Has anyone hacked a Gorf trigger joystick to a Happs Super?

[unclet]

I have a Gorf Trigger joystick lying around which would be nice to use on my cabinet.  Has anyone successfully hacked a Gorf joystick handle onto a Happs Super joystick?

[markrvp]

1UP did, but the commercial version hasn't come out yet.

On his original cab he cut off the Super plastic handle and then put a piece sprinkler hose plastic on top that the handle could mount to.  The outer diameter of the sprinkler hose had the same inner diameter as the Tron Handle.

[unclet]

Are you talking about the black flexible tubing used for sprinklers or some type of hard plastic riser or something?

[rdagger]

I hacked a Tron joystick to a P360.  My approach would probably work for you.
Here is a link.

[Thenasty]

tha looks good rdagger, how about the TWISTING stopper ? Did you do something about that or you just left it, hoping no kids will twist and twist and twist untill the red cable snaps .

[StormGiant]

I did something similiar using the writeups by rdagger and 1up.  Thanks guys!  About 60% done with cab.

I used an old Microsoft flightstick and took apart the grip.  I took the off the Super handle from the base and trimmed off the plastic using my Dremel.  That was a real drag and took forever.  Rdagger used a router but I didn't trust myself not to ruin my Whiteside bits.  The grip now fits great onto the Super handle, ready for the button hookups and CP installation.

[unclet]

rdagger:

Looks like a good approach.   

I understand how the the sprinkler pipe is used and how the screws go into the sprinkler pipe to hold it in place, but how does the silver metal shaft of the Super joystick get held in place?  I mean, can you simply pull up on your Tron joystick and remove it from the silver metal shaft of the Super joystick or is there something holding the shaft in place?  I do not believe you site mentions drilling holes into the Super joystick shaft. 

I think your site mentions that the tork screws you reused for the Tron handle (and which go through the sprinkler pipe) are used somehow to brace the silver metal shaft of the Super.  Please explain some more.

PS:  I also had a piece of black sprinkler tubing in the garage.  I cut a piece and shoved it inside the metal shaft of my Gorf handle.   That is a good fit.  Then I placed the shaft of the Super joystick inside of the sprinkler tubing and there was some free space in there .....  is this normal or should I look for a different sprinker tubing to use.   I guess I can squeeze the wiring "inside" the black sprinkler tubing (letting it rest against the silver Super joystick shaft) and that might hold it in place due to the friction of the wier and shaft beiung squeezed inside the sprinkler tubing...... did that make sense.

[rdagger]

tha looks good rdagger, how about the TWISTING stopper ? Did you do something about that or you just left it, hoping no kids will twist and twist and twist untill the red cable snaps .

I never really thought about that.  The stick really can't turn more than 180 degrees.  The fire wire is pretty tough and all the connections are soldered.  It would take serious effort to damage. 
I had a party at my house last week and there were about dozen young kids taking turns on my cab all day.  I left them unsupervised and too my surprise the cab survived unscathed.

[rdagger]

I understand how the the sprinkler pipe is used and how the screws go into the sprinkler pipe to hold it in place, but how does the silver metal shaft of the Super joystick get held in place?

[unclet]

Thanks for clarifying that .... I will give it a whirl ....

[Kremmit]

Are you talking about the black flexible tubing used for sprinklers or some type of hard plastic riser or something?

I believe he did use a sprinkler riser.

[unclet]

SUCCESS!   See some pictures below:

I have not attached this to my control panel yet, but I believe I am past all the harder stuff (well .. it really was not all that hard).

I kept the metal tube which came with the Gorf handle for mounting, but cut the length a bit for the correct size.  I then took some black sprinkler pipe (ie: funny pipe) and drilled some holes so the mounting screws (from the Gorf joystick) would go through the black sprinkler pipe as well.  I then placed the sprinkler pipe up inside the metal tube.  Next, I placed the wiring I needed through the sprinkler pipe so it comes out both ends.

Now, after removing the top oval-like handle from my Super joystick, I was left with the long silver rod.   I shoved the long silver joystick rod up into the black sprinkler pipe (next to the wiring).  Due to the wiring and the silver rod being together in the black sprinkler pipe, it is a real tight fit, so there was no need to use any mounting screws to secure the silver rod at all.

NOTES:
I did originally try to secure the silver rod with one of the Gorf handle side mounting screws, but the screw did not really provide enough force to hold the silver rod in place.   However, after placing the silver rod inside there with the wiring, it was clear that it was a real snug fit and mounting screws were not needed anyway to make it secure.

In order to remove the top oval-like handle from my Super joystick, I simply used a hand-held scroll saw.  I put the pulsating (up/down) blade against the silver rod and cut one side of the black oval-like handle off.  I then placed the remaining black handle part in a vice and pryed the silver rod (quite easily).

[unclet]

Here is another pic showing how the silver rod and wiring are placed together in the metal tube for a snug fit.....

[unclet]

I have a couple of questions now:

1) My Gorf joystick did not come with a pushbutton on the handle.  It only came with the trigger button.  How can I add a pushbutton to this joystick?  Not sure what parts I need or how it attaches.  I guess it is a special pushbutton I need..... I will keep looking around.

2) If I add a pushbutton to the handle, then I guess I will need to get a new plastic covering for the joystick "window" ..... where can I get one of these?  I guess I could always just cut a hole in the plastic I currently have .... oh well.

Here are some pictures of the inside of my Gorf handle (plastic window thing removed of course).  There seems to be some place to have a pushbutton attached, but I am not sure how to go about doing this.  Does anyone have a picture if the inside of their Gorf handle showing me how the pushbutton is attached?

[Kremmit]

The Happ part#s for the new thumbswitches & plate are in this thread:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=34207.0
There are also some cheaper alternative parts mentioned there.

Ponyboy may be able to get a better price on the ones from Happ.

[unclet]

Here is the joystick after I drilled a couple of holes in the black plastic base.

[unclet]

rdagger:
How did you keep you handle from rotating (ie: twisting around)? 

Did you do what 1up did (ie: tapping a nail into the silver joystick shaft)?  I probably will end up doing this but it seems so risky.  If I do not drill the hole in the correct location through the  HappControls joystick wedge and through into the sivler joystick rod, then it will not work ...

[unclet]

Ok, I drilled the required holes to stop the joystick from twisting .... and the joystick works great and looks great.

I still need to get the artwork in the window part of the joystick, add a pushbutton to the front and wire the trigger button up.

Here is an almost complete picture....