[VFDC CHOICE] Choosing a stick for VF4 PS2

thanks for that email emx, the other email no hasn't replied yet. hopefully this guy is a little faster ~

 

"Ohterwise, I can sell you a stick set (w/3 buttons), stick wire harness, 10 terminal connectors, 2 extra smaller buttons, for $50 shipped via FedEx. Sorry, that's the best I can do since I get charged an arm and a leg for shipping from Japan."

Catch 22, I'd be interested in this as well. I sent you and email a few says ago.
-Frank

 

Does ANYONE have advice for building a base?

I don't care how it looks, I just need SOMETHING!!! I'm not really sure how to do it at ALL. If anyone has some advice on what I can use for a base, I'd greatly appreciate it. anything at all...

 

Go to home depot and head to the plexiglass section.

Choose a size for the plexiglass. Your stick will be 3/4 in. bigger than the plexi on all sides. Have the worker cut the plexi (1/8 in thick preferrably so the Sanwa buttons can grab it, or thicker if you are going to use screw on pushbuttons like Happ and some of Sanwa's other buttons). The thicker the plexi, the lower the stick.

Or you can for get about the plexi, and use wood.

Now go to the lumber section and there is a section there with Birch, Oak, and Poplar wood. There are 3/4 in x 2, 3/4 x 3, 3/4 x 4 wood. Choose your preference making sure that your buttons and stick is not longer than the wood's width. Now cut the wood to the length of the plexi. For example, if you choose 12 x 15 in plexi, cut the wood's length to 12 inches (2 pieces), and 16 1/2 inches (another 2 pieces)- the extra 1 1/2 inches account for the 3/4 in thickness of the wood.

Go home, and stand them on end, now make a rectangle with the wood so that the plexi will fit in the middle.

Now glue with wood glue. If you don't have wood glue, use your kid's elmers glue. Use a clamp and t-square so that it's straight up and down 90 degrees. If you don't have these tools, go by eye, and hold the wood together for 2 minutes.

Tada, you have a base.

Now you just have to build a frame that holds up the plexi and stick. The plexi holds the buttons. Use 3/4 in x 3/4 in wood to build the frame. Think of a building it like how a bridge looks.

 

THANKS!!! I'm sure I'm not the only one who appreciates this. I'm gonna do all that tomorrow...

I can't wait!!

 

How do you get that frame-ish look to the stick, (slanted edges) , do they sell particular peices of wood like that or did you cut them yourself? Also, if I want to make the sides of the stick a certain color should I be using con-tact paper or some kind of enamel paint?

 

Sorry to sort of deviate the conversation from home-made sticks, but I was wondering if anyone had good/bad relations with BuyRite and if anyone knew anything about where to get a XBOX to PS2 controller adapter, (if it even exists)

 

I've only seen PS2 to Xbox adapters, never the reverse.

As for Buy-Rite, I've used them quite a few times while I was still in Boston, and I've always gotten what I ordered although not necessarily timely. Having said that, they have an awful reputation and absolute zero service quality. I've heard of quite a few buy-rite horror stories, but have never personally experienced one. They obviously have good prices but their shipping prices are inflated.

 

Been vacationing in Hawaii, and I'm on AOL dialup here.... ooooh the pain. Sorry for the delay in reply.

Use paint or contact paper. I recommend using paint though, particularly (I can't remember the name, but it's not enamel; it's a harder paint). You can also use enamel. Contact paper is hard to use for angled surfaces as you have to really work with it. There are also textured paint, etc.

The angle is cut with a table saw. Just angle the blade and cut, and assemble like I described above.

 

Okay, my brother and I are looking at making two sticks, one with blue sticks and buttons, the other green. What do I need to order from Sanwa (or from you, Catch22) to accomplish this???

 

FUCK!!!!!!! I can't solder ANY of this stuff!!! Does anybody have any tips? I've never soldered before and I can't find anything on the internet about soldering to flat surfaces!!!

 

hello fellow joystick builder
solder 101

 

Gandalf, email this guy at sanwa: kurihara@sanwa-d.co.jp

he'll help you, though the shipping is kinda bad

 

heres my ghetto joystick done. - the crap one on the left
With a lack of decent power tools, im sort of proud of it.
Never EVER EVER!! get cuts at home depot, very innacurate.

My friends stick on the right, had nice wood varnish, nail guns and other fancy tools i wish i had. oh well its done and it works, thats all that matters.

in due time, ill get a power sander and some other tools to clean off those nubs, make it look more professional.

 

...nice. Man, I can't wait to get back to phoenix and start building. I've found some sticks here in Hawaii that has Happ parts on em and I'll modify it for PS2 and DC. I won't have to build anthing for it... just the electronics.

 

http://www.engray.com/joystick/index.php?g=joystick

made a quick gallery on most of my step by step procedures of making a base, if you have any questions just post. i plan to make a basic joystick builder page for dummies soon, im sure all of you can build a better base than i from the basic construction info i provide =P

 

great pics man =] think you can put em in order? well i am saving them right now and ordering them myself~ but for the next person who comes along it would help =]

 

NCS (www.ncsx.org) has pics of a red and blue VF4evo sticks by Hori. The blue has akira and Goh, while the red has Jacky and Sarah. I wish they'd just put the whole cast on the the damned stick. Also, there's a VF4evo memory card that's gonna be available.

 

Nice, although the graphics look bland , looks like they're grey to me.

 

I saw those, and had a small idea of getting one and then maybe changing the 2 small buttons to bigger ones and drilling a hole for a 6th button..... But then I scrapped the idea /versus/images/icons/smile.gif. They look nice though /versus/images/icons/smile.gif.