My home built metal DDR pad (Part IV)

[thepadmaker]

I did the screws from the bottom thing. It works good, but it is a pain in the butt flipping the pad over all the time, until you get the pad "tuned".

I actually didn't use screws. i used allen head inserts. They go in a 1/4" hole.

Good luck, and let me know what you think of it when your done.

Chris
_________________

http://www.2legacy.com/ddrpad/
If it needs to be screwed, I'm licensed to do it!

[kave_ddr]

[grgisme]

kave_ddr: No problem. Good luck with the pad!


thepadmaker: Really? Good to know someone else has done it. allen head inserts? Don't even know what those are, I'll check it out. Got any pictures? How'd you work it so the allen head inserts weren't sticking down further than the pad itself? I've got some ideas, but I'm curious how you worked it.

[slvrshdw]

thepadmaker-->is that ur pad (chris pad 3.0?)

if it is when are u gonna get instructions..it looks VERY good..and how much to build??

thanks on ur feedback..i should get a better model of mine but this weekend..unless i get too much homework...(been stuck on my old one for about 3 weeks becuz of hw)

[bet]

Can anyone tell me what metal pads are the best to purchase? I know about cobalt flux but the price is a little out of my range. I see some on ebay but I do not know whic ones will hold up the best. Also, is there anywhere in Wisconsin or Minnesota that sells metal pads. Shipping is really expensive.
Thanks!
bet

[grgisme]

bet: First off, there's tons of information about that kind of stuff all over this forum. Look around under the whole Bemani Controllers and Hardware section. If you click on the first thread, there's tons and tons of pictures on a bunch of different pads, and if you click on the pictures it takes you to a thread discussing that particular pad. If you are buying a metal pad commercially, regardless of what pad you buy, expect to spend AT LEAST $120, where $200 is a better estimate for a decent pad. I could be wrong, but these are my estimates for you. Even if you decide to build your pad, to make it decent it'll probably be around $100-120 dollars. Unless like some of the guys here you sacrifice looks and sometimes funcionality for affordability. Let some of the other guys answer your question though. I didn't look too hard at metal pads, I just bought the nice soft pads (I highly recommend the BMS 1" dense foam insert pads, VERY nice and lasted me a full year -- I got mine for $60 a pad), and now I'm going to fork out over $300 to build my own lighted metal dance pads. I'm building them because I want the experience and I want something unique. Good luck on your search!

[HitokiriX]

[ropeadope]

Is there anyway to make my own metal pad without soldering? I have one of those crappy madcatz pads, maybe i can mod that into a metal pad somehow, or at least the guts of it? Would that improve it's durability or would it still break easily?

[grgisme]

There are tutorials on modding softpads, that's one thing you could look into. As far as making a metal pad without soldering... I have several softpads too, from what I've seen when I opened them up, there's no real wires that you could tap that go to the pad, if there were wires it'd be easy to twist on your own wires. There are modifications you can do, none of them would make it a true "metal" pad though. After I completely rip open, I'll study the contact system closer and see if perhaps you could cut the buttons up without disconnecting the ribbons from them, and glue them to the bottom of the plexiglass to use in a metal pad. Honestly though that's not really going to save you any work or money. If you want a metal pad, just wait until you have the money and are willing to spend 120 - 150, and aren't afraid to screw up a soldering job and be out 5 bucks. I've yet to solder, but I plan on getting help from people who do it all the time, and be willing to spend some extra money to practice. Check out the tutorials on softpad modding:
http://www.ddrfreak.com/library/contributor-article.php?postID=7890244

~Grgisme

[ropeadope]

Thanks for the reply.

I don't think i'll ever actually be able to make my own metal ddr pad from scratch. So i hope the softmod thing works, but will it be more durable just by taping it to a big sheet of wood? At least it won't slip as much, i'll like that. These things break easily though. I'd like to find comments from people who have done that softmod as well, and see what they think.

[grgisme]

Is it an ignition pad? Didn't think so, but figured I'd ask. Ignition pads have a zipper with "dense foam inserts". I have 2 of these, they worked great for a year, but now are wearing out (I can only play 7 foot and some 8 foot songs, but I played constantly to get up to that point -- I'll get better once my new metal pads are built ;-)). If you want a cheaper solution that is better than what you have, consider buying some of the BMS Ignition pads. I got mine for about 60 bucks each from some online store.

Good Luck, let me know if you come up with a good mod for the madcatz pads. I'm surprised there aren't more mods out there, considering they're so cheap, and don't work so hot, its not like you're losing anything if you screw up the pad. I have one lying around that I'll be harvesting the controller out of for my metal pads. Perhaps I'll try modding it this next week before I take the controller out, and let you know what I tried and how I faired. Good Luck.

~Grgisme

[daitenshi]

is the riptide pad more sensitive than the ddrhomepad? Is it more convienient to take apart?

I am going to make another pad, and I am interested in the riptide pad...
The riptide pad kinda confuses me (and the videos aren't working for me) for I may just make another ddrhomepad because it was easy, depending on if riptide's is more sensitive or whatnot.

[ch]

i think that riptides sensors are way harder to adjust. i dont know if its any more sensitive or anything, but you can adjust the sensitivity all you want depending how you build it. if you do thepadmaker's design, you just tighten the scews on the top. for riptides, you have to open up the pad and align all the screws and make sure theyre level and everything.

im not sure about ddrhomepad's, but you could probably shim up the lower piece of sheet metal to make it closer to the sensor.
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http://www.grapheine.com/bombaytv/index.php?module=see&l=uk&code=36e44d4914f14070cc5b3d4c6bcd1042

CStarFlare wrote:

I approve of the direction this thread is going

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch?e=20090310025322668

[Podri]

ok... this has practically nothing to do with this topic but ill post it anyway

i have a third party soft pad and the triangle button like lifts up like this /\ and so does the left arrow

i try to stretch it so it stays flat, but after a while it comes back to normal HELP!!! this really annoys me while i dance!!!
_________________

- Just do it.
- Do what?
- Play DDR, you moron!

[ch]

and

_________________

http://www.grapheine.com/bombaytv/index.php?module=see&l=uk&code=36e44d4914f14070cc5b3d4c6bcd1042

CStarFlare wrote:

I approve of the direction this thread is going

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch?e=20090310025322668

[ropeadope]

I don't see why taping the pad to a wooden sheet would make it better. Also how would it recognize exactly which button you're hitting? Since there's tape all over it seems like the buttons wouldn't respond well.

I heard about some kind of chair mat mod too, i have a chairmat right where i play DDR so it might be good, can't seem to find any info on it though, could someone explain or link me to some info about it?

[ch]

it would stretch out the pad so it wouldnt wrinkle up.

and tape gives, it wouldn't hamper the effectiveness of a softpad. stretching it out would actually enhance it.

oh, and the pad goes on top, of course.
_________________

http://www.grapheine.com/bombaytv/index.php?module=see&l=uk&code=36e44d4914f14070cc5b3d4c6bcd1042

CStarFlare wrote:

I approve of the direction this thread is going

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch?e=20090310025322668

[Jobu]

Well, I finished my pad and thought I'd post some pics and thank everyone for their posts which helped me complete this.

jobu.netfirms.com/images/001.jpg
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(sorry about not creating direct links to them - this is on a free host site so they will not allow it, you will just have to copy and paste them into your web browser's address bar)

I would not say I followed any one person's design when building this. I just read a bunch of different posts and websites and took the parts I liked the most (and thought I could do) and then used them in creating my own. However, I would have to say the website/pictures from deadsunrise and thepadmaker were my main inspiration. And I must thank riptide as well. Although my pad is almost nothing like his design, watching his videos gave me the confidence to start this.

The one part of the pad that is my own design are the arrow contacts. I decided I did not want to connect any wires to the top part of the arrow so the two wires would have to be connected on the bottom somehow. What I ended up doing was connecting the wires to pieces of sheet metal and then gluing a square of sheet metal to the bottom of the arrow panel so that when the arrow is pressed the sheet metal on the bottom of the arrow connects the two pieces of sheet metal on the pad which triggers the button press on the game. I know none of this is an original concept but the shape of the bottom contacts is. And as far as the sensitivity of it - it was actually a little too sensitive at first. Using a little thicker weather stripping seems to have done the trick though.

[5thDementian]

[dasbacon]