Seimitsu Bubbletop on a Ultimarc U360?

[blind_dado]

Will a Seimitsu "bubble top" fit on a Ultimarc U360?  More generally, what is the diameter of the threads on the U360 shaft and what kinds of ball tops will it accept?  Can you replace the whole shaft?  What about Groovy Game Gear's Versa-Ball Mirrored Stainless Ball-Top?  Are there other options for stainless steel on the U360?  [As a side question from a noob, how do you insert a long URL into a post but just have it appear as a link from a single word?]

[Ginsu Victim]

If it's 35mm, it will fit the U360. And you can buy adapters, as well.

www.lizardlick.com

[blind_dado]

I saw the Seimitsu Bubbletop at Lizardlick, but there is no specification on either the ball or the adapter, and there is no specification on the U360 handle, so I have no idea if these things fit each other!  (a bit frustrating that no specs are published on the only important fact about these products: their thread diameter!)  Anyone have any actual experience with doing this, or know the specs?

[blind_dado]

Oh, and the 35mm refers to the ball's diameter, not the threads, so that doesn't tell you if it will screw onto the shaft the right way.

[Ginsu Victim]

Yes. It's been established that 35mm balltops, including LB-35, fit the U360. You can make the LB-45 fit with an adapter.

[Franco B]

The thread on the U360s is M6 x 1mm pitch.

I'm currently working on some hollow shafts for the U360/JLW with a 4-pole 2.5mm jack/plug on the end for tangle free LED ball top lighting. I should have something to show in a week or two.

As for URL shortening use the following code:

Code: [Select]

[url=www.longurl.com]The words you want to appear[/url]

[blind_dado]

Thanks, that helps a lot!  And I would definitely be interested in your hollow shaft project for the U360.  My girlfriend promises she'll play on any cab I end up building if I can get the bubbletops to light up!

[Ginsu Victim]

My girlfriend promises she'll play on any cab I end up building if I can get the bubbletops to light up!

Luckily all my wife cares about is that the screen comes on.

[blind_dado]

I don't know if this would help with your hollow shaft project, but did you know that lizard lick sells a replacement shaft for Sanwa JLF series joystick that is drilled hollow from end to end?

[Franco B]

Thanks, but I roll my own

Its interesting that lizardlick are selling them now. If you do want to buy some from them you can use [a quick guide I wrote] to help light them.

Come to think of it you are using them for the U360 so that method wont be suitable as you need to mount the magnet on the bottom.

There is some info in [this thread] which shows what we are working towards.

[blind_dado]

The pictures in the thread on the DIY LED Joysticks of the lit bubbletops is what got me thinking that I needed those!  They look so good!  And then I read the thread on how you guys are trying to get that to work on the U360s.  It's amazing the effort you put in to solving these problems for the community.  My hat is off to you!  And I would be very interested in a set if (no, when) you get it all figured out.

[destructor]

I have Seimitsu ball on my U360.

[fjl]

The U360's use the same size as the sanwa sticks. They where designed almost the same. So whatever fits the Sanwa sticks should fit the U360's. Although they need to be the same type as in Ball top or bat top.

[blind_dado]

How about a polished stainless steel ball top for the U360?  Anybody know where I can get one that will fit?

[destructor]

Steel ball for japanese stick? I think it will be to heavy for these light sticks.

[Franco B]

Im not sure if it would be too heavy or not. I wouldnt desribe my JLWs (which what the U360s are based off, though im not sure if they are sprung different) as light but the added weight may affect the feel of the stick.

Someone else has already asked me about stainless ball tops and I have been giving it some thought. Nomally If I was making one for me I would turn the lower part of the ball and drill and tap the thread before flipping the component round and screwing it onto a M6 shaft to turn the other side of the ball before polishing. The only problem with this is its far too much work and they would end up being too expensive to sell for what they are.

Im going to see if I can get hold of some ~35mm ball bearings to adapt. I could then just make a full radius split bush and then just face a small flat on them and drill and tap them.

Once again these may be too heavy but its worth a go.

[Franco B]

Im going to see if I can get hold of some ~35mm ball bearings to adapt. I could then just make a full radius split bush and then just face a small flat on them and drill and tap them.

Or I could just hold them in a vice and spotface, drill and tap them, talk about over engineering things   

Ive just found a supplier that will be able to supply some balls (oo-er). They also do chromed aluminium balls too which would be much lighter. Im just getting some more info from them.

[blind_dado]

What about somehow adapting the existing "Versa-Ball Mirrored Stainless Ball-Top Joystick" from Groovy Game Gear?  Maybe you could adapt the shaft, or rethread the ball, or just make an insert adaptor, like Lizard Lick makes for the Sanwa ball tops.  I'm just thinking that there must be an existing stainless ball top (because I see them on lots of CPs) that just has the wrong threads.

GGG Stainless Ball Top

Sanwa Joystick Adapter

[Edit: fixed typo]