Main Restorations Software Audio/Jukebox/MP3 Everything Else Buy/Sell/Trade
Project Announcements Monitor/Video GroovyMAME Merit/JVL Touchscreen Meet Up Retail Vendors
Driving & Racing Woodworking Software Support Forums Consoles Project Arcade Reviews
Automated Projects Artwork Frontend Support Forums Pinball Forum Discussion Old Boards
Raspberry Pi & Dev Board controls.dat Linux Miscellaneous Arcade Wiki Discussion Old Archives
Lightguns Arcade1Up Try the site in https mode Site News

Unread posts | New Replies | Recent posts | Rules | Chatroom | Wiki | File Repository | RSS | Submit news

  

Author Topic: Where can I get 4/8 way joysticks for 1" thick CP  (Read 3035 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

dashingw

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 99
  • Last login:February 01, 2025, 06:47:39 pm
  • Miss my 80's
Where can I get 4/8 way joysticks for 1" thick CP
« on: March 07, 2015, 09:41:39 am »
I need long shafted joysticks that go from 4way to 8way for my 1" thick wood control panel. I'm not good at woodworking so don't want to do a new panel and don't want to route the one I have. Right now I have Estik's in it and they work fine except I have to unscrew the panel and go underneath to change 4/8way.
« Last Edit: March 07, 2015, 09:54:43 am by dashingw »
My Cab's made from an old Atari Pit Fighter upright 90/91

mgb

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3500
  • Last login:July 28, 2025, 09:45:32 pm
  • North East, US
Re: Where can I get 4/8 way joysticks for 1" thick CP
« Reply #1 on: March 08, 2015, 12:04:46 am »
Truthfully, just simply routing out material for your stick is the best way.
But may a Versa Ball from Groovy Game Gear will help.
They're compatable with many different joysticks so maybe you can add one to a Servo stick from Ultimarc and have auto 4way, 8 way switching

dashingw

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 99
  • Last login:February 01, 2025, 06:47:39 pm
  • Miss my 80's
Re: Where can I get 4/8 way joysticks for 1" thick CP
« Reply #2 on: March 09, 2015, 08:13:43 pm »
Actually, problem solved, Im having my local machine shop add 1-1\4" of steel shaft to the middle of the shaft of my Mag Stik Plus's. Should be perfect...
My Cab's made from an old Atari Pit Fighter upright 90/91

BorgDog

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 436
  • Last login:August 22, 2021, 02:22:52 pm
  • Not a hipster for over 50 years!
Re: Where can I get 4/8 way joysticks for 1" thick CP
« Reply #3 on: March 09, 2015, 08:21:58 pm »
1-1/4"  wow, that's going to have some seriously long throw
My Projects:
MisSpent Youth a Vigolix bartop,  Little Bastard a rotating tablet/display bartop,
Pin-Dog a mini pin-cab on vpforums.org  Star Wars a wedgehead pincab on vpinball.com

dashingw

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 99
  • Last login:February 01, 2025, 06:47:39 pm
  • Miss my 80's
Re: Where can I get 4/8 way joysticks for 1" thick CP
« Reply #4 on: March 09, 2015, 11:19:48 pm »
Maybe I don't understand the Throw properly, because I fail to see how the length of shaft is going to change that. This Mag Stik Plus is suppose to have an extremely shorter Throw than other joysticks yet I fail to notice any difference between the E Stik I was using yesterday and the Mag I'm using today other than it seems smoother and of course I can now switch from 8way to 4way by just pulling up on the Stik and twisting. :-)
My Cab's made from an old Atari Pit Fighter upright 90/91

RandyT

  • Trade Count: (+14)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7014
  • Last login:July 31, 2025, 01:58:29 pm
  • Friends don't let friends hack keyboards.
    • GroovyGameGear.com
Re: Where can I get 4/8 way joysticks for 1" thick CP
« Reply #5 on: March 10, 2015, 11:09:56 am »
Maybe I don't understand the Throw properly, because I fail to see how the length of shaft is going to change that.

Think about how you can achieve leverage on a rusted bolt, using an extension on a wrench.  The bolt is the center of a circle, and the extension is the radius.  The further out you hold the extension, the larger the circumference of that circle becomes, and the larger the circumference, the further you must move to achieve the same turn distance at the bolt.  When you are dealing with sub-millimeter distances for switch actuation points, long shafts can lead to a sloppy, or unresponsive feel to the stick.

Just like the bolt analogy, longer shafts are also capable of putting more force on the joystick body and/or centering mechanism.  This can make a strong return feel very light, or a light return feel like nearly nothing.  Desirable to some in some instances, but not so good in others.  No particular aspect of a joystick design exists in a vacuum.  Durability, feel and responsiveness all rely on those design aspects working together, so always be careful when making changes.  In the end, however, if you like it and it doesn't damage the unit, it's all good.

thomas_surles

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2118
  • Last login:September 13, 2024, 06:34:49 pm
Re: Where can I get 4/8 way joysticks for 1" thick CP
« Reply #6 on: March 10, 2015, 11:40:29 am »
Just route out the underside. It's the best way. It doesn't even have to look pretty.

jeremymtc

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 247
  • Last login:June 14, 2025, 06:24:36 am
Re: Where can I get 4/8 way joysticks for 1" thick CP
« Reply #7 on: March 12, 2015, 03:42:09 am »
Maybe I don't understand the Throw properly, because I fail to see how the length of shaft is going to change that. This Mag Stik Plus is suppose to have an extremely shorter Throw than other joysticks yet I fail to notice any difference between the E Stik I was using yesterday and the Mag I'm using today other than it seems smoother and of course I can now switch from 8way to 4way by just pulling up on the Stik and twisting. :-)


The throw will increase when lengthening the shaft because the pivot point is stationary, and the top of the longer handle now has a longer distance to travel stop-to-stop. Think of it like a teeter-totter: what happens when you extend the length of the plank on one end? A: Longer travel, and less force required to actuate.

You might actually find the extra throw and reduction of "spring" force beneficial for your Mag-Stiks. I have the older T-Stik Plus's on my panel (they're basically the same as Mag Stiks but sprung instead of magnetically centered). I installed longer levers and lighter switches specifically to help lighten the action as I found them to be really pretty stiff. The levers I put in were maybe half an inch longer than stock (routed 3/4" panel, so maybe 5/8" through the mounting surface) and I still think they could be a little lighter and wouldn't mind a little more throw. I'd guesstimate that you'll see a total throw of maybe about 8-10mm with a 1 1/4" longer lever. 

dashingw

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 99
  • Last login:February 01, 2025, 06:47:39 pm
  • Miss my 80's
Re: Where can I get 4/8 way joysticks for 1" thick CP
« Reply #8 on: March 12, 2015, 05:35:13 pm »
Just got it back from the machine shop today, really couldn't tell he done anything to it other than it was a hell of a lot longer. Gotta remember I'm dealing with a small ball on top not the regular black long grip that's about an inch long on its own not including the actual shaft.

Pretty good though he actually put a 1-1/4 stainless steel threaded extension between the top of the shaft and the ball so if I wanted to I can take the extension out and back to normal it goes. But I installed the full length. From the base of the panel to the top of the ball its probably 1-3/4" to 2" but feels and plays great.... :0)
« Last Edit: March 12, 2015, 05:37:59 pm by dashingw »
My Cab's made from an old Atari Pit Fighter upright 90/91

thomas_surles

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2118
  • Last login:September 13, 2024, 06:34:49 pm
Re: Where can I get 4/8 way joysticks for 1" thick CP
« Reply #9 on: March 12, 2015, 06:08:04 pm »
Pics?

dashingw

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 99
  • Last login:February 01, 2025, 06:47:39 pm
  • Miss my 80's
Re: Where can I get 4/8 way joysticks for 1" thick CP
« Reply #10 on: March 13, 2015, 09:10:50 am »
Pics?

Obviously Blue is with the extension and red is without. You can see in the closeup where the shaft extension starts about 1/4" of the way up and is just ever so slightly wider like a sleeve
« Last Edit: March 13, 2015, 09:14:12 am by dashingw »
My Cab's made from an old Atari Pit Fighter upright 90/91

Slippyblade

  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3167
  • Last login:June 05, 2024, 10:30:57 am
  • And to the death god we say, "Not today!"
Re: Where can I get 4/8 way joysticks for 1" thick CP
« Reply #11 on: March 13, 2015, 06:03:53 pm »
That looks surprisingly clean.  Way to long for my taste, but it looks good.

dashingw

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 99
  • Last login:February 01, 2025, 06:47:39 pm
  • Miss my 80's
Re: Where can I get 4/8 way joysticks for 1" thick CP
« Reply #12 on: March 13, 2015, 08:42:15 pm »
That looks surprisingly clean.  Way to long for my taste, but it looks good.

Thanks :-)

My Galaga play bumped up after only one use. Back in the 80's I was pretty good. I haven't played it a lot over the years but when I do its usually only as far as level 10 or 11.  I lost my first ship tonight at level 12 and didn't end the game until level 23. I remember the sticks being this long in the early 80's. Maybe they shortened them because the kids reefed on them to much a d damaged them a lot. I'll have to see how a couple other games go, but it feels pretty damn good a d yes it is a very clean job, the only thing visible on it is the very edge of the extension where it joins and you have to get right down there to even see that...
My Cab's made from an old Atari Pit Fighter upright 90/91

mgb

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3500
  • Last login:July 28, 2025, 09:45:32 pm
  • North East, US
Re: Where can I get 4/8 way joysticks for 1" thick CP
« Reply #13 on: March 13, 2015, 09:11:59 pm »
I would need a magical joystick to get to level 12