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Analog Joystick Mod Ideas...
Minwah:
I have an old Happ trigger stick from ebay (bad pic here: http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=18539;start=msg151136#msg151136 )
I have removed the grip and modified the shaft to accept a modified J-Stik shaft & balltop. Also I stripped the joystick right down, cleaned, re-greased and rebuilt...
Here's the problem: I started playing with it for the first time and it appears the centering is a bit crap - sometimes it doesn't return enough and sometimes it returns too far. I haven't altered anything which would affect that, I think it is just a poor design. I thought Happ still sold these sticks, but on closer inspection they seem to have revised the design slightly, removing the 1 large spring in favor of 2 smaller springs opposite the pots ( http://www.happcontrols.com/joysticks/95006500x.htm ).
So my first thought was to buy the different parts and update mine, since the main housing etc. seems to be the same. I am waiting for a quote for the parts from Happ atm...
Then I started thinking how I could modify the stick myself and I remembered the old Sinistar spider thing (see here: http://www.urebelscum.speedhost.com/49waySticks.html , great page URebel btw). I figure I could extend the bolts which hold the housing together, and use these bolts as points for some kind of elastic/spring setup (see attached pic). Then I remembered Xiaou2's inner tube contraption ( http://www.homestead.com/xiaou2/arcade.html ).
So my thinking is that the only problem with doing a similar job on my stick is that it will feel like a Sinistar stick, ie get harder to move at the extents of the stick (it already feels like this, I've never used a real Sinistar one to compare tho). I was wondering if anyone can think of something other than an inner-tube that would perhaps give less resistance, but be capable of returning the stick to centre? Or an alternative solution altogether?
I'm going to do a test tomorrow hopefully using some rubber bands - might give me more of an idea...
Edit: One other thing: the Sinistars spider 'legs' run horizontally and vertically...the way I propose to do it they would be diagonal - how would this affect the feel? Make diagonals stiffer?
(Forgot to attach pic too)
Minwah:
Here's a pic of the stick atm, it looks nice at least :)
Tiger-Heli:
You can get replacement spiders here, if that helps you any:
http://www.wizzesworkshop.com/cart/product.asp?intProdID=20
Minwah:
--- Quote from: Tiger-Heli on June 11, 2004, 02:00:32 pm ---You can get replacement spiders here, if that helps you any:
http://www.wizzesworkshop.com/cart/product.asp?intProdID=20
--- End quote ---
Thanks, I was looking for that earlier...
Don't think I can use that part tho, due to the size of the shaft on my stick.
Rocky:
--- Quote from: Minwah on June 11, 2004, 11:23:13 am ---I was wondering if anyone can think of something other than an inner-tube that would perhaps give less resistance, but be capable of returning the stick to centre? Or an alternative solution altogether?
--- End quote ---
I used bungee cords (not the rubber kind, the ones that are sort of like rope) for the centering for my steering wheel. They do increase in pull the more you stretch them, but I think it would be hardly noticable for the throw of a joystick.
Good luck (and nice work so far),
Rocky
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