Introduction: Arcade Controller on a Budget
Ever wanted a proper arcade style joystick with buttons but didn't want to give several hundreds of euros for one? Don't have a fancy cnc or a laser cutter? I managed to make this one with only a few simple tools.
Best thing about it you can plug it into your PC, Raspberry Pi or Android device and it will work without any fancy drivers!
I got my kit from banggood but I saw similar ones on ebay and aliexpress. It was 13€ at the time that I bought it, shipping included. Nice thing about it that it has all of the components and you only need to make a case for it. It's a sanwa style zero delay kit.
Step 1:
Materials and tools needed:
- 7mm plywood (or whichever building material you have lying around)
- piece of paper and a printer to print out drilling guidelines for buttons
- brass (or plastic) standoffs for the PCB
- hinges and lock (scavanged mine off an old jewelry box)
- base paint and varnish
- wood glue
- tape
- jigsaw
- clamps
- sandpaper and file (optional)
- drill and some bits
- pliers
- screwdriver
- utility knife
- paintbrush
Step 2:
Set the paper on the piece of plywood and fasten it with tape. Drill some holes! I happen to have a 30mm drill bit so I used that but you can also a jigsaw to do it or drill a smaller hole and file it to size.
I used two same pieces and glued them together to get a thicker and sturdier top.
Step 3:
Then cut the bottom part. I decided to stack plywood horizontally for the front for extra support to the front. Then added the rest of the front. I wanted the console to be at an angle so I put the joystick in and checked for clearance before making the back and sides.
Step 4:
Make the sides and back part. Drill in holes for the side buttons. You could put those on the top but I opted to put mine to the sides because this way I would use them for playing pinball games. In other games they're set as start/select or player 1/add coin buttons.
Put the standoffs in for the PCB and drill a hole in the back for the USB cable. I used a thicker wood piece I had lying around for the back.
Step 5:
Glue the bottom part and install the hinges. I used a utility knife to make the grooves for the hinges. Then sanding. A lot of it. Everything needs to be sanded and smooth before applying paint. Also check that everything closes properly
Step 6:
Paint and give at least 24 hours for the paint to dry properly. Finally put in the joystick and buttons and connect them to the PCB.
Step 7:
Finally everything assembled and plugged in. Make sure to enjoy your arcade controller!