Where do you buy Arcade Stick parts and enclosures? Not buttons.

greedostick

Obsessed Neo-Fan
15 Year Member
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Aug 11, 2003
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I really need to start making my arcade stick, but I am not exactly sure what I need. Can you all please direct me to places to get the stuff I need?

I have all the buttons and sticks, and I even have one enclosure. My supergun will have neo geo ports. I am kind of confused about whether I need to buying male/female parts for the stuff I need. I want to make this as painless as possible. Probably with one of those solder-less DB Breakout boards. I basically have no tools except soldering stuff, hot glue gun, and a wire stripper and basic stuff. I won't be using a table saw.

I discovered www.focusattack.com, but they seem to be out of enclosures. I would love to get one of those enclosures that I can install plexi glass on top of for using custom art or my stick.

Basically I am looking for a shopping list. I am a dumbass with this stuff, so links or detailed part descriptions would be perfect. I need to know where to get this stuff...

1. Wires - and what's a good gauge, and how much will I need? I'm not even sure if I need these if I am using a breakout board.

2. Nice Enclosures - where do I find these with holes already drilled for using japanese style sticks and push buttons?

3. Breakout Board - From what I gather these are mounted inside the arcade stick, and let you use a solder-less method for connecting and grounding push buttons. But I have no idea which I would need. Here is a link.

http://winfordengineering.com/products/brksd15.php

4. Controller wire - from my understanding this would connect directly to the supergun, and my arcade stick, and could be completely removed since I would be using a breakout board. But Again I am confused whether male or female is used, and am unsure where to get them. I am thinking one side must be male, since the supergun controller ports would be female.

That's about all I know, hopefully most of that is correct. Mainly the male/female stuff, and needing to know with the breakout boards if I even need to buy wire. Not sure how to make it look neat so I don't have a controller wire yanking on the breakout board in the controller.
 
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ebinsugewa

Rosa's Tag-Team Partner
10 Year Member
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Enclosures/panels I've seen recommended: http://www.tek-innovations.com/arthobbies/?loc=products&cat=12
http://foehammershop.com/index.php/shop-fh/category/view/2

But honestly, there's so many bad sticks/enclosures that are moddable, and if you know anyone into arcade stuff they probably just have one laying around. I don't see much point in buying a distinct enclosure unless you want a really baller custom stick. As a plus most of the moddable sticks some with PCBs that are usable too.

That being said, if you're only using it for Neo it's going to be easy as shit, no PCB required. Those DB15 screw terminals look nice, mount that on the case, follow the pinout (http://www.etokki.com/image/data/db15_laugh.PNG) and you're good. Hook up a female to male Neo extension cable to that and play some games. You want the end of the cord that plugs into the SG to be female and the end that plugs into your stick should be male, as that will allow you to use a standard Neo extension cable. Order the breakout board with a female end.

If you don't mind crimping manually, get some .110 quick disconnects if you want Japanese buttons, and use 22-24 gauge wiring. Otherwise places like FocusAttack have pre QD-ed wiring (http://www.focusattack.com/16pc-wire-with-110-quick-disconnect/) or maybe JNX or someone else on the forum does too, I'm not sure. You'll definitely need wiring, or else there's nothing to route the button/stick signals to the breakout board. Any random wire will work, both 22-24 are both pretty nice to deal with but it doesn't matter that much. Feel free to ask any more questions, this shit is way easier than people think. Also get a multimeter if you don't have one, you're going to be using it a ton to double-check your work.
 
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greedostick

Obsessed Neo-Fan
15 Year Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2003
Posts
4,474
Enclosures/panels I've seen recommended: http://www.tek-innovations.com/arthobbies/?loc=products&cat=12
http://foehammershop.com/index.php/shop-fh/category/view/2

But honestly, there's so many bad sticks/enclosures that are moddable, and if you know anyone into arcade stuff they probably just have one laying around. I don't see much point in buying a distinct enclosure unless you want a really baller custom stick. As a plus most of the moddable sticks some with PCBs that are usable too.

That being said, if you're only using it for Neo it's going to be easy as shit, no PCB required. Those DB15 screw terminals look nice, mount that on the case, follow the pinout (http://www.etokki.com/image/data/db15_laugh.PNG) and you're good. Hook up a female to male Neo extension cable to that and play some games. You want the end of the cord that plugs into the SG to be female and the end that plugs into your stick should be male, as that will allow you to use a standard Neo extension cable. Order the breakout board with a female end.

If you don't mind crimping manually, get some .110 quick disconnects if you want Japanese buttons, and use 22-24 gauge wiring. Otherwise places like FocusAttack have pre QD-ed wiring (http://www.focusattack.com/16pc-wire-with-110-quick-disconnect/) or maybe JNX or someone else on the forum does too, I'm not sure. You'll definitely need wiring, or else there's nothing to route the button/stick signals to the breakout board. Any random wire will work, both 22-24 are both pretty nice to deal with but it doesn't matter that much. Feel free to ask any more questions, this shit is way easier than people think. Also get a multimeter if you don't have one, you're going to be using it a ton to double-check your work.

Thanks for the help. That makes more sense. By easy if I'm only using neo geo, do you mean play neo geo motherboards, or if my supergun has neo ports? I will have neo ports, but I do own CPS2 stuff, and plan on getting a few jamma boards and taito f3 stuff.

I won't be using this stick for ps3 or other consoles. Just supergun.
 
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ebinsugewa

Rosa's Tag-Team Partner
10 Year Member
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If you're using Neo ports, no PCB is required. Regardless of what board's on the other end of the supergun.
 
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