U360 short versus long shafts

[DaveStall]

I'm sure the last thing we need is another discussion on this, but I haven't seen an opinion from anyone that has used both the short and long shafts with the Ultrastick 360.  If you started with the standard length and upgraded, was it worth it?  I have my U360s bottom mounted to a 1/2" wood CP (plus a plexi cover) and indeed the sticks seem a bit on the short side.  I am however having a hard time believing 10mm is going to make much of a difference.  I would have expected the longer shafts to make up for a more standard wood CP thickness, but 10mm doesn't even cover the thickness of a 1/2" (roughly 13mm) control panel, much less the more standard 3/4" (almost 20mm) thickness.  Perhaps the 10mm is the minimum length needed to get the sticks working at all in thick control panels?  I will probably end up getting the longer shafts but I was hoping someone has used both to make a comparison.

Dave

[kowal]

long is for wood panel 18mm
medium (stock) is for wood panel 10-12mm

for me U360 (on digital mode) have best dynamic on JLW jap ver base and shaft 27mm  for metal panel (2-4mm)

corect shaft on arcade under balltop to panel is 25-30mm
20mm is critical, shaft over 35mm difference in position of hands (stick-buttons) is too large for me very uncomfortable

[javeryh]

I bottom mounted mine so the additional 10mm is essential.  I routed out 3/8" leaving 3/8" underneath the CP:

[Ginsu Victim]

Mine are standard length balltops, bottom-mounted without any routing, in 5/8" wood with 1/8" plexi. I feel the length is fine. To each his own, though.

[DaveStall]

Just a quick followup here.  I measured the distance on my Robotron machine from the top surface of the control panel to the bottom of the ball on the joystick, and it is right at 25mm (one inch), which fits right in with kowal's suggestion.  My MAME machine has a control panel made from 1/2" plywood + a sheet of plexiglass (somewhere in the 1/16 to 1/8 inch thickness).  I have my standard length balltop U360s bottom mounted with no routering at all and the same measurement comes out to be about 22.5mm which is pretty close to what my Robotron is at.  I would say that a control panel made with 3/4" material would need the longer shafts, but with 1/2" (or less) material the standard length shafts are fine.

Dave