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version 2.0
  4/25/1999
  5/2/1999
  6/13/1999
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  mame > joystick Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Installing a Joystick on a control panel

If you do nothing else, install a joystick. Hopefully you can learn from my mistakes

Front 3/4 view of a arcade joystick

Here's what they look like right out of the box. Please excuse the poor lighting.

Similar view, but from the back

And here's what the back looks like. This is a microswitch model. This was the joystick that I installed in CPv1.

The shaft can be removed. Here are two different types.

The shafts can be removed so that you can install the stick. By removing a washer and a few screws, you can take it apart entirely.

The rough hole, after being painted.

Cut a diamond-shaped hole, and then....

Attach the cover. Looks like I'm almost ready to play.

...you can fit the faceplate on top.

Attach the shaft. Done? Nope.

Install the shaft, connect the wires, and then you're done, right?
WRONG! This is an example of how to NOT install a joystick. Of course I had to learn the hard way.

Installing it the correct way.

A properly installed joystick has five holes--four for bolts to attach the joystick, and one large one (1 1/8" worked for me) for the shaft to move.

NOW I'm ready.

When attached properly, the floating plastic washer will cover the large hole made for the shaft. Carriage bolts attach from the top, nuts hold it on from the bottom. Now doesn't that look more professional? Just like 1981...

Now there are actually three types of handles shown above, and two types of chassises. The first few pictures show a european style joystick and a bat style with a microswitch style chassis. In CPv2 I use a ball style stick with a leaf switch chassis. These we all purchased from WICO.

Continue onto Anatomy



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