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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Popcorrin on March 29, 2008, 02:10:06 pm

Title: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: Popcorrin on March 29, 2008, 02:10:06 pm
Recently I put together a 49way joystick that features an illuminated balltop and I have been tossing around the idea of offering the same thing to the community.  What I am trying to find out is how much interest there would be in something like that.  A ballpark estimate on price would be in the $50-$60 price range.

I'll try to get some pictures taken and posted this week.  Currently I am using the Seimitsu LB-39 "bubbletops".  They look pretty good and they do a good job of dispersing the light, I just wish they were a little bigger.  I thought about using the transluscent versaballs, but I don't know how well they would disperse the light and I also haven't been able to get an answer from RandyT on whether he would sell just the ball or not.  I didn't see it as option on the website either.  Another option was to get my own made but I am hesitant to do that for right now.

As far as the feel of the joystick, I personally like it better than the original but that is something that is going to be personal preference. 
As far as durability, the joystick is made from 90% happ parts and seems to be rock solid.  I have had 2 installed on a cabinet for 3 months and there hasn't been any problems.

I'll do my best to answer any questions that anybody has and I'll try to get some pictures posted asap.

   
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: Timoe on March 29, 2008, 09:03:09 pm
Seimitsu actually makes two sizes of ball top the regular LB-39 which is 35mm in diameter

and the much larger LB-49

You can get them both at www.akihabarashop.jp
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: Popcorrin on March 30, 2008, 02:58:22 pm
Thanks for the link.   Do you know if the thread size on the LB-49 is larger?
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: Franco B on March 30, 2008, 04:04:40 pm
They are both M6x1mm pitch
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: Popcorrin on September 26, 2008, 01:24:40 am
It took ahwile, but below are some pictures and a real short video of the  49 ways with the illuminated balltops.   They utilize the transluscent versaballs.  The 1st picture could have been better, it looks little washed out.  The center of the ball isn't that bright.  The balls light up real nice in person.
There are other options for balls that disperse the light more evenly,  but I do like the way these look lit and unlit.   Let me know what you think.


(http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll70/popcorrin/ledjoy.jpg)

(http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll70/popcorrin/cpled.png)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xum1gwigVCc[/youtube]
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: Franco B on September 26, 2008, 02:04:01 am
Now they do look nice 8)

Does the ball screw onto the shaft or is it bonded etc?
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: Popcorrin on September 26, 2008, 11:32:37 am
Now they do look nice 8)

Does the ball screw onto the shaft or is it bonded etc?

Thanks.

They screw on.
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: Franco B on September 26, 2008, 11:49:38 am
Thanks. Is Randy selling them separately?  If so do you know how much?
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: Popcorrin on September 26, 2008, 01:21:09 pm
Last I checked, he would not sell the ball separately.
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: cmoses on September 26, 2008, 01:25:49 pm

(http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll70/popcorrin/ledjoy.jpg)


Can we see a picture with the light off?

Would it be possible to get a good picture of this control panel.  I really like the way that there is information on the panel as far as button layouts, button configs, etc.  I would like to see it all if possible.
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: Popcorrin on September 26, 2008, 02:27:18 pm
The control panel artwork is based off of motorfish's artwork that he offered up to the community a few years ago.  I'll see if I can dig up the old thread.   
Here is a pic with the led off.

(http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll70/popcorrin/P1010002.jpg)
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: cmoses on September 26, 2008, 04:22:25 pm
Thanks, please let me know if you find it.

Also, are those GGG Electric Ice Buttons?
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: deepblue on September 26, 2008, 07:12:36 pm

(http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll70/popcorrin/ledjoy.jpg)


Damn - where were you 2 months ago when I bought my gear!! These look amazing.
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: Numbski on September 27, 2008, 09:02:42 am
Heh - if I could get rolling on making my glass balltops again, this would look sweet. :)
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: hms666 on September 27, 2008, 09:23:24 am
The control panel artwork is based off of motorfish's artwork that he offered up to the community a few years ago.  I'll see if I can dig up the old thread.   
Here is a pic with the led off.


Do u still have the Hi-Res version of MotorFishs panel ? I can't find it anymore, maybe i've deleted it. Could u upload it to rapidshare ?
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: Popcorrin on September 28, 2008, 11:39:02 am
Thanks, please let me know if you find it.

Also, are those GGG Electric Ice Buttons?

Yes they are Electric Ice buttons.

I haven't found the thread with the download but I'll see if I can get my copy uploaded to rapidshare.
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: Popcorrin on September 28, 2008, 11:39:52 am
Heh - if I could get rolling on making my glass balltops again, this would look sweet. :)

I never seen your glass balltops.  Do you have any pics?
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: Popcorrin on September 28, 2008, 11:41:05 am
The control panel artwork is based off of motorfish's artwork that he offered up to the community a few years ago.  I'll see if I can dig up the old thread.   
Here is a pic with the led off.


Do u still have the Hi-Res version of MotorFishs panel ? I can't find it anymore, maybe i've deleted it. Could u upload it to rapidshare ?

Yes, I still have it.  I'll see if I can get it uploaded.
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: Numbski on September 28, 2008, 04:35:56 pm
It's moments like this that I hate the way Flickr cycles out photos.  I had all kinds of pictures up, but I can't post them anymore....grr.

I'll see if I can take some new ones.  They all had an irridescent finish - the colors of glass were:

Clear
Black
Baby Blue
Ruby
Emerald
Purple
Pink
Orange
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: Popcorrin on September 28, 2008, 05:07:45 pm
Please post some pics if you get some taken.

Cmoses and hms66, I uploaded motorfish's panel to Rapidshare.

http://rapidshare.com/files/149160908/MotorFish_Control_Panel_Final.psd.html (http://rapidshare.com/files/149160908/MotorFish_Control_Panel_Final.psd.html)
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: hms666 on September 28, 2008, 05:21:25 pm
Thanks!   :applaud:
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: Numbski on October 01, 2008, 02:09:24 pm
Have a look here:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=68377.msg705687#msg705687
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: Popcorrin on October 02, 2008, 12:51:58 am
Very nice!   It's hard to tell from the pictures, are they transluscent?
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: Numbski on October 02, 2008, 02:28:53 pm
Yeah, they're glass.  I hand-drill each one, which is VERY tricky.  I spent months working up a rig to do it, but I still crack 3/4 of the ones I make. :\
Title: Re: 49 way with illuminated balltop, possible product offering, gauging interest
Post by: Skipernicus on October 05, 2012, 07:01:15 am
I really like what you did with the art. I'm going to build a 4 player pedestal and want to do something similar, but it seems I showed up a few years too late to find those art files - every link I run down is dead. Do you still have 'em, and are you willing to share them?

The illuminated sticks and buttons are beautiful, but it seems a bit outside of my building abilities...

(http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll70/popcorrin/ledjoy.jpg)

(http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll70/popcorrin/cpled.png)

[youtube]ledcpo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xum1gwigVCc#)[/youtube]