Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Karman on July 19, 2004, 01:10:03 pm

Title: Specialty Plastics (Tron repros) is back in business
Post by: Karman on July 19, 2004, 01:10:03 pm
Noticed that Tom is back in the plastic molding business again:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=13718&item=6109076015&rd=1 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=13718&item=6109076015&rd=1)

and from RGVA:

Hello all Im back.  I have a pair of tron sticks on ebay.
I have one extra pair I will sell off ebay for.  I will making more in the next few weeks but for now it's all I have.  http://tinyurl.com/3rvjg
Title: Re:Specialty Plastics (Tron repros) is back in business
Post by: jcoleman on July 19, 2004, 02:32:55 pm
Got his email address?

Coleman
Title: Re:Specialty Plastics (Tron repros) is back in business
Post by: Karman on July 19, 2004, 03:30:24 pm
n2new at aol.com
Title: Re:Specialty Plastics (Tron repros) is back in business
Post by: Hoagie_one on July 19, 2004, 04:01:15 pm
what is everybody mounting these shells onto?
Title: Re:Specialty Plastics (Tron repros) is back in business
Post by: RayB on July 19, 2004, 04:13:23 pm
The original hardware...
Title: Re:Specialty Plastics (Tron repros) is back in business
Post by: Hoagie_one on July 19, 2004, 04:14:35 pm
um....is there anything else you can mount these onto so i dont have to find tron sticks without plastic cases to add these too?
Title: Re:Specialty Plastics (Tron repros) is back in business
Post by: NoOne=NBA= on July 19, 2004, 04:29:44 pm
Happs Heavy-Duty 8-way Trigger sticks, but those are even more expensive than a used Tron stick.

You might be able to rig something up that would let you screw the Tron shell to an outer stick that was fitted to a modified inner stick.
Title: Re:Specialty Plastics (Tron repros) is back in business
Post by: Hoagie_one on July 19, 2004, 04:38:34 pm
i guess i dont understand the allure of these repro's.  if you got a tron stick, why do you need a new shell?
Title: Re:Specialty Plastics (Tron repros) is back in business
Post by: NoOne=NBA= on July 19, 2004, 04:41:59 pm
Alot of people have black handled sticks, and would like transparent blue ones.
Other people have cracked/burned/discolored sticks, and would like nicer ones.
Title: Re:Specialty Plastics (Tron repros) is back in business
Post by: Karman on July 19, 2004, 04:44:03 pm
what is everybody mounting these shells onto?

http://1uparcade.robandmitsue.com/projects-tronsticks.html (http://1uparcade.robandmitsue.com/projects-tronsticks.html)
Title: Re:Specialty Plastics (Tron repros) is back in business
Post by: AmericanDemon on July 19, 2004, 07:33:40 pm
Yeah I was going to post this, but figured Tom would announce it here too.  He is also going to be doing the normal ball tops too!  Hes working on a new mold shop.  This is excellent news.
Title: Re:Specialty Plastics (Tron repros) is back in business
Post by: SaiNRuB on July 20, 2004, 01:20:03 am
Yeah I was going to post this, but figured Tom would announce it here too.  He is also going to be doing the normal ball tops too!  Hes working on a new mold shop.  This is excellent news.


Thats awesome news, i was going to email him and ask but looks like the balltops are already in motion.
Title: Re:Specialty Plastics (Tron repros) is back in business
Post by: spidermonkey on July 20, 2004, 01:30:44 am
http://www.arcadecontrols.com/files/Uploads/mycontrolpanel.jpg

Here's a pic of some translucent balltops tom made in the past. They look so damn cool. Can't wait until he starts cranking em out again.
Title: Re:Specialty Plastics (Tron repros) is back in business
Post by: Sapper on July 20, 2004, 02:39:16 pm
 :o

Awesome.  As soon as the ball-tops are back in business, I'll be buying a set!!!

I really hope that 4-inch shafts will be available!!

Does Tom have a set of standard colors, or does he mold to match-so to speak??

Any idea how much $$ these go for?

Spr
Title: Re:Specialty Plastics (Tron repros) is back in business
Post by: Grasshopper on July 20, 2004, 02:42:06 pm
:o

Awesome.  As soon as the ball-tops are back in business, I'll be buying a set!!!

I really hope that 4-inch shafts will be available!!

Does Tom have a set of standard colors, or does he mold to match-so to speak??

Any idea how much $$ these go for?

Spr

If I remember correctly they were available in all the standard Wico colours and they cost about $10 each.
Title: Re:Specialty Plastics (Tron repros) is back in business
Post by: jcoleman on July 20, 2004, 03:37:36 pm
He was able to make translucent ball-tops at one time, too.  Wonder if he'd be able to machine the shafts to fit a T-stick plus...hmmm...has anyone heard what his ETA on Wico-style shafts is?

Coleman
Title: Re:Specialty Plastics (Tron repros) is back in business
Post by: Grasshopper on July 20, 2004, 03:58:50 pm
He was able to make translucent ball-tops at one time, too.  Wonder if he'd be able to machine the shafts to fit a T-stick plus...hmmm...has anyone heard what his ETA on Wico-style shafts is?

Coleman

What would be really cool would be a universal ball top handle that could be fitted to almost any modern joystick.

Most joysticks currently being manufactured have a 10mm diameter steel shaft (the only exceptions I know about are the original Wico and the perfect 360 both of which, according to Oscar, have a 9.5mm shaft). So it should be possible to manufacture just one type of handle with a 10mm shaft. You could then cut a variety of different grooves into the shaft at different positions for all the different joysticks out there. The circlip would be fitted to a different groove depending upon which type of joystick base you were using the handle with. With a spacer you could even make them height adjustable.

A universal shaft might actually end up being cheaper than one designed for a specific joystick because of larger economies of scale in the manufacturing process.
Title: Re:Specialty Plastics (Tron repros) is back in business
Post by: danny_galaga on July 21, 2004, 09:00:05 am
they look great, dont they? has anyone tried lighting these or the ball tops up? with fibre-optics or leds or something? could look pretty cool...
Title: Re:Specialty Plastics (Tron repros) is back in business
Post by: NickS on November 07, 2004, 02:25:37 am
what is everybody mounting these shells onto?

http://1uparcade.robandmitsue.com/projects-tronsticks.html (http://1uparcade.robandmitsue.com/projects-tronsticks.html)

Can't get this link to work. Does anyone know if it is still available or have this page on their website ?.
Title: Re:Specialty Plastics (Tron repros) is back in business
Post by: Rahzel on November 07, 2004, 04:46:55 am
Here's the link fellas http://members.aol.com/specialtyplastic/index.htm

Site just opened up today. He sells replacement Wico ball-top joysticks in 3.5" and 4" and last time I talked to him stainless steels came to about $50 for 4. Prices probably changed though
Title: Re:Specialty Plastics (Tron repros) is back in business
Post by: quarterback on November 07, 2004, 09:36:48 am
what is everybody mounting these shells onto?

http://1uparcade.robandmitsue.com/projects-tronsticks.html (http://1uparcade.robandmitsue.com/projects-tronsticks.html)

Try the Google cache:

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:InXh3vy9ufIJ:1uparcade.robandmitsue.com/projects-tronsticks.html+&hl=en

Can't get this link to work. Does anyone know if it is still available or have this page on their website ?.