See that stunning combat stick? It is not only a controller: it is a image. An emblem of me working out of excuses to git gud (or not less than crawl my manner out of scrubhood) in Avenue Fighter 6. Earlier this 12 months I used to be so excited for the brand new Avenue Fighter that I made a decision to construct my very own Hit Field, AKA an all-button arcade field with out an precise “stick.” As with most combating video games I am enthusiastic about, earlier than launch I vowed that this can be the one I dedicated to placing actual time into. I am the primary and solely combating sport novice to ever inform himself this lie.
When Avenue Fighter 6 landed in June, I solely had the venture half-finished, so I figured I would wait on diving in for a month or two, simply till I may end issues up. Contemplating I lastly attached all of the wires and screwed the field collectively on December 19, it is protected to say issues did not go precisely as deliberate. However 2024? 2024 would be the 12 months I undoubtedly pour some actual time into Avenue Fighter.
Constructing the controller was a variety of enjoyable all by itself, although, and a course of I would advocate to any combating sport fan who occurs to have a variety of woodworking gear helpful (or, like me, a pal with that gear). Regardless of watching some YouTube movies and studying about people’ builds on-line, I nonetheless made just a few small errors and got here away with suggestions for different first-time builders. This is the way it got here collectively.
The planning steps
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I made a decision I needed to make a picket combat stick, and that I needed it to be comparatively small in order that storing it wasn’t an enormous ache. I purchased some sturdy half-inch plywood from a neighborhood store, and whereas on a trip journey to Tokyo got down to discover an arcade elements retailer to purchase buttons. I figured they’d be a bit cheaper in Japan than on-line, although I ended up erasing any financial savings I would gained for myself by panicking concerning the colour mixture and shopping for extra buttons than I wanted.
For my major buttons I went with Sanwa’s OBSN 24mm, which I would examine to Cherry MX Reds. They’re quick, gentle contact buttons that you’re going to discover throughout arcades and in lots of, many combat sticks. For a contact of colour and textural selection I additionally picked just a few Seimitsu PS-14s, which require only a tad extra stress to activate, to function the triple punch / kick buttons.
That left the stick’s controller board and wiring.
Whereas I will largely be enjoying on PC, I additionally needed the follow work on consoles. There is a price range possibility within the $25 Brook Zero-Pi, however I requested Brook to ship me its $80 Common Preventing Board in addition to a small add-on board for PS5 help. For anybody constructing a combat stick going ahead, although, I would advocate the brand new UFB Fusion, which integrates the PS5 add-on; it is the plug-it-into-anything-and-it’ll-just-work board to decide on now. When you’re constructing a leverless controller like me, you will additionally need the combating board cable and hitbox cable, which make the wiring course of actually, very easy. Brook provides bundles for getting the cables collectively and/or with the UFB that knocks fairly a bit off the value.
The following steps of planning my construct at this level revealed many complexities I hadn’t actually thought of.
- Even good high quality plywood is not going to have completely squared edges, which makes excellent measurements powerful. This may be pretty simply solved, however solely in case you have the correct woodworking gear.
- The saws you have got entry to will dictate the way you go about constructing your controller. As a result of we did not have a desk noticed or skilsaw (or a laser cutter, which might be even higher), we determined it was going to be difficult to construct a box-style controller like on this YouTube video. As an alternative we went for a “sandwich” method, reducing the plywood into a number of items and layering it to create the thickness wanted to suit all the inner elements. This may allow us to cope with the not-square edges later with an orbital sander.
- When discovering a button template on-line, be sure the spacing will work for screw buttons (higher for thicker bins) fairly than push buttons (constructed for skinny steel/acrylic panels). I used this template that was modified to suit screw buttons, and so they simply barely match, so I actually wanted one other couple millimeters of spacing in between. If I would used one in all these official templates, it possible would not have match my buttons.
- Until you have already got a completely stocked woodworking store, prices are undoubtedly going so as to add up—I spent practically $30 simply on the 24mm and 30mm Forstner bits used to drill the button holes, about that a lot on the wooden, and extra afterward brushes, stain, and polyurethane for the ending steps.
Drilling button holes and take a look at becoming
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Ideally, you’d use a drill press to shortly and cleanly make the button holes utilizing the round Forstner bits, however a handheld drill really did the job completely positive right here. One essential tip: use the purpose of the drill bit to make a small indentation within the wooden at your middle level to anchor it as you drill, guaranteeing it does not go skittering throughout the floor.
The good thing about this half-inch piece of plywood is that it is extraordinarily sturdy and does not bend in any respect, but it surely comes with a draw back: it is too thick for the screw buttons. That meant that on the again aspect of the highest panel I had to make use of the 30mm bit to drill all the best way round every gap, greater than doubling the quantity of labor for this step of the method.
At this level we did a take a look at becoming, and all the things match! However later, once I stained the wooden and needed to tighten all of the buttons to make sure they did not wiggle, it was a particularly tight squeeze.
Assembling the layers, gluing, and reducing
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With the button holes executed, we drew a tough diagram on the highest panel to determine how the PCB would match and the place the aspect buttons (for Begin, Choose and so forth.) would match, in addition to the place the opening for the USB plug would go. This helped us decide how thick we may make the perimeters and the way a lot additional wooden to go away within the corners to offer screws for the underside panel loads of safety. With all that sketched out, we lined up a number of extra items of the plywood and glued them collectively to function the physique of the controller.
Our course of right here was dictated by the sort of noticed we had readily available—on this case we used an oscillating multi-tool to chop by means of the stacked wooden vertically. We used a chunk of tape on the blade to mark the depth we would be reducing to, however utilizing some low-cost particle board as a backstop made it fairly straightforward to inform after we’d damaged by means of the more durable wooden.
The reducing course of was surprisingly painless, and as soon as the inside block was gone we may use the Forstner bits once more to drill the aspect button holes after which glue the highest panel in place.
Sanding, sanding and extra sanding
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Now we have a field! The controller just about appears to be like the half at this level, however refining is a prolonged course of. At this level I had to make use of the orbital sander to wash off that overhanging lip on the highest panel and start sanding down the perimeters, too, which is trickier than it sounds. Some sides would slope in direction of the highest or backside and/or left or proper; others would bulge or dip barely someplace in between. Wooden appears to be like fairly straight till you scrutinize it from all angles after which it actually doesn’t look straight in any respect.
After an preliminary hour or two of energy sanding to get the perimeters roughly sq., I additionally did a ton of sanding by hand to spherical off all the perimeters, making them way more nice for wrists to relaxation in opposition to. As you possibly can see within the completed picture, there is a fairly clear inward slope on the correct aspect—I did my finest to imitate it on the left, and until you are actually squinting on the last product it appears to be like even. It is undoubtedly not an ideal rectangle, however I am okay with that: it feels extra handmade and does not compromise on the usability of the stick in any respect.
Staining and polyurethane
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I needed a wealthy reddish brown, so I utilized three coats of purple chestnut wooden stain. I cherished the way it appeared when moist, however naturally when it dried the colour was a lot much less vibrant. A number of coats helped, although, as did the ultimate step: making use of a transparent semi-gloss polyurethhane. I did a particularly positive grit sanding in between to make sure no particles or bits of stain roughed up the end. The poly actually helps convey out the vibrancy of the wooden in good lighting.
Ultimate steps: Wiring all of it up
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Securing all of the buttons proved to be more durable than I anticipated—throughout my take a look at match I hadn’t grappled with getting the screws firmly lodged in place in opposition to the wooden. I needed to chip away some additional room with a screwdriver and use needle nostril pliers in just a few circumstances the place my fingers have been too massive to get a grip. I additionally wanted the pliers for the left aspect buttons the place we would stored the wooden fairly thick—there was no manner my fingers have been becoming in there!
Wiring was fortunately a simple step: I simply adopted a information for the 20-pin harness displaying which coloured cable corresponded to every button. Brook additionally provides a information for its hitbox cable. For the reason that cables are preconfigured with feminine connectors, they simply slide onto the buttons and the job’s executed. The one “guide” wiring I needed to do was for the PS5 add-in board, which required two wires be hooked up to the correct terminals on the Common Preventing Board and screwed in. With a small Philips screwdriver, that took all of a minute.
I additionally wanted to connect the Neutrik USB feed-through with a pair small screws, so I drilled tiny pilot holes first after which secured it by hand. Since I would already splurged on this venture I purchased each Kind-C and Kind-A cables to be prepared for any scenario.
The ultimate step was securing the board in place. I had some heavy obligation adhesive velcro leftover from one other venture, so I hooked up that to the underside of the UFB after which caught it to the highest panel. I determine this manner it will keep in place however nonetheless be pretty straightforward to take away and reuse if I ever wish to swap it out or transfer it to a different stick.
Just a few extra suggestions and classes discovered for constructing your personal hitbox
After placing this factor collectively, listed here are just a few takeaways:
- This information on FocusAttack is a good start line for figuring out what elements you want, and what elements you will need (deciding between button varieties, for instance)
- Getting a superbly straight edge is an actual problem with out the correct instruments, so in case you’re an novice builder like me, having a extra skilled pal is invaluable (thanks, John!)
- There is a purpose most combat sticks are typically bigger than the one I’ve constructed. A deeper field provides you a bit extra space to relaxation your wrists, and a wider one sits extra stably on the lap. I do not remorse constructing a extra compact field, but when I had it to do over I would in all probability go a bit greater.
- When you’re on the fence about constructing your personal, there’s undoubtedly a extra inexpensive customized possibility: an acrylic enclosure from Everlasting Rival. These nonetheless require you to provide your personal buttons and PCB, however provide you with a case to construct in, no sanding required. You can too get customized prime panel art work executed for these, which is a variety of enjoyable—check out the r/fightsticks subreddit for inspiration from some unimaginable designs.
- It is at all times going to be actually arduous to not name this a “combat stick” each single time although there is not any stick
