Easy controller suction mount - solved

[edge12674]

I was recently helping a friend get set up for Elite Dangerous with a new joystick.  The problem was that the controller did not have suction cups for mounting and my friend did not want a permanent mount on their desk.  My solution was to buy a bath mat (the type with mini suction cups on the bottom) and some industrial strength Velcro.

Cut the bath mat so that it is at least one inch bigger than the controller base on two sides.  This way you dismount the controller by pulling on the bath mat rather than the controller. 

Attach the controller to the bath mat with Velcro.  The hook side of the Velcro should be adhered to the bath mat and loop side to the controller.  Depending on the bath mat you may need to adhere the Velcro to it with contact cement or adhesive caulk.

You should be set!  You can just leave the bath mat attached to the controller.  If the suction is too strong you can use a razor blade or scissors to cut off a few of the suction cups as needed.

Total time to complete is about 10 minutes.  The total cost is about $15 and you will have enough material to do about half a dozen controllers.

Hope this helps others!

[jigsaw]

I'm a fan of Funtak, or whatever it might be called in other areas.

[Bizman]

Cool! I've been using the anti-slip mats available in automotive and furniture shops. They work great both with joysticks and pedals and can be washed if they start to get slippery because of dirt.

As for suction cups, I don't like the extra wobbling they add to the base. A bunch of mini suction cups instead of four large ones in the corners sounds a little more stable but then again, how much soft padding does the actual mat and Velcro add?

[edge12674]

Cool! I've been using the anti-slip mats available in automotive and furniture shops. They work great both with joysticks and pedals and can be washed if they start to get slippery because of dirt.

As for suction cups, I don't like the extra wobbling they add to the base. A bunch of mini suction cups instead of four large ones in the corners sounds a little more stable but then again, how much soft padding does the actual mat and Velcro add?

I too use the anti-slip mats and they are good at preventing sliding, but not so good at preventing tipping.  The mini suction cups provides a more stable base than four large suction cups.  Also the industrial Velcro has a much tighter adhesion than normal Velcro so the whole set-up has very little wobble.  You can get everything you need at Walmart.  Give it a try.

[Bizman]

I too use the anti-slip mats and they are good at preventing sliding, but not so good at preventing tipping.  The mini suction cups provides a more stable base than four large suction cups.  Also the industrial Velcro has a much tighter adhesion than normal Velcro so the whole set-up has very little wobble.  You can get everything you need at Walmart.  Give it a try.

I might. Oh, there's no Walmart here. And my desk isn't flat enough for suction cups. But I'll keep your idea in my mind, you'll never know when that will come out handy!

As for avoiding tipping, a heavy(-ish) base and a light hand on the stick have been my recipe for the last decade and more. Note that my gear has always been on the cheap side, from Logitech Extremes to the current T.16000M instead of those cast iron Cougars and Warthogs. In the long run learning to be easy on the stick will save some serious money. In flying sims it also will provide more accurate control on the plane. Needless to say I've so far succeeded only in the former...

[MrRiplEy[H]]

[ebfd11]

(Image removed from quote.)

LOL Ripley ... thats a suction cup I could enjoy...

LawnDart

[edge12674]

As for avoiding tipping, a heavy(-ish) base and a light hand on the stick have been my recipe for the last decade and more. Note that my gear has always been on the cheap side, from Logitech Extremes to the current T.16000M instead of those cast iron Cougars and Warthogs. In the long run learning to be easy on the stick will save some serious money. In flying sims it also will provide more accurate control on the plane. Needless to say I've so far succeeded only in the former...

I agree with you there Bizman, learning to go easy on the stick is the best solution.  It is also even harder to do when someone is new to flight/space sims and gets caught up in the excitement.  I didn't want to increase the initial learning curve anymore than it already is.  The friend I mentioned in my original post just bought the T.16000M and I was very impressed with this controller.  Telling them to use a light touch or always keep two hands on the controller will come after they settle down.  This was just my "training wheel" solution to their complaint.   

[Bizman]

Training wheel... I've heard that babies wearing crawling helmets don't learn to beware their heads. Also unlearning a bad habit is more difficult than learning the right way from the start. Just saying.   

[zack1234]

Gold sink