Action Claw (Big Choice) joystick needed

[Dan Guy]

Summary: I am looking for a joystick for a Betson/Elaut Action Claw/Big Choice claw machine. If you have one to sell/trade, or advice on where to look for one, it would make my son's Christmas!

__________________________________________________________________________

My 11 year old son, Xander, is a claw machine enthousiast, to put it lightly. He started a dog walking business just to make money to use playing claw machines, because his mother was complaining that he was squandering his allowance. He watches videos on YouTube reviewing different makes and models of claw machines and strategies for successfully retrieving prizes. He won a small toy claw machine at the fair and has taken it apart multiple times to fix it. Together, we have built a small claw machine out of LEGO MindStorms. So, of course, the only thing he wants for Christmas is a claw machine.

To surprise him, I bought a used "Action Claw" machine (with "AC-1 Rev A" main board). Cosmetically it's a little rough, but it works and the mechanisms appear to be in good shape. I think it will be a really exciting project for he and I to refurb.

The only problem is that it features the two button control panel, whereas he strongly prefers a joystick. I am hoping that I can find a joystick and that he and I can swap the control out.

I found manual inside the machine (also available at http://ohwow-arcade..../BIG CHOICE.PDF). On a page entitled "Belgian Crane Parts from Betson", there is a heading "INTERCHANGEABLE CONTROL PANELS" which lists "PANEL 1 - 2 BUTTON #270" (presumably what we have) and then "PANEL 3,4,5, - JOYSTICK #272" and "PANEL 6 - JOYSTICK & BUTTON #273". Elsewhere, it lists "REGULAR JOYSTICK REF. #230" and "FIRE BUTTON JOYSTICK REF. #23X" where 'X' is completely illegible.

The controls connect to the main board with a single 15 pin connector, and the control panels are listed as interchangeable, so I am hoping that replacing the current control with a joystick will be simple if only I can find one.

Lastly, can anyone explain to me why the #272 is listed with three panel numbers (3,4,5) while the #273 has only one (6)?

Thank you for any help you can offer!

[dogcow]

you can most lilkely get parts direct from betson ( i know they still sell some parts for the BIG CHOICE which uses the same claw mechanism and probably the same board) or try happ controls they also sell some betson parts

[Dan Guy]

The reply from Betson was:

Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2012 11:40:40 -0500 (EST)

From: John Eastman <jeastman@betson.com>

Subject: CRANE PARTS REQUEST

the control panel for the crane is no longer available .. the crane is over 30 years old and is no longer supported by the factory ...

sorry ..

John

Jesse Hanrahan (Parts Department Manager/Merchandise) at Elaut USA asked me to send pictures and said he would look to see if they had anything that might work.

I will look into Happ Controls. Thank you!

[Dan Guy]

If I do a search for "elaut" on the Happ Controls site, tantalizingly I get several spare parts listed:

1: Item Number: 22-2798

Pressure Spring (req 2) f/2150.0010 Elaut Crane Joysti

1+ $0.96 2: Item Number: 22-2640-2

Red Pushbutton f/2150.0010 Elaut Crane Joystick

1+ $0.75 3: Item Number: 22-2836

Black Plastic Needle f/ 2150.0010 Elaut Crane Joystick

1+ $1.12

But no complete joystick. And the joystick section has many joysticks listed, but I'm not sure which would be compatible. Nor am I the most mechanically-inclined person, so I hesitate to try to wire one up myself, though it may come to that. I am contacting Happ support, though, to see what help they can offer.

[ronsidney]

i dont think your going to be able to put joystick with that board... the joystick will require left and right and those pushbutton cranes only allow "right" movement..if i am remembering right it didnt even have a "catch" button but rather you push one button to move forward, then right button to move claw to right and when you let go of button it dropped the claw..is this correct?if this is so then that board doesnt support left right front back controls that youll need for joystick..

you will be better off buying another used in need of refurb machine with joystick already attached.. They where offering to pay anybody 100 to haul off 6 cranes from auction a while back i was at that would have been great for you..the old cranes are pretty cheap.

ron

[Dan Guy]

Yes; it currently has only a forward and a right button, and releasing the buttons drops the claw.

The manual's references to interchangeable control panels makes/made me hopeful that swapping the two button panel out for a joystick panel is/was possible. I also found the following in a PDF online:

More Secrets Of Operating Cranes

by Frank Seninksy

from RePlay, February 1987

...

I was just informed at press time that, by the end of February, Big Choice cranes will have a universal board with a fourposition

dial and interchangeable control panels, so the crane can be operated in any of the following modes: 1) A twobutton

or two-position joystick, which Betson calls its "regular crane". 2) A three-button or three-position crane (claw drop

button is on top of joystick) with a timer circuit. This is a forward/across/down control with nudges. 3) A four or fiveposition

joystick with timer unit. This is known as a four-direction crane. 4) A four or five-position joystick with a timer

unit and a "speed control" button. With a speed control, the player can push a button to reduce the speed of the motors when

the claw is returning "home" with a prize. This lessens chances of the claw dropping the prize due to claw vibration.

I am hoping that the board I have is one of these universal boards, then.

If that is not the case, could I replace the entire board? I have come across modern replacement boards for Big Choice cranes online while searching for information on joysticks, though the instructions for installing them sound a little beyond my mechanical/electrical experience.

[ronsidney]

like i said if you are not a expert you are really gonna be in a mess with trying to convert this crane, its not worth it when there are so many old ones with a joystick that you can get so cheap ..like this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CoinCo-Best-Choice-Claw-Crane-Machine-/330842952819?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d07c6d473

they are a dime a dozen really for the old machines.

ron

[dogcow]

ron, i think he bought the machine because its very small, like 24" similar size to the 5th-7th gen smart USA candy cranes.

if you NEED a joystick buy the replacement control board from twobits.com and that will support a joystick play

it works with pretty much any legacy crane

[Dan Guy]

like i said if you are not a expert you are really gonna be in a mess with trying to convert this crane, its not worth it when there are so many old ones with a joystick that you can get so cheap ..like this

http://www.ebay.com/...=item4d07c6d473

they are a dime a dozen really for the old machines.

Looking at completed auctions, they are going for significantly more than I paid for this one. If you have a line on a genuinely cheap one within 100 miles of Northern VA, though, I am all ears.

ron, i think he bought the machine because its very small, like 24" similar size to the 5th-7th gen smart USA candy cranes.

Well, really I bought it because it was so cheap and it works. That it is only 3 feet wide is nice, though.

if you NEED a joystick buy the replacement control board from twobits.com and that will support a joystick play

it works with pretty much any legacy crane

How easy is that going to be, on a scale of "unplugging everything from the current board and re-plugging it into the replacement board" to "having to test voltages with a meter thingy, solder, and strip wires"?

[Dan Guy]

Today has been quite the rollercoaster.

First I was excited to hunt for a joystick.

Then I was scared, when Ron said that it wouldn't be possible to just connect a joystick to the existing board.

Then I was excited when I found the article about Betson going to a universal board and re-read the manual and found where it described the dip switches on the board used to switch between the four interchangeable control boards!

Then my son went out to look for shooting stars so I was able to get the machine out of its hiding place and look at the main board. And, as nearly as I can tell, it does not remotely match the schematic in the manual.

So.... no Betson interchangeable control panel for me, I guess.

The best I can do is a two direction joystick, which many "Action Claw" machines have, or replacing the board with one from twobits.com that supports a joystick.

[dogcow]

twobits installation is a pain in the neck but not impossible for a beginner to conquer

[Dan Guy]

I just re-read the twobits manual and -yikes-, yeah, I'm not going to try that any time soon.

Also, $300 for the board?! As you said, it would be cheaper to buy a whole other machine.

I believe I will try to find an AC two-direction joystick, though. Anyone have ideas for where to look for one of those?

[ronsidney]

you can just get a 4 direction joystick, but just plug in 2 of the switches...just get wires from buttons and put on the forward switch and sideways switch from the buttons..ignore the other two switches.. the switches in a joystick are exactly the same as the switches in the button minus maybe two plugs if they are lighted buttons...zippy joysticks are common and good

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Classic-4-8-way-Arcade-Game-Joystick-Ball-PacMan-Pick-A-Color-Zippy-Joy-Stick-/110934985094?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19d43d8986

it will be weird to play though because as soon as he lets off pressure of the joystick it will drop claw..

ron