As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/

Building an arcade stick: And So Can You!

124678

Posts

  • ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    I'd say its basic, but you do need the tools, the plans, and some basic knowledge of cutting and finishing. It is not outside the hobbyists abilities.
    Unless you ant a complicated design, a duh. If you hav never worked with wood before you should make some practice boxes.

    Improvolone on
    Voice actor for hire. My time is free if your project is!
  • langfor6langfor6 Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    I took wood shop in 1990. I made a duck. That was probably my last project. Looking at Doc's photo, it doesn't look that hard. I'll poke around online and see what I come up with. Practice boxes are probably a good idea too. Thanks.

    langfor6 on
  • DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Yeah, I had like no woodworking experience and mine came out reasonably okay.

    Daedalus on
  • HounHoun Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Aaaaawwww, yeah.

    7acr5q.jpg

    Somebody got a package from Japan today! :D

    Houn on
  • Folken FanelFolken Fanel anime af When's KoFRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    That stick looks like a lightbulb.

    Folken Fanel on
    Twitter: Folken_fgc Steam: folken_ XBL: flashg03 PSN: folken_PA SFV: folken_
    Dyvim Tvar wrote: »
    Characters I hate:

    Everybody @Folken Fanel plays as.
  • HounHoun Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    That stick looks like a lightbulb.

    Funny point, but I've seen a few mods where people buy a hollow shaft (or drill it out) and wire up an LCD to make the ball glow.

    It's the clear Seimitsu bubble top, btw.

    Houn on
  • Folken FanelFolken Fanel anime af When's KoFRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Houn wrote: »
    That stick looks like a lightbulb.

    Funny point, but I've seen a few mods where people buy a hollow shaft (or drill it out) and wire up an LCD to make the ball glow.

    It's the clear Seimitsu bubble top, btw.

    :shock:

    Awesome.

    Folken Fanel on
    Twitter: Folken_fgc Steam: folken_ XBL: flashg03 PSN: folken_PA SFV: folken_
    Dyvim Tvar wrote: »
    Characters I hate:

    Everybody @Folken Fanel plays as.
  • HounHoun Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Houn wrote: »
    That stick looks like a lightbulb.

    Funny point, but I've seen a few mods where people buy a hollow shaft (or drill it out) and wire up an LCD to make the ball glow.

    It's the clear Seimitsu bubble top, btw.

    :shock:

    Awesome.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4WwXLUZYTI

    Houn on
  • shadydentistshadydentist Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    God, making this stupid box is proving to be the most annoying hassle. So here I was thinking, 'Oh, I can just slip in to the university machine shop and drill a few holes in this box. Should take me ten minutes, tops'.

    Instead, the stupid mechanical engineers are building air motors, and have booked the machine shop solid till the end of classes.


    Grr.

    shadydentist on
    Steam & GT
    steam_sig.png
    GT: Tanky the Tank
    Black: 1377 6749 7425
  • ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Know any theatre folk? Their scene shop should have a plethora of tools.
    Even if you don't, maybe you can talk to the guy (horribly sexist of me) in charge (probably the tech director) to get permission to use the shop.

    Improvolone on
    Voice actor for hire. My time is free if your project is!
  • shadydentistshadydentist Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    I will try that. Also,I am dumb.

    Somebody explain to me how to use quick disconnects before I break another one.

    shadydentist on
    Steam & GT
    steam_sig.png
    GT: Tanky the Tank
    Black: 1377 6749 7425
  • ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Do it real fast

    Improvolone on
    Voice actor for hire. My time is free if your project is!
  • HounHoun Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Man.

    I'm looking at this old edition 360 wireless pad.

    This is going to be a pain in the ass.

    http://slagcoin.com/joystick/pcb_diagrams/360_diagram5.jpg

    Houn on
  • Mmmm... Cocks...Mmmm... Cocks... Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Houn wrote: »
    Man.

    I'm looking at this old edition 360 wireless pad.

    This is going to be a pain in the ass.

    http://slagcoin.com/joystick/pcb_diagrams/360_diagram5.jpg
    I'm color blind so that thing is crazy looking.

    Mmmm... Cocks... on
  • HounHoun Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Whelp, I destroyed the pcb around the trigger contacts. Scratch one wireless 360 controller. :P

    I think I'll go pick up a wired MadCats controller later today to try again. Still debating whether or not to attempt the triggers; if I leave them alone, I can only do a 6-button controller, instead of the 8 that I was planning.

    Houn on
  • shadydentistshadydentist Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Houn wrote: »
    Whelp, I destroyed the pcb around the trigger contacts. Scratch one wireless 360 controller. :P

    I think I'll go pick up a wired MadCats controller later today to try again. Still debating whether or not to attempt the triggers; if I leave them alone, I can only do a 6-button controller, instead of the 8 that I was planning.

    Bad news about the Mad Catz controllers. You'll need some extra fancy soldering and a few NAND gates to get the triggers to be usable.

    shadydentist on
    Steam & GT
    steam_sig.png
    GT: Tanky the Tank
    Black: 1377 6749 7425
  • HounHoun Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    I'm aware. So long as the contacts are easier to solder to than the Microsoft pad...

    Houn on
  • Yellow RangerYellow Ranger Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    So I have no experience soldering things…what’s the reasoning behind putting glue on your solder points, like in the pictures that shadydentist posted?

    Yellow Ranger on
    sigcx.jpg
  • HounHoun Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Helps keep the solder point from getting ripped off; if you accidentally snag a wire or something, instead of pulling on the solder, you'll end up pulling on the glue first.

    Houn on
  • whitey9whitey9 Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Houn wrote: »
    Whelp, I destroyed the pcb around the trigger contacts. Scratch one wireless 360 controller. :P

    I think I'll go pick up a wired MadCats controller later today to try again. Still debating whether or not to attempt the triggers; if I leave them alone, I can only do a 6-button controller, instead of the 8 that I was planning.

    Bad news about the Mad Catz controllers. You'll need some extra fancy soldering and a few NAND gates to get the triggers to be usable.

    Explain this.. I am planning on an 8 button using a MadCatz wired controller and I can't find anything about how to do the triggers. My parts get here in a week but I was going to start the soldering on the pcb now.

    whitey9 on
    llcoolwhitey.png
  • DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    I'm pretty sure you can just use an NPN transistor for each trigger but I forget exactly how it needs to be wired.

    Daedalus on
  • HounHoun Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    whitey9 wrote: »
    Houn wrote: »
    Whelp, I destroyed the pcb around the trigger contacts. Scratch one wireless 360 controller. :P

    I think I'll go pick up a wired MadCats controller later today to try again. Still debating whether or not to attempt the triggers; if I leave them alone, I can only do a 6-button controller, instead of the 8 that I was planning.

    Bad news about the Mad Catz controllers. You'll need some extra fancy soldering and a few NAND gates to get the triggers to be usable.

    Explain this.. I am planning on an 8 button using a MadCatz wired controller and I can't find anything about how to do the triggers. My parts get here in a week but I was going to start the soldering on the pcb now.

    http://forums.shoryuken.com/showthread.php?t=169203

    Houn on
  • DocDoc Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited April 2009
    I used a recent-make mad katz controller for my 8 button. I wired it all up like it says on that SRK link and it works great.

    re: woodworking -
    I cut the pieces to size at a friend's place (he has a table saw and miter saw), then did all the drilling/screwing/assembly in my apartment. I had to sweep up afterwards, but it wasn't a big deal. You certainly don't need a full workshop or anything.

    Doc on
  • HounHoun Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Here's the PCB I ended up with today (not my pic):
    madcatz2008sp4.jpg

    Gamestop Branded MadCatz 4716 2009. Looks to be common ground, so this should be a cinch. I also picked up a few npn transistors for the trigger hacks, and an actual working solder-sucker.

    Wish me luck that I can pull everything off the PCB without damaging it this time. ;-)

    *edit*

    Just tested it, it's common ground all around. This will be way easier.

    *edit again*

    Holy shit. I just wired up the whole thing in one shot, with no errors, and only one minor burn. :D

    *edit the last*

    Pics!
    The front:
    StickOne_PCB_Wired.jpg

    The back:
    StickOne_PCB_Wired_Back.jpg

    Closeup of the Triggers:
    StickOne_PCB_Trigger_CU.jpg

    Houn on
  • DocDoc Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited April 2009
    Nice work.

    Doc on
  • HounHoun Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Thanks Doc. I might have this thing actually functional in a shoebox tonight. Then, it'll be time to build a box.

    On that note, what's the minimum tools I'll need to build a box while working exclusively on the balcony of a small apartment?

    Houn on
  • DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Houn wrote: »
    Thanks Doc. I might have this thing actually functional in a shoebox tonight. Then, it'll be time to build a box.

    On that note, what's the minimum tools I'll need to build a box while working exclusively on the balcony of a small apartment?

    A drill, a saw (get a powered saw, seriously), some clamps, glue, and screws, and a whole bunch of sandpaper.

    Oh, and primers and paint, of course.

    Things that are nice to have but not required include chisels, a router, a drill press, a table saw, a MIG welder, an industrial-strength cutting laser, etc. etc.

    Daedalus on
  • ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Cut and finish your pieces, maybe even to a test assembly, but absolutely paint/stain your pieces before you assemble.

    Improvolone on
    Voice actor for hire. My time is free if your project is!
  • DocDoc Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited April 2009
    Cut and finish your pieces, maybe even to a test assembly, but absolutely paint/stain your pieces before you assemble.

    I had pretty good results assembling it, then brushing on stain and using spray-on clearcoat. Paint is a different story, probably.

    Doc on
  • ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Doing it before hand prevents the paint/stain from building up in the seams and it gives you piece of mind that everything has a nice coat.
    It's also just easier not having to rotate a piece to finish it.

    Improvolone on
    Voice actor for hire. My time is free if your project is!
  • DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Finishing after assembly, on the other hand, can give it a nice, unbroken, "seamless" look, especially if you putty up the cracks, and also makes it easier to hide screws. It is trickier to do right, though; I know mine came out sort of crappy.

    Daedalus on
  • ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Ah, good point!
    Wood putty is easier to use with a finger tip in my experience.

    Improvolone on
    Voice actor for hire. My time is free if your project is!
  • HounHoun Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Hmm. I don't really want to solder directly to the buttons, but Fry's didn't have any quick disconnects that small. Any ideas of where in the Seattle Area I might find 3/16" Female Quick Disconnects?

    Houn on
  • shadydentistshadydentist Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Is there a radio shack anywhere near you?

    If you absolutely have to solder to the buttons, getting a european-style terminal block will mitigate that somewhat.

    shadydentist on
    Steam & GT
    steam_sig.png
    GT: Tanky the Tank
    Black: 1377 6749 7425
  • whitey9whitey9 Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    To anybody that wants to do an 8 button stick with the common-ground Madcatz, the easiest way to do it is to remove the little thing that the trigger spins, bend up (or remove) the ground (the far outside pin on each side of the controller).

    This leaves the signal (the middle one) and the 3.3v connection. Solder it back down in it's place, and then solder a wire to the signal. Once that's in, you can use a multimeter to find out when that thing registers 10 ohms (I was like ?) or use my method:

    Plug the controller into your 360. Figure out which wire is A and start. Start Street Fighter 4, navigate to it using what's left of the thumbstick. Go into training mode, and turn on show attack input. Go back out by pushing start, and then bridge your connection between your common ground wire and the signal coming from LT or RT.

    If data input shows anything but hard kick or 3 kicks, slowly spin the dial and test until it does. This doesn't seem to be as precise as I thought it would. Hot glue it in place and test it again once hot glued. Done.

    Stolen pictures:
    3451982544_e19bb37bf9.jpg

    3451982530_0c4f90503a.jpg

    More information here. Traning mode thing is all me.

    whitey9 on
    llcoolwhitey.png
  • HounHoun Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Stick Iteration One: Shoebox: Complete!
    StickOne_Shoebox1.jpg

    StickOne_Shoebox2.jpg

    Time to go test it out in Street Fighter.

    Houn on
  • HounHoun Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Ok then. It works fine in Windows, and seems to work fine in the SF4 menus, but in-game, several buttons do not work; Notably A, B, and RT. Which is odd, because A and B work in the SF4 menus.

    Hmm.

    Houn on
  • shadydentistshadydentist Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Do they work if you just touch the contacts to ground?

    shadydentist on
    Steam & GT
    steam_sig.png
    GT: Tanky the Tank
    Black: 1377 6749 7425
  • HounHoun Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Testing in the art gallery, LT will zoom in, then upon letting go, it zooms itself back out (RT). I think RT is stuck "on", thus why the other kicks aren't working.

    Need to figure out why.

    Houn on
  • shadydentistshadydentist Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Well, I didn't want to bother with my triggers, so I'm not too familiar with those. But if your RT turns off when you hit the button, then you wired up the contacts backward.

    shadydentist on
    Steam & GT
    steam_sig.png
    GT: Tanky the Tank
    Black: 1377 6749 7425
Sign In or Register to comment.