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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: mgb on March 15, 2013, 12:16:29 am

Title: The Dreaded Customer Call Back For Bad Joysticks
Post by: mgb on March 15, 2013, 12:16:29 am
Back in October I converted and fixed up a 3-in-1 to 60-in-1 for a customer. Bassically tossing out the old crappy happ style sticks, replacing the jamma harness, adding buttons and sticking in a 60-in-1 board. I used Zippyy sticks and though I thought they felt kinda wonky, the customer loved it.

He emailed me a little while back telling me that the player 2 stick (cocktail cabinet) wasn't working right. I kinda figured the stick itself might have been shot.

I finally got there tonight (also to install a power supply in his electronic dart board, so the hour and a half drive wasn't wasted on free bee work)
When I get there, he says the player 1 stick is now acting the same way.
sure enough I open up the player 2 side control panel and see the green plastic restrictor plate and 2 small screws sitting there and then I found the same thing on the player 1 side.

So this time I reinstalled the plate using threadlock on the screws.

Not an amazing or puzzling issue but I just found it funny and I was glad I didn't owe him new sticks.
Title: Re: The Dreaded Customer Call Back For Bad Joysticks
Post by: Mental on March 15, 2013, 09:39:03 am
It amazes me, the screws you would least expect that manage to work themselves loose. I threadlock everything now.
Title: Re: The Dreaded Customer Call Back For Bad Joysticks
Post by: BobA on March 15, 2013, 12:00:11 pm
Thanks for the info mgb.   Will have to get a tube of loctite and lock down my sticks from here on.  :applaud:
Title: Re: The Dreaded Customer Call Back For Bad Joysticks
Post by: RandyT on March 15, 2013, 01:21:15 pm
If the restrictor screws are good and tight, they shouldn't work themselves loose.  I know that when I have to remove them when installing the SmoothJoy switches option for folks, I don't go to extremes when reinstalling the plate.  I never know if they will be used for 2, 4 or 8-way, so I try not to make it too difficult for the user to take change it before installing.

So it's good this was posted to remind folks to tighten down anything which can be changed to configure the stick for a specific installation, regardless of the stick type.
Title: Re: The Dreaded Customer Call Back For Bad Joysticks
Post by: Seith on March 15, 2013, 02:59:55 pm
If the restrictor screws are good and tight, they shouldn't work themselves loose.  I know that when I have to remove them when installing the SmoothJoy switches option for folks, I don't go to extremes when reinstalling the plate.  I never know if they will be used for 2, 4 or 8-way, so I try not to make it too difficult for the user to take change it before installing.

So it's good this was posted to remind folks to tighten down anything which can be changed to configure the stick for a specific installation, regardless of the stick type.

RandyT, check your PMs, I sent you a reply to a message from early February and hadn't heard back.
Title: The Dreaded Customer Call Back For Bad Joysticks
Post by: mgb on March 15, 2013, 04:09:22 pm
If the restrictor screws are good and tight, they shouldn't work themselves loose.  I know that when I have to remove them when installing the SmoothJoy switches option for folks, I don't go to extremes when reinstalling the plate.  I never know if they will be used for 2, 4 or 8-way, so I try not to make it too difficult for the user to take change it before installing.

So it's good this was posted to remind folks to tighten down anything which can be changed to configure the stick for a specific installation, regardless of the stick type.

Yeah I thought I had them tight but who knows, maybe I didn't.
I'm thinking maybe the customer was just really rough with them.
Title: Re: The Dreaded Customer Call Back For Bad Joysticks
Post by: RandyT on March 15, 2013, 04:30:45 pm
RandyT, check your PMs, I sent you a reply to a message from early February and hadn't heard back.

*edit*  Man I should read these requests better.  I'll check, but I thought I was caught up  :P

*edit 2*  Checked.  Nothing there from you.  You might want to send it again, or contact me through email.
Title: Re: The Dreaded Customer Call Back For Bad Joysticks
Post by: Seith on March 16, 2013, 03:28:24 pm
RandyT, check your PMs, I sent you a reply to a message from early February and hadn't heard back.

*edit*  Man I should read these requests better.  I'll check, but I thought I was caught up  :P

*edit 2*  Checked.  Nothing there from you.  You might want to send it again, or contact me through email.

OK!