Anyone ever remove the balltop from a Mag Stick Plus?

[Ninten-doh]

I want to have a different color than red for the balltop, but I know the balltops on these were locked on there pretty tight out of necessity.  Has anyone ever removed one of these?  If so, how did you do it, and what balltop did you use as a replacement?

[Bender]

yeah, I replaced one of those
I got it off with one of these from sears wraped around the ball and a big screwdriver on the other end*EDIT* put the middle of the shaft with the flat sides in a vise to keep it from spinning

You can use any 35mm balltop for a Sanwa or Semitsu
there are some good ones here

[TheShanMan]

Andy told me it can't be done, but I guess Bender has done it. I've already discussed this with Andy. It's on there with locktite, and he says the plastic will break before the ball will unscrew. I wanted to do it so I could put the dust washer under my CP. So as a result, I had to special order a new handle without the locktite. I guess it may be worth a try - it either breaks or it works.

The reason he makes it impossible to remove is because of the 4/8 way switching. He was concerned with people having trouble with it unscrewing since it uses a fair bit of twisting force. I'm hoping that I can get it on there tight enough with teflon tape or something. I'd rather not have to use locktite because then it would be on my panel permanently.

[Bender]

I was on there pretty tight but the locktight will give out way before that brass insert, you can be sure of that
also there was some leftover locktight on the threads and I just left it on there and that was plenty to keep the new top on tight, though they make different grades of locktight one of which is less permanent, and that may be a way to go

[TheShanMan]

I assumed it just had plastic threads and that's why it would break. I didn't want to risk sacrificing my handle without another one ready to go in its place, so I just took Andy's word for it, and heck it's only $14 for a new handle. Maybe sometimes the brass insert actually breaks away from the plastic before the locktite breaks free?

But hey, if you can do without the handle until a new one arrives if it breaks, then go for it! Nice to know it's possible though!

[Ninten-doh]

Thanks Bender!   

[Bender]

no problem

let us know how it goes

PS: you tag line is my mantra too!

THIS is last one, No really I mean it this time
till next time

[TheShanMan]

"Yeah, I know I said it would be my last one, but this was such a good deal I couldn't pass on it!" I'm kinda in this position now even though I only have 2 cabs until we buy a house with more space. So it's a lot of selling her on where the next cab could go (bedrooms - yes I even joked about the master bedroom, family room, dining room, etc.). I tell her I'm not anxiously looking for my next cab, but that if you find a good deal you can't pass on it!

[Ummon]

No, I think mainly people would try things like pliers and such, which concentrate the pressure at points on the sphere making it easy to crush and break. A belt wrench distributes the contact and makes for much more available torque. They can sometimes slip, though.

[NoOne=NBA=]

I wanted to do it so I could put the dust washer under my CP.

The easy way to do this is to slit the dust washer, and peel it off the stick.
Before you hook the joystick base to the CP, push the stick through the CP, and stick the dust washer back on.
Once the dust washer is on the stick, you can put the stick through the base, and then secure the base to the CP.
If the hole in your CP is very small, you won't be able to see the slit in the dust washer.

[Ninten-doh]

Tried Bender's suggestion yesterday, and it worked great.  Thanks again Bender!   

[ArcadeBliss]

You gotta love this site. I was just asking myself the same question today, because I wanted another ball on the stick. My first attemps to remove the thing were not successful. Now I see what I have to do. Now, how to get the stick drilled so I can light the ball up 

[Pablouk]

Just about to remove mine does any ball top fit like Sanwa and the others etc?

[jeremymtc]

does any ball top fit like Sanwa and the others etc?

Yep, anything with a 6mm thread will fit. I've used Sanwa, GGG, and universal knobs on mine.

[Pablouk]

Thanks Bender

I bought a can opening tool and it turns the mag stick batt top but the thing does not screw off it just turns and turns. DUH!!

Just wondering if there is a screw inside or maybe just a push fit as I was going to cut it off and screw new ball on.

[bobbyb13]

I was on there pretty tight but the locktight will give out way before that brass insert, you can be sure of that
also there was some leftover locktight on the threads and I just left it on there and that was plenty to keep the new top on tight, though they make different grades of locktight one of which is less permanent, and that may be a way to go

If one wanted to use it, blue locktite is the easiest to loosen of the three grades.

Orange is considerably harder to break free and sometimes requires heat to do so (no good for our purposes here obviously.)

Red is considered permanent- but can still sometimes be broken loose- with a LOT of heat.

Teflon tape (maybe 3 wraps worth) may be a good alternative to the blue loctite in some cases.

Bobby