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Mounting Gamepad Joysticks

A project log for Kerbal Spaceship Potato

This is an input focused control panel for Kerbal Space Program.

matthew-peverillMatthew Peverill 11/12/2019 at 14:020 Comments

My camera controls work via some 'gamepad style' joysticks. These do not come with a built in mount and it is a little tricky to get them on a panel because the plastic joystick part needs to rotate freely. My solution was to get some breakout boards (like these boards from Sparkfun), drill some holes for the actual joysticks, and go from there. I ran in to problems immediately. First, I highly recommend using the laser (If you are using one) to drill the holes for the standoffs, because they need to be squared to the joystick. Second: the standoffs are sensitive, height-wise. If they are too short, the joystick will rub against the panel creating friction and sticking. If they are too long, the joystick won't have enough range of motion.

 My solution was to get a couple of narrow bolts and a set of nuts and nylon washers:

This allows you to adjust the standoff height of the joystick until it is just able to move freely. Then you slip the standoff on top, and tighten another set of nuts on top. If doing it again, I'd also put nuts down by the panel, but I didn't have enough.

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