Joystick missing the diagonals...

[Sniderman]

Hey gang,

I have a Happ Super Joy 4/8-way that I installed when I had my Targ. I'm converting the cab to a MAME machine, yadda yadda.

Anyway, the joystick is tight when it comes to hitting the 4-way, but when the actuator is flipped to allow for 8-way, diagonal contact is impossible. The actuator just can't reach 2 points simultaneously. Oddly, the actuator seems "too small" to reach. Also, since it has "cherry switches," I can't reposition/rebend the contact points to get them closer to the actuator.

So, is there a way to "enlarge" the actuator so it's closer to the contact points, making diagonal contact less of a chore? I was thinking of removing the current actuator and either stacking up some appropriately sized washers/bushings. Or, I could start winding electrician's tape around the actuator's edge to "build up" the distance between the stick and the points.

Argh, this is frustrating. Has anyone encountered something like this? And is there a simple fix to "close the gap" and allow for diagonal contact?

[DreamTR]

Whoops, read that wrong. I would just buy another Happ Super...

[Sniderman]

Actually, the edge of the actuator was pretty wide, so I was able to comfortably "build it up" with electrician's tape. Wound it tightly along the edge a few times, trimmed the top and bottom, and coated it with a thin layer of epoxy. It hardened perfectly and is now the exact width needed. Works like a charm.