Custom arcade sticks

elvis · Post by **elvis** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 9:28 am

Warning: blatant self-advertising ahead.

After an entire YEAR of putting it off (working 80 hours a week sucks), I finally got my custom built sticks off the ground. I had 27 sticks' worth of materials laser cut (MDF bodies, steel tops with polycarb overlay). With a week off work a little while back (first holiday in 5 years!!!) I got one out the door!

Design goals:
* All Sanwa/Seimitsu parts.
* Laser Cut Double 9mm MDF body - screw/nail-free construction.
* All routed/rounded edges
* Rubber tread non-slip base
* Laser Cut 1.6mm mild steel top, zinc-treated for anti-rust
* Matt photo artwork
* Laser Cut 2mm Polycarbonate overlay
* Acrylic spray-paint finish.

These are for sale/post in Australia at the moment. International shipping from here is just stupidly priced, and there are already plenty of good US and Euro stick builders out there anyway.

The first cab off the rank was for a fellow down in Melbourne. Artwork was supplied by him. This one is all Sanwa parts with a PS2 controller.

More here:
http://www.stickfreaks.com/plasia1/plasia1_1.jpg
http://www.stickfreaks.com/plasia1/plasia1_2.jpg
http://www.stickfreaks.com/plasia1/plasia1_3.jpg

More sticks are on the way. Most will be for sale to fighting fans, who seem to be the most willing to spend the cash. But I've got a few shmup designs in mind to pair up with some of the more flamboyantly styled and coloured Seimitsu parts that I'm hoping turn out nicely. PS2 controllers will probably be the most common, but I'm certainly hoping to pump out a few DC units too (assuming I can find controllers in a semi-plentiful fashion).

P_HAT · Post by **P_HAT** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 9:54 am

Best fan artwork ever.
=)
Really cool looking stick.

elvis · Post by **elvis** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 10:40 am

I can't take the artwork credit. It was supplied to me by the person who ordered the stick. No idea where he got it from.

elvis · Post by **elvis** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 2:25 am

Second stick is away. I'm hoping the next few sticks will feature shmup artwork.

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 2:33 pm

For elvis,

Those two custom sticks are a work of art indeed...out of curiousity, how much do they sell for? ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

elvis · Post by **elvis** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 11:32 pm

PC Engine Fan X! wrote:out of curiousity, how much do they sell for?

Average price is AUD$200 (USD$167, EUR123, JPY19,577 according to xe.com today).

Prices vary depending on parts used. USB and PS2 controllers are cheaper to come by than, say, DC controllers, etc. Same goes for parts - I can get Sanwa pretty cheap, but I struggle to find Seimitsu for the same price here in Australia.

I make no profit off these. It's all done for fun as a hobby. I could probably charge double what I do (ala Byrdo and others average pricing), but I'm not interested in making this a business. I like to keep work and play in my life separated by large distances.