Author Topic: U360 Topfire or LED Balltop Tutorial... Rotary coming soon (Read 32357 times)

Bender · « **on:** January 10, 2011, 01:41:35 pm »

The Finished Product!

Ok I finally got around to making a tutorial
This is for moding a U360 for either topfire or LED Balltop
Please note that you must use a U360 restrictor for this to work (which I think just about everybody is cause the throw is just to long without one) I'm using the circular restrictor here

Here are the parts you need for the shaft part
I used a 2.5mm threaded stereo jack, a *U360 shaft that has beed drilled out for the wire and the bottom section even further drilled out and tapped to accommodate the jack, you could use a a straight jack, but then you have to glue it in, and find a way to attach the E-Clip
next is the balltop drilled out for either an LED or for the topfire button, here I've used a button from radio shack , or an LED with the top and rim sanded off, and of course the wire (do not use solid core wire for this, I had that fail from twisting the wire into the shaft)
*The shaft pictured is completely fabricated from scratch by Franco (Thanks again Buddy!) and has a wider thread at the top, so the balltop must be rethreaded too
I have done this with a stock U360 shaft but it is tougher to drill out the smaller thread at the top

Here is the finished Topfire shaft put together. You can see the jack isn't entierly screwed in to leave room for the E-Clip, I used a little lock-tite to keep it secure, I'm not showing the LED from here on out as the steps are exactly the same, except you might need a resistor on the other end

Bender · « **Reply #1 on:** January 10, 2011, 01:41:50 pm »

Step 2: the plug and magnets

the U360 magnet/cup and an 8mm x 2.5mm magnet

here the U360 magnet/cup with the magnet fitting perfectly inside the cup (no need to glue just let the magnet attach itself to the other one)

This is the 2.5mm stereo plug I used notice the the bottom is flat, this is important so the U360 magnet/cup sits flush against the bottom

the plug and a second 8mm x 2.5mm magnet

the plug wired and the magnet hot glued in (sorry it's not pretty, buy you get the idea)
IMPORTANT: before glueing the magnet in make sure the the orientation is correct so that is is attracted to the U360 magnet/cup
Also notice I have 3 layers of heat shrink over the wires, I wanted this to be pretty tough cause it will hit the brackets when the joystick spins

You could skip the 2 magnets I added and just glue the U360 magnet to the plug, just make sure it's perfectly centered
Here you can see the finished shaft and plug connected in relation to an original U360
Notice the difference in length, we now have to adjust for that, on to Step 3

Bender · « **Reply #2 on:** January 10, 2011, 01:42:07 pm »

Step 3: Moding the base

Here is the original U360 Base and a bracket I made to accommodate the extra hight of the plug

Here is the base with all 4 brackets attached

here is an original base compared to the moded one

and finally the finished Mod next to an original with short shaft (sorry that's all I had, ruined a few long ones trying to drill them out)

Bender · « **Reply #3 on:** January 10, 2011, 01:42:24 pm »

Holding for Rotary Tutorial

Bender · « **Reply #4 on:** January 10, 2011, 01:42:41 pm »

VanillaGorilla · « **Reply #5 on:** January 10, 2011, 01:54:46 pm »

holding...

VanillaGorilla · « **Reply #6 on:** January 10, 2011, 01:56:41 pm »

But seriously....---smurfing--- AWESOME! Did you re-thread the plastic of the balltop, or replace the threaded insert with a new one to match the new shaft?

Bender · « **Reply #7 on:** January 10, 2011, 02:15:59 pm »

Quote from: VanillaGorilla on January 10, 2011, 01:56:41 pm

But seriously....---smurfing--- AWESOME! Did you re-thread the plastic of the balltop, or replace the threaded insert with a new one to match the new shaft?

I rethreaded the brass insert that was already in there

opt2not · « **Reply #8 on:** January 10, 2011, 02:20:57 pm »

Wicked!

JMB · « **Reply #9 on:** January 10, 2011, 03:02:57 pm »

Well done! Thanks for taking the time to document!

jipp · « **Reply #10 on:** January 10, 2011, 03:13:11 pm »

give the man his own info comerical.. good stuff. thanks for sharing.

chris.

EvilNuff · « **Reply #11 on:** January 13, 2011, 10:39:42 pm »

Fantastic thanks Bender! Looking forward to the rotary tutorial.

bkenobi · « **Reply #12 on:** January 14, 2011, 11:31:05 am »

U360 + Rotary + topfire + auto 4/8-way switching...

robertsig · « **Reply #13 on:** January 26, 2011, 11:57:52 am »

I wish I had the skills and tools to do this. Anyone willing to build me one or two for a price? PM me.

wonderalex · « **Reply #14 on:** January 30, 2011, 08:30:32 am »

Ditto here - I don't have the skills for this (or the equipment - I'm a hand tools guy) - I too would be willing to purchase a ready made or at least the custom components, like the shaft and the ball (assembly I can handle - i think). PM me.

WonderAlex

LeedsFan · « **Reply #15 on:** March 06, 2011, 04:02:03 am »

This is excellent! Where did you get the top fire button from? I've recently made my own top fire button in a 35mm ball top for Seimitsu LS-32 using a hollowed out shaft from Arcadeshop.de. But I really struggled to find a decent button for the top fire. Nothing seemed to be just right and I ended up with a button that seems a bit weedy. But it does work perfectly. Your button looks perfect though.

Bender · « **Reply #16 on:** March 06, 2011, 01:21:32 pm »

I got that one from radio shack, they come in black too, the trick was threading the balltop, it has an odd thread count, 27 by something I think
I bought a tap special just for that f#%@ing button
You can just make a hole and glue it in though

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062510

ptinolv · « **Reply #17 on:** March 14, 2011, 01:15:05 pm »

This is amazing.

Is there any problem with the ultimarc software because of the difference of length ? Does it behave exactly the same way ?

LeedsFan · « **Reply #18 on:** March 14, 2011, 01:21:16 pm »

Quote from: ptinolv on March 14, 2011, 01:15:05 pm

This is amazing.

Is there any problem with the ultimarc software because of the difference of length ? Does it behave exactly the same way ?

So long as the magnet is exactly the same distance from the sensor then there should be no difference at all.

ptinolv · « **Reply #19 on:** March 14, 2011, 01:52:18 pm »

I guess the magnet has a bigger area of movement (because of a this difference). Does this matter ?

Bender · « **Reply #20 on:** March 14, 2011, 02:46:09 pm »

yes, you have adjust the custom restrictor number till in analog mode all the corners hit, I think mine went down to 6 with the circular restrictor (normally it's 9)

kronic24601 · « **Reply #21 on:** March 15, 2011, 12:55:41 am »

Hey Bender,

I've done pretty much the exact thing as your LED tutorial, however ... I'm curious about the Rotary. I know you have a Rotary tut coming, but have you had any success with a Rotary & LED (or pushbutton)?

I'm REALLY curious as to how that would work.

Bender · « **Reply #22 on:** March 15, 2011, 01:10:55 am »

humm....

mytymaus007 · « **Reply #23 on:** May 09, 2011, 09:07:41 pm »

ill buy one asap if someone has the tools TRON TRON TRON TRON

PM please

robertsig · « **Reply #24 on:** March 03, 2014, 11:42:15 am »

I'm surprised no one has come out with a retail version of this idea yet. Anyone know of something that is similar? I still need this!


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