Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Grasshopper on July 13, 2003, 06:58:48 pm

Title: Replacement microswitches for T-Stik
Post by: Grasshopper on July 13, 2003, 06:58:48 pm

Does anyone know where replacement microswitches for the the Ultimarc T-Stik can be bought?

The switches fitted to my joystick make a very loud clicking sound and are quite stiff. I would prefer quieter ones with a lighter action.

The switches look very similar to the ones fitted to Happ Supers but have a shorter metal lever. I've had a look in both Happ's and Suzo's catalogues and they don't appear to stock them.

I bought my T-Stik directly from Industrias Lorenzo and I asked them to fit it with Cherry microswitches but the switches that came with it are made by a company called Crouzet.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Title: Re:Replacement microswitches for T-Stik
Post by: MinerAl on July 13, 2003, 08:55:20 pm

Do you have any Happs joysticks around?   I would be very surprised if you couldn't just take Happs' switches and pop them on the T-Stick.  If you can, try one, and if it works you can order just the switches from Happs by getting the specific part number off of the exploded view drawings.

I'd love to hear that this works!  

My guess is the clicking noise might go away, but the stiffness is in the springing of the stick itself.

Title: Re:Replacement microswitches for T-Stik
Post by: OSCAR on July 13, 2003, 10:04:39 pm

Can you match up the lever length with something from here?

http://www.cherrycorp.com/products/US/switches/pdf/d4-min.pdf

The standard Happ switch is a D44 series Cherry, so you should be able to build a Cherry part number from the catalog and search online eletronics retailers for it.  Good luck!

Title: Re:Replacement microswitches for T-Stik
Post by: Grasshopper on July 17, 2003, 06:31:43 pm

Quote from: OSCAR on July 13, 2003, 10:04:39 pm

Can you match up the lever length with something from here?

http://www.cherrycorp.com/products/US/switches/pdf/d4-min.pdf

The standard Happ switch is a D44 series Cherry, so you should be able to build a Cherry part number from the catalog and search online eletronics retailers for it.  Good luck!

Thanks for that. It's going to take a while to study that file. However one of the diagrams does look like the type of switch I'm after.

Incidentally, have you actually bought any switches directly from cherry and if so do they sell to non-trade customers?

Also (and I realise this is slightly off topic) I vaguely remember that in a previous thread you recommended replacing the microswitches on Happ Competition joysticks with ones that had a lower amperage. Can you clarify why this gives a better feel? Is it simply that the replacement switches have a different actuation point or do they also have a lighter force and a quieter click?

This information could be useful in helping me to decide what switches to buy for my T-Stik.

Thanks in advance.  

Title: Re:Replacement microswitches for T-Stik
Post by: OSCAR on July 17, 2003, 06:51:07 pm

That was reply #10 in this thread:
http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=5127;start=0

The lower amperage rating is only the side effect of it being a gold contact switch.  You guessed right, it is the activation point that makes the difference.  Changing out the microswitches with ones that have a lower activation point helps shift the joystick bias from favoring the diagonals to the 4-way directions.

I've purchased Cherry switches through retailers like www.newark.com and www.mouser.com, but never direct from Cherry.