Slik Stik Stainless Steel Handles for T-Stick Plus

[andrewonawall]

I questioned Slik Stik and Ulitimarc about this, and according to the replies sticks were sent to Slik Stik.  They will make them if there is enough of a demand for them.  This depends on the sales of the T-Stick Plus and the requests that Slik Stik gets for the product. So, drop your vote and let's see how many we get !!!!

[maraxle]

I voted "No, I would not like to see Slik Stik make a stainless steel pear top handle for the T-Stick Plus, but I own a T-Stick Plus."  Personally, I have two T-Stik Pluses (T-Stiks Plus?) and would have zero interest in replacing the nice ball-tops with stainless steel handles.  My reasoning for this is that I think Slik Stik's stainless steel handles are overpriced for what value they provide and, quite simply, ugly.

[jcoleman]

Why is there a "no" option for this poll?  I don't care if someone *doesn't* want them, because I *do* want them.  If there are more "no" answers than "yes," is SlikStik going to bail on the project?  The "no" answerers don't have to buy them if they don't want them; that shouldn't take the option away from me.

[GGKoul]

I say NO too.  Given that Slik-Stik has over priced the SS handles.  

Regardless.. the T-Slicks Pluses has a SS post.  So I wouldnt replace them anyways.  

-GGKoul

[maraxle]

Why is there a "no" option for this poll?  I don't care if someone *doesn't* want them, because I *do* want them.  If there are more "no" answers than "yes," is SlikStik going to bail on the project?  The "no" answerers don't have to buy them if they don't want them; that shouldn't take the option away from me.

You've got a point there.  It should have been more like "sign up here if you would be interested in these".

[andrewonawall]

Why is there a "no" option for this poll?  I don't care if someone *doesn't* want them, because I *do* want them.  If there are more "no" answers than "yes," is SlikStik going to bail on the project?  The "no" answerers don't have to buy them if they don't want them; that shouldn't take the option away from me.

You've got a point there.  It should have been more like "sign up here if you would be interested in these".

Point well taken, and the edit has been made.

[andrewonawall]

I say NO too.  Given that Slik-Stik has over priced the SS handles.  

This was beyond Slik Stik's control. They hardly buy enough steel to control the steel prices. I don't think that they caused the steel shortage either.

[Zakk]

I dunno, can you ask a question like would you like to see this? And not accept the answer no?  

Q: Would you like me to stomp on this butterfly?


1: yes, I would like you to stomp on the butterfly with shoes

2: yes, I would like you to stomp on this butterfly with sandals


Heh, just an observation, maybe change the question to "which would you like to see, ball top or pear top stainless steel handles for the t-stick?"

[andrewonawall]

I dunno, can you ask a question like would you like to see this? And not accept the answer no?  

Q: Would you like me to stomp on this butterfly?


1: yes, I would like you to stomp on the butterfly with shoes

2: yes, I would like you to stomp on this butterfly with sandals


Heh, just an observation, maybe change the question to "which would you like to see, ball top or pear top stainless steel handles for the t-stick?"

The purpose of this poll is to show Slik Stik how many potential customers they have. This is why the 'no' option is removed. If you don't want it, then you are not a potential customer. If you are not a potential customer, then you don't need to vote on which product you would like to see because you won't buy it. This is getting redundent now.

[bigmoe]

I dunno, can you ask a question like would you like to see this? And not accept the answer no?  

Q: Would you like me to stomp on this butterfly?


1: yes, I would like you to stomp on the butterfly with shoes

2: yes, I would like you to stomp on this butterfly with sandals

What, no barefoot option?  

(Sorry for the hijack, couldn't resist.)

[jcoleman]

Is the price on the SlikStik page for TWO handles, or for one?  If it's for one, I think I'll have to change my vote.  Yeesh.

[Zakk]

What, no barefoot option?  

(Sorry for the hijack, couldn't resist.)

No, that would be sadistic....and gross.  

[Zakk]

Is the price on the SlikStik page for TWO handles, or for one?  If it's for one, I think I'll have to change my vote.  Yeesh.

Those would be price for eaches, but you can't change your vote, there's no "no" anymore  

I wonder if they could machine them out of anodized aluminum, or if that would be too brittle?  Now that would be kind of cool in different colors!

[andrewonawall]

I wonder if they could machine them out of anodized aluminum, or if that would be too brittle?  Now that would be kind of cool in different colors!

I second that, it's a great idea!!! I would love some in a blue tint to match all my translucent blue leaf buttons. I don't know enough about aluminum to know if it would be too brittle though.

[bigmoe]

I wonder if they could machine them out of anodized aluminum, or if that would be too brittle?  Now that would be kind of cool in different colors!

That WOULD be cool.  I might be interested in a set of those.  (Or handles like that for regular WICOs.)

[andrewonawall]

Is the price on the SlikStik page for TWO handles, or for one?  If it's for one, I think I'll have to change my vote.  Yeesh.

The rates went up with the steel shortage, but if you purchase it with the joystick it is actually cheaper.

[microwrx]

I wonder if they could machine them out of anodized aluminum, or if that would be too brittle?  Now that would be kind of cool in different colors!

Hahaha.  You don't machine them out of anodized aluminum.  You machine them out of aluminum and have them anodized!  If you wanted to keep the shafts silver and only anodize the ball/bat you cut the shafts slightly bigger initially and after anodizing the whole thing stick it back in the lathe and skin the anodize off the shaft.  I've already had this idea in my head for an upcoming project and I have a friend who is a machinist.

[Zakk]

I wonder if they could machine them out of anodized aluminum, or if that would be too brittle?  Now that would be kind of cool in different colors!

Hahaha.  You don't machine them out of anodized aluminum.  You machine them out of aluminum and have them anodized!  If you wanted to keep the shafts silver and only anodize the ball/bat you cut the shafts slightly bigger initially and after anodizing the whole thing stick it back in the lathe and skin the anodize off the shaft.  

Thanks for correcting me, but you just described machining anodized aluminum  Why not just immerse only the handles into the bath instead of the whole thing then? hahaha  

ha

[exian]

It would be great to have these as an option to upgrade the T-stiks depending on the style and design of your control panel IMHO.

[Brax]

Wow, who knew Slik Stik even had customers here anymore.

[microwrx]

I wonder if they could machine them out of anodized aluminum, or if that would be too brittle?  Now that would be kind of cool in different colors!

Hahaha.  You don't machine them out of anodized aluminum.  You machine them out of aluminum and have them anodized!  If you wanted to keep the shafts silver and only anodize the ball/bat you cut the shafts slightly bigger initially and after anodizing the whole thing stick it back in the lathe and skin the anodize off the shaft.  

Thanks for correcting me, but you just described machining anodized aluminum  Why not just immerse only the handles into the bath instead of the whole thing then? hahaha  

ha

Not quite, machining anodized aluminum suggests you start with a flat or round stock of aluminum that has been anodized and machine that to the shape of your handles.  What I described was machining your handles, anodizing them and then removing the anodize from the parts you want to remain silver.

I thought about the idea of immersing the part in the bath only as far as needed to cover the ball/bat but it would be almost impossible to grow a uniform anodic layer that way (yes I have anodized stuff myself at home before).  You would need to immerse it past where you need it to stop and then skin it back anyway so why bother.  Having said all that I do recall reading somewhere you can cover/coat sections of items to be anodized with something so it doesn't grow the anodic layer in just that section.  Didn't think of it earlier and don't remember what it is you use.

Anyway, your idea was good to start with and yes, I believe it would chip, in fact I know it would as my friend has done it.  He is a master at micro finish machining and still had trouble with very minute chipping.  However you'd only be able to notice it if you looked very close and it'd be at the base of the ball/bat where you can't really see anyway.

Sorry, got a bit off topic but an intereting idea.

JJ

[Zakk]

I remember reading a tutorial on doing your own home anodizing some time ago.  It was neat that you could keep different vats of the color virtually forever (I think the electrode is the part that wears out?).  I was going to do some myself, but then I started looking into the price of metal lathes and tools etc, and though whoa!  

Besides, I don't think anodization is very permanent.  Might end up having a very scratched colored handle (as Oscar said to me, "what if someone was wearing a ring?")

Ah well, we did a good job of hijacking this thread alright
Still, interesting ideas...always comes back to cone buttons for me: machine aluminum cone buttons and do them up in custom colors.  Maybe I will buy that lathe

[microwrx]

Yeah, sorry for hijacking the thread.

Anodizing at home is pretty simple.  I did it just to prove it worked.

What you are actually doing is 'growing' an anodic layer from the aluminum.  The anodic layer is only microns thick and looks like honeycomb under a microscope.  Once you have grown it you then put it in a dye bath.  The honeycomb shaped cells fill with the dye and once you have the desired color saturation you boil the part to seal the cells and lock in the color.

The anodic layer is much much harder than the aluminum you grow it from (can't remember the rockwell hardness figures) hence some people anodize clear (miss the dye step) as it makes the aluminum harder and more resistant to damage.  It is because of the additional hardness that it chips when machined.

I want one of those mini lathes myself.

Anyway, sorry again for the hijack.

[andrewonawall]

Yeah, sorry for hijacking the thread.

No, no, no, this is okay. While I would prefer to have stainless steel from Slik Stik, I am open to discussing other options because they may not do it. I wanted their other pair tops for my 4-p set up, but I will also have a T-Stick+ for the classics. I wanted to have matching joysticks (at least in the materials, I want a ball top for the T-Stick+). Anodized aluminum would be cool because I would like to have that red top. I just don't want it to be plastic. But how would it look to have polished and anodized alum w/ stainless steel? What would also be cool is to have anodized aluminum for the 4-P controls because I am doing a color scheme (red, blue, green, yellow). Having the correct colored pear top would be great! Now, I am thinking that I should investigate making all the sticks custom from a machine shop. Wouldn't the aluminum be lighter and give it a different feel in game play? I have heard that many people like the heavy feel of the stainless sticks.

[krick]

I think Slik Stik's stainless steel handles are overpriced for what value they provide

I don't agree or disagree with the above statement.  But I'd like to point out some things that might make people think a little...

The sad fact is that we live in a free market economy.  If Slik Stik is the only company that makes stainless handles and people want them, since they control the supply, they can set the price at anything they want.  However, there are two extremes...

1) really high price, nobody will buy them, no profit.
2) really low price, everybody buys them but the profit margin is too low to make any money.

Obviously, the optimal price lies somewhere between these two extremes.

Consider two scenarios (completely made up numbers)...

1) $10 part times 100 customers = $1000
2) $100 part times 10 customers = $1000

Which one is better from a business perspective?

Common sense would be that more customers is better.  However for most companies, scenario #2 is actually preferred.  Why?  There is cost overhead associated with selling a product: advertising, warehousing stock, taking orders, shipping orders, fielding support calls, handling returns, etc...  So the more money you can extract from each customer, the less overhead and the more net profit.

The trick for any company is to find that price point for a product that is just shy of "too expensive".  They want the maximum number of dollars with the minimum number of customers.

Of course, most (if not all) of this theory goes out the window when you are talking about a commodity item.  The above only applies when the product in question is unique and only available from a limited number of sources (preferrably just one).

[patrickl]

Doesn't that basically say they overprice the handles because they have a monopoly on these things? That agrees with the claim they are overpriced  

Anyway, this only goes for companies which wish to extract the maximum of money out of their customers for the minimum off fuzz (like Slikstik and Happ controls). I guess that's the problem customers have with this idea. Other companies are more in it to help the community and get a reward for their efforts in return (like for instance Oscar, Ultimarc and Bob Roberts). A different focus which results in different levels customer happiness in the end.

More on-topic, I have 2 of these metal handles and I have to say the plastic balltops actually play better (quicker reactions), but the metal ones sure look cool.

[microwrx]

Anodized aluminum would be cool because I would like to have that red top. I just don't want it to be plastic.

In that case just find a machinist who can cut you some balls in aluminum and tap them to the same thread as Andy's shafts.  Then find an anodizer who can color them for you.  Would be cheaper than getting a machinist to cut entire single piece shaft and balls/bats, then anodize and have to re-machine the shaft section.

[Knoxximus]

3 numerals.....3-6-0.

Everything else....is just a joystick that doesn't require a +5v power supply

[krick]

In that case just find a machinist who can cut you some balls in aluminum and tap them to the same thread as Andy's shafts.  Then find an anodizer who can color them for you.  Would be cheaper than getting a machinist to cut entire single piece shaft and balls/bats, then anodize and have to re-machine the shaft section.

uh..huh..huh...  you said "cut you some balls"...  and then you said "Andy's shafts"....  and then you said "shaft and balls".... and then you said "shaft section"......  uh..huh..huh...


Sorry, I couldn't resist.  
It's really late and I'm getting a bit loopy.

[GGKoul]

I say NO too.  Given that Slik-Stik has over priced the SS handles.  

This was beyond Slik Stik's control. They hardly buy enough steel to control the steel prices. I don't think that they caused the steel shortage either.

Sorry, but I dont by the price increase wasn't beyond Slik Stik's control.. Given that the price of the Spinners Nobs and other SS stuff they sell hasnt gone up in price.  

-GGKoul

[MnMCaputo]

This is my first post, but i have been watching this topic for a bit, because I wanted to buy a set of these stainless pear tops back when I bought my slikstik controller back in feb 04, at which time, they were $29.50.  But i put it off, because I had much more stuff to buy for the cabinet, but now, i get ready to buy them, and BING BANG BOOM, a 70% mark up!!!!! in 3 months.  So needless to say, i'm not getting them  

[andrewonawall]

I say NO too.  Given that Slik-Stik has over priced the SS handles.  

This was beyond Slik Stik's control. They hardly buy enough steel to control the steel prices. I don't think that they caused the steel shortage either.

Sorry, but I dont by the price increase wasn't beyond Slik Stik's control.. Given that the price of the Spinners Nobs and other SS stuff they sell hasnt gone up in price.  

-GGKoul

Do you mean the increase in steel prices had not risen in the last year?  Or did you mean that the product price increase wasn't beyond their control.   I think that it is fair to say that the global increase in steel costs was not in any way related to Slik Stik being a key player in the market.  http://www.capitalmarket.com/cmedit/story2-0.asp?sno=79322 http://www.bls.gov/news.release/ximpim.nr0.htm http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=30636&d=21&m=8&y=2003
If you still think that the maintained spinner knob price is a sign that the handle price has been over inflated, then you smoke crack.  The cost of machined aluminum spinners has nothing to do with increases in both foreign and domestic steel prices.  Yes, yes, the elements are the same regardless of what borders you are contained in, everywhere, throughout the whole universe.  Remember that ALUMINUM = AU, whereas IRON = FE.  The steel prices are not so high that we need to search the alchemic archives for a mishap of turning aluminum to steel.  Gargamel had more success at turning Smurfs into GOLD!!!    

[andrewonawall]

Anodized aluminum would be cool because I would like to have that red top. I just don't want it to be plastic.

In that case just find a machinist who can cut you some balls in aluminum and tap them to the same thread as Andy's shafts.  Then find an anodizer who can color them for you.  Would be cheaper than getting a machinist to cut entire single piece shaft and balls/bats, then anodize and have to re-machine the shaft section.

This is true, but your point may be moot. What would make me hesitate was stated in the same post

Wouldn't the aluminum be lighter and give it a different feel in game play? I have heard that many people like the heavy feel of the stainless sticks.

Don't want to go to the expense if it doesn't feel right. Now, I do know that in the Happ joysticks, the springs are changed to heavier ones to compensate for the heavier steel sticks. So, I would think that you could play with the spring/aluminum stick combo to find the right one. Unless, the T-Stick+ makes it difficult to access the springs and swap them out. I don't see the purpose of doing this, but I have never owned or even seen one to even know. This may also not even be required of changing the ball top to aluminum because it may not be a significant weight change. Until I find out such things, then aluminum is no option. Your top for the T-Stick+ is a good one though, got one for making aluminum pear tops for Happ P360? If I am going to have one colored top, then I am going to make them all that way.

[g-rock26]

I had some stainless steel and aluminum handles made.  The Stainless steel handles are 3 times the weight of a normal Competition joystick.  The aluminum was the same exact weight.

I paid the same price for the anodized gold aluminum as I did for the polished stainless steel.

SlikStik is probably doubling their money which is a good business model.  That is why they are still in business despite most of your efforts!

[andrewonawall]

The aluminum was the same exact weight.

I paid the same price for the anodized gold aluminum as I did for the polished stainless steel.

Then forget Slik Stik!!!
If the cost is the same, I could have something that is even more personalized, and doesn't adversely affect preformance, then it's a go.
That is, if the price isn't outragous.
You say that you paid the same price for the handles to be made in both materials, but what kind of price are we talking for a custom, one-off job?
Was it with a local machinist, friend, small business, or a major machining company?
Did you just hand over the original stick and they did the rest, or did you have to give them the specs and they just fed them into a computer?

[g-rock26]

 Then forget Slik Stik!!!
If the cost is the same, I could have something that is even more personalized, and doesn't adversely affect preformance, then it's a go.
That is, if the price isn't outragous.
You say that you paid the same price for the handles to be made in both materials, but what kind of price are we talking for a custom, one-off job?
Was it with a local machinist, friend, small business, or a major machining company?
Did you just hand over the original stick and they did the rest, or did you have to give them the specs and they just fed them into a computer?

I had 20 of each made.  It was at a machine shop that we used to make housings for RF amplifiers.  I just gave them the stick and told them what I wanted different.  They took it and ran.  They charged me $20 a stick.  If I would have ordered 100 or more, they would have been way cheaper.  He also said that the next time around they would be cheaper as they had put all of the specs into the machine (kind-of like a set-up fee)

[andrewonawall]

Would you mind posting any pictures.  You mentioned that you had one made in aluminum and the other in steel, so if it is convienient, two photos of both sticks in the CP would be great. That is, if you are currently using both.
Did you have the handle full or partially anodized? If so, what method did you use and how did it turn out?

[g-rock26]

Would you mind posting any pictures.  You mentioned that you had one made in aluminum and the other in steel, so if it is convienient, two photos of both sticks in the CP would be great. That is, if you are currently using both.
Did you go ahead with the recal  

Sorry I don't have better pics...I actually just took an order that is going to clean me out of all chrome and gold sticks...I think I will just offer the slikstik models from now on...easier on me and I like their products.

Almost forgot...the shaft is hard steel so you don't have to worry about slamming it around and bending the aluminum...it will take everything you throw at it!