Replacing Ball tops

[JoshuaMiller]

I just got back from Japan, and my girlfriend wants some of those cool translucent ball-tops on the Neo29 candy cab that I am MAMEing for her.  Anybody know where I can order them?  I've checked the usual suspects, (Ultimarc, Happ, LizardLick) but can't seem to find them. . . .

Don't know what kind of sticks are in there now, but they'll have to be replaced soon anyway (probably use Sanwa)

thanks-

--Joshua--

[Kremmit]

This guy has replacement balltops for Japanese sticks:
http://www.akihabarashop.com/products.html

Ponyboy in the Buy/Sell/Trade forum has some translucent-topped sticks for sale as well.

[Grasshopper]

Kowal is arranging to order some balltops from Akihabarashop.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=53719.80

[RandyT]

I just got back from Japan, and my girlfriend wants some of those cool translucent ball-tops on the Neo29 candy cab that I am MAMEing for her.  Anybody know where I can order them?  I've checked the usual suspects, (Ultimarc, Happ, LizardLick) but can't seem to find them. . . .

Bubbles or without.  If you want them without, I think GGG might be the only current source for these.

RandyT

[JoshuaMiller]

More Specific-

Either red style translucent (with or without bubbles) or the red mesh-style. (both on akihabara shop page)

I'm looking for us vendors to avoid international shipping.

It seems like a lot of trouble to co-ordinate second-hand ordering through others on the forum, but I will consider this option if there are no US vendors.

Thanks for all the help!

--Joshua--

[Grasshopper]

I just got back from Japan, and my girlfriend wants some of those cool translucent ball-tops on the Neo29 candy cab that I am MAMEing for her.  Anybody know where I can order them?  I've checked the usual suspects, (Ultimarc, Happ, LizardLick) but can't seem to find them. . . .

Bubbles or without.  If you want them without, I think GGG might be the only current source for these.

RandyT

Can your balltops be fitted to Sanwa sticks?

[RandyT]

I just got back from Japan, and my girlfriend wants some of those cool translucent ball-tops on the Neo29 candy cab that I am MAMEing for her.  Anybody know where I can order them?  I've checked the usual suspects, (Ultimarc, Happ, LizardLick) but can't seem to find them. . . .

Bubbles or without.  If you want them without, I think GGG might be the only current source for these.

RandyT

Can your balltops be fitted to Sanwa sticks?

Based on this quote from the OP;

Don't know what kind of sticks are in there now, but they'll have to be replaced soon anyway (probably use Sanwa)

I took it to mean that his options for joysticks in general were still open.

But yes, if I knew the thread pitch and diameter of the shaft, I could easily offer replacement balls for any stick as long as my hardware vendor has inserts available in that size.

If they use 6mm x 1 threads, I can offer replacement translucent balls.

RandyT

[Grasshopper]

I just got back from Japan, and my girlfriend wants some of those cool translucent ball-tops on the Neo29 candy cab that I am MAMEing for her.  Anybody know where I can order them?  I've checked the usual suspects, (Ultimarc, Happ, LizardLick) but can't seem to find them. . . .

Bubbles or without.  If you want them without, I think GGG might be the only current source for these.

RandyT

Can your balltops be fitted to Sanwa sticks?

Based on this quote from the OP;

Don't know what kind of sticks are in there now, but they'll have to be replaced soon anyway (probably use Sanwa)

I took it to mean that his options for joysticks in general were still open.

But yes, if I knew the thread pitch and diameter of the shaft, I could easily offer replacement balls for any stick as long as my hardware vendor has inserts available in that size.

If they use 6mm x 1 threads, I can offer replacement translucent balls.

RandyT

Interesting.

From what I've read, I understand that all the Japanese joysticks use an M6 thread.

Incidentally, do your balltops have a metal insert, or does the shaft screw into plastic?

[RandyT]

Incidentally, do your balltops have a metal insert, or does the shaft screw into plastic?

Metal. 

I would have to gauge interest for providing just the tops.  I can't do them "cheap" because I don't have the quantity buying power of Sanwa

RandyT

[Kremmit]

I just got back from Japan, and my girlfriend wants some of those cool translucent ball-tops on the Neo29 candy cab that I am MAMEing for her.  Anybody know where I can order them?  I've checked the usual suspects, (Ultimarc, Happ, LizardLick) but can't seem to find them. . . .

Bubbles or without.  If you want them without, I think GGG might be the only current source for these.

RandyT

Oh, geez, I can't believe I forgot these.  I was just thinking Sanwa, I guess.  I've got a red and blue one of the GGG tops sitting right here next to me, and they are very, very nice.

[AMDman13]

If you need Sanwa I can't say I recommend Himura Amusements. I placed an order for 2 replacement balltops 9/16 and still haven't seen anything or heard anything from the vendor.

[Grasshopper]

Incidentally, do your balltops have a metal insert, or does the shaft screw into plastic?

Metal. 

I would have to gauge interest for providing just the tops.  I can't do them "cheap" because I don't have the quantity buying power of Sanwa

RandyT

So I presume your current balltops do not use an M6 thread. Is that correct?

Personally I think you should have designed your shafts and balltops to use an M6 thread from outset because that is the closest thing we have to an industry standard for these things.

There's really no downside from your perspective. You'd instantly have a much bigger potential market because you could be selling your balltops to anyone who owns a Seimitsu/Sanwa joystick, and you'd still have the option of selling your Versaball shaft/Balltop combination to anyone who owns a Happ/IL joystick.

[destructor]

If you need Sanwa I can't say I recommend Himura Amusements. I placed an order for 2 replacement balltops 9/16 and still haven't seen anything or heard anything from the vendor.

Wait, package is send directly from Japan. For some packege from japan I wait about 3-4 weeks (Poland). I thought that it is lost, but not, after this time EMS courier was at my door. And no reply (emails) from japan was.
Patience is the key I think.

About balltops. In my opinion bubble balls are best, aspecially at night. I have blue only but I will order all others colors. Really excellent.

[RandyT]

So I presume your current balltops do not use an M6 thread. Is that correct?

Personally I think you should have designed your shafts and balltops to use an M6 thread from outset because that is the closest thing we have to an industry standard for these things.

There's really no downside from your perspective. You'd instantly have a much bigger potential market because you could be selling your balltops to anyone who owns a Seimitsu/Sanwa joystick, and you'd still have the option of selling your Versaball shaft/Balltop combination to anyone who owns a Happ/IL joystick.

Well, actually there are downsides.  The largest one is that off-the-shelf commercial balltops available in the US are very limited in M6, whereas 1/4-20, 3/8-16 etc offer much wider selection.  Moving to M6 on my hardware would limit my (and my customer's) selection to harder to acquire imported products.

I haven't taken the time to do the cost conversions of the Japanese ball prices to see what's happening there , but I would probably need to put a price tag of $6.95 each on the translucent balls alone.  If there is sufficient interest, I'll make them available, and in M6 so they work with the Japanese sticks.

RandyT

[Searcher7]

Does anyone give the option of buying just the balls without the shafts?

(I'm going to need a lot of them).

Thanks.

Darren

[Aurich]

I haven't taken the time to do the cost conversions of the Japanese ball prices to see what's happening there , but I would probably need to put a price tag of $6.95 each on the translucent balls alone.  If there is sufficient interest, I'll make them available, and in M6 so they work with the Japanese sticks.

Just to show there's no hard feelings.

Without factoring shipping (which can be higher obviously for importing) Sanwa balltops are going to run you around $5 IIRC. For a local and faster option I would personally pay the $2 tax. I'm importing some Sanwa parts right now, and while I don't mind the wait because of the current phase of my project it would be much more frustrating if I was in any kind of a rush.

Not to drag the object we butted heads over into this, but the Ultimarc 360 uses Sanwa/Seimitsu  ball tops for the record (as I would imagine the J-Stick does, but not positive). So that does expand the market somewhat beyond pure Japanese imports.

[Grasshopper]

FWIW, one of the vendors on this board (Ponyboy) sells the Japanese balltops (including the translucent ones) for $3.50, and presumably he's already factored in the cost of importing from Japan.

Also, I can confirm the J-Stik (which is actually a Sanwa joystick) uses the Japanese balltops.

[RandyT]

FWIW, one of the vendors on this board (Ponyboy) sells the Japanese balltops (including the translucent ones) for $3.50, and presumably he's already factored in the cost of importing from Japan.

Don't confuse "bubble" tops with the translucents we had made just for us.  The bubble tops are more of a tinted clear and of course have the bubbles in them.  The ones we sell are very "gem" like, with no bubbles and deep rich color throughout.

I don't speak for everyone on the subject, obviously, but I personally have a strong distaste for the bubble tops.  I just don't want there to be any confusion about the differences.

RandyT

[Grasshopper]

I don't speak for everyone on the subject, obviously, but I personally have a strong distaste for the bubble tops.  I just don't want there to be any confusion about the differences.

Well personally I really like the look of the Seimitsu Bubble Balls (I've actually seen them fitted to arcade machines). But based purely on the pictures on your website, I'd agree that your balltops look even better.

Also, I note that your balltops are slightly bigger than the Japanese ones which is a good thing. But they'd be even better if they were made slightly bigger still.

The most comfortable joystick handles I've tried so far are the ones fitted to the Suzo 500s and they're 38mm in diameter. This is the ideal size for a balltop IMHO.