Making a slick, minimalistic arcade stick surface

[racketboy]

OK -- so since the Hori sticks are now rare and expensive, I bought one of the "Universal USB Joysticks" on eBay to have modded with arcade-quality parts.


So the only thing that's up in the air is how to remake the top panel to make it look slick and minimalistic.
The ball and buttons are going to be the blue color in the site menu bar, so it will be completely racketboy colors

I'd like the surface to be as slick and flawless as the hori sticks (or at least as close as possible). I don't want any artwork or anything.

Any ideas on how to pull this off?

[HellHammer]

I'd just paint the top any color you'd like. Then for the nice 'slick' look you could spray a layer of clear coat paint on top of that.

I like this stuff: http://www.krylon.com/products/triplethick_crystal_clear_glaze/

[racketboy]

I've done something similar to that -- but it seems like that way its easy to see imperfections in the finish.

[toredauei]

hmmm it seems alot of people here are modding this stick (myself included). I too feel like the clear coat spray paint is the best way to achieve the look you're looking for. As far as the imperfections go, just make sure you spray in short bursts and only apply small amounts per coating. As far as other options go... you could maby have a sheet of plexi custom cut and just mount it which would also give you the option of having a graphic easily put in later if you wanted. Not sure if that's the look you're going for though :/

[t0yrobo]

My first thought is to use a thin sheet of plastic like most custom stick builders do. Except instead of sandwiching a picture of a scantily clad anime girl underneath pain the backside of it blue. That way it should be super easy to get a nice finish, and it'll have a nice effect from being behind the plastic.
Spray pain can work pretty well, but it can be really frustrating to get a perfect finish, they way it's made just doesn't allow for that very easily. For a small project like this it may be worth it to get a inexpensive airbrush. And as always prime and wet sand like crazy before applying any paint.

[Flak Beard]

I'm still debating whether or not to mod or just sell my MayFlash stick. I don't have the tools to do it, and it's probably going to be more money than I wanted to sink into a stick.

[toredauei]

It is a great idea to paint the backside of the plexi I wish I had thought of that. Although I'm not sure what kind of difference it would make if he painted the back black or just stuck with unpainted plexi.

I'm still debating whether or not to mod or just sell my MayFlash stick. I don't have the tools to do it, and it's probably going to be more money than I wanted to sink into a stick.

well how much money were you planning on putting into it? 6 sanwa buttons and seimitsu stick just cost me $60 shipped from lizardlick plus $46 for the mayflash shipped. So that's 100 right there which is pretty cheap considering what you'd be able to do with it. I guess it just depends on your budget and how much you would have to pay to get someone else to mod your stick for you.

[Flak Beard]

well how much money were you planning on putting into it? 6 sanwa buttons and seimitsu stick just cost me $60 shipped from lizardlick plus $46 for the mayflash shipped. So that's 100 right there which is pretty cheap considering what you'd be able to do with it. I guess it just depends on your budget and how much you would have to pay to get someone else to mod your stick for you.

Well I figured it'd probably run at least (assuming) $30 or more for someone to do it for me, plus shipping there and back. Tack on the parts at $60 plus what I paid for the stick... that's at least $140 or so total I be spending. Kind of a lot for something that's essentially a novelty item to me. I really only use it to dabble in MAME and some of the PS2 arcade collections from time to time.

I could do the Ctuhlu mod myself, but it would cost me about the same and I would lose PS2 functionality. Figured maybe my best bet at this point is to sell the MayFlash to someone who wants to mod and then buy a cheap Hori.

[racketboy]

Where would one get a custom cut piece of plexi?
How to attach?

[nickfil]

no offense at all- but i didn't think you were super tech savy racket. Did I understand you right? are you replacing the buttons?

I only ask because i too am not tech savy at all, and if you found a good easy guide, pleas share.