Kaytrim's Kustoms Back in Action

[Timoe]

You'll be fine.  just dont quit.  On another note whatever you're workin on there is heavy duty and I dig the straight eight layout.

[SNAAKE]

sorry to hear that..hope things get better

installed the art on the box I got from you

[Kaytrim]

sorry to hear that..hope things get better

installed the art on the box I got from you

That is one sweet stick there SNAAKE.  Do you have any more pics?  I'd like to add one or two to my gallery.

TTFN
Kaytrim

[Kaytrim]

You'll be fine.  just dont quit.  On another note whatever you're workin on there is heavy duty and I dig the straight eight layout.

I don't plan on quitting Timoe.    That top that you see in the drill press is the curly maple that caused my accident.  This will be another 'Full Monty' like my lacewood stick.  Wood bat top, veneer button inserts and no art.  Here is a pic of the case as it currently sits.  Two coats of the tung oil you see in the pic.  As you can see the curl is tight and throughout the wood.  I also have another case in progress that is curly Koa from Hawaii.

[Timoe]

That new case looks great Kaytrim.  I almost bought some curly koa the other day.  I will stay away from it and try something else.

On another note, Snaake your new stick looks great.  We need to see more pictures though to be sure.

[Kaytrim]

Well folks this an overdue update.  You got a preview of this case just a week ago.  Well here it is nearly finished.  I just have to add the playstation controller and it is ready for shipping.  This style is called the 'Full Monty' because every button and the joystick get special treatment to match the case.  The joystick top is hand turned on my lathe.  The dust cover and button inserts are made from veneer that I cut myself from the same plank of curly maple that the case was made from.  All the wood is finished with 3 coats of Tung Oil topped off with 2 coats of polyurathane for a durable finish.

[stephenp1983]

So are you taking orders again, or is your hand still to messed up?

[Kaytrim]

My hand is still messed up but I am slowly working my current orders.  No slots opening up yet.

Kaytrim

[stephenp1983]

If you would, just pm me when a slot opens, thanks man

[SodaPopinksi]

Awesome curly maple stick /\  After using that wood myself I know the shine of the figure is even more amazing seeing it in person.

[_) (V) (-)]

Woah, I haven't checked this thread for awhile.
KT these have turned out Awesome!

[Barry Barcrest]

That 'Full Monty' stick looks really nice mate.... 

[Kaytrim]

Here is the latest creation from Kaytrim's Kustoms.  Curly Koa from the Hawiian Islands was used for the sides of this case.  Sanwa JLF joystick and buttons.  MadCats XBox 360 pad.

[javeryh]

Very nice!

 

It really shines - how many coats of varnish/poly/tung oil or whatever did you put on there.  Also what grit did you sand to?

[Kaytrim]

Thanks javeryh, I just used tung oil on this case.   The wood was sanded through to 12,000 grit using a product called MicroMesh prior to any finish being applied.  There was no sanding after the finish was cured.

[Franco B]

Awesome work as usual buddy! 

I wish I had your wood skills! (maybe I should rephrase that!)

[Kaytrim]

Ok folks here it is a tutorial for a button flashing LED mod that I posted on another forum.  The stick is one you may recognize as my second Dymondwood stick.  It came back for an issue with one of the buttons and a problems with the pad.  I offered to do this upgrade for the customer and he jumped at it.

Parts needed.
LEDs, one for each button
Resistors, one for each LED scaled for the voltage being supplied
Perf Board to mount the electronics
A hex inverter (Toodles recommended the 74HCT04, but also said that any of the 7404 family will work like the 74LS04 or 74HC04)
Wire, 26 or 24 AWG

Tools needed,
Drill and drill bit to fit the LEDs
Soldering Iron
Rosin core Solder
Screw drivers

This particular mod is for 10 buttons so I am using 2 chips. This can be done with one chip for 6 buttons as well.

First step is to mount the chips to the perfboard. Note the orientation, the white stripe helps line things up.



Next step is to identify the legs of the chips and install the resistors for the LEDs. Notice that each chip has one leg for the power and one leg for the ground.



Now drill a hole in the buttons to fit the LEDs. My LEDs are 3mm so a 1/8" bit is perfect. You can also glue the LEDs into the holes at this point. Make sure to test them first. Be extra careful if you choose to use supper glue. It can drip into the button and ruin it.




When using Perfboard there are small copper disks around each hole but they are not connected to each other. You have to create a bridge from one hole to the other as you can see in these two pics. They are the same board just top and bottom views.





The first wires I solder in place are the power and ground lines. I just jumpered them from one chip to the other.



Here is where the magic happens. The wires from the pad, to the button and anode of the LED are added to the perfboard. Also notice the holes drilled in the perfboard are for mounting the board in the case. It will be real difficult to drill them after all the wires are added.




Here are all the wires soldered in place and the board screwed to the case. I used Cat-5 network cable to help keep things straight.


And here is the board's underside.



The final step is to daisy chain the grounds on the LEDs and connect them to the ground from the pad. Then connect the ground and power from the perfboard to the ground and power on the pad. In this case I connected the ground to the daisy chain ground on the buttons.



Finally here is a short vid showing the working end product.

[HaRuMaN]

That is so hawt! 

[Franco B]

Now that is awesome! 

Thats really taking things to the next level! There's some real effort gone into that! 

Does anyone know if you can get Mala or any other FE to do that when you press the buttons? Obviously its not of use for your application Kaytrim as yours are for consoles but im just interested.

[Kaytrim]

There must be a way using the LED Wiz from GGG.  Post a question over in the software forum.  But you don't need that.  You can use the same circuit in your cab.  Just supply the 5v from the PC.

Kaytrim

[psychotech]

Thanks for the info 

Found the 74HCT04 online for 0.30 € apiece ..add the cost of suitable resistors and leds ..what cost? ...way too cool a solution!!!

 

[Neilyboy]

dang sorry to hear about the thumb man that sucks.. but man the stick are impressive!! very nice work man! that grain on that box is just amazing!!

Neil

[Kaytrim]

After a long hiatus where injuries and sickness sidetracked me I finally have two new sticks finished.

Purpleheart case
Sanwa JLF joystick with light blue bubbletop
Seimitsu buttons
XBox 360 wireless pad







Quarter Sawn White Oak with a Black Tint
Sanwa JLF joystick with orange bubbletop
Seimitsu buttons
PSX Dualshock pad
Button Flashing circuit

[Dmod]

Nice job as usual Kaytrim.   

Is that a USB connector?  If so, can you let me know where you found it and how you cut the hole for it?

I'd like to put something like that on my driver platform.

[Kaytrim]

Thanks Dmod.  Yes that is a USB connector.  My customer pointed me to them.  Here is where I got them.  The hole is a 24mm hole just like the holes for the buttons.  Then I used a chisel to cut the square recess.

[Kaytrim]

Time to take a break.  Real Life has sucked all my free time away but I managed to crank out a few more sticks.

First up is the most complex stick I have built to date.  This one is for both XBox 360 and Playstation and uses my button flash board, finally the bubbletop joystick lights up.





Video



And the last one I do for a month or two is this Dreamcast stick.





Now one last little interesting mod.  You have seen the button flash board and the lit bubbletop.  Now I show you the Joystick flash.

Here is the little driver board...


And a video of it in action...



TTFN 
Kaytrim

[arcadefever]

 

That Ikaruga stick is gorgeous 

[Kaytrim]

I have finally entered the blogisphere and I am starting to build joysticks again.  Though I am only going to take one or two custom orders at a time so I can build my own creations as well.  To get back into the swing of things again I am documenting my current joystick build on my blog.  You can follow along here.  My Blog

[stephenp1983]

Glad to see you doing these again.  Hopefully taking 2 orders at a time will be easier to maintain and you can do some of your own stuff like you said.

[dmworking247]

Awesome work, I'd never even bother to try and match it because I suck at artwork and staining and you get it so right.

I am however thinking of building a few similar sticks for my own use.. and i was wondering if your choice to use those particular buttons is because a regular 'happ style' pushbutton (with the long bodies) would not fit within the depth of your control panels?

Sorry if I missed it, but do you have 'standard dimensions' you build your sticks to?

[Kaytrim]

I was wondering if your choice to use those particular buttons is because a regular 'happ style' pushbutton (with the long bodies) would not fit within the depth of your control panels?

Sorry if I missed it, but do you have 'standard dimensions' you build your sticks to?

I like using the Japanese controls because they have a much smaller profile and they are the type that the pro gamers want in their sticks.  My cases vary but generally run 13" x 8" x 2" not counting the joystick shaft.

[Stub]

For a stick that size, do you think most people play with it on their lap or on a table? I was thinking it would be nice from the recliner, but does it walk to much sitting on your lap?

[Kaytrim]

Most of the videos that I have seen of the pros in action have them on the floor or in their laps.  It takes a little getting used to but with the Japanese controls they don't take as much force to activate compared to the Happ controls.

[massive88]

For a stick that size, do you think most people play with it on there lap or on a table? I was thinking it would be nice from the recliner, but does it walk to much sitting on your lap?

Mine that I made is slightly different in dimensions, at 12"x9"x 2 1/8" (I was worried about the depths!) but its perfectly comfortable sitting on my lap.

Its also made of 1/2" Oak, and is fairly light.  Kaytrim is right, the japanese sticks have a lighter touch that helps make it work well I think.

[Stub]

  It just made me think of an odd project. ( after the stand up is complete )

  A control very similar in design but maybe 28-30" wide that would rest across the arms of a recliner after you sit down, like a breakfast tray I have. I would add a mini trackball on the right, and maybe a spinner. It would also make for lots of room for art, a nice wide panorama of something.

[Kaytrim]

Ok folks I am begining to get back into building sticks again.  I have also started a blog where I will be posting most of my updates.  I am in need of a talented graphical artist who can add to a line art and then color it in.  Please send me an email for details.

Thanks,

Here is some wood that I am working with for my next build and will be the case for the above artwork.  This is called Narra.

[Sosetsuken]

Very nice work Kaytrim!

Just a bit of random knowledge.  When I've built sticks for people in the past, an extremely simple idea makes the sticks suitable for the rougher players.  Basically I just used a sort of seatbelt or soft cord that loops from the base, that people can either secure around one leg or both legs to provide stability

ie.



Can be in base or sides depending on aesthetics

Anyhoo, awesome designs mate!

EDIT: Sorry didn't mean to necro this thread :/

[leapinlew]

Can be in base or sides depending on aesthetics

Are we really that worried about aesthetics when there is a joystick strapped to your legs?

[dmworking247]

lol, strap on joystick.

Sorry, my juvenile mind couldn't resist

[Sosetsuken]

nvm,

just offering some suggestions that a few of my customers liked, forget it then.  Thanks for the great support.