Dunno if anybody has done this but here goes:
Today I got a funny idea (I actually had this idea a while back but in a different form).
How does it feel to add a metal blade (like the ones on leaf switches) to the switches on the TP-MA (pcb of the Sanwa JLF-TP-8Y joystick)? I did just that and let me tell you it is amazing how it performs now, superquick activation of the switches (maybe hard to see in the video but you can tilt the lever less then half of the way than you do normally untill activation). I took some pics + recorded a video for you guys. Let me know what you think:
This is what the insides of a microswitch look like on the TP-MA-board.
Added a blade from another microswitch I had (it is actually from a JLW-TM-8 joystick). I had no cuttingtools home so it got little bent on the end of it but it is same otherwise.
That’s an interesting idea per. I was actually thinking about something somewhat similar for the actuator. I figured if I can somehow increase the diameter of the part of the actuator that activates the switches it would be a similar effect. I haven’t thought much about how to do it yet though. Maybe dip the actuator in epoxy? Still workin on it…
well, the difference can be clearly seen on the video,
is it possible to expand it to the 3 other leafswitches?
so you could tell and show us the difference.
i’ve had this kind of idea to reproduce a snk neo geo stick, but never managed to open the microswitch itself (afraid of open the pandora box), now i’ll try as soon as i can!
after installing microswitches Omron witch plain lever, I had problem from reflection.
I accelerated engagement alter actuator. friend made me from stainless steel actuator. he does not be truncate obliquely. engagement is quicker about 1 degree, shorter throw about 1 degree. http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/8043/beztytuu7ak.th.gif
I have such four. I will try about photo.
It works like magic now. It did not entirely help me by streching the spring so I came up with the idea that if I use a little bit (just a little) of sandpaper on the red prongs on each microswitch it would be better…and now it is flawless.
i don’t see much of an improvement for the up, down, left, and right directions, but it’s possible that corner detection will be a lot better.
you don’t actually need a TP MA for that. you can just buy omron switches and slap them on the Sanwa base. i think some Omron switches have small levers like those by default. i can only find ones without levers, but i can buy cheap Zippy switches with levers and take the ones from them :B let me try that.
This is sort of what I was referring to. Maybe if the upper part of the actuator was made a bit bigger it would give the same results as a restrictor plate with a smaller opening.
Those are both interesting ways of decreasing the throw, but I honestly don’t see much of a point to it. The reason I like the JLF is because of the non-leaf switches and the longer throw. But if I did want a shorter throw and leaf switches, I wouldn’t go about modifying my JLF when there are a ton of good leaf switches offered by Sanwa and Seimitsu.
This whole thing was still and interesting read though. The increased actuator is something that I was thinking of doing except I didn’t want to handle the angled shape. I have made my own actuator in the past though for a different purpose.
As Per said, the restrictor plate no longer has any purpose if you do the leaf method. At least the standard ones. If you were to make your own restrictor plate (which I’ve always wanted to do especially a circular one) then all of this may have some value in it. I think it’d be especially nice if you did this for a Flash1 to get a P360 feel to it.
Anyway, good shit on everyone thinking outside the box.
I agree with what you say Paik. I don’t like leaf switches either. Over time they can bend inward (towards the switches) so it defeats the purpose of having/making a shorter throw. This is most evident with Happ super joysticks. They use leaf switches too and they bend out pretty quick.
I’ve actually got something similiar to this in my modded Agetec stick. I’ve had it for a while, but the leaf springs are different from yours. If you want, I could probably try getting a picture of it.
And I actually have a rather hard spring in my JLF sanwa, so it returns to neutral rather easily. It works great to be honest. Just the throw seems a little long.
I’m not a fan of short-throw sticks. I find they’re over sensitive and stuff never comes out the way I want.
The whole reason I migrated from Aussie to Jap sticks was because Jap sticks had the longer throw, and felt better to perform moves with. I’m a Gief player too, so 360’s feel much nicer on long-throw sticks.
If you like short throw sticks, check out the Suzo 500 sticks. Ultimarc sell them as “EuroSticks” and GroovyGameGear sells them as “OMNI Stick Basics”:
These sticks have literally a 2-4mm throw on them. They are super quick to activate. I use them in a cocktail cab I have for playing shmups (shoot 'em ups - the top down shooters, not the bullshit overdone FPS games kids play today). If short-throw is what gets you in the mood, buy a couple of these and try them out. They’re cheap as can be, and for sale in the UK via Ultimarc, the US via GGG, and Australia via me (GameDude).
In regards to what you have done, I have a happ comp stick and i did the same thing except without using a “leaf”. I did it the ghetto way and took a metal clip off of an mechanical pencil. It awhile to bend it and bend it some more so i could break it to the right length and shape. BUT IT WORKS, I only did this for one direction as I only have one pencil with a metal clip, but seriously it makes my happ comp stick feel like a sanwa. Super close activation, without the american large deadzone. I’ll add pictures later tonight.
ok very kool right up per… and altho its good idea i had the same idea last year and did it… not good and heres why.
at first i waslike hell yeah… this shit is clean and close but still feels like sanwa not seimitsu.
but then i started to lose directions randomly… like reason for that is the JLF PCB
… the switches are soldered to the pcb and playing ggxx and mvc2 killed it…
the little solder points got cracked ALOT… and this is becuse they are being pushed back. the gates are there for squares and octogons… but mainly they are there to restrict movement of the switches… thus sanwas last so much longer than other sticks.
adding those levers killed theswitches altho mayb it would be better if i had shaved down the red part the thickness of the metal… but stilll thats too much effort for a little fun mod.
so all in all its a great idea but from my experience from it , it ruins sticks…