Wanted, Major Havoc roller controller

[spidermonkey]

http://www.basementarcade.com/arcade/4sale/roller/overall.jpg Anyone have one of these they would like to sell ? I know I can use my spinner but its just not quite the same. The owner of "The Basement Arcade" website reproduced a few of these but no longer does. I haven't seen one on Ebay in quite a while.

[mpm32]

Couldn't you easily make one of those with a skateboard wheel and one trackball bearing?  Out of all of the specialty controllers, that one looks like the easiest to make.

[Karman]

Sounds like a new project for Oscar!

[OSCAR]

I swear you guys have a sixth sense for this stuff...  I finished up the drawings and sent them out for quotes last week.  I should hear something back after the holidays.  

[RetroJames]

*In Awe*

BTW Oscar, when are we going to see the "Oscar Controls" Pabst T-shirt?

[spidermonkey]

  I should have known Oscar was already on the job.  .  I've already reserved some real estate on my second cabinet's control panel.

[delta88]

well ya'll I have a 2 way trakball..
its from a kick..
its sorta the same
x axis only
i was gonna use it as a spinner.. might be more fun!!!!

oh and it already had a nifty oscar controls optic board for extended life span

[OSCAR]

If I do decide to have these fabricated, it will very likely be a small, one-time run because it is such a dedicated and specialized controller.  I'm not surprised that previous repro's of this control sold for $125 considering the components.

There are (4) bearings (not one), so there is approx $18 just in bearings on this thing.  The control includes (10) custom fabricated pieces, not off-the-shelf items.  Each of these will have shop material, fabrication, and finishing costs.  Just taking a rough guess here... figure $5 ~ $7 per custom part, add in the price of the bearings, and then the hardware; I would estimate *cost* of the item to be around the $80 - $100 range.  This is just my own guess based on my experience with having small runs of custom parts made.  If this were a high volume controller, then that number could easily be cut in half.

In case anyone is interested where the (10) custom pieces come from:

(1) top plate
(1) roller bracket
(1) roller
(1) optic board bracket
(2) shafts - both different
(4) bearing retainers

And encoder wheel, optic board, bearings, & hardware...


Maybe an Oscar-Pabst shirt would be a better seller?  

[spidermonkey]

Oscar, I would take a pole to see exactly how many people would seriously interested in purchasing one. If you really decide to go ahead (I hope you do  ) then ask for preorder deposits so people will have to back up there requests with some cash. I'd be happy to give a deposit or even pay in full for one if needed.
Oh what a late Christmas present for myself this would make !

[spidermonkey]

Oscar, Mark at http://www.basementarcade.com/ may have answers to any questions you might have since he has reproduced these in the past.

[OSCAR]

Oscar, Mark at http://www.basementarcade.com/ may have answers to any questions you might have since he has reproduced these in the past.

I guess my only question would be if I should make them out of something edible, just in case I have to eat the remainder of the batch after I sell the only 2 that people are actually interested in?  

This is, of course, only if I find it is a project worth pursuing after the quotes come back...

[usedelectronics]

Put me down for one if they end up getting made.

[speleo_de]

@ OSCAR
Will these be interfaceable to a PC as well (via OptiPac for ex.)?

I am going to monitor this thread very interested and waiting for the quote.  

[Kremmit]

Definately interested.

[AlexSledge]

I know I'd be interested in two myself, so long as the cost is still around $80-100 as was mentioned. However since I only get paid monthly it would be the beginning of next month before I could get you any pre-order $$ if you decide to do a run.