Building a Star wars yoke from scratch

[menace]

I mentioned this to a couple of guys at the last auction and figured I should post an update...I'm building one out of 1/4" ply and sheet metal--I'll post some pics and a brief how to, when i get it a little further along--I haven't taken as many pics as I should have so there may be some intuitive leaps required by the reader... but it feels and moves like the original so far.  What I could use is some close ups of the original and inside non-blurry shots would be especially appreciated--all my inside shots (that were clear) came from e-bay

[Magnet_Eye]

Damit! I am getting really annoyed with the whole Star Wars thing.. I mean, I love the game.. but is it really worth it to spend tons of hours and money to just play the game? And I doubt anyone who has built Star Wars controls actually ever won the game entirely...

I dunno... I  love that friggin game, but I am starting to question the obsession with it and the obsession to emulate the damn controls....for ONE game? JEEZ!

 

[tep0583]

Hell yes it is.

That was my absolute favorite arcade game of all time.

No BS.

(and it plays like crap with EVERY other controller I've ever user)

[menace]

I dunno... I  love that friggin game, but I am starting to question the obsession with it and the obsession to emulate the damn controls....for ONE game? JEEZ!

normally i would agree with you but I'm actually having fun putting this together and trying to keep it cheap without sacrificng feel and aesthetics (too much)--I'm hoping i can use it with spy hunter too since i desperately want to play that game properly as well

Also, its something i would only do if i could do it myself--if my only option was to buy the yoke then i could proabably live with out. *shrug*

[DrewKaree]

I'm just writing to say THANK YOU!

Thank you for spelling YOKE correctly.

I know this isn't a spelling bee here, but for some reason seeing someone type in "star wars YOLK[/i][/u] always makes me wonder..if they can't figure out that "no eggs were harmed in the making of this control",  HOW the heck can they figure out how to complete one of these things!?!?  

It's one thing to misspell for the sake of tender eyes that may be viewing this site, but my eyes are tender too, and some folks' spelling are like shards of glass in my eye!  

Some things trip a person's anal retentive nerve, others...pheh!

Sorry about that OT rant.

[Xiaou2]

 Menace,  I commend your efforts  : )    They are well worth it in the end... as you just cant play the game correctly without the YOLK.  

  (drewkaree...  you need to Lighten up.  Spelling a word incorrecly isnt a crime... or even worth a single bit of duress.  I may spell things wrong at times... but hey,  Ive got a good heart and I think that counts Far more than anything else in life.  Do not judge or see people for thier flaws ((if spelling wrong is hardly a major flaw )) ... rather seek to see them as you would want to be seen... with love, respect, understanding, forgivness...ect.   Remember that words are just a symbol for what we want to say..  if you can get the point across, whats the big deal?)

  I HIGHLY recomend that you make a pot 'port' so that you can plug/unplug a pedal into the y-axis... instead of using the back/forth motion of the yoke.  It just wont work well enough in spyhunter.  The game is too fast and furrious, and you will just get uber fusterated. (i tried with my yoke) Youll also enjoy other racing games much more that way.

 

[menace]

good tip--thanks!

[crashwg]

rather seek to see them as you would want to be seen... with love, respect, understanding, forgivness...ect.

Are you a chick?  Just givin' ya sh($ Xiaou2

[Stingray]

I look foreward to seeing your how-to, Menace.

-S

[MinerAl]

On the idea of a pot-port and pedals:  would my electric-guitar volume pedal (like a wah-wah but for volume instead of tone) work for a driving game pedal?  I can't imagine cobbling together anything more bullet proof or cooler looking.

This is what I'm talking about.

[GroovyTuesdaY]

Anyone ever make one of those yokes made from PVC pipe and some other stuff?  I remember seeing the site where they give you complete color walkthrough pictures etc., but i don't think i have ever seen where anyone built one of those.  

To answer whether or not its worth it to build a yoke for only one game.....YES, YES & HELL YES!!! lol.   What do you think this site is all about?  Its for us obsessed SOB's  who just can't do without the REAL thing!!!! I don't know how many times my girlfriend has had her friends over to our house and the conversation always comes up about my arcade controls and how they thinks it stupid to spend so much money on it etc.etc...   I always tell them to pi$$ off!  I tell them  that I LOVE ARCADE GAMES and made the controls because I LOVE THE ARCADE GAMES and if they don't like, to damn bad! lol, I don't remember ever "asking" anyone for their approval anyways lol.  
So, anyways, is it worth it?  If a game is worth alot to you as an individual, then hell yea its worth it!!! And don't ever let anyone make you feel stupid for thinking its worth it!  SCREW THEM HIPPIES!!! lol

~Nuff saiD~
GroovY~
 

[GamingGreg]

Anyone ever make one of those yokes made from PVC pipe and some other stuff?  I remember seeing the site where they give you complete color walkthrough pictures etc., but i don't think i have ever seen where anyone built one of those.  

The site you're talking about is http://www.twistygrip.com/.  I know some people have made these, and they do work, but I've heard that the "feel" just isn't the same.

I myself am debating whether I should build my own yoke, or buy one of gamecab's new yokes. Perhaps a hybrid of the twisty grip with happ handles could work? Not sure at this point.

[menace]

update--have the main unit assembled--have to track down some suitable gears and interface the sidewinder.  here's what i have so far:

[GamingGreg]

That's awesome menace!  Where did you get those grips? and how did you attach them to the metal pipe? drill holes and glue?

Looking forward to seeing more pics as your project progresses.

[menace]

civic83 is doing a first draft read of the "how-to" and I still have to find some gears, but i don't think it will be a problem--I will ask saint if the site can host my how to when its done.  

I'm amazed there was no comment on the color of the grips--you must have been biting your tongue...it will all be painted gloss black when the time comes.

[LoRDDeVO]

Are those grips from the spinny lollypop thingies or from the spinny light thingies the have at raves?

[GamingGreg]

civic83 is doing a first draft read of the "how-to" and I still have to find some gears, but i don't think it will be a problem--I will ask saint if the site can host my how to when its done.  

I'm amazed there was no comment on the color of the grips--you must have been biting your tongue...it will all be painted gloss black when the time comes.

Yeah I kind of was bitting my tongue.  I figured you were probably going to paint them.  And now that LoRDDeVO has mentioned it, they do look like the grips off of some candy lollipop toy.  I hope they are sturdy enough for you.

[JustMichael]

On the idea of a pot-port and pedals:  would my electric-guitar volume pedal (like a wah-wah but for volume instead of tone) work for a driving game pedal?  I can't imagine cobbling together anything more bullet proof or cooler looking.

This is what I'm talking about.

Nope.  The pot (potentiometer) needs to have a linear taper not a audio taper.   Now if you replaced the pot in the pedal with a 100K linear taper pot, you could hook it up directly to the gameport on the pc.  If the pedal turns the pot only part of the way, you could use a large value pot.  100K linear pots are easy to find so I would try that route first.

[Brax]

What I could use is some close ups of the original and inside non-blurry shots would be especially appreciated--all my inside shots (that were clear) came from e-bay

Damn, I wish you would have said something before the auction, I could have brought you the real thing to check out.  What areas do you need to see?

[menace]

Mighty kind of you brax--I could use a shot from the rear with its cover off (that didn't sound very good did it...) so i can see the x pot and a close top down shot so i can see the Y pot. thats about it!  thanks again!

[GamingGreg]

Does anyone know the range of motion for each axis on a real yoke?  It seems from what I remember it was around 180 degrees or less.  I don't believe it's a full 270 degrees like the driving wheels.

Also I noticed on 1up's page here, that there was a larger gear on the main axis and a smaller gear on the pot.  Does anyone know what the gear ratio (#of large gear teeth to # of small gear teeth) is on these two axis are?

Also, some basic dimensions of the yoke would help, if anyone has those.

[GroovyTuesdaY]

Menace, just wanted to make sure your aware that if your going to use spray paint for those plastic grips, you might want to make sure you are using a  "plastic safe"  paint.  If not, the accelerator chemical that is used in most spray paints can cause plastics to  be eaten. I don't think you want that lol.

Maybe there are some hobbyists out there who know some paints that are plastic safe.    I have used the spray paint they use on R/C lexan car bodies as it is plastic safe, so there is a start anyways.  Do some checking so you dont ruin your grips

groooovY~  

[Chris]

What I could use is some close ups of the original and inside non-blurry shots would be especially appreciated--all my inside shots (that were clear) came from e-bay

This is the closest I have...

[Tiger-Heli]

All - see this previous thread for a similar idea -

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=2699;start=0

Menace - check you PM.

Also - I assume you will add thumb buttons, correct?

Any chance of you selling completed assemblies?

[menace]

Got your Pm--thanks for the tips!

The handles are from one of those spinny light things--they are remarkably tough for what they are--once painted with some krylon they should look pretty good--triggers will be red.  

As far as thumb buttons--i haven't added them as of yet--I played the game in mame with 2 buttons only--what were the functions of the other two--just mirrors?  or did they have distinct functions (its been so long since I've played on an actual machine I completely forget )

I doubt they will become a marketing thing--don't have the time, but I will be posting (hopefully here) a full HOW TO doc when they are finished.  My goal: No component over 10$ (including the sidewinder--they are so cheap now) out of parts you likely already have laying around or can readily obtain--there will be dimensioned drawings in there too so you don't have to think about it!

Anyways, if you can wait till I'm done, then all questions will be answered in time.  Keep the tips coming though--there may be (and quite likely) is things i'm forgetting about the original.

[Tiger-Heli]

As far as thumb buttons--i haven't added them as of yet--I played the game in mame with 2 buttons only--what were the functions of the other two--just mirrors?  or did they have distinct functions (its been so long since I've played on an actual machine I completely forget )

In Star wars, all 4 buttons (2 triggers and 2 thumbs) only fire the lasers.

In Empire Strikes Back, the triggers fire lasers and the thumb buttons fire TOW cables.

In Return of the Jedi, the triggers fire lasers, and the thumb buttons fire lasers and rotate the turret (left and right) on the AT-ST walker levels.

So for the SW series, you need the Triggers on the same button and the thumb buttons on independent buttons (3 inputs total).  I would wire each button to an individual input though, as that is how an original yoke was wired and it would be helpful for using the yoke with driving games, etc.  (or just more functionality in general).  You can always set MAME to "L Ctrl or L Shift" if a given game has only one input and you need the game to work with either trigger).

BTW - most SW MAME games are set up as:

Button 1 - Left Trigger
Button 2 - Left Thumb
Button 3 - Right Thumb
Button 4 - Right Trigger

[Gamecab]

I still have to find some gears, but i don't think it will be a problem--

Did you say gears?  Try www.mcmaster.com , and do a search for nylon gears.  I get my gears for the GameCab flight yokes from them.  The price can vary depending on what ratio that you actually need but in the end I think you will be happy with the results.  I tried different gears from other vendors but really was not too impressed.

Good Luck with the Yoke

Charlie

[Generic Eric]

well, I have a page of information (tread with caution, as it may be inaccurate, or I may have misqouted someone,) with various pictures in my signature

[Generic Eric]

<snipped>
Did you say gears?  Try www.mcmaster.com , and do a search for nylon gears.  I get my gears for the GameCab flight yokes from them.  
<snipped>
Charlie

Care to share the part numbers?

[menace]

thanks for the info guys--Since I'm building from scratch i have significantly more leeway in parts than in modifying an existing--It was my plan to use 2:1 gear ratio and hopefully with analogue adjustments in mame, should result in some fair representation.  If not, then I'll change the ratio to better suit.  i have a line on some gears from a hobby store so that if anyone ever wanted to duplicate my efforts it would be fairly easy.

[Gamecab]

<snipped>
Did you say gears?  Try www.mcmaster.com , and do a search for nylon gears.  I get my gears for the GameCab flight yokes from them.  
<snipped>
Charlie

Care to share the part numbers?

I use this part number for the 1/2 Inch shaft 57655K56.  I use this part number for the 1/4 inch pot 57655K55.  Both gears are perfect for the Yokes that I produce but be aware that you will have to add a set screw to both gears.  Due to the fact that both gears are 100% nylon you can drill a small hole and add your own in no time at all.   Keep in mind that the gears are not the cheapest priced as far as gears would go but they are of good quality.

Charlie

[saint]

Just email me when you're ready to put it online -- I'll be very happy to post it

My Yoke is at work right now, and my grips are elsewhere, but if you still need pictures of hte insides let me know and I can get them next week.

--- saint

civic83 is doing a first draft read of the "how-to" and I still have to find some gears, but i don't think it will be a problem--I will ask saint if the site can host my how to when its done.  

I'm amazed there was no comment on the color of the grips--you must have been biting your tongue...it will all be painted gloss black when the time comes.

[menace]

Thanks saint!  I appreciate the webspace --so far its just a word doc with pictures that sits around 2mb (50% done or so) but i'll forward it along when its all finished and proofed (as well as an engineer can proof writing that is )

[Stormy151]

Maybe an odd question, but could somebody with an original Atari yoke tell me how long/wide/deep the actual grips are?  I know I could buy a set of grips from Bob Roberts or Happ, but I'd like to try my hand at making a set- more fun that way...

[FractalWalk]

A handgrip on the Atari yoke is about 5"long,  1" wide and 2" deep at its widest part.

[menace]

Ok, POT question (not the give-you-the-munchies kind )  the dual strikes are 20k pots and have 180 degree range of motion but I've noticed 1up and others have hooked up the original atari pots (unknown resistance) and all worked well.  What pot can give me the 3/4 turn that I need and still function with the dual strike.  I guess i could change the gear ratio(now 2:1), but the gears i found are easy to find and cheap making them a great candidate for this little project.

[Brax]

My understanding is that the dual strikes use 20k pots but they only use 1/4 turn for their range of motion which equals only 5k (used). This matches the arcade pots of 5k. Desolder the dual strike pots, wire up the arcade pots and you're good to go.

(I've yet to do mine but that's my understanding of the process.) Let me know if I'm horribly off base.

[menace]

So if i can find a 5k--3/4 turn pot, I can use its entire range of motion on my home built one, and be recognized by the dual strike--ok--thanks for the clarification!

[GamingGreg]

So if i can find a 5k--3/4 turn pot, I can use its entire range of motion on my home built one, and be recognized by the dual strike--ok--thanks for the clarification!

I don't think the original yoke had a full 3/4 (270 degrees) of travel on any axis.  My guess is that it's just under 180 degrees on the x-axis and around 90 degrees on the y-axis (maybe a bit more).

Can anyone tell us the amount of travel allowed on each axis from the original yoke?

[Xiaou2]

 I cant tell exactly from your pic... but are the grips completely vertical or are they angles inwards at the top like the original yoke?

 Its VERY important to angle the grips.  My first yoke attempt had no slants...  i found that pushing up and down too far on the y axis caused pain and discomfort on the wrist.  

 The inward angle helps to turn your wrist, into a position that allows greater up/down travel, without discomfort.

  The slants wernt just for deco as i once thought...  so I rebuilt the sleeves that connected to the grips with a slanted mounting cut... and it worked so much better.

 

[menace]

yep they're slanted--although wider than the original (i am, after all, no longer 12 years old )

as far as rotation goes i'm going to have 60+ degrees in each direction (I had brax do some angle guesstimation for me) and with a 2:1 gear ratio that roughly equals 240-260 degrees or close to 3/4 of a turn--piece of cake--now to just finish building it....

[GamingGreg]

yep they're slanted--although wider than the original (i am, after all, no longer 12 years old )

as far as rotation goes i'm going to have 60+ degrees in each direction (I had brax do some angle guesstimation for me) and with a 2:1 gear ratio that roughly equals 240-260 degrees or close to 3/4 of a turn--piece of cake--now to just finish building it....

So that's about 120+ degrees of turn on the x-axis.  How about the y-axis (the grips)? Is it the same there as well?

[menace]

yep going to be the same

could someone tell me if both the x and y return to center?  I'm pretty sure they do but just wanted to double check--its so close to being done now--woohoo....

[Stormy151]

I've seen people mention refurbishing original yokes, is there a place the springs can be purchased?

If not, I'll figure out another way to get them to return to center, I'm basically copying Atari's design.

[FractalWalk]

Both X & Y return to center.

[menace]

thanks!

[GamingGreg]

I imagine that finding some springs with the right strength will be tricky.  They need to be strong enough to return you to center, but not so strong as to make manuvering the control difficult.  I believe you can find rotational springs (is that the right term?) like the original yoke used, but I'm not sure where (hobby store maybe).  I have seen some yoke designs (such as Joey's) that use just a standard pull spring that is pulled and partially wrapped around the axis. So that's another option.

Menace,

I'm looking forward to more pics and your writeup when you're done (no pressure).  I'm still curious as to what kind of turntable bearing you've found that holds those two pieces together (and also where you found it). Also I'm curious as to how you attached the grips to the pipe.

Anyway, thanks again for insipiring us all.  I really want to make a yoke now too!

[menace]

I have it all together now, and am probably going to finish the writeup-tonight or tomorrow--i hit a few snags and had to back track, but the writeup shouldn't reflect that.  There are no weird or hard to find parts on this entire build (with the exception of the grips--other than dollar stores, walmart or others, i don't know who cares them with regularity.)  Oddly enough the write-up is taking as long as the construction since I had to stop and document what I was doing before I got too carried away--be warned, there are still going to be some leaps of engineering required on the part of the builder

I will then pass the doc to tiger-heli for a proof read and then post away--here's an almost finished pic to keep the interest up  

[Gamecab]

Menace,

I really like it.  It's a nice design and looks pretty easy to build.  I am also Impressed by your choice in gears, they look to be the same ratio as the gears that I purchase.  

I just wish I was able to duplicate a plastic version of the SW grips that were loaned to me.  The SW grip duplication was a project that I was working on but I kept getting too many air bubbles in my latex molds.  After $150 in Latex I decided to give up.  I may dust off and complete my Road Blaster Grips as they are plastic and seem to take to a latex mold with less air pockets.  I'll let you know if I can manage to duplicate those grips, if your interested.

[Xiaou2]

menace, nice so far.  needs a bit of tweaking still i think...


  the metal y shaft looks like it has threads.  these will eat away at the wood where it rest, like a saw!  

 you could attach a smooth metal surround piece to act as a brushing to protect the wood.

 the cotter pins will probably wear into the wooden sides and carve into them.  this may also cause the springs damage... as well as the pins comming loose or bending

 the metal ends that attack to the wood arnt so pretty...  in my design... i took a thick wooden dowel and drilled a hole though it.  then glued the dowel to the hand grips (after sawing in the correct angle)   Since your grips need a greater surface strength - you could use a simuar technique but just glue the dowels to the woodblocks.   Youll still want to pop 2 or 3 micro screws into the dowel fron the woodblock side - for additional strength)    

  you can use the dowels as a means to keep the shaft from moving.  leaving just enough space for smooth movment.  
 
  Drilling  holes thru the dowels.. you then screw in some bolts into the shaft.  the nuts will be on the underside of the dowel so as to be invisible yet easy to access later on - if ever needed.

 funny enough... we both ended up using the same gears! : )  they are great.  heavy duty, and good depth so as not to slip.

 the springs look too flimbsy.  you may want heavier duty ones (thicker gauge).   Also.. you may want to use a different type of spring for the x axis - as shown in the original picture (cant recall the name of those types of springs) - as they would be better to return the thing to the center properly.

 the kind of springs you used will strecth out of whack in a short time period and cause the centering to be off... as well as maybe making an odd echo-ing stretching noise...

 ill try to pop some more pics of my yoke up soon for examples..

see dowel on upper middle part...  ill try to snap better pics later...

 

[Stormy151]

Are those the gears from McMaster?  I scavenged some gears for mine out of an old automatic swimming pool cleaner, I think they'll work but I haven't tried them yet...

[Tiger-Heli]

 the metal y shaft looks like it has threads.  these will eat away at the wood where it rest, like a saw!  
 you could attach a smooth metal surround piece to act as a brushing to protect the wood.

It looks to me like there is a nut on either side holding the Y-shaft in place.  As long as these are suitably tightened, I wouldn't expect a problem.  You might be right, though.

the cotter pins will probably wear into the wooden sides and carve into them.  this may also cause the springs damage... as well as the pins comming loose or bending

Easy solution to prevent this is a large fender washer between the cotter pin and the side support wood.

the metal ends that attack to the wood arnt so pretty...  in my design... i took a thick wooden dowel and drilled a hole though it.  then glued the dowel to the hand grips (after sawing in the correct angle)   Since your grips need a greater surface strength - you could use a simuar technique but just glue the dowels to the woodblocks.   Youll still want to pop 2 or 3 micro screws into the dowel fron the woodblock side - for additional strength)    

This might look a little better, but the metal ends don't bother me.  I think I would like the grips a little closer in to the side supports (shorter grip shaft length).

the springs look too flimbsy.  you may want heavier duty ones (thicker gauge).   Also.. you may want to use a different type of spring for the x axis - as shown in the original picture (cant recall the name of those types of springs) - as they would be better to return the thing to the center properly.
 the kind of springs you used will strecth out of whack in a short time period and cause the centering to be off... as well as maybe making an odd echo-ing stretching noise...

I think thicker springs might be a good idea as well.  I like the spring attachment design, though, simple and functional.

[menace]

the metal y shaft looks like it has threads.  these will eat away at the wood where it rest, like a saw!

no worries, for the x direction another bearing is taking the load so even if the hole widens some, the yoke will still function the same

For the y-direction--I anticipate some settling but the threads run parrallel to the wood grain and will be rotated with no (or little) lateral movement--its my hope that once they find their groove any future chages will not be appreciable.

the cotter pins will probably wear into the wooden sides and carve into them.  this may also cause the springs damage... as well as the pins comming loose or bending

good ctach--this happened on my first run but have since moved the cotter pins in 1/16" keeping them from hitting the sides--In hindsight I should have used a washer and will amend the write-up to reflect this.

the metal ends that attack to the wood arnt so pretty...

 

true enough but the shaft will have some heat shrink tubing covering it up to the edge and the rest will be painted black to match--it will just look like another contour when done.  the grips can be moved in or out depending on preference, nothing in the design would be affected by grip width.

the springs look too flimbsy.  you may want heavier duty ones (thicker gauge).

Its too early for me to tell, but I hope you're wrong --heavier duty springs might be needed but once the restrictors are in place they only lengthen the existing springs by 1/2" or so--easily managed by these little guys.

The 90% copy is about to be sent to tiger-heli, while I finish and test this beauty  

[Gamecab]

Are those the gears from McMaster?  I scavenged some gears for mine out of an old automatic swimming pool cleaner, I think they'll work but I haven't tried them yet...

No.  The McMaster gears are white and teeth of the gears have sharper points to them, but they are pretty close.  The McMaster gears are good but the price really is not.

[PacManFan]

If everybody is looking for good quality gears, don't forget about ripping apart an old printer. Every week on trash day in my neigborhood, I usually see one on the curb. Printers have lots of good electro-mechanical parts and are usually pretty easy to dis-assemble. You could use the shafts with the gears already mounted on them. I built an entire CNC router using only printer parts and a dremel .

-PMF

[Edgedamage]

If everybody is looking for good quality gears, don't forget about ripping apart an old printer. Every week on trash day in my neigborhood, I usually see one on the curb. Printers have lots of good electro-mechanical parts and are usually pretty easy to dis-assemble. You could use the shafts with the gears already mounted on them. I built an entire CNC router using only printer parts and a dremel .

-PMF

Wow I would love to see pics of that!!

[menace]

So the yoke is built, the write-up is done and everything tests fine EXCEPT...when I start star wars the crosshairs are positioned to the lower left??  It reads dead center in windows joystick setup and in empire strikes back--Anyone know how to adjust the game itself?

Once i know that its not yoke related, i will take a final picture, attach it to the write-up and submit it here--thanks to all who have helped me out with this--you know who you are...

[JustMichael]

Have you tried deleting the .cfg file for starwars?  Did you go into the test menu to see how it sees the yoke?

[menace]

drum roll please--here it is... (ignore the sawdust )

[menace]

front view

[menace]

Have you tried deleting the .cfg file for starwars?  Did you go into the test menu to see how it sees the yoke?

No i haven't --good idea, I completely forgot about those

As far as seeing it in the test program, it sees the yoke as perfectly centered as well--very strange

So who do I send the write-up to anyways?

[Generic Eric]

So who do I send the write-up to anyways?

Is it plain text or html w/ pics?  Could you just post it (as a reply) or attach it in the thread?

I am looking forward to reading the write-up.  Does it include a parts list?

[Tiger-Heli]

So who do I send the write-up to anyways?

Is it plain text or html w/ pics?  Could you just post it (as a reply) or attach it in the thread?

I am looking forward to reading the write-up.  Does it include a parts list?

I should let Menace answer this, but - Currently it's a Word doc with pics, but it could be converted to HTML.  It's 14 pages and 3Meg, so it would be hard to attach or post as a reply.

There is a basic parts list.  I'm not the most mechanically inclined and from reading the write-up twice, I felt I could build this.  Menace has done a great job of creating a simple yoke design and documenting how to build it.

[GGKoul]

Menace, that looks good.

Great Job!!  I can't wait to read the write-up.

-GGKoul

[Generic Eric]

So who do I send the write-up to anyways?

Is it plain text or html w/ pics?  Could you just post it (as a reply) or attach it in the thread?

I am looking forward to reading the write-up.  Does it include a parts list?

I should let Menace answer this, but - Currently it's a Word doc with pics, but it could be converted to HTML.  It's 14 pages and 3Meg, so it would be hard to attach or post as a reply.

There is a basic parts list.  I'm not the most mechanically inclined and from reading the write-up twice, I felt I could build this.  Menace has done a great job of creating a simple yoke design and documenting how to build it.

Sounds quite detailed.  Thanks for the reply.  I'll be waiting.

[Generic Eric]

So who do I send the write-up to anyways?

Email Saint, he posted it on page one.

Thanks for your effort Menace, and to those that helped you.  Looking forward to seeing it.

[GamingGreg]

I was wondering how those grips were going to look once they were painted.  Not bad.  Awesome work Menace!  Can't wait for the write up.

[GGKoul]

I can host the file for Menace.

Send it to ggkoul@cogeco.ca

I'll have it up ASAP once I receive the file.

[ErikRuud]

GameCab,

Have you tried RTV silicone instead of latex. I use it all the time for slot car molds.

http://www.smoothon.com

[Nannuu]

WHOA!!!!!  That is awesome!!  Very well done!!!  I guess I will have a yoke after all  

[Chris]

VERY sharp!  I particularly like the way the grips came out... when I first saw them I thought they were gonna look silly, but after painting, they're quite sharp.

I am concerned, though, about the possibility of the paint wearing off.  I wonder if the stretchy grip material used for baseball bat handles would work well here?

Oh, and what kind of controller are you using as your interface?

--Chris

[Stormy151]

Or you could try that spray on rubber grip stuff, it comes in black.  I think it's called "Plasti-Dip".

Where's the tut?  I'm dyin' ovah heah!  

[G@M3FR3@K]

Oh, and what kind of controller are you using as your interface?

--Chris

I believe he is using a Microsoft Sidewinder Dual Strike  Gamepad hack like the one documented on 1UP's Arcade site.

I'm pretty sure if you wait for Menace's writeup (tutorial), he will tell you exactly what he used and how he did it.  

[Xiaou2]

 looking pretty decent.

 however,  i still have to advise that you put some small metal tubes on the sides, to act as brushings/bearings.  (hmm, rollerblade bearings might fit the shaft if its not too thick...)

 when you mentioned that the grooves in the shaft would just settle in place - i dont think you realized something...

 if the handles moved left to right a bit as you moved back/forth - then yes... the groove wouldnt be altered much.  

 but since its meant not to sway - and even if it was... it might not because your hands force will alter its course... its gonna eat a new path into the wood.  Couple that with the constant downward pressure that your most likely putting on it as you play... it will further destroy and dig deep into the soft wood.

 ohh - and dont forget about the springs.  you have them pulling up on the shaft - thus it will also eat the upper part of the wood up at times.


 once the sawing takes place - there will be more and more 'play' - which will cause greater damage because the added forces will magnify with the pivot.   eventually the  gears will get out of place and chip/bind/break... ect.

 its not hard to find a part to act as a propper brushing... certainly not as hard as having to rebuild the entire 2 side assemblies with limited play...

  edit:  just noticed  -  easy fix.   just get 2 more of those metal end parts and pop them into the sides from the inside outwards. (so the large metal circle is on the inside)   Mount it by drilling 2 small holes in it and screw it down... or simply just woodglue it in place using the outter rim.    it might cover the bar all the way to the outter part - thus making it a bit more pretty. : )    if too long - just sand or cut down.... or use washers or a simular spacer to keep it from sticking out as far.

 

[Tiger-Heli]

 edit:  just noticed  -  easy fix.   just get 2 more of those metal end parts and pop them into the sides from the inside outwards.

If I understand what you are saying, the metal end parts above are a separate washer and a threaded nut, so that won't work.

I like your idea though, and it should be possible to add a spacer with a washer on the end (one piece deal) that will slide over lamp rod and could mount to the inside of the yoke side panels.  Failing that, it wouldn't be very hard to find metal sleeves and overdrill the holes and glue them in place.

Now that I think about it, you could make the sleeves the length of the side panel plus the threaded rod extension, place the sleeves loose over the rod, tighten the handles and have very little if any threaded rod showing.

And all of this is only required on the handle grip axis, the side-to-side axis is fine without a bushing (when the plans come out, you'll understand).

[menace]

Write-up submitted to saint, I will post details (or he will) on how to find it.  thanks for the help, tips and pointers thrown my way by you guys!  there's tons of room for adjustments and personal hacks so by all means feel free to contribute--I have been amending it with suggestions taken from here but I figured at some point a finished copy has to be submitted.  After you read it feel free to post any questions you have.  I was 50% done when I started the write-up so I may have glossed over some of the early bits--we'll see I guess...

[HagHore]

Freaking awesome!  Now all I have to do is come up with the funds to build another cab...oh, and find room for it and get the wife's approval.

[Lilwolf]

WOW!

When looking at the original pictures... I was thinking... it will probably work, but do you want that in your room?

Amazing Job!  Cleaned up VERY nice!

[menace]

I can't believe you guys didn't like the techno color handles I mean--nothing says class like florescent purple and green    I'm quite happy with how it looks and feels--other than I bought one glossy screw head cover while the other three are matte finish--ah well

Oh yeah, and once it stops F^%^NG snowing i will buy some black heat shrink to put on the exposed handle shafts--I'll take another pic after.

[Generic Eric]

So who do I send the write-up to anyways?

Email Saint, he posted it on page one.

Thanks for your effort Menace, and to those that helped you.  Looking forward to seeing it.

RIGHT ON!

Very detailed.  I want to work on my yoke now, even more than before.

[Tiger-Heli]

I imagine this was posted on the main page, but for those that don't go there, the write-up is posted at:

http://www.arcadecontrols.com/hosted/yoke/

Thanks again to Menace for this very useful addition to the community.

[Chris]

This looks incredible!  Well done!

D'ya think it would it be too much of a sacrilege if I put a rectangular illuminated button in the middle of the yoke for the van in Spy Hunter?  (For those with yokes already, does Spy Hunter play well with a yoke?)

--Chris

[menace]

That was one of my future plans--although i don't know how well the yoke works with spy hunter as of yet--post back if you do it first!

[Tiger-Heli]

This looks incredible!  Well done!

D'ya think it would it be too much of a sacrilege if I put a rectangular illuminated button in the middle of the yoke for the van in Spy Hunter?  (For those with yokes already, does Spy Hunter play well with a yoke?)

--Chris

Can't say how the yoke works in Spy Hunter.  I like the idea, however:

The VAN light, if it functions in MAME, is probably driven off one of the Keyboard LED's.  The dual Strike joystick could care less about the keyboard LED settings, so you would probably have to run a feed off the I-PAC or hack a USB keyboard, just to get the yoke button to illuminate . . .

Not that it's not a cool idea, or wouldn't be worth it.

[Brax]

Looks great Menace.

It's funny, I wasn't keeping an eye on this thread very closely but I'd check in periodically, but it reminded me about the ROTJ yoke overlay I downloaded somewhere and I meant to upload it to the library. I uploaded it last night! Imagine my surprise when I see it on your yoke! (I guess I wasn't the only one to find it hehe) Funny coincidences.
Did you use Krylon Fusion paint for the handles? I just tried the stuff (last night) on a computer case and I'm really impressed with it. It takes a week to fully cure though so if that's the same stuff you used try to take it easy on the handles for a week or so.........yeah, right.

[GamingGreg]

Thanks for your awsome yoke and writeup!  It's so cool.

You've inspired me to "build my own yoke" as well.  

[froggerman]

Brax: where did you upload the ROTJ yoke overlay? I couldn't find it in the Arcade Art Library. Am I looking in the wrong place?  

[wj2k3]

http://www.localarcade.com/4images/details.php?image_id=172

[froggerman]

Thanks wj2k3. That is the Star Wars yoke overlay. I was looking for the Return of the Jedi yoke overlay that is shown on the yoke earlier in this thread.

[Generic Eric]

D'ya think it would it be too much of a sacrilege if I put a rectangular illuminated button in the middle of the yoke for the van in Spy Hunter?  (For those with yokes already, does Spy Hunter play well with a yoke?)
--Chris

As long as the yoke cover was "scratch built."  The sacrilege comes when you destroy a collectibe control.  The only other caveat would be that it should not contradict the star wars theme(if you choose to have one.)

[Generic Eric]

Menace, who long do you think it would take to build the yoke from scratch?

Has anyone built a yoke based on this guide? Geez...I am crazy...the guide was posted for less than a day, and I am asking if anyone has built one yet...

Call me a wanker.

[Tiger-Heli]

Thanks wj2k3. That is the Star Wars yoke overlay. I was looking for the Return of the Jedi yoke overlay that is shown on the yoke earlier in this thread.

There's a very high-res one here:

http://www.arcadecollecting.com/caga/unclean/

It was there before Brax posted his, though, I'm pretty sure.

[Brax]

Thanks wj2k3. That is the Star Wars yoke overlay. I was looking for the Return of the Jedi yoke overlay that is shown on the yoke earlier in this thread.

There's a very high-res one here:

http://www.arcadecollecting.com/caga/unclean/

Hmmm, it didn't seem to upload. But, yes thats where I found it quite some time ago. I was trying to post it to the non-vector category, hoping someone might vectorize it.

It was there before Brax posted his, though, I'm pretty sure.

[menace]

Menace, who long do you think it would take to build the yoke from scratch?

hmmm.. hard to say.  I built it over the course of a few weeks with an hour here and there.  there were also pauses so that the construction didn't get ahead of the write-up.  If you have all the parts on hand, i can't imagine it would take that long.

As far as the art goes, I liked the look of the jedi one better just cause it had a bit more color.  Either way it will have to be deformed in photoshop since my yoke isn't the exact same size or shape as the original.

[Generic Eric]

Menace

Do you have an estimate on the materials (not including "prototyping cost) to make a yoke based on your design?  I know that you said not any part over $10.  
Good Stuff!

[Tiger-Heli]

Thanks wj2k3. That is the Star Wars yoke overlay. I was looking for the Return of the Jedi yoke overlay that is shown on the yoke earlier in this thread.

There's a very high-res one here:

http://www.arcadecollecting.com/caga/unclean/

Hmmm, it didn't seem to upload. But, yes thats where I found it quite some time ago. I was trying to post it to the non-vector category, hoping someone might vectorize it.

It was there before Brax posted his, though, I'm pretty sure.

Just some more details - The link works for me http://www.arcadecollecting.com/caga/unclean/
Once there, click on RotJ-yoke-overlay.zip
It should download however - 4.8M zip file, 6.2M image.
Image itself is 850x2538 pixels and is a .psd (photoshop) file (can be read by Qucktime, Gimp, and PaintShop Pro.)

[Tiger-Heli]

Menace

Do you have an estimate on the materials (not including "prototyping cost) to make a yoke based on your design?  I know that you said not any part over $10.  
Good Stuff!

I could rough it out for you -
Dual Strike - (E-bay $10.00 ?)
Sheetmetal ($2.00 - ??)
Screws and cotter pins and washers, L-brackets ($8.00, approx)
LampRod and nuts (approx $8.00)
2 Spinning light thing-a-majigs (approx $4.00)
Wood (roughly $5.00 )
Lazy Susan bearing (couldn't find a small one, but a 5" one was about $5.00)
Pair of Leaf swithces ($6.00 from bobroberts ($4.50 if you use Radio Shack buttons
4 Gears - (I'm gonna guess $10.00) I saw a similar set at a model train show for $1.99 a pair, but don't know if they're identical
Project Board ($3.00 ??)
Plate Hangers ($5.00)
Pots ($6.00, based on #271-1714)
Wire ($3.00)
Paint ($6.00)

TOTAL - $73.00, give or take probably $10 either way.  This assumes you don't have ANY of these parts lying around somewhere.  Not bad, especially given the end result, but it does add up . . .

[menace]

Here's what I spent: $0 means I had it on hand

dual strike $5.00 (got 2 for $10.00 on ebay)
leaf springs $0
screws, cotter pins etc $0
lamp rod and nuts $7.50 (CDN)
gears  $0
3" lazy susan bearing $2.99 (CDN-home depot)
project board $1.99 (CDN)
pots $2 ($5.00 for metal ones --what I should have used) (CDN)
plate hanger $3.00 Rona (CDN building box place)
spinning light things $1.50 ea. CDN Zellers (walmart wanna be store)
wire $0 taken from same tv as case material
wood $0
sheet metal $0--spare furnace duct

total for me was about 30-40$ CDN--In my particular case I had alot of stuff laying around that was begging to be used as a yoke-but from scratch it could be a bit more.  I would scavenge your basement/attic for parts before buying anything as some parts could be substituted for something you have on hand.

[Stormy151]

So how many people are building SW yokes based on this tutorial right now?  I know I am.

Here's an idea- someone should figure out how to add a set of pedals to this, so it could double as a steering wheel...

[Tiger-Heli]

So how many people are building SW yokes based on this tutorial right now?  I know I am.

Here's an idea- someone should figure out how to add a set of pedals to this, so it could double as a steering wheel...

Problem - yoke is limited to 60 degrees of travel - most steering wheels have 270 - but it it possible.

Can't do that with a Dual Strike, as a dual strike only supports two pots.

You could interface the yoke and a set of pedals to the gameport (if your PC still has one) and not use the dual strike.

You could separately interface the pedals using a second dual strike and MAME analog plus.

You could interface both the yoke and pedals to daveb's interface (when available) instead of using dualstrikes - http://dave.bit2000.com/

[Chris]

So how many people are building SW yokes based on this tutorial right now?  I know I am.

Here's an idea- someone should figure out how to add a set of pedals to this, so it could double as a steering wheel...

ACT-LABS has standalone USB pedals.  http://www.act-labs.com/Products/pedal.htm

[Tiger-Heli]

So how many people are building SW yokes based on this tutorial right now?  I know I am.

Here's an idea- someone should figure out how to add a set of pedals to this, so it could double as a steering wheel...

ACT-LABS has standalone USB pedals.  http://www.act-labs.com/Products/pedal.htm

For anyone who has these - are the gas and brake single axis - dual axis, or selectable.

In otherwords, does mashing the brake make the cursor move up and mashing the gas makes it go down, or does the gas move up and down and the brake moves side to side.

Thanks in advance.

[patrickl]

That's weird. On my set the gas and brake use a different axis. I have the Performance set with the 3 pedals (with a seperate clutch) The clutch is a third axis.

I have not been able to get this to work with Mame btw. So maybe you can configure it to have the gas and brake to work on the same axis?

[Tiger-Heli]

That's weird. On my set the gas and brake use a different axis. I have the Performance set with the 3 pedals (with a seperate clutch) The clutch is a third axis.

I have not been able to get this to work with Mame btw. So maybe you can configure it to have the gas and brake to work on the same axis?

That's actually what I was hoping - separate axis.  Outrun needs this (actually, I think the brake is just a switch, not a pot in the real game), but you don't get brake lights if you use a single axis pedal set.

Patrickl, have you tried using MAME analog plus for this.  I think it allows you to remap joystick axes, and I'm not sure vanilla MAME does.

[patrickl]

That's weird. On my set the gas and brake use a different axis. I have the Performance set with the 3 pedals (with a seperate clutch) The clutch is a third axis.

I have not been able to get this to work with Mame btw. So maybe you can configure it to have the gas and brake to work on the same axis?

That's actually what I was hoping - separate axis.  Outrun needs this (actually, I think the brake is just a switch, not a pot in the real game), but you don't get brake lights if you use a single axis pedal set.

Patrickl, have you tried using MAME analog plus for this.  I think it allows you to remap joystick axes, and I'm not sure vanilla MAME does.

I might have to try MAME Analog plus then. The pedal set I have is actually a seperate 3 axis joystick from the steering wheel. It's not like the standard pedals that come with the wheel (where the axis of the pedals are integrated whith the wheel). I have been unable to get both controllers to work at the same time, but I haven't tried very hard either.

There was some discussion about Out Run earlier. I thought PaigeOliver said that Outrun was supposed to have a pot gas and brake. I even saw something about people hacking MAME to change this. Can't remember where I saw it though. I'm really hoping it will be a pot controlled pedal one day.

[Danny R]

So how many people are building SW yokes based on this tutorial right now?  I know I am.

Purchased my Dual Strike yesterday on ebay... $9 and change.  If I bid against anyone here, sorry.

[Tiger-Heli]

That's weird. On my set the gas and brake use a different axis. I have the Performance set with the 3 pedals (with a seperate clutch) The clutch is a third axis.

I have not been able to get this to work with Mame btw. So maybe you can configure it to have the gas and brake to work on the same axis?

That's actually what I was hoping - separate axis.  Outrun needs this (actually, I think the brake is just a switch, not a pot in the real game), but you don't get brake lights if you use a single axis pedal set.

Patrickl, have you tried using MAME analog plus for this.  I think it allows you to remap joystick axes, and I'm not sure vanilla MAME does.

I might have to try MAME Analog plus then. The pedal set I have is actually a seperate 3 axis joystick from the steering wheel. It's not like the standard pedals that come with the wheel (where the axis of the pedals are integrated whith the wheel). I have been unable to get both controllers to work at the same time, but I haven't tried very hard either.

There was some discussion about Out Run earlier. I thought PaigeOliver said that Outrun was supposed to have a pot gas and brake. I even saw something about people hacking MAME to change this. Can't remember where I saw it though. I'm really hoping it will be a pot controlled pedal one day.

If it's set up as a three-axis stick, I might want to pick a set up.

I saw the Outrun thread.  I just checked the owner's manual on KLOV.  Definitely separate brake and accel pots.

Of course all the system16 games in MAME are still being re-written so maybe this will get fixed then.

[Stormy151]

I just got my Dual Strike yesterday too.  Got it off Half.com for 15 bucks shipped.

I wonder, if you had the yoke interfaced as a joystick- would a mouse still function?  Because you have 2 axes right there- they wouldn't be pots, but I bet they'd still work.

Also a question, how would I upgrade to MameAnalog from vanilla Mame?  Do you just change the executable?

[Tiger-Heli]

I just got my Dual Strike yesterday too.  Got it off Half.com for 15 bucks shipped.

I wonder, if you had the yoke interfaced as a joystick- would a mouse still function?  Because you have 2 axes right there- they wouldn't be pots, but I bet they'd still work.

Also a question, how would I upgrade to MameAnalog from vanilla Mame?  Do you just change the executable?

The mouse should still work.

Upgrading - There are a couple of ways, mainly depending if you still want to use vanilla MAME or if you only want to use analog plus.

I would recommend only using analog plus.

In this case, rename your regular MAME.exe to mamestd.exe or sth.  Rename your mame.ini (if you have one) to mamestd.ini

Copy the mameanalog.exe file to your mame directory and rename it mame.exe

run 'mame.exe -cc' from the command prompt to create a new mame.ini

Edit mame.ini to enable the options that you want to use.

[patrickl]

That's weird. On my set the gas and brake use a different axis. I have the Performance set with the 3 pedals (with a seperate clutch) The clutch is a third axis.

I have not been able to get this to work with Mame btw. So maybe you can configure it to have the gas and brake to work on the same axis?

That's actually what I was hoping - separate axis.  Outrun needs this (actually, I think the brake is just a switch, not a pot in the real game), but you don't get brake lights if you use a single axis pedal set.

Patrickl, have you tried using MAME analog plus for this.  I think it allows you to remap joystick axes, and I'm not sure vanilla MAME does.

I might have to try MAME Analog plus then. The pedal set I have is actually a seperate 3 axis joystick from the steering wheel. It's not like the standard pedals that come with the wheel (where the axis of the pedals are integrated whith the wheel). I have been unable to get both controllers to work at the same time, but I haven't tried very hard either.

There was some discussion about Out Run earlier. I thought PaigeOliver said that Outrun was supposed to have a pot gas and brake. I even saw something about people hacking MAME to change this. Can't remember where I saw it though. I'm really hoping it will be a pot controlled pedal one day.

If it's set up as a three-axis stick, I might want to pick a set up.

I saw the Outrun thread.  I just checked the owner's manual on KLOV.  Definitely separate brake and accel pots.

Of course all the system16 games in MAME are still being re-written so maybe this will get fixed then.

OK just once more OT. I just tried setting up the Act-LABS stuff in mame32+ and I guess I was just sleeping the previous time I tried. The wheel + 3 pedal (well 2 of them anyway)  both work fine in Out Run. I guess a single brake/gas pedal would work fine too btw.

[Tiger-Heli]

That's weird. On my set the gas and brake use a different axis. I have the Performance set with the 3 pedals (with a seperate clutch) The clutch is a third axis.

I have not been able to get this to work with Mame btw. So maybe you can configure it to have the gas and brake to work on the same axis?

That's actually what I was hoping - separate axis.  Outrun needs this (actually, I think the brake is just a switch, not a pot in the real game), but you don't get brake lights if you use a single axis pedal set.

Patrickl, have you tried using MAME analog plus for this.  I think it allows you to remap joystick axes, and I'm not sure vanilla MAME does.

I might have to try MAME Analog plus then. The pedal set I have is actually a seperate 3 axis joystick from the steering wheel. It's not like the standard pedals that come with the wheel (where the axis of the pedals are integrated whith the wheel). I have been unable to get both controllers to work at the same time, but I haven't tried very hard either.

There was some discussion about Out Run earlier. I thought PaigeOliver said that Outrun was supposed to have a pot gas and brake. I even saw something about people hacking MAME to change this. Can't remember where I saw it though. I'm really hoping it will be a pot controlled pedal one day.

If it's set up as a three-axis stick, I might want to pick a set up.

I saw the Outrun thread.  I just checked the owner's manual on KLOV.  Definitely separate brake and accel pots.

Of course all the system16 games in MAME are still being re-written so maybe this will get fixed then.

OK just once more OT. I just tried setting up the Act-LABS stuff in mame32+ and I guess I was just sleeping the previous time I tried. The wheel + 3 pedal (well 2 of them anyway)  both work fine in Out Run. I guess a single brake/gas pedal would work fine too btw.

My method of driving OutRun was "Floor the gas, and occasionally downshift through the curves, and ignore the brakes", so a single brake/gas pedal would work.

However, my current pedal is single axis and the brake lights don't come on and they should.

That's the info that I needed, though.  The pedals are all dual axis (one pot per pedal).

Thanks!

[MUKid]

I wonder if anyone will find this question buried way in this thread.....

Have you guys found a source for the little spinning light handle things?  I know exactly what they are, but I can't find them anywhere.  Someplace on the net maybe?

Really, really cool project, by the way.

[menace]

I'll check the store where I got mine and see if there's any left--I was thinking dollar stores or walmart or something along that line would carry them.  I'll get back to you--If they have some do you want me to pick you up a set?  Anyone else?

[Stormy151]

I'm actually making my own grips in cast polyurethane.  I was planning to mold and cast original grips, but I couldn't get a hold of any- so I've made my own master from wood based on pics of originals and some rough measurements.

If it works out I may offer them if anyone's interested...

[MUKid]

I'll check the store where I got mine and see if there's any left--I was thinking dollar stores or walmart or something along that line would carry them.  I'll get back to you--If they have some do you want me to pick you up a set?  Anyone else?

Yes, I would be interested!  Check your PMs.  Thanks!

[Minwah]

The pedals are all dual axis (one pot per pedal).

How did you figure this out?  I noticed while poking around in the MAME source that the analog pedal code is based on a dual axis system...but knowing MAME it isn't usually very accurate on inputs.  Just wondered if the original was actually dual axis (I should look at a wiring diagram I guess...)

[patrickl]

The pedals are all dual axis (one pot per pedal).

How did you figure this out?  I noticed while poking around in the MAME source that the analog pedal code is based on a dual axis system...but knowing MAME it isn't usually very accurate on inputs.  Just wondered if the original was actually dual axis (I should look at a wiring diagram I guess...)

That was about Out Run and you can see it in the ownersmanual on KLOV (in the disassembly of the brake/accelerator unit page).

[Tiger-Heli]

The pedals are all dual axis (one pot per pedal).

How did you figure this out?  I noticed while poking around in the MAME source that the analog pedal code is based on a dual axis system...but knowing MAME it isn't usually very accurate on inputs.  Just wondered if the original was actually dual axis (I should look at a wiring diagram I guess...)

This is about OutRun, actually, I misspoke, but you can tell from the way MAME is set-up that it it dual axis.

I based my statement on the KLOV write-up that shows separated pots for the brake and gas, but these COULD be wired in a single axis config.  My current racing pedals are set up this way - two pots, but single axis.

However, in MAME, (I think the Brakes are P1B2), if I map P1B2 to L Alt, I get brake lights (on the screen).  If I map P2B2 to J1 X-Axis -, my brake pedal works, but no brake lights.  This tells me the actual game is looking for an input from the brake pedal, either a switch/button or a separate pot, and since the assembly breakdown shows two pots in the pedal assembly . . .

[Minwah]

This is about OutRun, actually, I misspoke, but you can tell from the way MAME is set-up that it it dual axis.

I based my statement on the KLOV write-up that shows separated pots for the brake and gas, but these COULD be wired in a single axis config.  My current racing pedals are set up this way - two pots, but single axis.

However, in MAME, (I think the Brakes are P1B2), if I map P1B2 to L Alt, I get brake lights (on the screen).  If I map P2B2 to J1 X-Axis -, my brake pedal works, but no brake lights.  This tells me the actual game is looking for an input from the brake pedal, either a switch/button or a separate pot, and since the assembly breakdown shows two pots in the pedal assembly . . .

Cool, I just wondered if you'd assumed 2 pots or MAME's input method was arcade acurate...your last description is very helpful tho, I hadn't thought of the brake light & separate switch/pot before, thanks

[Tiger-Heli]

This is about OutRun, actually, I misspoke, but you can tell from the way MAME is set-up that it it dual axis.

I based my statement on the KLOV write-up that shows separated pots for the brake and gas, but these COULD be wired in a single axis config.  My current racing pedals are set up this way - two pots, but single axis.

However, in MAME, (I think the Brakes are P1B2), if I map P1B2 to L Alt, I get brake lights (on the screen).  If I map P2B2 to J1 X-Axis -, my brake pedal works, but no brake lights.  This tells me the actual game is looking for an input from the brake pedal, either a switch/button or a separate pot, and since the assembly breakdown shows two pots in the pedal assembly . . .

Cool, I just wondered if you'd assumed 2 pots or MAME's input method was arcade acurate...your last description is very helpful tho, I hadn't thought of the brake light & separate switch/pot before, thanks

I just posted in the software thread that R37B16 was the last working System 16 build, FWIW!

[Frostillicus]

menace that is a GREAT writeup on your scratch built yoke.  Fantastic, really.  Thanks for writing it

[menace]

Thanks!  Just doing my part to give a little back to the community  can't be a leach all the time

[chrisindfw]

WOW! Thanks!

Does anyone have any "Build your own steering wheel" ?

[Tiger-Heli]

WOW! Thanks!

Does anyone have any "Build your own steering wheel" ?

http://www.gunpowder.freeserve.co.uk/wheels/buildmain.htm

[Chris]

WOW! Thanks!

Does anyone have any "Build your own steering wheel" ?

There are a couple of writeups for 270 degree wheels;  I like the one at  http://www.monmouth.com/~lw4750/index.html .  A 360 degree wheel is just a spinner with a really big knob.