3D print Battle Zone / Red Baron handles?

[Scotty]

Has anyone seen or created any Battle Zone / Red Baron joystick handles to 3D print?  I want to create a set for Battle Zone for a Mame project, but and not quite there yet as far as 3D modeling goes.   Getting closer, but still need more time.  They do not have to be exact, just something similar.

Thanks,
Scott

[vertexguy]

I don't have your answer but I'm very interested in seeing what you're making!  I loved battle zone and remember a few controller variants growing up that made it even more fun.  I think I remember a periscope type controller too.  That would be cool to figure out a way to recreate.

[Scotty]

Something along the lines of this.....    I read that this will work with a USB adapter, so I might just go that route, but would prefer to print something similar and save the money.

https://segaretro.org/Saturn_Twin-Stick

[PL1]

Is there a reason you don't want to use one of the commonly-available 8-way flight sticks like this?
- Even if you don't like the look/feel of the handle, the base and shaft are a great foundation for a custom handle.



Protip: You'll probably want the long shaft version shown above.
- The short shaft version is too short to under-mount on a 1/4" control panel.
- You'll have to use a metal panel or top-mount it with either 1/8" hardboard (one example here) or a 3d print to cover the mount plate. (OpenSCAD code here)
-- LMK if you'd like an .STL file generated from that code.
-- It's easy to plug in whatever value in mm you want for these 8 variables to make a custom cover.

Code: [Select]

/////////////////////////////
// Define variables
/////////////////////////////
cornerdiameter = 2.5; // Corner diameter and plate thickness
stickdiameter = 30;   // Stick hole diameter
Xplate = 75;          // Plate width (metal is 65)
Yplate = 107;         // Plate length (metal is 97)
Xscrew = 40;          // X-axis distance between screws
Yscrew = 84;          // Y-axis distance between screws
screwbody = 4;        // Screw body diameter
screwhead = 4;        // Screw head diameter -- same as screwbody for non-countersunk screws


Scott

[Scotty]

That's actually the plan.   I was going to use two sticks similar to what you pictured.  Just wondering if anyone had something that looked/feels more like the Battle Zone handle to 3D Print.

[PL1]

Just wondering if anyone had something that looked/feels more like the Battle Zone handle to 3D Print.

Not that I've seen, but it should be fairly easy for someone with the required skillset to make that type of replacement handle.
- You should be able to use the original thumb switch or a Sanwa/Seimitsu microswitch or some other suitable pushbutton. (Sanwa SDM-18 or SDM-20?)
- There's a square part of the shaft that keeps the handle properly aligned and a screw hole on each side of the base to fasten the handle slabs to the shaft.
- You'll also want a few socket cap screws and nuts to hold the sides together.




Scott

[bobbyb13]

I have a dream about at some point building a 4/8 way switchable version of the above trigger and thumb button stick for a vector only machine.

Didn't seem like one existed already (that I can find anyway.) 

[jeremymtc]

Disregard 

[PL1]

One possible mod to try with this 8-way triggerstick is a laser cut neoprene sheet (durometer 70 or 80?) "rounded diamond" restrictor mounted between the microswitches and the bottom plate, making it a bit harder to hit diagonals during the Light Cycles level of TRON while still allowing you to hit diagonals on the MCP and I/O Tower levels.   

I have a dream about at some point building a 4/8 way switchable version of the above trigger and thumb button stick for a vector only machine.

Didn't seem like one existed already (that I can find anyway.) 

Closest thing I've seen is Ultimarc's U360 Flight Stick.
https://www.ultimarc.com/arcade-controls/joysticks/ultrastik-360-oval-top-clone-en/


Scott

[bobbyb13]

One possible mod to try with this 8-way triggerstick is a laser cut neoprene sheet (durometer 70 or 80?) "rounded diamond" restrictor mounted between the microswitches and the bottom plate, making it a bit harder to hit diagonals during the Light Cycles level of TRON while still allowing you to hit diagonals on the MCP and I/O Tower levels.   

I have a dream about at some point building a 4/8 way switchable version of the above trigger and thumb button stick for a vector only machine.

Didn't seem like one existed already (that I can find anyway.) 

Closest thing I've seen is Ultimarc's U360 Flight Stick.
https://www.ultimarc.com/arcade-controls/joysticks/ultrastik-360-oval-top-clone-en/


Scott

That's probably where I'm headed with that Scott.  I have the regular U360s already and if I can make a better physical restrictor for them it might wind up the only stick I ever use.

I just got a NOS Gorf upper restrictor bushing and I plan on using it to build a template to make that and the Tron oriented ones out of skateboard wheels if it comes down to it.

I did find a place that sells blocks of urethane actually (that is exactly what all these things are) but I am not exactly sure what durometer the originals were.
Those things are definitely stiffer than the 78A I like in a skateboard cruising wheel but to me it appears softer than the 100 hardness that all those kick-flipper skate guys love.

If I can get the Smithy milling machine up and running then this becomes considerably easier.

Oh, to have more time...

[jennifer]

Doing skateboard tricks on a 78a would be a death wish in my opinion, just had to say it...I used to make restrictor plates out of acrylic back when Jenn had her Bridgeport, although they did wear relatively quickly... I don't have a durometer so can't say, but the NOS 4 ways I do have (perhaps age hardened) was cast not milled, and seems to be about the same hardness as flexo (flexible thickened epoxy).

[bobbyb13]

Doing skateboard tricks on a 78a would be a death wish in my opinion, just had to say it...I used to make restrictor plates out of acrylic back when Jenn had her Bridgeport, although they did wear relatively quickly... I don't have a durometer so can't say, but the NOS 4 ways I do have (perhaps age hardened) was cast not milled, and seems to be about the same hardness as flexo (flexible thickened epoxy).

I wonder what the flexo stuff works out to for stiffness?
If I could find out what base material I needed I could probably do the community some good finally.

[jennifer]

It is a flexible thickened boat epoxy, in a cartridge and self mixing tips...It appears to be very similar to the original restrictor except in color.

[PL1]

Interesting observation from this thread.

The restrictor plate on a Zippyy joystick is very similar to what you'd need for a triggerstick like this.


Scott

[bobbyb13]

Interesting observation from this thread.

The restrictor plate on a Zippyy joystick is very similar to what you'd need for a triggerstick like this.


Scott

Thanks once again Scott!

Looks like I need to buy some more parts and clear the bench for a little mad scientist joystick mod session.
Having an existing restrictor plate to start with will help immensely for sorting out what I really want.

Of course at the end of it all I imagine the FEEL that I want is 100% old school Wico really- so we'll see how I do on accomplishing that.

I had assumed that this would always be a rubber grommet and leaf switch thing but who knows.

What I'm after is a stick for DOT (not so much a fan of original Tron as the Discs game!) and then the other pair for the vector only idea, and I believe that would actually wind up two different designs.

And then of course we get back to the original post in this thread, which is...

BattleZone/ Red Baron/ whatever 2 button capable handles!

[PL1]

we get back to the original post in this thread, which is...

BattleZone/ Red Baron/ whatever 2 button capable handles!

The top-fire BZ and RB-style handles can be a very difficult shape and size for a comfortable 2 button trigger and thumb setup.

If you want to design replacement 2-button stick handle scales, I'd recommend either keeping the original switch positions and orientations if you want to reuse the original switches and button caps or look at the trigger and thumb button setup on the Star Wars yoke.


Scott

[bobbyb13]

I have a box of different original grips and have been back and forth about what to use for the project.

The ones I like the most for myself anyway are the Star Wars Trilogy/Cyber Sled ones.

Articulation of them is pretty comfortable for this application in my hand- but they are HUGE- wind up taking over the whole control panel really.

And when you want to have an Asteroids button layout and a spinner on there too it seems like it might get crowded with sticks that tall- visually at least.

It is going to take some thinking on.

[Scotty]

because the are so cheap, and come with a 2-way restriictor, I Was thinking of using the Zippyy stick with something that would screw on top.

[PL1]

because the are so cheap, and come with a 2-way restriictor, I Was thinking of using the Zippyy stick with something that would screw on top.

There are several downsides to this approach.

1. The default Zippyy shaft isn't hollow.
- Buying a Zippyy and a hollow shaft brings the total price to almost the same as the triggerstick.

2. It doesn't have the rectangular tabs on the hemispherical pivot to keep the handles facing in the correct direction.
- Without those tabs, if you don't use a slip ring like this one or this one, you can twist the handles enough to damage the wiring.




Scott
P.S. Paradise Arcade Shop and Focus Attack carry several types of LS-32 restrictors for less than $3 each.  See the thread linked in reply #13 for an example of mounting a similar restrictor on a triggerstick.