Author Topic: can you make an old wico joystick shaft look new again ? (Read 5133 times)

mrclean · « **on:** February 11, 2009, 12:45:30 am »

I know I can simply replaced them with NOS stuff and they can be 3 bucks from bob which actually isn't that expensive but .. I just picked up a panel and it has 2 wico joysticks. After removing them from the panel the ball tops are in great condtion however the shaft seems dirty. Any way to restore them to the original glory and get it looking like new ? Any cleaning solution ? type of polish etc.

Gotta be some billy mays stuff that will work

Ken Layton · « **Reply #1 on:** February 11, 2009, 01:22:55 am »

BRASSO and a few rags along with some elbow grease should polish them up nicely.

mrclean · « **Reply #2 on:** February 11, 2009, 01:56:37 am »

I didn't try it yet.. but i found in my house " Goddard's Long Shine Brass & Copper Polish" whould that be good ?

shardian · « **Reply #3 on:** February 11, 2009, 08:59:59 am »

Spin them in some fine steel wool to knock out all the rust. you could also use wadding polish.

In reality though, just be glad you were able to disassemble the sticks! I finally became victim to the 'rust weld' of Wico Leaf sticks on my Narc. I tried everything, and those sticks just weren't coming apart.

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #4 on:** February 11, 2009, 10:37:42 am »

I thought this was going to be about the Wico stick I sent you

CheffoJeffo · « **Reply #5 on:** February 11, 2009, 10:54:57 am »

As per Peter Hirschberg, put the end in the chuck of a drill and spin away

EDIT: bad hotlink ... uploaded instead ... tks GV

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #6 on:** February 11, 2009, 11:06:15 am »

~~Cheffo: Picture isn't working.~~

Thanks for that. Not a bad idea.

mrclean · « **Reply #7 on:** February 11, 2009, 11:29:43 am »

Quote from: Ginsu Victim on February 11, 2009, 10:37:42 am

I thought this was going to be about the Wico stick I sent you

That ones probably beyond getting smooth again.. but I feel that these have a chance to look good. Worse case I'll just order new ones for 3 bucks. I like the drill idea, what type of pad is that? Would paint thinner ruin them ?

CheffoJeffo · « **Reply #8 on:** February 11, 2009, 11:36:19 am »

It's Peter's picture, but is a run-of-the-mill scrubbing type pad AFAIK.

mrclean · « **Reply #9 on:** February 11, 2009, 11:53:12 am »

Quote

As per Peter Hirschberg, put the end in the chuck of a drill and spin away

I tried this method and here is a comparison shot, the one on the right got the "Drill treatment" took about 2min, I didn't really go crazy but so far the results are pretty good using this method. It doesn't make it look like a "new" shaft, but it's alot less nasty looking now. But good enough to not need to replace.

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #10 on:** February 11, 2009, 12:09:58 pm »

You should show the one I sent for the bad comparison (since someone (read: me) took a dremel to it and botched it all up).

mrclean · « **Reply #11 on:** February 11, 2009, 12:13:21 pm »

Here is what they came out looking like! I just gotta get some gunk off of one of the ball tops on the bottom which is probably 20 year old boogers and sweat.

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #12 on:** February 11, 2009, 12:17:27 pm »

Looks nice!

I need to try that on my blue balltop.

mrclean · « **Reply #13 on:** February 11, 2009, 12:24:49 pm »

What not to do: "Use a dremel".. Ginsu Victim was kind enough to send me this stick and other parts for my Gun.Smoke project, however don't use this method, use the drill / chuck with a scotch brite pad (or something similar) to get your wico shafts looking new again.

On the left is the drill / chuck scotch brite method nice and smooth.. on the right is the dremel method which is rough and not as shinny.

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #14 on:** February 11, 2009, 12:26:39 pm »

Looks like crap! Just like I remember! (No wonder I didn't charge you for it)

mrclean · « **Reply #15 on:** February 11, 2009, 12:53:44 pm »

oh yeah not like it matters.. but, these are going to be used on my bubble bobble project, i freakin' love that game! you can see pics of the williams cabinet i started to work on in this thread which has nothing to do with bubble bobble http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=89193.0

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #16 on:** February 11, 2009, 01:49:23 pm »

To be fair, that picture makes the shaft look duller than it is. Still looks like crap, but it could be improved upon with a bit of work.

mrclean · « **Reply #17 on:** February 11, 2009, 01:51:58 pm »

Quote from: Ginsu Victim on February 11, 2009, 01:49:23 pm

To be fair, that picture makes the shaft look duller than it is. Still looks like crap, but it could be improved upon with a bit of work.

agree.. but I probably won't replace them since i did a good enough job imo.. although I might just order a ton of shafts from bob for the future

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #18 on:** February 11, 2009, 01:59:33 pm »

Just making sure....I was talking about the wico I sent you (just in case you weren't)

orion · « **Reply #19 on:** February 11, 2009, 02:59:03 pm »

Quote from: mrclean on February 11, 2009, 12:24:49 pm

What not to do: "Use a dremel".. Ginsu Victim was kind enough to send me this stick and other parts for my Gun.Smoke project, however don't use this method, use the drill / chuck with a scotch brite pad (or something similar) to get your wico shafts looking new again.

On the left is the drill / chuck scotch brite method nice and smooth.. on the right is the dremel method which is rough and not as shinny.

Dremels will work, looks like he just used the wrong attachment. I use this kit personally. In it are two grey hard rubber disks. They work great for getting off rust. After I hit it with one of them, I use the Red Jewelers Rouge to get it nice and shinny. To get things really shinny you need a kit of buffing compound and work your way down to the red which is the fine stuff. I am able to get a completely scratched up back of an Ipod looking factory again. (a perfect mirror finish) of course you will be polishing for hours on end.... total PITA, but it can be done. I like the drill chuck idea... that would make quick work of things. I would say hit it with the drill and scotch brite and then the jewelers rouge on a bench grinder or using a dremel.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=post;quote=938779;topic=89431.0;num_replies=18;sesc=a4fe305dca16430b7042971d0084fa02

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00902896000P?vName=Tools&cName=PowerToolAccessories&sName=Bench%20Grinder&psid=SHOPZILLA01&sid=IDx20070921x00003c

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #20 on:** February 11, 2009, 03:04:38 pm »

Quote from: orion on February 11, 2009, 02:59:03 pm

[Dremels will work, looks like he just used the wrong attachment.

I totally used the wrong attachment. I did it before I was even a member of this board, otherwise I would've just posted pics and asked how to clean it up (it was REALLY rusty) like mrclean did.

CheffoJeffo · « **Reply #21 on:** February 11, 2009, 03:08:05 pm »

+1 for the Jeweler's Rouge to make things really shiny.

ghettodish · « **Reply #22 on:** February 14, 2009, 07:44:23 pm »

if you don't have jeweler's rouge on hand you can use powdered sugar! I've seen it mentioned a few times in the Hot Rod magazines for final polish on rims and bumpers.

mrclean · « **Reply #23 on:** February 15, 2009, 05:36:29 pm »

I mean don't get me wrong they ended up re-usable at some point, however I already ordered new stuff from bob, infact I over ordered on purpose (extra this and extra that) and this time I might go with Light Blue Long ones i think they are longer 4''?, but that's fine because it's going on thicker wood. The 3.5'' ones sit a little bit low.. for Bubble bobble in a williams cabinet.. If I hate the light blue i also ordered 2 other red wico ball top / shafts. I think that the colors should work the control panel overlay is going to be the generic blue romstar with red text matches the marquee the best.

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #24 on:** February 16, 2009, 02:45:49 pm »

so did the leaf switches and buttons I sent ever get used? I'd hate to think I gave my stuff away for nothing.

mrclean · « **Reply #25 on:** February 17, 2009, 03:53:21 pm »

Quote from: Ginsu Victim on February 16, 2009, 02:45:49 pm

so did the leaf switches and buttons I sent ever get used? I'd hate to think I gave my stuff away for nothing.

Where it stands now, I used the joystick -the shaft/ball on my Gun.Smoke and the buttons are not yet being pushed by anyone, not to worry as they will be utilized.. I'm about to go nuts and probably purchase a truck load of games hopefully in March / April if this auction is successful in NJ. No set date it's up in the air.

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #26 on:** February 17, 2009, 03:59:43 pm »

Man, sounds like you've been working on quite a collection. This auction may bankrupt you!

phreak97 · « **Reply #27 on:** February 17, 2009, 04:05:26 pm »

if you want it to look even shinier still, after you've finished with the scouring pad (or scotchbrite, but i find green saucepan scourers are better, they make a finer cut) you can do the same thing again with a rag and some cream cut and polish (its an abraisive polish meant for cars), it makes the scoring MUCH finer. I've restored a few 70's atari fire buttons (among other things) using scourers and cut and polish, they come up like new.

mrclean · « **Reply #28 on:** February 17, 2009, 09:51:27 pm »

Quote from: Ginsu Victim on February 17, 2009, 03:59:43 pm

Man, sounds like you've been working on quite a collection. This auction may bankrupt you!

It all depends if that auction even happens, crossing my fingers.

WunderCade · « **Reply #29 on:** February 21, 2009, 05:00:02 pm »

Did you take those red ball tops off before spinning the shaft? If so, how do they come off?

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #30 on:** February 21, 2009, 05:07:52 pm »

If they're anything like the ones I sent him, they don't come off.

Franco B · « **Reply #31 on:** February 21, 2009, 06:16:20 pm »

DONT use a dremel etc. For the process you want to do a Dremel wont work as you cannot apply equal polishing to the whole shaft and you will just end up polishing some parts more than others and end up with an uneven surface. I would only use a Dremel (if at all) for final polishing with a buffing cloth.

You need to apply constant, even and equal pressure to the shaft. The only way to do this is to revolve the shaft in a chuck etc as mentioned.

For that kind of diameter you want to spin the shaft at 1000+ RPM, I would guess about 1500RPM for a ~3/8" shaft. Use 180 grit if the surface is really bad/rusted/uneven. Either go with the 180 or skip onto the 320 grit until you have a nice even finish. At this stage it should look nice and shiny and above all else, even. Go up in grades 600>800>1200, after that you should be have a good enough finish to polish with an automotive polish/abrasive such as Autoglym.

Obviously you may not be able to reach these speeds with a hand drill but if you know some one with a decent pillar/bench drill or lathe then you should be at least be able to get 1200RPM.

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #32 on:** February 21, 2009, 06:47:43 pm »

Quote from: Franco B on February 21, 2009, 06:16:20 pm

DONT use a dremel

Yes, I think we already established this by showing how I managed to ---fudgesicle--- up.

mrclean · « **Reply #33 on:** February 22, 2009, 01:57:07 am »

after all this .. i ended up going with powder blue wico sticks from bob roberts 4'' ones because on my williams conversion for Bubble Bobble the red ones sat low and to my knowledge the 4'' robotron wico sticks are tough to find or rather expensive new in "RED". BTW Ginsu Victim bit by bit i keep using parts from your package.. this time i used some of those leaf holders. My bubble bobble project is pretty much id say 95% done just need to get minor stuff to have it just right.

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #34 on:** February 22, 2009, 11:52:17 am »

Looks good. Hopefully you'll be able to find the stickers for the CP.

SavannahLion · « **Reply #35 on:** February 22, 2009, 05:26:51 pm »

Quote from: mrclean on February 11, 2009, 12:24:49 pm

What not to do: "Use a dremel".. Ginsu Victim was kind enough to send me this stick and other parts for my Gun.Smoke project, however don't use this method, use the drill / chuck with a scotch brite pad (or something similar) to get your wico shafts looking new again.

On the left is the drill / chuck scotch brite method nice and smooth.. on the right is the dremel method which is rough and not as shinny.

What bit was used? It almost looks like some sort of grinding bit was used.

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #36 on:** February 22, 2009, 05:52:29 pm »

Bingo. I didn't know jack ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- and you can see the poor results.


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