Agetec Mod - Page 2

Modifying the Case

Once you have removed the original equipment from the case you can start preparing it to receive the new parts.

Since I am going to be using a separate convertor contained in a project box for this joystick I have also removed the case that held the VMU.

There are a number of things that need to be done to the case to make it ready before it is painted:

  1. Trim down the original button surrounds.
  2. Drill holes for new Start and Select buttons.
  3. Trim down the original screw holders for the joystick.
  4. Make room for the Sanwa joystick to fit in.
  5. Drill holes to hold the new joystick in place.
  6. Block the hole for the VMU display.

The joystick, after modifications.

Trim down the original button surrounds.

This was done using a Dremel, using a cutting disk attachment. I suppose it would be possible to do this without one, but it would take a lot longer. It's a pretty arduous task with one, just take your time and be careful what you remove!

Drill holes for new Start and Select buttons.

I removed the original Start button, so I need to drill two 24mm holes on the side of the case for the new Start and Select buttons

Trim down the original screw holders for the joystick.

The original joystick was screwed into small pegs, these were removed with a Dremel.

Make room for the Sanwa joystick to fit in.

The Sanwa JLF-TP-8Y joystick doesn't quite fit in the shaped section that the old one sat in. Mark what needs to be removed and using a Dremel cut away the plastic that is in the way.

Drill holes to hold the new joystick in place.

Sit the joystick into place, get it lined up and mark where you need to make the holes. Remove the joystick and carefully drill the holes.

Block the hole for the VMU display, and Start button.

Since I'm not using a VMU in this joystick I didn't need the hole on the top of it. I also needed to fill in the hole where the old Start button was.

To fill the start button I used some stuff called 'QuikPlastic'. It comes in a small plastic cylinder, and looks like light blue putty with a white inside. Cut off a small amount, and knead it until the colour is uniform. It helps to wet your hands before doing this to stop it sticking to them, it's pretty nasty stuff to remove.

The QuikPlastic in the start button hole.

Push it into the hole once it is mixed, and remove as much excess as you can to avoid too much sanding later (I learned this the hard way). It takes about 3 hours to set hard (I left it overnight), once it has hardened just sand it flat and it will be completely seamless!

For the VMU hole I used a piece of plastic (cut from a VMU) that I cut to the same size as the hole in the VMU case that I removed from the joystick.

The piece of plastic blocking the hole on the inside of the case (it has been painted black in the picture).

I put this into position and then used the QuikPlastic again to hold it in place and fill the hole left on the face. Once dry I sanded this flat

The front of the case with both holes filled with QuikPlastic and sanded down.