Arcade stick buildlog!

Helpplease · Post by **Helpplease** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 4:32 am

So i started building my arcade stick a few weeks ago and now i'm finally done. Will post some pictures of the progress i made during building it.

My parts have arrived!

Got my wooden box done and put together.

Started drilling out holes for the buttons and the stick.

So have all the holes done and test fitting everything.

Picture of the insides is always fun.

Filling down the edges for more comfort and better looks when done.
And the top plate is not attached yet to the rest of the box.

Started to paint it but the color i bought was not that good, even if it looks good in the picture it does not look good in person.
So gonna buy some new paint and paint it again.

Forgot to take any photos during the wiring and painting part because I was to lazy to charge the battery for the camera.
Also not that great picture of it right now, damn my camera sucks.

And for one last picture of it.

Maybe I should post this in news section because I'm done with it?

jjhammerstein · Post by **jjhammerstein** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 6:40 am

Nice!

Where'd you buy your parts?

Helpplease · Post by **Helpplease** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:39 am

From http://www.akihabarashop.jp/developments/index.php
Really cheap too and fast shipping.

jjhammerstein · Post by **jjhammerstein** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 10:02 am

Wow, this IS cheap.
How'd you find it?
What was the total cost?

Helpplease · Post by **Helpplease** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 10:23 am

Around 59 us dollar for just the parts including shipping with express to Sweden and the other material was about 30 us dollar, paint, screws, plexiglas, and MDF.

Can't exaktly give you a number because i have to translate the currency, but this is kinda what i payed for it.

And of course time, takes a bit of time to get it just as you want it.

And how I found it was through a swedish fighting game forum called bitterharmony.

jjhammerstein · Post by **jjhammerstein** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 11:45 am

Helpplease wrote:Around 59 us dollar for just the parts including shipping with express to Sweden and the other material was about 30 us dollar, paint, screws, plexiglas, and MDF.

Can't exaktly give you a number because i have to translate the currency, but this is kinda what i payed for it.

And of course time, takes a bit of time to get it just as you want it.

And how I found it was through a swedish fighting game forum called bitterharmony.

Which stick did you buy?

Helpplease · Post by **Helpplease** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 12:52 am

A JLF-TP-8YT with a JLF-H cable for it.
And eight OBSF-30 buttons.

arfink · Post by **arfink** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 1:25 pm

That's so cool! I only hope my joystick turns out that neat when I get done. It's got all Seimitsu parts instead of Sanwa, (also from akihabarashop) and though it looks like crap now it plays really well. BTW, what system is it for? Mines for my Neo Geo MVS console, of course. I will be reworking the case over Christmas break. Also, what did you use for getting the artwork on the plexiglass? Did you paint that, or is it printed onto something? Thanks!

Helpplease · Post by **Helpplease** » Sun Dec 14, 2008 8:12 am

That's so cool! I only hope my joystick turns out that neat when I get done. It's got all Seimitsu parts instead of Sanwa, (also from akihabarashop) and though it looks like crap now it plays really well. BTW, what system is it for? Mines for my Neo Geo MVS console, of course. I will be reworking the case over Christmas break. Also, what did you use for getting the artwork on the plexiglass? Did you paint that, or is it printed onto something? Thanks!

It's for PS1, PS2 and PS3, also for PC with an adapter. For the artwork i printed it on a photo paper and just but it in between the plexiglass.

Hope yours turn out as well as mine.

Turbo Tax 1.0 · Post by **Turbo Tax 1.0** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:13 pm

me and my friend just ordered some parts to build a set of sticks.

how thick is the plexiglass you used?

looks good by the way

arfink · Post by **arfink** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 10:16 pm

Just so you know, the stuff I used in mine was 1/4 inch thick, or around that. BTW, I used the pushbuttons that came with screw-on nuts, not the snap lock, mainly because the nut kind are stronger and can fit slightly thicker panels, which also makes it stronger.

One suggestion to joystick builders concerning joysticks- in my experience, the Seimitsu LS-32 and Sanwa JLF are the best two joysticks in existence.

I would suggest the Seimitsu to people who want to have 1) easy to "find" and deep corners in the restrictor plate, 2) a smaller throw, and 3) a faster switch-to-switch transition in the corners due to the microswitches being levered. In my mind, Seimitsu is ideal for shooters, because the 8 directions are easily distinguished, so you never make mistakes in those tough "bullet hell" moments.

The Sanwa JLF has a slightly harder spring, but not by much. It has standard rather than levered microswitches, and has a more "symmetrical" restrictor plate, in that the corners do not feel "deeper" than the diagonals. Also it has a larger throw. This one is better generally for fighting games, as it allows pulling off rotation combos very quickly, smoothly, and easily.

Potential joystick builders: be wary of Happ controls. Happ's primary advantage in controllers it that they are 1) built like a tank (IE, they can survive hyper, agressive, heavy American kids who have been drinking Mountain Dew all day, and probably a nuclear blast too) and 2) they mount more easily in thick, heavy wooden panels. But if you are building your own joystick you'd better go with the Japanese parts because other than the two points mentioned above the Happs are inferior in almost every way. The springs are too hard, there is no restrictor plate, the actuator is square and frequently contacts the wrong switches, not to mention you can't get balltops or exposed stainless steel shafts and they cost a lot more. And you'd need to make your control box twice as deep to mount them.

Helpplease · Post by **Helpplease** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 7:24 am

Turbo Tax 1.0 wrote:me and my friend just ordered some parts to build a set of sticks.

how thick is the plexiglass you used?

looks good by the way

I used 2 mm plexiglass for this stick.

Mine is going to be used for fighting games most. That's why i chose these parts.

Post by **Triton** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 3:22 pm

in the US you can get a full 2 player HAPP control setup (14 buttons inc 1 and 2 player and 2 sticks) for under 50$ shipped off of ebay, very nice job tho!

Turbo Tax 1.0 · Post by **Turbo Tax 1.0** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 3:54 pm

Helpplease wrote:
Turbo Tax 1.0 wrote:me and my friend just ordered some parts to build a set of sticks.

how thick is the plexiglass you used?

looks good by the way
I used 2 mm plexiglass for this stick.

Mine is going to be used for fighting games most. That's why i chose these parts.

thanks much

I can't wait for my parts to get here honestly, I wanna start playing some 3rd strike and hd remix with a legit stick

I got sanwa parts by the way

ckrtech · Post by **ckrtech** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 3:28 pm

Helpplease - I love seeing this stuff. I made an Xbox 360 Street Fighter 2 arcade controller for a friend of mine using HAPP controls arcade parts and a wood case he built himself.

Then a year or so later I pick up SF II HD Remix for PS3

Then I see your awesome project...

..and now I can't help but wonder if I want to make a PS3 arcade controller for myself. Haha!

Very nice work. Always love seeing these projects with pictures. Thanks for sharing.