4-way removable restrictor plates?

[JayTea]

Hello,

      Are there any mass-produced 4-way restrictor plates on the market, or do I have to tinker and make a home-made one?  

     I had an idea of making a restrictor plate that was held on by velcro when I want to play 2 and 4 way games, and remove it easily when I wanted to play a multi-player fighting game or other 8 way games.  Anyone have any ideas or suggestions?  This more for my wife who can't stand the fact that the p360's don't have "corners".  I give her Shangri-la with unlimited Ms. Pac Man, and I still get complaints...

[BobA]

Oscar of spinner fame has 4 way restrictors on his site.

http://www.oscarcontrols.com/

BobA

[JayTea]

Thanks BobA!

[neuromancer]

The only other real alternative seems to be the T stick at www.ultimarc.com

Bob

[eightbit]

Are there any mass-produced 4-way restrictor plates on the market, or do I have to tinker and make a home-made one?  

     I had an idea of making a restrictor plate that was held on by velcro when I want to play 2 and 4 way games, and remove it easily when I wanted to play a multi-player fighting game or other 8 way games.

LOL!   Sorry but I'm not laughing at you just at using velcro to hold down a 4 way restrictor. Go with Oscars restrictor plates you won't regret it. Oscars plates come in bolt on and quick pins, I've heard complaints that the pins aren't tight enough. Thats what makes me think velcro won't work.

[JayTea]

8-bit, feel free to laugh at me, for I have done it a hundred times since I started this project!  I mentioned velcro because it is strong enough to hold down the top of my CP without incident...but I guess the beating it will take from my wife during Ms Pacman probably wont hold up too well.  She hasn't mastered the art of "wrist movements" yet...

[eightbit]

8-bit, feel free to laugh at me, for I have done it a hundred times since I started this project!  I mentioned velcro because it is strong enough to hold down the top of my CP without incident...but I guess the beating it will take from my wife during Ms Pacman probably wont hold up too well.  She hasn't mastered the art of "wrist movements" yet...

Its not so much the strength of the velcro. Its the amount of movement its going to allow and its absolutely critical to position the restrictor plate in the same position every time. Is your CP hinged or held in place on the sides or something?

[JayTea]

No, my cp is held on entirely by velcro strips that i bought at ACE (They come in 1' strips I believe).  I will have pics soon, but I'll try to explain the best I can...

The velcro has a very sticky adhesive side, but I had no illusions that it would stay glued to the side of particle board for any length of time.  So, I outlined the edges of the control panel box (not the CP top, the box) with the "prickly side" and trimmed the edges to fit 5/8 width (overlap would probably cause it to tear).  

  I then secured the velcro with wood screws and small washers about every 8 inches, drilling small pilot holes first.  I put the CP top (buttons & stick) on and etched an outside line once it was centered where I wanted.  I then took the other half of the velcro (fuzzy side) and laid the strips parallel with the etched line on the bottom of the top piece.  Put the two together, and voila.  It doesn't budge an inch during game play, and it takes quite a bit of force to remove the top of the CP to make adjustments to IPAC, or troubleshoot, or whatever.   The key is to reinforce the velcro on the edges of the box, that's where the surface area is weakest for the adhesive (velcro edges that are not secure will eventually pull up).

[Jakobud]

Geez my control panel would never stay on with just velco....at least while my friends play Track and Field on it  

[JayTea]

     Track and field is a mainstay on my CP... you will see how it stays put once I get some pics up...You would be amazed at how strong 6 linear feet of 5/8 wide velcro can be!  besides, when you are pushing (slapping) buttons, you are pushing DOWN on the CP, not lifting it up.  The joystick pressure (even my wife's "gear shifting technique" on Ms Pac Man) isn't near enough to make the CP budge.  I guess pics paint a thousand words, I'll get some pics up ASAP.

[JayTea]

I think maybe there is a misunderstanding about my CP... the CP BOX is mounted using L Brackets...the CP TOP is held on using velcro.  Just for clarification.