Repoing Universal 4/8 way Joysticks + Buttons

[Phils Arcade]

I've been searching for a couple Universal type joysticks for a Mr Do! and Lady Bug control panel for a while now. Have asked on here, the interwebby, and our friends across the pond on KLOV, as well as a number of gaming YouTubers and arcade breakers, but so far to no avail.

One of the KLOV members has seen some of the rebuild projects I've done and, more importantly, also has a few of the joysticks to hand.

The 4/8 way Universal joysticks come in three variations, but the most common ones compose of four metal pillars either with nuts on both ends, or on the bottom. The pillars are hex or round in shape, as you can see from the photos he sent over. The KLOV member has both and has agreed to send the joystick over to me, on loan, to see about making repo versions, if possible.



The 2 way joysticks are more akin to the Defender / Galaga style builds. Actually might need one of those for the Cosmic Alien.

There are a number of interested parties on the KLOV site and just putting it out there if anyone on here would be interested, just to comment and I'll know who to look out for.

This has just been posted, so will have a bit of a wait until it reaches these shores.

One thing I am looking out for is the dust washer that goes with them. Standard thick round washer with the Universal logo in raised letters on it. If anyone has one spare, I'd be interested, or if you can loan it so I can take measurements and reproduce it.

So if interested just comment below and I'll keep you all informed.

 

[TWB]

Phil, I would be interested in one and also a cocktail cabinet one if you repo those too.

 

[69er]

I will look through a few of my more handy vintage joysticks maybe today while in my mind and see if any look like the photos ?

 

[Phils Arcade]

Phil, I would be interested in one and also a cocktail cabinet one if you repo those too.

I think the cocktails ones are slightly shorter, but not 100%. If someone could confirm or share a photo, that would be great.

 

[Phils Arcade]

I will look through a few of my more handy vintage joysticks maybe today while in my mind and see if any look like the photos ?

Would be very helpful if you have something, even just to borrow and compare.

 

[69er]

Would be very helpful if you have something, even just to borrow and compare.

Well, Lo’ and behold ! I just went through that filing cab drawer full I sent you photo on pm last month May 21st? ….. and though the majority are microswitch or opto action there was ONE 8 way leaf contact joystick in there ( there may be other odd ones hiding in coin boxes - who knows? )

Top edge of pile in picture 1
You are welcome to this one Phil, with my complements if it’s any use to you , sadly no dust washer but otherwise complete, just pm your name & address and it’s yours to keep! A freebie !

The upper internal gate is square so allows diagonal movement for 8 way and a large bottom ring ensures two leaf switches can engage if desired… let me know and I will box it up …..3 pictures to see if it’s right one? Round pillars and nuts just on bottom. And still has its knob amazingly!

 

[Phils Arcade]

Well, Lo’ and behold ! I just went through that filing cab drawer full I sent you photo on pm last month May 21st? ….. and though the majority are microswitch or opto action there was ONE 8 way leaf contact joystick in there ( there may be other odd ones hiding in coin boxes - who knows? )

I'll have to publicly say a big thank you for this one. Looks like it might be a later version but a great starting point.

There also seems to be a number of different styles of buttons on these machines as well. Hard to keep track of these, lol.

 

[TWB]

I think the cocktails ones are slightly shorter, but not 100%. If someone could confirm or share a photo, that would be great.

I believe that the only difference is the length of the stick but I could be wrong. it would be good if someone could clarify.

Upright:



Cocktail:

 

[Phils Arcade]

Also, out of curiosity, has anyone come across these style of buttons? This is from the Lady Bug operators manual.
Would love to see how they're put together.

 

[Phils Arcade]

So back from holidays and I've got a number of joystick projects to get started, but first are these 4/8 way Universal sticks.

Then I'm looking at the rotary SNK and Data East sticks.

I'm currently working with a few people from KLOV on these as well.

@69er was very kind letting me have one of his Universal joysticks, which seems to be a later model of the joystick, due to the fact that it has an changeable restrictor that can be rotated for either 4 or 8 way, but would be interested in know what game(s) these were installed in.

Also one of the users on KLOV sent over his Universal joystick. His version has a fixed restrictor so if you wanted to swap out the 4 way to an 8 way, you need to take the whole joystick apart and replace the top section and support pillars, as these are welded to the top plate.

Another version I've seen, has a slightly deeper top plate that allows for it to be removed from the pillars via a set of nuts, rather than dismantling the entire thing.

If anyone is interested in these, then let me know here or send me a DM and I'll add your name to the list.

I'll add some pics here later.

 

[69er]

Which games ???? You ask !

During the early to mid 1980s lots of backstreet cab manufacturers were building single player alternating games into them and all sorts were available..

Some arcade sites found odd games had short life income returns so traded them or dealers also stripped new unsold stock or part exchanges for parts which were sometimes required to replace easily damaged ones on a mix and match basis

A huge company called Dial a Deal in Leeds thrived in buy ups of old asteroids and early colour games for spares or bulk clearance abroad and were real successful , 3 former Melody Music ? Bob Hepworth , Steve Robins plus another Salesman began it on closure of MM .and a few other struggling Video , jukebox , fruity , main suppliers during the rapid changes in the markets , game advances , vinyl to CD , b/w to colour and single uprights to twin driver / motorcycle many varied action based arcade novelties like whack a croc… and not least changes to the new pound coin in 1983 and multi mechs all cost businesses money tough to recoup? With old stock unwanted by customers?

4 way were commonly used on games like Pac-Man Ladubug Amidar etc where only left right up down direction was required,,

But games like Scramble , Flying Shark and other less grid based games needed diagonal motion during the picture scrolling. So the player could go both down and left simultaneously, in order to avoid buildings or approaching aircraft or whatever? Moreso as game design advanced with rollerball player control like missile command & marble madness needed whole screen positioning. .

We found many of our seaside cabs were often such Century or Regal , Rodstock cabs often with seemingly cheaper Universal games inside so probably adapted from universal originals??

In a rush to convert games to more up to date we painted over marquees or make up our own from clear or coloured Perspex I have a few of those still or pictures maybe?

We had a couple of Cosmic Guerilla , Magical spot U/r and t/t. Also ladybug and many others … we never at any time looked to compare which joysticks were fitted as the only critical differences were microswitch or leaf contact and 4/8 way action ….

Over that decade we bought EPROM kits from various sources JCM or Competitive Video at trade shows and via trade adverts in CoinSlot paper , sacrificing a number of Galaxian or Scramble based pcbs for mid decade upgrades… prom swap and a few track cuts and added wire links and presto .. new game cheaper….

We had already upgrade most of our midway black and white Space invader games to lunar rescue , invaders revenge etc swapping out the original mask ROMS for 2708 or 2716 EPROMs and those boards were already equipped with raised wire links in some instances to cut or relocate to alternative nearby track pads?

Of course by late 80s like many others, we were making the 2 player, pedestal 20” jamma cabs too, many of you know and perhaps own with the readily available jamma interchangeable boards and newer style joysticks and buttons . Who wanted the old ones then ? Nobody!

Maybe the board designers knew those advancements were probable when they first brought out invaders in the late 70s?

When I look at some old pcbs I still have, often worse for wear as those link wires became detached in storage and piggyback prom boards un-socketed and tall platform pins bent beyond sensible repair ( I have one here called The End, a fast Galaxian style game where attacking aliens robbed your base blocks to build the words ‘the end’ across sky which ended the game) . That one was mega complicated to upgrade and as was common all our link wires were either black or orange , whatever bobbin was handy to cut small pieces off?

So to summarise… I don’t think many owners at the time would really recall which games needed which sticks as 4 move games could still be played with 8 way action but on Pac-Man don’t moan if the sprite sticks on a corner to move up if left is still also engaged - so 4 way was beneficial there on a fast retreat from pursuing ghosts?

Toward the late 80s many good quality joysticks could be bought in quantity from spares stockists like Philip Shefras , BCE , Associated Leisure , Brent, Deith leisure spares …etc . I still have loads of parts catalogues from the 80s as many big companies had a parts and spares trade counter like the car dealerships of today still do!

Over time many such companies amalgamated or got taken over by nationals and disappeared in the wake of these buy outs…. I assume Universal was one also?

 

[Phils Arcade]

Which games ???? You ask !

During the early to mid 1980s lots of backstreet cab manufacturers were building single player alternating games into them and all sorts were available..

Some arcade sites found odd games had short life income returns so traded them or dealers also stripped new unsold stock or part exchanges for parts which were sometimes required to replace easily damaged ones on a mix and match basis

A huge company called Dial a Deal in Leeds thrived in buy ups of old asteroids and early colour games for spares or bulk clearance abroad and were real successful , 3 former Melody Music ? Bob Hepworth , Steve Robins plus another Salesman began it on closure of MM .and a few other struggling Video , jukebox , fruity , main suppliers during the rapid changes in the markets , game advances , vinyl to CD , b/w to colour and single uprights to twin driver / motorcycle many varied action based arcade novelties like whack a croc… and not least changes to the new pound coin in 1983 and multi mechs all cost businesses money tough to recoup? With old stock unwanted by customers?

A fountain of knowledge and experience. Very interesting read.

 

[Phils Arcade]

So, a quick update.

Had a good rummage around the workshop this week and found most of the material needed. What I don't have has been ordered, and as of today, most has now arrived.

I've enough material to produce probably around 15 joysticks, though I've about 20 potential orders so far, but as people usually say yes, but when the time comes, it's a no, so I'll stick with 15 for now.

I'm going to start on the shafts this week. That'll be the actual shaft, joystick knob, leaf contact assembly with retaining clips and nylon nut at the bottom. I'll post some photos when done.

One thing I'm having issues with are the leaf contact switches. This size seems to be very hard to find.

Will keep you all posted.

 

[Phils Arcade]

So had a wee bit of free time this evening so decided to make a start on these.




First up was to get the bright steel cut to length and remove any sharp edges. Handling these can slice you open without a care in the world, so best to remove these.

Next was to use some blue marker to help indicate out the top M8 thread section for the knob and get these into the lathe to get cut to size.

Managed to get a few threaded as well and the knobs mounted



Will get the rest probably done tomorrow, then start on the other end.

 

[Phils Arcade]

Hmmmm. Have just been sent a photo of the Universal joystick knob, that has the logo on it. Never seen one of these in the wild.

If anyone has one spare, that and/or the dust cover, I'm interested

 

[69er]

Hmmmm. Have just been sent a photo of the Universal joystick knob, that has the logo on it. Never seen one of these in the wild.

If anyone has one spare, that and/or the dust cover, I'm interested

I don’t think I have ever seen one of those with UNIVERSAL logo embossed or any company to be fair ? Surely smooth is more desirable for player comfort?

Possibly was a promotional batch for trade exhibitions or showroom parts counter display … who knows ? It’s about 40 years since that manufacturer turned out video games themselves. That one pictured may have been a later repro too? It’s very shiny and looks unplayed with.
It almost reflects the person who pictured it and the room it’s in? Private enthusiast?

 

[Phils Arcade]

I don’t think I have ever seen one of those with UNIVERSAL logo embossed or any company to be fair ? Surely smooth is more desirable for player comfort?

Possibly was a promotional batch for trade exhibitions or showroom parts counter display … who knows ? It’s about 40 years since that manufacturer turned out video games themselves. That one pictured may have been a later repro too? It’s very shiny and looks unplayed with.
It almost reflects the person who pictured it and the room it’s in? Private enthusiast?

Talking to a guy in the U.S. that has a stock of NOS Universal plastic style joysticks. These are mould in clear plastic, and have the white dust cover and knobs with the logo. They can take 8 leaf switches.

 

[Phils Arcade]

Okay, found a supply of leaf switches, though the cost is way more than I thought it would be.

Supplied by flippers.com.



What do you guys think, considering you will need 4 of them?

 

[Phils Arcade]

So all the knobs can now be fitted to their shafts, 15 in total.

That'll be me till the weekend when I'll make a start on the other end of the joystick. The part that fits inside the bearing and bushing.

Will add some photos on Sunday on the progress.

 

[Phils Arcade]

So managed to grab a bit more time today to get more done to these joysticks.

With the shafts cut to size and the threading for the knob done previously, it was time to start on the other end. This part fits inside the bearing and has an M5 thread on the lower end for a nylon nut. Once complete it was time to add the first of the e-clip ring groves.



This is used to stop the leaf switch washer contact from falling down the shaft. This washers I've selected are a nice heavy duty stainless steel disc, along with upper and lower brass spacers.

These will need to be drilled out to the correct size. Once done I can work out the placement to the second e-clip groove to be made. Once complete this will be the main shaft section completed.



Next up will be the bearings and the bushing assembly.