Author Topic: 3D Printed Atari Yoke Triggers? (Read 3826 times)

RubberB · « **on:** September 23, 2014, 09:04:53 am »

As a longer time lurker making his first post, I should like to first say thanks so much to all on this forum. I've learnt so much.
I've bought an incomplete Atari Star Wars yoke to restore. It's missing a bunch of parts, including all four triggers (thumb triggers and finger triggers)! I occurs to me that someone, somewhere, might offer 3D printed repros of those parts, but I haven't seen anything. I know that you can buy 3D printed 14T gears (which I also need) via ebay, but I've not seen any triggers.
Do you know of any? PS I'm in the UK.

ChadTower · « **Reply #1 on:** September 23, 2014, 10:29:14 am »

Does anyone have any idea how that plastic stands up to wear? We have been waiting YEARS for 3D printed parts to become viable for arcade use.

Generic Eric · « **Reply #2 on:** September 23, 2014, 10:58:20 am »

UPS has a list of locations with 3D printers. It is a uPrint SE Plus

http://www.theupsstore.com/small-business-solutions/Pages/3d-printing-locations.aspx

Although the press release is from yesterday. So they may not be up to speed. I'm emailing my local one to get an idea of when the unit will be online.

DeLuSioNal29 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 23, 2014, 11:35:14 am »

First of all, welcome to the forums!

We'll do our best to provide feedback in this great hobby.

As far as reproducing the buttons: Don't they need to be scanned in 3D first, output to a file and then printed in 3D? Don't quote me here as I'm not that familiar with the exact process. Would UPS have the capability to scan something in? Also, I'm not sure that would be available in the U.K. (Although I'm sure someone here could get it printed and send over to the UK for you).

I'm wondering if Ben Heck (find him on Youtube) would be able to provide some insight. He seems to print stuff all the time in his videos.

DeLuSioNaL29

ChadTower · « **Reply #4 on:** September 23, 2014, 12:39:02 pm »

No, someone could model it in CAD a lot easier than finding a 3D scanner.

RubberB · « **Reply #5 on:** September 23, 2014, 01:18:27 pm »

Thanks so much for your replies. I have a picture of what the triggers look like, so I might be able to produce a CAD drawing based on that. Given that I have the (empty) handle, I can make reference measurements to work out the dimensions of the triggers. BUT I have never used CAD software before! So it might be a bit of a learning curve. I had a look at UPS, but sadly it doesn't look like they have any plans to offer the service in the UK.

My fall back position is to carve the triggers from wood! But that might look a bit rubbish. And I'm concerned that the wood will compress with use such that eventually it doesn't activate the switch.

ChadTower · « **Reply #6 on:** September 23, 2014, 01:23:38 pm »

Painted flat black nobody would ever notice that a trigger was wood rather than plastic. You could carve them from a small aluminum block, I think, too. Aluminum is workable with standard tools if you think about it a bit differently.

PL1 · « **Reply #7 on:** September 23, 2014, 01:40:55 pm »

Welcome aboard, RubberB.

I bought a single used trigger from Mylstar on KLOV (he runs ArcadeFixIt.com) to avoid paying his NOS prices.

You might want to post in the "Want to Buy" forum on KLOV.

Also there are two types of thumb buttons -- one type uses a bushing, the other doesn't.

Check the part number on the right, outside handle-half

-- If it is "040093-01 A" it will work with these non-bushing-style thumb buttons.

The bushing-style buttons look like this. (not sure if they go with different handles

)

Scott

eds1275 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 23, 2014, 02:14:09 pm »

I'm pretty sure sketchup can export to CAD files, and a quick search also brings up BlenderCad (a blender addon.) I can't verify it's usefulness however.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/blendercad/

lilshawn · « **Reply #9 on:** September 23, 2014, 02:27:07 pm »

there was a thread going on about this a while back perhaps you can contact the poster who received the part and query to the status of the parts wearability.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,136593.msg1415788.html#msg1415788

RubberB · « **Reply #10 on:** September 23, 2014, 04:25:39 pm »

Quote from: PL1 on September 23, 2014, 01:40:55 pm

Welcome aboard, RubberB.

Check the part number on the right, outside handle-half -- If it is "040093-01 A" it will work with these non-bushing-style thumb buttons.

Scott

Thanks PL1! Glad to be here. The serial number on my handle is that one so my interim plan is to use a black screw with a button head, gluing a nut in place on the screw to act as that ridge on the real part.

PL1 · « **Reply #11 on:** September 23, 2014, 04:42:53 pm »

Quote from: RubberB on September 23, 2014, 04:25:39 pm

my interim plan is to use a black screw with a button head, gluing a nut in place on the screw to act as that ridge on the real part.

You may also want to use a little heatshrink/tubing so you don't scrape up the hole in the handle.

Scott

RubberB · « **Reply #12 on:** September 23, 2014, 04:49:43 pm »

That's a brilliant idea!

paigeoliver · « **Reply #13 on:** September 23, 2014, 05:19:58 pm »

These buttons get reproduced in aluminum every few years whenever the stock starts getting really low again.

Generic Eric · « **Reply #14 on:** September 23, 2014, 05:35:34 pm »

Quote from: paigeoliver on September 23, 2014, 05:19:58 pm

These buttons get reproduced in aluminum every few years whenever the stock starts getting really low again.

Do you have a source?

RoyalScam · « **Reply #15 on:** September 23, 2014, 06:32:40 pm »

This past weekend I assembled a Printrbot Simple metal 3D printer. I'm not really up to speed on it, but my prints are getting better. I'll admit to suffering a bit of function guilt, as I've bought the thing without a clear intent on what I was going to use it for. I just like to build cool things, get them working and more often than not, lose interest. For me the thrill is always in the build. So, if one of you would like to design a part and send me an STL file, I'd be willing to make a few parts just to see how it goes. Let me know if I can help.

Regards,
Scam

RubberB · « **Reply #16 on:** September 24, 2014, 05:20:45 am »

That's a fantastic offer. I'll see if I can work out how to make an STL file based on a photo of the triggers. Presumably that's something I can do with Google Sketchup. Which I've never used. It may take me a while...

Generic Eric · « **Reply #17 on:** September 24, 2014, 11:51:07 am »

+1 for the offer.

:Gotta: figure out sketchup!

RubberB · « **Reply #18 on:** October 03, 2014, 12:52:06 pm »

I still haven't done anything about the finger triggers. But I have made some temporary thumb triggers out of a spring from a pen (cut in half), a machine screw, nut (glued on), some insulating tape (heatshrink tubing was a great idea but I didn't have the right size) and a black screw cap (£1 for 10 at B&Q for UK readers).
Seems to work quite well. Mechanically at least. I've not wired it up yet.

ChadTower · « **Reply #19 on:** October 03, 2014, 03:19:57 pm »

Nice! If it works very few people will ever notice the difference.

Slippyblade · « **Reply #20 on:** October 03, 2014, 05:26:49 pm »

That there is some fine McGuyverizing. Good job!

DeLuSioNal29 · « **Reply #21 on:** October 05, 2014, 07:10:59 pm »


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