Building a stick/controller project

McColbo · Apr 1, 2016

Hello All!

I'm relatively new here, just got into Neo geo stuff a montb or so ago. Always wanted the AES when i was younger but it wasn't in the budget. Anyways in the past month I've gotten a Japanese AES with no controllers, a couple AES carts, an MV1C board, a few MVS carts etc etc.

So I'm going to consolize the MV1C and I need a controller/stick. Figured I'd build the stick first while I wait for new video encoder development.

I got a Sanwa stick with octagonal gate, 2lb spring etc etc. Sanwa 30mm buttons and decided to build an enclosure out of wood.

Used Autocad to draw the pieces, then a laser engraver to cut the shapes out as well as the lettering and button holes.

I'll get some pictures up ASAP. It's all glued together just in the process of staining it.

McColbo · Apr 1, 2016

Pieces cut out

Dry assembly/test fit

Glued, edges sanded etc

Logo, start select burned in ready for stain

Lemony Vengeance · Apr 1, 2016

Looking good! Planning on using American parts in there?

Yodd · Apr 1, 2016

I'm no stick building expert, but that wood for the front panel seems kinda thin.

amazing wood working skills though.

McColbo · Apr 1, 2016

Yodd said:
I'm no stick building expert, but that wood for the front panel seems kinda thin.

amazing wood working skills though.

Haha, yeah i am going to add some reinforcement once i get the wiring sorted and figure out what kind of room I have. It's surprisingly strong once i blocked the corners in.

xsq · Apr 1, 2016

that looks good. Are you planning to paint it?

What kind of buttons will you use for Start/Select?

McColbo · Apr 1, 2016

xsq said:
that looks good. Are you planning to paint it?

What kind of buttons will you use for Start/Select?

First coat of stain

I got a couple small 20mm momentary buttons for the start and select. I'll get some pics with buttons mounted after the stain dries.

BanishingFlatsAC · Apr 1, 2016

Might by the photo, but the hole for the joystick shaft looks a little small. The only draw back I see to using hobby wood is that unless you stagger some supports in the middle of the stick, it is going to bow and split over time.

McColbo · Apr 1, 2016

DecepticonZero said:
Might by the photo, but the hole for the joystick shaft looks a little small. The only draw back I see to using hobby wood is that unless you stagger some supports in the middle of the stick, it is going to bow and split over time.

Yeah the plan is to glue supports to the top panel, then there is a back panel that will screw to those. This was more of a "can i make a controller quick" project.

Oh and the joystick hole should be fine. The Sanwa has a larger spacer in it for shorter throw. Worst case i open that hole up some.

McColbo · Apr 1, 2016

Lemony Vengeance said:
Looking good! Planning on using American parts in there?

Haha unfortunately going with Sanwa.

Lemony Vengeance · Apr 1, 2016

McColbo said:
Haha unfortunately going with Sanwa.

Not unfortunately. Sanwa is great, ESPECIALLY for fighters. The microswitches in the buttons are super sensitive. Shmup players usually go for seimitsu sticks and buttons.. they're a bit stiffer (giggity).

AJtheMishima · Apr 1, 2016

cool looking quick stick there. You should just give into the dark side and put a seimistsu ls32 in that bad boy, and some ps14gn buttons. think it wouldve been easier to put make the holes for star/select 24mm. But i wouldve put the in the the side of the stick.
You guys your sanwa parts already? you go with neo color buttons or one solid color

McColbo · Apr 2, 2016

Went with black trim ring and dark gray buttons. The sanwa stick came with a red ball but im going to make a brass one. Going with the muted colors and driftwood look for this one.

McColbo · Apr 2, 2016

First coat of satin clear:

Buttons I'm using. They are the silent Sanwa ones, which is really just a foam disc that quiets them down. The start and select are generic black ones. The stick has all the upgrades from Focus Attack, heavier spring, thicker bushing, and the octagonal plate.

Xian Xi · Apr 2, 2016

That's a lot of work for something that will break when trying to mount the joystick. When tightening the screws the wood might totally compress and eat away from the pressure. You should have test fit the stick before going through the wood prep just to make sure there will be no issue. I hope I'm wrong.

BanishingFlatsAC · Apr 2, 2016

Xian Xi said:
That's a lot of work for something that will break when trying to mount the joystick. When tightening the screws the wood might totally compress and eat away from the pressure. You should have test fit the stick before going through the wood prep just to make sure there will be no issue. I hope I'm wrong.

Might be better to go the carraige bolt route instead. Hobby wood is super brittle to begin with, it's also very susceptible to moisture and humidity changes.

McColbo · Apr 2, 2016

It really wasn't that much work. If the top panel fails I'll just make a new top panel no biggie. Heck I could just CNC mill a metal plate to go under it out of 1/16" plate which i was thinking of doing anyways. That way the top wood is just for looks and the hardware will be recessed so the joystick is actually held to the metal plate.

Either way the joystick is being nut/bolted and washered. Sorry i didnt make that clear before.

This whole thing was me just messing around with what i had to see if i could get a stick working on my free time at work.

If it's a miserable failure i'll mill the housing out of plastic and make the top plate metal. Done and done functioning stick.

McColbo · Apr 5, 2016

Well final assembly, stain and as per suggestions on here some extra reinforcement it's all ready for wiring. I added a metal plate to the backside of the whole front panel that ties into the 1"x1" supports in each corner. That should take some stress off of the front wood. I tried to get the wood to split and it's pretty damn stout now I'd say. There are also metal inserts in each hole of the wood so any lateral screw movement wont be an issue, plus that lessens the chance of overtightening the top bolts against the wood.

kuze · Apr 5, 2016

Looks good! Nice work there. I'd go with a black or grey balltop for that stick to match your buttons.

McColbo · Apr 5, 2016

kuze said:
Looks good! Nice work there. I'd go with a black or grey balltop for that stick to match your buttons.

Haha yeah, gonna make one out of brass actually. The red is what it came with and just so i can start using it asap.

kuze · Apr 5, 2016

McColbo said:
Haha yeah, gonna make one out of brass actually. The red is what it came with and just so i can start using it asap.

Damn that sounds cool!

xsq · Apr 5, 2016

I like the look! Only thing I would change, maybe, is the screws... they might look hotter in black, with a black balltop... but if the ball is brass, it could all work

Hope that it holds up.

Electric Grave · Apr 5, 2016

Brass ball top is gonna be a lot heavier, you did get the heavier spring but still...

BTW, where did you get the generic buttons from, I don't think FA carries the small cool buttons they had anymore...

McColbo · Apr 5, 2016

ElectricGrave said:
Brass ball top is gonna be a lot heavier, you did get the heavier spring but still...

BTW, where did you get the generic buttons from, I don't think FA carries the small cool buttons they had anymore...

Yeah if it's too heavy I'll just make an aluminum one or a black plastic one.

I got the buttons from Adafruit

https://www.adafruit.com/products/1505

They aren't very clicky and i wouldn't want to use them for anything other than start/select or maybe test buttons.

Electric Grave · Apr 6, 2016

Thanks for the link, I was thinking of using them for the extra buttons. I usually keep the 6 button layout and then the rest I mount on the side but this buttons take less room which is great. Sometimes you need them extra buttons like L2, R2, LT, RT, etc. for menus and different screens. Everytime I plug them extra buttons, I end up needing them for some silly screens, such a PITA.

There are other buttons that are really cool, same size, I'll try to find them to show you but these are nice as well though.

Building a stick/controller project

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