I have a Suzo Happ Black Ultimate 8-Way Joystick, with Microswitches (https://na.suzohapp.com/products/joysticks/50-7608-160) installed on my fightstick, and the way it tends to slide towards the diagonals is getting irritating. Is there any way I could install an octagonal gate on the stick without replacing it entirely?
im gonna go with no. Those sticks are all circular rotation. Get a eurostick from paradise arcade or focus attack.
Happ’s don’t have gates per se. Rather they have shaped actuators that don’t really act like gates.
I wouldn’t say that it’s impossible, but there’s no readily available solution out there, as far as I can tell.
In theory, if you extended the shaft, then manufactured a gate that screws in at the bottom (under the microswitches), it would work.
Problem is, no one cares enough to spend the time/money to make something like this.
The userbase of Happ/IL sticks is small enough as-is already, and those who still use them want to preserve that old-school stand-up arcade feel anyways.
On top of that Happ/IL shafts are long enough as it is. There been people who mod the shaft of a IL or Happ joystick to be shorter to fit into modern Japanese style Arcade controllers (like a Mad Catz TE).
Here is a underside of a Happ/IL joystick. I chose this particular image as the actuator is easier to see (some use black plastic actuators)
As you see there no gate (in the terms we think of a gate with Japanese or Korean style parts), the closest thing to a gate is how the switches form a box.
But you also notice the actuator is also a square. This creates the effect that the joystick feels like it almost have a circle gate. People put a circle gate on the JLF or JLW to try to recreate that feel.
Closest I found to a 8 way octagonal gate for a Happ/iL joystick is this, a plus shape 4 Way Gate, this is for games like Donkey Kong or Pac-Man that can’t deal with diagonals
http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=71&products_id=310
[Edit]
So a “octagonal” gate did exist for the Happ\iL joysticks. I found this one image but no one is selling the gate at this time.
The image is also from Groovy game gear but they do not have this item in their shop. FYI the image is from 2009, a very long time for both Arcade/Mame enthusiast and the FGC.
The purpose of the gate was not to create the feel of a octagonal gate, but to “reduce the sensitivity of a Happ Super”.
Dang, that sucks. So I’d have to make one myself?
Looks like it.
Saw this while checking my eBay traps this evening:
**Lot of 3 Furnas Positioning Gate for 92229 Joystick Controller Eaton 91000T1010 **
http://www.ebay.com/itm/151743685090
Might not be exactly what you’re looking for, but it might be easier than starting from scratch :shake:
I doubt these would work. I mean how would you even mount these things to a Happs joystick?
It was just an idea to get the OP started.
One could probably get something like this drilled out to use the same holes as the cherry switches in a Happ base; Similar to your example from earlier in the thread, or like the K-Stick guys do when they mod their Fantas and Crowns.
wat exactly do you mean by “sliding diagonals”? like how its hard to hit diagonals? as the others have said there’s no available options for putting gates on il/happ sticks (besides the Groovy Game gear gates Darksakul mentioned). technically i think they have a gate just not in the usual place.
the stick rides around that circle restrictor. of course that means Suzo Happ or IL would have to manufacture a square or octagonal gate peice. (or do a top mount sorta like FreedomGundam said but prolly wont be made for the reasons he says).
Tho i have experimented with dremiling the diagonal edges of the inner circle to make it easier to hit diagonals.
I figured that’s the part that always wears in arcade machines so it widens it from wear. which is why i think people who talk about getting new happ sticks, being used to old arcade machines, have trouble with fresh ones. so its kinda like sanding down a new pair of pants to loosen em up. but this could use some more deliberation.
tho this all refers to the Competition or Eurostick mainly. the general consensus is that they’re superior to happ Ultimates. Tho I’ve never bought one and experimented myself. Comps and Eurosticks are only 2 to 3 dollars more anyway so they wont break the bank (go for the Eurostick, better parts, color dust washer 
) so I’d consider getting one like Drac_X said.
…to be frank it might be easier to get a JLF or LS-56 and mod it (heavier springs from PAS, battop) to feel like a happ but i guess it all depends on the case/panel you’re working with : P