+GoldenWheels Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 Being a big fan of the 7800 and not so big a fan of the Pro Lines, I got into making my own Atari 7800 sticks. Every time I finished one I came up with a new idea and I may have gotten a little carried away. Ahem. Anyway, here are some 7800 sticks, all with proper two button functionality. Asteroids stick (the four white buttons at top are for 'proper' Asteroids style control, left/right/thrust/warp (also works AWESOME under the 7800 mode where button 2 is warp). 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldenWheels Posted July 19, 2017 Author Share Posted July 19, 2017 Flight Stick (the buttons on the cord side dupe both dupe button 2 for left or right handed play, on the stick trigger is button 1 with the top button being button 2): 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldenWheels Posted July 19, 2017 Author Share Posted July 19, 2017 'Retro' Stick (called such only because of the stick topper, top button is button 1, cord side button is button 2) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldenWheels Posted July 19, 2017 Author Share Posted July 19, 2017 "Woody" Arcade Sticks: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldenWheels Posted July 19, 2017 Author Share Posted July 19, 2017 Mini Woody (ahem) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldenWheels Posted July 19, 2017 Author Share Posted July 19, 2017 And OK not 7800 specific but made to play the awesome 7800 Asteroids specifically (also great for Joust....): 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 Those look great! I'm a fan of the first 'woody' arcade stick myself. One question I have as I've seen this for all of these.. Why aren't carriage bolts being used instead of standard machine screws for joysticks? Seems to be the heads on those screws not being rounded would bug me to no end? I would think that some black coated carriage bolts would look really good on these joysticks I see being made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldenWheels Posted July 19, 2017 Author Share Posted July 19, 2017 If you like the 7800 and have any hankering for tinkering, a controller is a great place to start. I used Wyluli Wolf's diagram from this thread: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/258152-byo-atari-7800-controller-schematic-for-dummys/. Thanks to him as I have had lots of fun building these. And all parts were from ebay or ali baba. The buttons, the project boxes, the vinyl, the wires, the crimps, etc. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldenWheels Posted July 19, 2017 Author Share Posted July 19, 2017 Those look great! I'm a fan of the first 'woody' arcade stick myself. One question I have as I've seen this for all of these.. Why aren't carriage bolts being used instead of standard machine screws for joysticks? Seems to be the heads on those screws not being rounded would bug me to no end? I would think that some black coated carriage bolts would look really good on these joysticks I see being made. In my case I learned something the hard way early on the Woody ones--unless I could cut nice round holes for the 4 screw heads in the vinyl ahead of time (hard to do the way I lay and cut the vinyl), when I finally got to tightening them, the screw heads ALWAYS turned just enough, no matter how hard I tried to tighten from the nut side only, to cause a little torque on the vinyl, making wrinkles around the screws, which drove me crazy! I agree it really should be a pan head style but the sloped shoulders don't mess up the vinyl and were already included with the stick. In my experience so far because the heads are so small, you barely feel them anyway. I could countersink for this to some degree, and get the head lower, but depending on how thick the project box is, you can only counter sink so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 yeah...on arcade cab control panels, the vinyl is cut with square holes ahead of time for the carriage bolts to go through. And then you would need a perfect square hole for the plastic as well. There has to be a washer assembly one can buy that has this already as a mounting washer of sorts for just this thing? Hmm... Imma start looking... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RamrodHare Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Those look nice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edladdin Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 Being a big fan of the 7800 and not so big a fan of the Pro Lines, I got into making my own Atari 7800 sticks. Every time I finished one I came up with a new idea and I may have gotten a little carried away. Ahem. Anyway, here are some 7800 sticks, all with proper two button functionality. Asteroids stick (the four white buttons at top are for 'proper' Asteroids style control, left/right/thrust/warp (also works AWESOME under the 7800 mode where button 2 is warp). Love the Asteroids button controller! I've thought of doing one like this for Asteroids, Space Duel, classic form Space Invaders, and also the Track and Field type games for the 2600. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edladdin Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 Directly wiring the controls to the console cord for a 7800 is not rocket science at all, but a while back we started making a little I/O board for internal use that streamlines/idiot-proofs the process even further. When Albert added our finished goods to the AtariAge store, he picked up that PCB as well - the "Easy 78". You can see it here: https://atariage.com/store/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1077 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldenWheels Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 Love the Asteroids button controller! I've thought of doing one like this for Asteroids, Space Duel, classic form Space Invaders, and also the Track and Field type games for the 2600. Thanks! It's so easy/cheap to add to a normal stick if you have space in the case. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 Love the Asteroids button controller! I've thought of doing one like this for Asteroids, Space Duel, classic form Space Invaders, and also the Track and Field type games for the 2600. Please do!!! I have no trouble wiring one up myself but I lack space and tools for making enclosures. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edladdin Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 Please do!!! I have no trouble wiring one up myself but I lack space and tools for making enclosures. Ha ha! It had not occurred to me that anyone else would want one. Nor did I move past the daydreaming phase. But ok, let me figure it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikeguychicago Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Out of curiosity is there a template somewhere with the proper spacing for an Asteroids control panel? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldenWheels Posted July 25, 2017 Author Share Posted July 25, 2017 Ha ha! It had not occurred to me that anyone else would want one. Nor did I move past the daydreaming phase. But ok, let me figure it out. I bet you could easily work it into one of your awesome Supreme 78s if you gave up leftie/rightie playability. That would look sweet. (I'm building something a la the lines of your super twin now because....ROBOTRON!!! ) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebor Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Out of curiosity is there a template somewhere with the proper spacing for an Asteroids control panel? This page has a template and more. Template is in pdf and illustrator format. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldenWheels Posted July 25, 2017 Author Share Posted July 25, 2017 This page has a template and more. Template is in pdf and illustrator format. Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn. I would have stained or polyed the wood case, but that thing is BEAUTIFUL. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edladdin Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 This page has a template and more. Template is in pdf and illustrator format. Wow, that looks great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edladdin Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 I bet you could easily work it into one of your awesome Supreme 78s if you gave up leftie/rightie playability. That would look sweet. (I'm building something a la the lines of your super twin now because....ROBOTRON!!! ) Yes! Gotta have a twin stick to play Robotron. :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24Fanatic365 Posted August 6, 2017 Share Posted August 6, 2017 (edited) I'm thinking about building my own 7800 controller with arcade parts. Is there any way to power led buttons? I'm assuming by using pin 7? TIA! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Edited August 6, 2017 by 24Fanatic365 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrekMD Posted August 6, 2017 Share Posted August 6, 2017 These are some cool designs! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldenWheels Posted August 9, 2017 Author Share Posted August 9, 2017 I'm thinking about building my own 7800 controller with arcade parts. Is there any way to power led buttons? I'm assuming by using pin 7? TIA! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I'd actually love to know this myself....! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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