LS-30, Where’s the dust washer?

[scotthh]

I’ve seen the debate, dust washer on top or under the CP. The dust washer on the Ikari CP is below (see the first picture below). I mocked up my CP this evening (see the second picture below), and realized there is no room between the CP and the joystick for the dust washer. Is there a washer or a nut on real Ikari between the CP and the stick to leave room for the dust washer?

I’m building a CP with 2 LS30s and 6 buttons per player. In addition to two start buttons there is a pause button. Ideally I’d like to make it out of wood. I would like to use the third picture below as a CPO and have Lexan on top. Alternatively, I could use the fourth picture below and just paint the CP in the Ikari color screen.

Do I top mount the joysticks? If so, I don’t see how I can have the dust washers below the CP. I could print the CPO and use a fairly thin sheet of Lexan, however.

Do I bottom mount the joysticks? How thin do I dare router out the wood? Do I have enough room for the Lexan? Will I need to either paint the CP, or use a vinyl CPO?

Do I forget about wood and make the CP out of metal and use a vinyl CPO?

[MaximRecoil]

I’ve seen the debate, dust washer on top or under the CP. The dust washer on the Ikari CP is below (see the first picture below).

Do you know for sure the dust washers are below the CP in that picture? It could just be missing the dust washers. That picture is not high enough resolution to tell.

I have a dedicated Ikari Warriors and Victory Road. They both have the dust washers on top of the control panel (3 of the 4 LS-30's between the two machines seem to be original). I don't even see how you would mount the washers below the control panel with LS-30's. It could be done with spacers between the mounting plate and the bottom of the control panel I suppose, which would make an already low joystick even lower. I highly doubt they shipped that way. If you look at the flyers for Ikari Warriors and Victory Road at www.arcadeflyers.com you can see that the dust washers are on top.

Do I top mount the joysticks? If so, I don’t see how I can have the dust washers below the CP. I could print the CPO and use a fairly thin sheet of Lexan, however.

Do I bottom mount the joysticks? How thin do I dare router out the wood? Do I have enough room for the Lexan? Will I need to either paint the CP, or use a vinyl CPO?

On the original machines, the underside of the control panel has threaded studs to mount the joysticks to, which is why you don't see the heads of carriage bolts around the joysticks on dedicated Ikari machines. Carriage bolts could be used if you aren't using an original CP of course, but either way, LS-30's are meant to be mounted to metal from the underside. It would be quite a trick to mount them in wood and not have the stick be too low.

Just out of curiousity, what do you plan to do with 6 buttons per player with LS-30's? LS-30's are horrible for 6 button fighting games like SFII. You'd probably be better off with Happ's mechanical rotary stick, which is pretty much a Happ Super with rotary function, if you plan to play 6 button fighting games.

[FrizzleFried]

Many joystick bases have a 1/16" or 1/32" recess in the top that gives enough room to put a dust washer in there...

[Kremmit]

Many joystick bases have a 1/16" or 1/32" recess in the top that gives enough room to put a dust washer in there...

But not LS-30s.

[MaximRecoil]

Many joystick bases have a 1/16" or 1/32" recess in the top that gives enough room to put a dust washer in there...

Like Kremmit said, not on LS-30's...

[scotthh]

Thanks for the input! I think I need to lean towards metal with an unprotected vinyl CPO.

Do you know for sure the dust washers are below the CP in that picture?

No.  As the compass image was more visible than it would be with the dust washers that came with my LS-30's,  I was assuming they are below. But looking at the arcadeflyer image, I think the image I originally posted (I got it from maws) is just missing the dust washers.

Just out of curiosity, what do you plan to do with 6 buttons per player with LS-30's? LS-30's are horrible for 6 button fighting games like SFII. You'd probably be better off with Happ's mechanical rotary stick, which is pretty much a Happ Super with rotary function, if you plan to play 6 button fighting games.

Here's the long version:

I'm at the very beginning stage of my project.  At the moment I'm using an inherited, gutted x-arcade box with a U360 and a TT2. I have 6 buttons, a coin button and a player one start button attached to the U360 button harness. This is a temporary solution. I'm thinking about building three CP's, which I plan on eventually marrying to a cabinet. A 1 player CP, a 2 player rotary stick CP, and a 4 player CP.

1 Player CP: U360, TT2 & 3" trackball, buttons to be determined later
2 Player CP: 2 LS-30's, 6 buttons each player (Ikari theme)
4 Player CP: 4 Happ Supers, players 1&2 6 buttons each, players 3&4 4 buttons each. (2 on 2 Open Ice theme)

I was thinking about making the 4 man CP with 2 Happ mechanical rotaries for players 1&2 and 2 Happ Supers (players 3&4). I read that the Happ mechanical rotaries aren't as good as the Supers for moving into one or more of the corners. Plus, I got excited and bought a pair of LS-30's. I picked up some buttons, which brings us to today.

And the short version:

The dedicated Ikari CP has 2 sets of 2 buttons for each player, I figured I'd make the panel more versatile by making it 6 buttons per player.
 

[Tiger-Heli]

Be very careful that whatever you use for the CP (wood, lexan, etc.) is thin enough that you will still be able to get the special tool under it to remove the joystick knobs after you've installed them.

One of the members did not do that and had a tough time getting them back off.