  You cut out a square big enough for the joystick to pass through, mount the joystick to the plate, then mount the plate to the panel, hanging the joystick through the hole.  For a flush surface, you can route out the thickness of the plate in the wood panel to recess it.

Your problem, however, is that the panel is already laminated.  If you don't want to re-laminate, you'll want to go with an attractive plate.  If you're using black laminate, a black mounting plate will look fine against it and you won't need to redo everything.

[mattfl]

I'm not sure how a mounting plate would help? where does the plate go and how does it help in this situation?

The mounting plate creates a mini metal control panel in the middle of the wood panel.  You cut out a square big enough for the joystick to pass through, mount the joystick to the plate, then mount the plate to the panel, hanging the joystick through the hole.  For a flush surface, you can route out the thickness of the plate in the wood panel to recess it.

Your problem, however, is that the panel is already laminated.  If you don't want to re-laminate, you'll want to go with an attractive plate.  If you're using black laminate, a black mounting plate will look fine against it and you won't need to redo everything.

I still like the idea of just buying a j-stick from ultimarc and using the shaft/ball from that....much less work

[Chris]

I still like the idea of just buying a j-stick from ultimarc and using the shaft/ball from that....much less work

IF it matches!  Joystick shafts are not usually interchangeable!  The base of your joystick is a Happ Super, so you need to make sure the shaft you get is compatible with a Super.

[mattfl]

I still like the idea of just buying a j-stick from ultimarc and using the shaft/ball from that....much less work

IF it matches!  Joystick shafts are not usually interchangeable!  The base of your joystick is a Happ Super, so you need to make sure the shaft you get is compatible with a Super.

thanks for the advise

[rampy]

i know it isn't conna help you now but:

IF you want a "boltless" / flush look on top .... one good way (best way?) is to use t-nuts undeneath... that way you don't run into the screw trapped under the laminate issue...

HEre's anothe note:  are you sure you want you 4 way right below your trackball?  won't it get in the way?

HEre's anothe thought... doesn't slik stick sell replacement super (if what chris says is correct the pac replacement bottom is akin to a super base) ball top stainless steal shaft thingie?  That might work... I'd ask them of course and measure twice first of course though.

*shrug*  good luck!

rampy

[Chris]

HEre's anothe thought... doesn't slik stick sell replacement super (if what chris says is correct the pac replacement bottom is akin to a super base) ball top stainless steal shaft thingie?  That might work... I'd ask them of course and measure twice first of course though.

Good call!  They're $26.95 for the Super version.  http://www.slikstik.com/sscomp.htm

[mattfl]

i know it isn't conna help you now but:

IF you want a "boltless" / flush look on top .... one good way (best way?) is to use t-nuts undeneath... that way you don't run into the screw trapped under the laminate issue...

HEre's anothe note:  are you sure you want you 4 way right below your trackball?  won't it get in the way?

HEre's anothe thought... doesn't slik stick sell replacement super (if what chris says is correct the pac replacement bottom is akin to a super base) ball top stainless steal shaft thingie?  That might work... I'd ask them of course and measure twice first of course though.

*shrug*  good luck!

rampy

well i flush mount all the screws so you cant even tell that they are there..
and those slick sticks look like they may work..ill just hafta email them for the length on them..

thanks for all the help guys

[rampy]

i know it isn't conna help you now but:

IF you want a "boltless" / flush look on top .... one good way (best way?) is to use t-nuts undeneath... that way you don't run into the screw trapped under the laminate issue...

HEre's anothe note:  are you sure you want you 4 way right below your trackball?  won't it get in the way?

HEre's anothe thought... doesn't slik stick sell replacement super (if what chris says is correct the pac replacement bottom is akin to a super base) ball top stainless steal shaft thingie?  That might work... I'd ask them of course and measure twice first of course though.

*shrug*  good luck!

rampy

well i flush mount all the screws so you cant even tell that they are there..
and those slick sticks look like they may work..ill just hafta email them for the length on them..

thanks for all the help guys

Just to belabor the point... check out this thread on joystick mounting making note of the [tnutz

and this thread has a great pic of a tnut install...  

I only show you so on your next project (oh yes there will be more) you'll know about this option...

rampy

[Grasshopper]

Whilst I appreciate your predicament, I wouldn't necessarily recommend fitting a significantly longer shaft. You'll end up increasing the joystick's throw which might mess up its feel.

Also bear in mind that the J-Stik feels totally different to the Ms Pacman/Galaga stick. It has a longer throw and a much weaker spring. The Ms Pacman/Galaga stick is far superior for playing Pacman. However the 4/8 way switching mechanism probably makes the J-Stik a better general purpose joystick.

Unfortunately the website for the guy that sells the reproduction ball top handles (n2new@aol.com) has disappeared. I heard a few months ago (on this board) that he had gone into hospital and was possibly going to stop making reproduction handles. Doesn't sound too promising. If you get in touch with him, please could you post the outcome as I'd like to buy some stuff from him. Thanks