Dave's analog stick/hack

[Dave_K.]

This project probably wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for finding Xiaou2's (http://www.xiaou2.homestead.com/) incredible website where he carved his own star wars yolk from wood, and made a sinistar analog stick using bicycle inner-tubes for resistance!

I figured I could be just as inventive and hack an analog joystick for my console cabinet.

So I bought this old sony dual analog stick off ebay (they are going very cheap now):


I removed the grips (and kept them as I may re-attach later on) and cut the joysticks out using a dremel.    I left the plastic shaft intact since its reinforced with metal inside...and then molded my own happs style batt handle top using Fimo plastic sculpting clay (with a happs super as a guide) over the top of a 3.5 inch bolt (fits perfectly in the hallow shaft).    It looks and feels like a real happs stick:




And yes, its a no brainer hacking to a Sony Dual Shock 2.   Heck, I might even attach the vibrating motors to it for some in game feedback.

[SNAAAKE]

GREAT !...quick question,does it work with dreamcast ?

[Dave_K.]

I imagine it would work with 3rd party Dreamcast pads (since they use potentiometers for the analog stick).  The original Sega pads used hall effect sensors.  But I don't play any analog games on my Dreamcast cabinet.  I made this mostly to play Maximo and other platformers on my PS2 cabinet.

[SNAAAKE]

Another one,

How much did you pay for this analog stick...not $160 something..i might just go for one if around $100 maybe.That brings every single game to life.even the onces that only uses analog stick.

[Dave_K.]

Snaaake, you won't believe this, but I just bought this one off ebay for $9.99.  This is my second one.  The first one I bought off ebay last year for $45.  I couldn't bring myself to rip into it until I saw them going for so cheap...so I figured what the heck, if I screw it up, I've got another one.  I was actually just planning on hacking a dual shock 2 inside the thing (since alone, this stick isn't compatible with the playstation2...only original playstation).  Imagine playing Starwars Starfighter with these puppies  .

I only see one for sale right now on ebay (but its in Japan)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1943182242

[SNAAAKE]

NO!%^

what i wanted to know is how much was the actual analog joystick?

ya know the onces happ sells for $160...that price is way too funny for me .

[Dave_K.]

Ya, happ's analog stick (with ultimate handle) is insanely expensive.  Looks like they just dropped the price to $116.
http://www.happcontrols.com/joysticks/50287600.htm
But when you can make something similar like I did (or Xiaou2 did), why pay that much?  I'm curious what happ's feels like (amount of throw and resistance).

[AGarv]

Very, very nice Dave!

I wonder if there are any playstation specific single handle flight sticks that you could do the same with?  Those twin sticks are a bit hard to come by.

Where did you get the baking plastic from?

For whoever asked about getting this to work with the dreamcast, just buy a $10 controller adapter. IMO any console controls should be hacked to psx dual shock; you can get cheap converters to use them on a pc, xbox, gamecube, n64,  you name it and there's a PSX adpater for it.

[Dave_K.]

You can get "Fimo" from any Michael's art supply store (make sure you get the original and not the "soft" version).  After baking/curing its solidly attached to the head of the galvinized bolt.

Yeah, these big analog sticks are hard to come by...but they come up from time to time on ebay (and for 9.99 when nobody else is looking  ).  The next best thing I'd think would be to try hacking a used Madcatz Panther (single grip) playstation joystick.  I've actually seen used Dreamcast versions going really cheap at Gamestop/Software Etc...  But I'm not sure how easy these will be to mount to a control panel (the sony sticks have a flat base with perfect holes for screws).

These sticks should hook up to any console analog controller.  But as everyone is aware, hacking to a Dual Shock 2 gives you the ability to buy a converter for any other console platform.

[eightbit]

Can you post a pic of the finished panel?

[Dave_K.]

Can you post a pic of the finished panel?

I will as soon as its finished.  I'm still working on the layout of 2 analog, 1 8-way and 12 buttons, per player.  The goal being the first fully analog 2 player arcade control panel for consoles.

[AGarv]

Heya Dave well I found one of the sticks for $9.99 plus $10 S&H, and have removed the right and left handles.

Did the joystick shafts have 4 round knobs near the top that helped lock the shaft into the handle?  Mine has these, and it looks like they need to be dremeled off, which may result in looking a bit sloppy... Did you deal with this?

[Dave_K.]

Did the joystick shafts have 4 round knobs near the top that helped lock the shaft into the handle?  Mine has these, and it looks like they need to be dremeled off, which may result in looking a bit sloppy... Did you deal with this?

Yep I just dremeled them off and did a quick sand to get any rough edges off.  It doesn't matter how it looks as the molded top I made slips over the top 1 inch of the shaft.  I recommend you use a happs super as a guide (if you want the height and dimensions to be accurate).

[AGarv]

Thanks very much Dave!

BTW if you still have any clay and bolts left over, I'd be willing to paypal you $20 + S&H for a pair of shafts.

[Dave_K.]

I'll try making some more (the first ones were a little rough looking) and let you know.  BTW: I still haven't tried securing them...you could do something simple like double sided tape at the top of the shaft, or what Xiaou2 suggested - drilling a hole at the base (through the shaft and bolt) then securing with a pin.