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    4-way DIY Arcade Stick (IKEA mod)

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    arcade joystick control panel 4-ways ikea
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    • UDb23
      UDb23 last edited by UDb23

      Just finished my second build (after this): a 4-way DIY arcade stick.

      0_1525090195361_4WUDbStick.jpg
      The enclosure is a modded UPPSKATTNING; a new IKEA bread bin.
      0_1525090498792_IKEA.png
      After various searches for real 4-way joysticks I decided to use a Happ “ms. pacman/ Galaga reunion” replica stick.

      alt text

      The main challenge was that this joystick is meant for mounting on metal control panels (= very thin panel compared to wood) as the shaft is really short compared to standard joysticks.
      To mount it on the wood lid I carefully routed it, leaving just a few mm. Luckily the birch wood is quite sturdy.

      Buttons are Happ too; the usb controller is the inexpensive, but effective, usual Dragonrise zero delay.

      Finally I can play arcade classics like Pengo, Pac-Man, Burger Time with the required precision.
      It really brings the original play feeling back !

      Below some more pics.
      Will probably make a tutorial on how to build it.

      Clyde mgiugliano 3 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 9
      • lilbud
        lilbud last edited by

        I'm also making a wooden arcade stick now as you post this. Though I'm making it from pieces instead of a prebuilt enclosure.
        0_1525090736994_3ebc6ce2-b56b-4f8a-a660-381921f6bee0-image.png

        Creator of the Radiocade: https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/6077/radiocade

        Backlog: http://backloggery.com/lilbud

        Feel like buying me a coffee? Throw a few bucks my way here: paypal.me/Lilbudw

        UDb23 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
        • UDb23
          UDb23 @lilbud last edited by UDb23

          @lilbud Looks interesting.
          Saw that IKEA bin in the shop and found it really had the right length and width. Of course quite amount of modding is required; starting from significantly lowering the height.

          Routed Lid:
          0_1525091127070_routed.jpg

          Final with gloss top coat:
          0_1525091150675_4w top.jpg

          Inside:
          0_1525091242013_4Wstick inside.jpg

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
          • Clyde
            Clyde @UDb23 last edited by

            @udb23 Nice one, now you can cut your sandwiches while playing without making a mess! ;)

            UDb23 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
            • Clyde
              Clyde @UDb23 last edited by

              @udb23 said in 4-way DIY Arcade Stick (IKEA mod):

              The enclosure is a modded UPPSKATTNING; a new IKEA bread bin.

              The link doesn't work, because of a "!" before its URL. This one works: IKEA bread bin

              UDb23 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • UDb23
                UDb23 @Clyde last edited by

                @clyde said in 4-way DIY Arcade Stick (IKEA mod):

                you can cut your sandwiches while playing

                LOL! :-))

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • UDb23
                  UDb23 @Clyde last edited by

                  @clyde said in 4-way DIY Arcade Stick (IKEA mod):

                  link doesn't work

                  ops.. fixed. thanks.

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • DougA
                    DougA last edited by

                    @udb23 Just as an aside and for future reference, a lot of the "cheap" joysticks on Amazon/ebay are sold as 8 way joysticks, but have a gate underneath that can be popped out and rotated 45 degrees, so they become 4 way sticks. For example, the one I am installing in my vertical screen MAME2003 arcade. It was a little fiddly to pop it out, but not difficult.

                    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VT8MNS4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

                    I had originally planned to do something like your stick, but I couldn't find a suitable container. Yours looks ideal :-)

                    Oh,and I don't know if they would fit your stick, but you can get shaft extensions if yours still feels shorter than you would like. Amazon has quite a few, just search by "joystick shaft extension" and you will get plenty of options.

                    UDb23 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • UDb23
                      UDb23 last edited by

                      @douga said in 4-way DIY Arcade Stick (IKEA mod):

                      have a gate underneath that can be popped out and rotated 45 degrees, so they become 4 way sticks.

                      I tested gate restrictors on my qanba Q1; it's ok but not exacly as a real 4 way.
                      Also the HAPP Super joysticks I use on my custom 2 players can be "switched" to 4 ways; still not the same as the real thing.
                      Maybe it's just a personal impression but the one I used on this build feels better than those.
                      BTW The Happ ms pacman "reunion" can be easily found at around 12 Euro (+ shipping) ;-)

                      DougA 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • UDb23
                        UDb23 @DougA last edited by

                        @douga said in 4-way DIY Arcade Stick (IKEA mod):

                        you can get shaft extensions if yours still feels shorter than you would like. Amazon has quite a few, just search by "joystick shaft extension" and you will get plenty of options.

                        Will check. Thanks for the info.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • DougA
                          DougA @UDb23 last edited by

                          @udb23 I'm sure you are right about the feel. To be honest, mine feels better when used as an 8 way than a 4 way. I think once I get everything else finished, I may look at replacing my stick with a "proper" 4 way, or at least a better quality 8/4 way stick. Thinking about it, it's pretty crazy to spend a lot of time, effort and cash on building a cabinet, and then skimping on the most critical component.

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • mgiugliano
                            mgiugliano @UDb23 last edited by

                            @udb23 said in 4-way DIY Arcade Stick (IKEA mod):

                            this

                            Thank you for your inspiring design and adaptation of an IKEA item!

                            Apologies if I come back to an old post. May I still kindly ask you the exact height of your build? In other words, how much did you cut the bread bin?

                            I am thinking of perhaps cutting it with an angle, so that the board will be slightly oblique. What do you think? Is your experience better with a flat board?

                            UDb23 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • UDb23
                              UDb23 @mgiugliano last edited by

                              @mgiugliano Will measure and let you know. Of course height will depend on the joystick you'll be using.
                              Yes, you could slightly angle it, like a did for my 2 player control panel

                              UDb23 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • 813_Alex
                                813_Alex last edited by

                                Nice work. How "clicky" is that Suzohapp stick? I am looking for a 4-way stick for a project and would like something quiet and smoth feeling.

                                UDb23 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • UDb23
                                  UDb23 @UDb23 last edited by UDb23

                                  @mgiugliano Total height of the control panel is 8 cm (bottom box+small rubber dumpers+cover). Bottom box height is 6,5 cm (that's the part to "trim down" from the originale Ikea bread box).

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • UDb23
                                    UDb23 @813_Alex last edited by

                                    @813_alex That stick, like any arcade one with microswitches is quite noisy (but I like that). Also the stick itself (spring ?) makes noise when moving it. On the other hand that's a real 4-way ;-)

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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