For a while I didn't bother posting anything about this project because I didn't really do much. However, there seems to be a bit of a demand for spinner controllers for playing Arcade games on PC, so I figure this will be useful for other people to assemble something similar.
And it doesn't even require soldering.
First off: here's how mine looks:
Sticker choice was semi-random based on what I had available.
Yours can look like whatever you want as long as the SpinTrak fits in the box you pick.
Parts
Things you will need:
- Ultimarc Spintrak
It should go without saying that you need the spinner. Be sure to select the USB interface unless you have some other plans in mind. - A project box
If you have a hobby electronics store in your area, they should have a bunch. Otherwise, you can order from Digikey, Mouser or the like. The only constraint is that the inside height is sufficient for the SpinTrak. The heighr is 60 mm according to the web site though extra buffer is always good. - Two arcade buttons
Ultimarc sells some if you want it in one order, or you can buy your favourite from wherever. My box used Ultimarc buttons. - Female Pin connectors
This is so you can connect the buttons to the USB board. Mine are labelled "JUMPER WIRE CONTACT PIN CONNECTOR W/ STRAIN RELIEF FEMALE" - Quick connects, size .110" 22-18
To connect the buttons without soldering. Unless your buttons are unusual and have a different sized connector. - Wires
Any size will due, though stranded wires are recommended for durability - Awl and Hammer
Optional, but very useful for marking center points before drilling - Drill and 30 mm or 1 1/8" hole saw
Probably a cordless drill, but if you have access to a drill press, great. Metric sized bits are quite difficult to find in US/Canada. You will probably need another drill bit for the USB hole; size will vary depending on how you want to handle it. - A file
Optional, but may be required if using 1 1/8" bit with Japanese buttons. Used to clean up and, if necessary, slightly widen the holes. Suggest a file with a rounded size. - Wire stripper and crimping tool
You can buy these as a combined tool, or separate tools. Needle nose pliers can do in a pinch for both tasks, and honestly are the only way I manage to properly crimp the pin connectors. - Parts to secure the USB board to the case
I used a prototype board and some screws, but I've also used some heavy-duty Scotch Brand mounting tape on other projects.
Assembly
The first step is select your spinner and button placement, then drill out the holes. With only two buttons, precise placement isn't super technical. I suggest simply placing you fingers in a comfortable arrangment and mark where they end up. Just make sure you aren't trying to put the buttons too close together or too close to the side of the box. Also check the inside of the box to make sure there is no overlap with screw channels or other features.
To drill, start by marking your center points with the awl + hammer. This will keep the drill bit from slipping. Alternatively, you can start with a very small bit. Either way, you'll probably want to drill a test hole with a smaller bit than the hole saw's guide bit anyways so it has less to chew out.
Insert SpinTrak and buttons into holes and screw in to secure. The SpinTrak may need the wires to be fed through the hole first.
Before proceeding further, test closing the box to make sure every part has sufficient clearance.
The next step is to cut your wires for the buttons. You will need four lengths of wires:
- Two signal wires from USB board to each button
- Ground wire from USB board to one button
- Daisy chain ground wire from one button to the other
Think about where you wish to place the USB board when selecting wire lengths, though you can always just cut longer wires to keep placement flexible. Naturally, the daisy chain wire can be shorter.
Once wires are cut to length, strip off a portion of the shielding at either end of each.
Now that the wires are ready, we can add connectors to either end. For the button end, place the wire inside the Quick Connect housing until it touches the guide, then using the crimping tool to press down into the connector on both radius sections of the connector. Refer to the button picture above for an example of crimped Quick Connects.
For the daisy chain wire, insert both ground wires into one of the Quick Connects so it will continue the connection, the crimp another Quick Connect to the other end of the short wire too.
For the three wires going back to the USB board, crimp the pin connector metal portion onto each wire, with the outer bend portion lined up with a portion of the wire that still has the insulation on it. These connectors I usually just use needle nose plier on them; first bending the portion that grabs onto the wire insulation, then the portion that keeps the bare wire held in place. It might take a little fiddling to get the result compact enough that it fits inside the plastic housing. The housing should make a click when it is fully inserted.
Now that you have connectors on both end of the wires, connect the pin connectors to the corresponding pins mentioned on the SpinTrak web site. Connect the other ends of each wire to the corresponding buttons, with the daisy-chained ground wire (COM on the web site's diagram) effectively connecting to both buttons. Quick Connects can be somewhat awkward to insert; if it's not going on, try to ensure it's precisely straight. Pliers can help, but they also risk bending the button contacts.
Here are the pins connected on my board, with brown being my ground wire.
Next, simply connect the cable from the SpinTrak to the USB board too, on the upper pin row:
At this point, it should work. Connect a Mini USB cable between the USB board and your computer and spin the spinner and press the buttons. Your cursor should move left/right (only) and each button should map as a left or right mouse button.
If things don't work, double-check the wiring against the web site and/or any included materials and update accordingly. If you have a Multimeter, you can also use continuity testing to ensure each button wire is making proper contact.
Once it's working, you'll need a good way to access the USB port outside the box. I just drilled a hole, but you can also use a USB port relay which typically has a USB A port on the inside an USB B on the outside (maybe someone will make a USB C one someday). If using the relay, you will probably also be drilling a hole; just figure out what size you need for the part you are using.
Here is my exciting hole, surrounded by an Arch Linux logo for some reason:
Last step is to secure the USB board to the box. If you just drilled a port for the board's USB port, naturally place the board right beside the hole. If using a relay, it can be anywhere inside the box as long as the USB port inside the box between the board and relay has enough space.
Here is the full view of my spinner's interior, showing the prototype board holding the USB board screwed down to the box itself and all the wiring:
Now go play some games!