T-Stick Plus Dust-Washer and Mounting.

[Witchboard]

I noticed on my T-Stick Plus that the dust washer isn't removeable.  I'm wanting to route and mount the joysticks where the dustwashers are under the plexiglass on the CP.  Has anyone had experience with the T-Stick Pluses and this method of mounting?

[vputz]

Hmm... you can remove the handles for the T-Stik pluses, so I don't see why the dust washers wouldn't be removable as well...!?

-->VPutz

[DennisInMN]

I removed the handle in order to mount mine.  Remove the nut on the bottom of the joystick handle, along with the other pieces, and the handle pulls right out.  Then you can get rid of the dust washer, if you want.

[Witchboard]

I'll have to take mine back apart when I get home.  Maybe I'm mistaken, but I thought even with the handle removed it wasn't removeable.

[crashwg]

You are correct.  If you are refering to the ball-tops that is...

With the stock bat handles the dust washer easily comes off along with the spacer to keep the stick at the correct height.  But, when it comes to the ball-tops, the spacer to keep the stick at the right height is nothing more than a washer that is welded to the shaft itself.  Unfortunatly for you the dustwasher is between the washer and the ball so it is not removable... withought destroying it that is.  

[Witchboard]

Okay, I forgot that the ball tops weren't standard.    Yes, the balltops is what I was talking about.  Unfortunately the ball tops seem to be melted onto the shaft instead of threaded like the J-Stick.  I guess my original question still stands... but I doubt that anyone has mounted the dust washers under the plexi with the ball tops.

[DennisInMN]

Hmm, interesting.  I only have the stock bat style, as you can tell from my previous post.  I wonder why the ball tops are made this way?

[Lance]

Okay, I forgot that the ball tops weren't standard.    Yes, the balltops is what I was talking about.  Unfortunately the ball tops seem to be melted onto the shaft instead of threaded like the J-Stick.  I guess my original question still stands... but I doubt that anyone has mounted the dust washers under the plexi with the ball tops.

I'm fairly certain that they are threaded, ultimarc just uses a liberal amount of thread locker on the ball tops.  

[Grasshopper]

My understanding is that the ball tops screw on but Andy fixes them in place with sealing compound so that the lift and turn 4/8 switching mechanism can work. You could probably get the ball top off if you were determined enough.

Personally if I was buying a T-Stik+ I would ask for the ball not to be glued in place.

[patrickl]

You need the top to be fastened pretty well otherwise it will come undone too easily when switching from 4-way to 8-way.

[Witchboard]

Thanks everybody for the info.  I'll email Andy when I get home.  Just to be safe.  Don't want to end up splitting my ball top or anything.  

[jcoleman]

I've found that the dust washer only moves minimally (it's negligible, really) when the joystick does.  Therefore, assuming you get the hole centered perfectly around the shaft, you could drill a hole the size of the ball (slightly larger, I guess) and still not have to worry about exposing the inside of the panel.  Note that I have not tried this myself.  Now if anyone's been able to modify a Wico balltop shaft to fit a T-stick...that's something I'd be interested in...wonder if the command and control sticks could be modifed, since they are longer...hmmm...

Coleman

[NoOne=NBA=]

Don't want to end up splitting my ball top or anything.  

If you DID split your balltop, and then glue/tape it back together, it would be more arcade accurate though.

[Witchboard]

Heh, yeah, then all I'd need is some cigarette burns to complete the look.  

[Witchboard]

Just for the record if anybody else was looking for the answer:

The ball is threaded on, with Loktite thread lock. It should be possible to remove it by using a strap wrench. When replacing it, you could use epoxy if you don't have Locktite. This just needs to hold it for the 4-8 way switching.

[Kremmit]

Did it work?

[Witchboard]

I didn't know anybody was waiting to find out.   I haven't tried it yet.  I'm not to that stage of the project, but I can go ahead and do it tonight.

[Nefesis]

if you were just going to use it on a regular t-stick, would you need to make sure it would stay stuck to the stick, since it's not going to be lifted up?

[MinerAl]

I'm not sure if this is what Nefesis meant, but if you put the washer under the plexi, it could prevent the stick from pulling out to twist and change 4<->8, rendering it a plain old T-stick, and not a T-stick Plus anymore.

Because the ball tops don't have the spacer sleeve that the bat tops have they have a flange at the appropriate spacing on the shaft itself.  The dust washer sits on that, and if you don't leave enough space for that flange to travel, your washer will block the whole reason for a t-plus.

If you're mounting it in wood, you should be fine, but metal or surface mountings would be bad with the plexi on top of the dust washer.

[Nefesis]

yeah, i suppose that was what i wanted to know. that wasn't what i had expected, but hey, it answered me perfectly!!!   thanks.

[Witchboard]

I don't think it will be a problem either way.  I just checked and if you pull up on the handle to where the flange is even with the mounting plate it can still switch between modes.  This is with the ball top.

Kremmit: My strap wrenches are buried in the garage.  My wife and son are going out to visit her family for 2 weeks, so I'll be cleaning the garage while they are gone.  I'll let you know how it works out as soon as I can.