Zaccaria Joystick... from 4 ways to 8 ways ?

[DarthNuno]

Got this joystick on my dedicated Scramble by Zaccaria, which looks legit from the top ? 



...but from behind, it's a 4 ways !? (and scramble is an 8 ways joystick game)   



...as you can see the plastic guide with an 'almost' square shape doesn't allow diagonal moves 



So as a workaround, I tried to use a small pinball plastic ring attached to the stick 



I can do diagonal moves now, but the stick is simply to hard to move with that ring, so it's not the solution! 

So my question, should I '"enlarge'' the square hole in ordre to make it as a big circle, or should I have to find a plastic plate with the correct shape, or the 8 ways joystick for Scramble is totally different ?

[PaulSwan]

There are holes in the plastic base that may hint the base can be rotated +45 degrees and the switches moved -45 degrees to allow the hole to be in the 8-way position. Assuming the switch base is separatable from the mount base.

[Andreas_AUT]

His joystick?s look different than yours --> http://zzzaccaria.com/zzz/ScrambleRestoration.htm

[PaulSwan]

Yeah, I don't think the microswitch one is original. Maybe it was replaced, and they kept the original shaft? A Franken-stick ?

[DarthNuno]

Well, for some reason I believe the joystick that came on my Scramble is probably an original one.

I found a similar one. I found it in my 25 years old spares box 
I disassembled it and I found similar parts. But unfortunately for me  still the same '4 ways' guide pattern 



I'm still wondering why so many holes on that part ?   



I tried different ways to attach the microswitches...because maybe these numerous holes could allow various ways to attach the microswitches and so to allow them to be closer from the shaft? ... but no, only one way to attach them 



I also use a dremel to shape a big square that should allow to register diagonals moves.... but it's still not working like that. The base of the shaft is not big enough to register 2 switches at the same time   



So I really believe this joystick is an original Zaccaria one, but a 4 ways and only 4 ways!

Oh wait, something is confusing me  . On your site Paul, this picture ? 

http://zzzaccaria.com/zzz/images/Projects/ScrambleRestoration/PV/DSCN5181.JPG

Under the control panel, your joystick is different... its base is a cercle, while mine is a square. And on the top/right of that picture you have the same joystick than mine, except the ring of the base of the stick ? And as far as I can see, your should be a working 8 ways?!. Interesting.

[DarthNuno]

Found a simple solution to finish the '4 ways to 8 ways' joystick transformation  



Played some games, it works very well!  Well not sure how long this will do the job, but works great by the time I'll find a more durable solution 

[PaulSwan]

Heh, if it works, ship it

[Andreas_AUT]

Well even if it just works  for "testing", now you know the thickness the rubber ring you would need for the joystick. well done

[Etienne MacGyver]

It's a replacement joystick made by Suzo Rotterdam (Netherlands)

The original sticks zaccaria used are round and metal:



you can see in your cp that they modified the wood so the square of the replacement fits.

you can still see the curve from the Original hole: