First Stick mods - could use advice

[chempop]

So I have a bunch of summer stick-mod projects lined up. Haven't bought any tools or parts yet but I will be soon. I am starting off with easy button swaps and hopefully by the end of the summer full conversions if all goes well. Here is a list of what I plan on doing, any advice for a novice like myself would be much appreciated, I'm sure I'll have specific questions later down the road.

HRAP 360 SE-EX - swap buttons, should be cake, just want to get comfortable with the quick-connects and snap/screw-in buttons.

HRAP PS2 Tekken 5 Anniversary Ed - buttons and maybe stick, I've heard the buttons are soldered so my plan is to cut the original wires and attach quick connects to them. Seems the buttons are smaller than standard arcade... I have bought 2 of these sticks for cheap so if I destroy one it's no biggie.
[edit]. Oh wow, just opened one of these up and discovered that the buttons aren't wired at all, but directly attached to the pcb. I think I remember reading this was the case before.. I think I'll have to gut everything and use a pad pcb, perhaps a DC one.

Agetec DC - buttons and stick. Plenty of tutorials on the buttons but I'm not sure which stick fits best. I've seen it fitted with sanwa by cutting out some inside mounting plastic, and fitted with seimitsu by removing some part of the stick screw bracket..

SAT Virtua Stick - Buttons, are the stock buttons even wired, or do they just hit a button board? If I swap the buttons would the autofire switches still function?

Mayflash PS2/USB - Buttons and stick. I've alread taken this thing apart and put it back together to familiarize myself with it, I have a good idea of what to do but it seems like there is a lot to it in terms of removing the button board, adding a stick mounting plate, widening the button holes etc.

Okay that's all for now.

[Aguilar]

In regards to the Saturn stick. Are you referring to the Japanese HSS-0136 stick?

[Weak Boson]

I replaced the sticks and buttons on a PS2 Mayflash. It was my first (and only) stick mod and while it's not completely unproblematic I think I managed it well enough. There are quite a few useful guides which you can find by searching google/youtube. For me the hardest thing was the soldering involved; if you've never done any before then you should practise - I got a little soldering kit which was experience enough. The rest is fairly straight forward once you get down to it but you will definitely need a rotary tool. Good luck.

[chempop]

Yup, Japanese virtua stick- actually has a great stock stick, very precise, almost no throw and little dead zone... Dare I say I prefer it to an seimitsu LS-32. The buttons however are so-so, not as bad as my DC agetec which I got in crappy shape (buttons and stick occasionally get jammed into position).

The mayflash seems like a task, I think top-bolting the mounting plate for the stick is required and button holes need a slight widen. So yes, I'll be picking up a dremel and good bits for my power drill.

In a few weeks I'll have time to order some tools and parts,

[Aguilar]

Well you might be one of the lucky ones that has the Virtua stick high grade. Those come with LS-32's in them.

However if you do want to replace the ASCII stick like the one mine had in it. You'll have to drill in new countersink holes in the top plate to accommodate the bigger mounting plate the ls-32 has, ruining the awesome art thats on there..

As for the buttons, they are soldered directly into the pcb. Little bit of work with a soldering gun and some braid and the buttons will come out effortlessly. As for putting new ones in I just got some
wire from Lizard Lick and soldered the wire to the pcb and to the contacts on the pushbuttons.

The turbo function will still work as long as you keep it all intact on the inside as well.