twistygrip

[mumpsman]

Has anyone built a twisty grip yoke?  How easy is it REALLY?   About how much did the materials cost?

THANKS!

[The Man]

Has anyone built a twisty grip yoke?  How easy is it REALLY?   About how much did the materials cost?

THANKS!

Yes, and I love it.

Not that hard.  I would think it would take about 3 full hours to build if you had all the part.  I enjoyed building mine.  And from my understanding the instructions have been updated.  I had a couple problems with mine, but still completed it.

I don't remember exactly, but it wasn't very much.  I'm thinkin around $50.00 US.  I think you get a cost estimate when you purchase the Instructions.

I know everyone would love to have an original Star Wars yoke (I know I would), but this is a great alternative.

TM

[Tiger-Heli]

Haven't built one yet, the REVISED instructions have a lot of problems and are hard to follow (at least the ones I have were).  I posted a lot of information in a thread about 6-8 months ago.  Worth searching for.

Once you figure out the concept you can get past the instructions.

Agree with the $50 cost estimate.

[Lilwolf]

One thing to note... for double that you can have a real one.  

Not that that makes twisties not worth it.  but if you think you will want a real one some day, start looking at ebay.  

I just got one for 32 bucks including shipping... sometimes it takes time to get a good ebay deal.....  Of course I haven't gotten it yet... and I don't know if there will be parts missing... we will see

[mumpsman]

Well I've gotten started.  I'm cutting with a mitrebox and hand saw that I got at Home Depot for $15.   My only worry thusfar is about the EXACT measurement the plans give.  

'Cut a 1.83" pipe segment....'   Me and my calipers are doing the best we can.    Anyone else have problems with the measurements?

Thanks!

[Frostillicus]

Well I've gotten started.  I'm cutting with a mitrebox and hand saw that I got at Home Depot for $15.   My only worry thusfar is about the EXACT measurement the plans give.  

'Cut a 1.83" pipe segment....'   Me and my calipers are doing the best we can.    Anyone else have problems with the measurements?

Thanks!

Is that the yellow miter box? If it is I got that same one   Not a bad product actually.

I made it 80% through twistygrips with the white pvc pipes a few months ago.  I used a metric ruler so I got pretty close, but in the end it didn't matter much one way or the other if you were off .1 in or not, IMO.  I got a working(mechanically) TG and just wasn't that happy with it.  Regardless of what the website said it didn't 'feel' much like the arcade controls.   Gave up on the white ones(a learning experience).

BUT, I went to Homedepot again on Sat. and during my mindless wandering I happened upon the gray plastic(pvc?) area and found some better stuff - a 4" junction box for the middle and a t-connectors for the handles.  They are actually pretty close in proportion to a real controller I think.  And cheap, too. I'll take pics of what i have so far and post tonight when i get home from work.

[dag2000]

Lilwolf, Congrats, you got a great deal.  I was watching that auction and screwed up my timing.  I was shocked that I had missed the auction close, but glad to see it was someone from BYOAC.  I already have one Hydra yoke and they are a little different from the star wars type. No gears.  I've put my project to the side for now, but it's an ideal candidate for the dual strike hack.  The way it's designed, you can screw the base down to a piece of plywood, and you're set, no need to build a complicated angled box and no issue with gears sticking out the bottom.  You can find a pdf manual that includes the controller at http://www.stormaster.com/RGVAC-Manuals/PDF-Arcade/hydra-tm354.pdf

[romid]

Can someone clue a newbie (me) in on what we're talkng about?  Maybe a picture or something....  

thanks!

[Tiger-Heli]

Can someone clue a newbie (me) in on what we're talkng about?  Maybe a picture or something....  

thanks!

http://www.twistygrip.com/

[Brax]

Lilwolf, Congrats, you got a great deal.  I was watching that auction and screwed up my timing.  I was shocked that I had missed the auction close, but glad to see it was someone from BYOAC.  I already have one Hydra yoke and they are a little different from the star wars type. No gears.  I've put my project to the side for now, but it's an ideal candidate for the dual strike hack.  The way it's designed, you can screw the base down to a piece of plywood, and you're set, no need to build a complicated angled box and no issue with gears sticking out the bottom.  You can find a pdf manual that includes the controller at http://www.stormaster.com/RGVAC-Manuals/PDF-Arcade/hydra-tm354.pdf

Lilwolf beat me out too. It ended around 9:30am didn't it? I forgot and didn't get into Ebay until 10am!

[Frostillicus]

Well, I'm a day late but oh well.  Here are the other pieces I was talking about, it's not put together too clean right now, this is more of an experiment.  But I think the final TG will look pretty decent - all the parts I got at home depot for cheap.

I cut the tops off the junction 'handle's at an angle and will mount a little thumb button, and I have a hole drilled for the triggers on the front of the handles.  
Construction is more or less the same as the TG plans - though the box I will prob mount to a small piece of plywood and use a lazy susan to turn it.  the last pic is of an unmodified junction piece(a handle). note the removal cover. also the first and second pic is just me holding it up for the camera, not how I'd actually grip it to play it (just to clarify).

[Tiger-Heli]

Well, I'm a day late but oh well.  Here are the other pieces I was talking about, it's not put together too clean right now, this is more of an experiment.  But I think the final TG will look pretty decent - all the parts I got at home depot for cheap.

Hey Frosticillus, I was working on a similar design, see my plans here: http://www.fraggersxtreme.com/museum/Temp/yokeplans.zip

and see this thread (when you have a few hours): http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=2699;start=0

Anyway, I was planning to use 1.5 inch male and female adapters to Sandwich the outer x-axis shaft around a the plywood base I was planning.

What are you using for the center box?  It looks good!!!

[dag2000]

Lilwolf, Congrats, you got a great deal.  I was watching that auction and screwed up my timing.  I was shocked that I had missed the auction close, but glad to see it was someone from BYOAC.  I already have one Hydra yoke and they are a little different from the star wars type. No gears.  I've put my project to the side for now, but it's an ideal candidate for the dual strike hack.  The way it's designed, you can screw the base down to a piece of plywood, and you're set, no need to build a complicated angled box and no issue with gears sticking out the bottom.  You can find a pdf manual that includes the controller at http://www.stormaster.com/RGVAC-Manuals/PDF-Arcade/hydra-tm354.pdf

Lilwolf beat me out too. It ended around 9:30am didn't it? I forgot and didn't get into Ebay until 10am!

I was looking at the end time PST and thinking EST so I thought it ended 3 hours later than it did!

[Frostillicus]

Well, I'm a day late but oh well.  Here are the other pieces I was talking about, it's not put together too clean right now, this is more of an experiment.  But I think the final TG will look pretty decent - all the parts I got at home depot for cheap.

Hey Frosticillus, I was working on a similar design, see my plans here: http://www.fraggersxtreme.com/museum/Temp/yokeplans.zip

and see this thread (when you have a few hours): http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=2699;start=0

Anyway, I was planning to use 1.5 inch male and female adapters to Sandwich the outer x-axis shaft around a the plywood base I was planning.

What are you using for the center box?  It looks good!!!

Yeah it's fairly inexpensive i think  - an outlet box, or junction box.  That's all it says on my home depot slip.  Anyways, I read that post (well most of it anyways)  and seems like someone could clean up if they decided to make a yoke kit of just the tough hardware, like the handles, gears, mechanisms, rods, pots, switches...ok basically everything    i'd buy one for 80-90 bucks if it was quality.  I'd even assemble it myself if there were real instructions, not like those TG plans *shudder*.