# Joystick for my Maslow **URL:** \ **Category:** Hardware\ **Created:** [April 5, 2018, 5:35pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154 "2018-04-05T17:35:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gallagher](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/gallagher/32/3795_2.png) [@Gallagher](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Gallagher)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 5:35pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154/1 "2018-04-05T17:35:54Z")
Howdy yall, I was playing pacman the other day and decided that my maslow is in need of a joystick for manual controls. Has anyone tried this? Would it be hard to do? Please help! Ive decided its a must 😃 If i can get it to work…it might just convert me to a clear sled too… > **[Amazon.com: Kuman Automatic Touchless Touch Free Hands Free Hand Sanitizer...](https://www.amazon.com/Quimat-Joystick-Controller-Rapsberry-Windows/dp/B06XCYZZ1K)** > > Buy Kuman Automatic Touchless Touch Free Hands Free Hand Sanitizer Dispenser Wall Mounted Motion Sensor Smart Alcohol Spray Hospital Hand Sanitizer Machine Soap Dispenser for Public 1000ML La30: Soap & Lotion Dispensers - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY... > **[Amazon.com: M-Egal KY-023 PS2 Joystick Breakout Module Game Rocker Sensor Shield...](https://www.amazon.com/M-Egal-KY-023-Joystick-Breakout-Arduino/dp/B0757QPKBQ/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1522949208&sr=8-18&keywords=joystick%2Barduino)** > > Buy M-Egal KY-023 PS2 Joystick Breakout Module Game Rocker Sensor Shield XY Axis for Arduino: GPS System Accessories - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases [https://www.amazon.com/WINGONEER-Gamepad-Joystick-Expansion-Arduino/dp/B06XHHYDXL/ref=sr\_1\_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1522949208&sr=8-17&keywords=joystick+arduino](https://www.amazon.com/WINGONEER-Gamepad-Joystick-Expansion-Arduino/dp/B06XHHYDXL/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1522949208&sr=8-17&keywords=joystick+arduino) > **[Amazon.com: Quimat 2 Pack USB Gaming Controllers Gamepads Joysticks for Classic...](https://www.amazon.com/Quimat-Nintendo-Controllers-Gamepads-Joysticks/dp/B071LFM9D4)** > > Amazon.com: Quimat 2 Pack USB Gaming Controllers Gamepads Joysticks for Classic Super Nintendo SNES, Laptop, Computer Windows PC/MAC AC440/ Raspberry Pi: Computers & Accessories ---
**Author:** ![Gero](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/gero/32/17487_2.png) [@Gero](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Gero)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 5:52pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154/2 "2018-04-05T17:52:06Z")
In theory with 3 free pins on the arduino board. 1 for ground and 2 for 2 potentiometer readings. Read the values and translate to g-code for moves. Done 😬 I like the idea! ---
**Author:** ![Keith](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/keith/32/1332_2.png) [@Keith](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Keith)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 5:52pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154/3 "2018-04-05T17:52:49Z")
I like the idea 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dag83](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/dag83/32/2603_2.png) [@Dag83](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Dag83)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 7:17pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154/4 "2018-04-05T19:17:44Z")
those playstation controller style joysticks have a button in the middle if you push down, seems like a waste to not use every input. Looking forward to this, i still got 10 of those little joysticks lying in the “buy in bulk and save money” bin :s But wouldn’t it be more practical to just plug a usb joystick (or a wii nunchuck) in the pc, and have groundcontrol take care of it? ---
**Author:** ![Gallagher](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/gallagher/32/3795_2.png) [@Gallagher](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Gallagher)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 11:18pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154/5 "2018-04-05T23:18:21Z")
Yeah I was totally planning on using the joystick through ground control. it already has buttons in the gui…just need to see if i can get GC to cooperate with joystick inputs… ---
**Author:** ![plexer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d6d6ee/32.png) [@plexer](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/plexer)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 1:50pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154/6 "2018-04-06T13:50:50Z")
What about a nintendo wii nunchuck? one handed has a joystick and a couple of buttons and interfaces to an arduino over i2c Ben ---
**Author:** ![mrfugu](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/mrfugu/32/22_2.png) [@mrfugu](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/mrfugu)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 2:24pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154/7 "2018-04-06T14:24:57Z")
How about GC buttons mapped to keyboard shortcuts? (ie: extended key number pad to jog the machine) no need to reinvent the wheel… I found a number of grbl compatible “MPC Pendants” (thats what they’re called in CNC parlance) here: [https://duckduckgo.com/?q=grbl+mpg+pendant&atb=v104-2&ia=web](https://duckduckgo.com/?q=grbl+mpg+pendant&atb=v104-2&ia=web) The 1st step would be to make sure that GC and the Maslow firmware has implemented all the appropriate signals. I think the best place to start for that is here: [https://www.shapeoko.com/wiki/index.php/Pendant](https://www.shapeoko.com/wiki/index.php/Pendant) ---
**Author:** ![Dag83](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/dag83/32/2603_2.png) [@Dag83](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Dag83)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 3:35pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154/8 "2018-04-06T15:35:02Z")
There are also nunchuck to usb converters, so you can just pkug it into your pc, and it recognises it as a joystick Or maybe just 2 potentiometers, so you can make your maslow into a giant etch-a-sketch Wouldn’t it be easier software wise to just plug the joystick into the pc and have groundcontrol link those movements to the arrows? ---
**Author:** ![blurfl](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/blurfl/32/9_2.png) [@blurfl](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/blurfl)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 4:06pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154/9 "2018-04-06T16:06:54Z")
> [@Dag83](#): > > Wouldn’t it be easier software wise to just plug the joystick into the pc and have groundcontrol link those movements to the arrows? I think that’s probably the best approach, the Arduino Mega is pretty busy already 😁 without watching for switch and potentiometer inputs from a jog controller. Adding keyboard jog support to GroundControl might allow a lot of options. ---
**Author:** ![dlang](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/dlang/32/859_2.png) [@dlang](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/dlang)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 6:36pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154/10 "2018-04-06T18:36:32Z")
There are a couple proclems with pot based systems 1. what resolution can you get (if you twitch, how far does the machine move) 2. centering. I’ve seen cases where setting a joystick on it’s side is sensitive enough that gravity acting on the handle starts moving things. As a result, I prefer arcade-style switch based systems instead. If I do want a dial for something, I want to have a rotery encoder, not a pot something like the following is pretty common for controlling CNCs [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/CALT-products-TM1474-Hand-Encoder-CNC-Pulse-Generator/32252514948.html](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/CALT-products-TM1474-Hand-Encoder-CNC-Pulse-Generator/32252514948.html) ---
**Author:** ![dlang](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/dlang/32/859_2.png) [@dlang](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/dlang)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 6:38pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154/11 "2018-04-06T18:38:25Z")
or use a different arduino/teensy/etc to watch the jog controller and feed the data into the computer. Such a controller can look like a keyboard to the PC and change the joystick movement to arrow key presses (so potentially, no software changed in GC) David Lang ---
**Author:** ![blurfl](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/blurfl/32/9_2.png) [@blurfl](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/blurfl)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 6:53pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154/12 "2018-04-06T18:53:26Z")
> [@dlang](#): > > potentially, no software > > changed in GC I think we would have to associate some keypresses with the GC arrows, at the very least. To get per-axis control as most of the jog controllers seem to do GC would need something additional, maybe along the lines of a commandline gcode mode that the jog controller would access as if it were the system keyboard. I would very much like a commandline ability in GC 😀. ---
**Author:** ![dlang](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/dlang/32/859_2.png) [@dlang](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/dlang)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 7:53pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154/13 "2018-04-06T19:53:35Z")
> I think we would have to associate some keypresses with the GC arrows, at the very least. we should do that anyway, hitting the keyboard arrows should be mapped to the GC arrows (at least unless you have a text input window selected) > To get per-axis contorl as most of the jog controllers seem to do GC would > need something additional yes, they would need something > , maybe along the lines of a commandline gcode mode > that the jog controller would access as if it were the system keyboard. I > would very much like a commandline ability in GC 😀. I agree! ---
**Author:** ![Dag83](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/dag83/32/2603_2.png) [@Dag83](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Dag83)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 9:27pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154/14 "2018-04-06T21:27:11Z")
No, i definitely want two rotary dials, i want a router etch-a-sketch 😄 ---
**Author:** ![Gallagher](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/gallagher/32/3795_2.png) [@Gallagher](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Gallagher)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 9:33pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154/15 "2018-04-06T21:33:54Z")
something like this? that would be awesome! ![858414852](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/maslowcnc/original/2X/d/d2d399a6fb279f2a604e0eb8bb284411484af32b.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Gero](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/gero/32/17487_2.png) [@Gero](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Gero)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 10:04pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154/16 "2018-04-06T22:04:46Z")
> [@dlang](#): > > what resolution can you get with a 1k potentiometer I get 0-500 is left and 500-1000 is right. With a 2k I can double that. Any resolution I desire. ---
**Author:** ![Dag83](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/dag83/32/2603_2.png) [@Dag83](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Dag83)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2018, 4:42am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154/17 "2018-04-07T04:42:49Z")
Actually 0-450 and 550-1000 you need a “dead zone” but then again, resistance doesn’t have to be a whole number. ---
**Author:** ![dlang](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/dlang/32/859_2.png) [@dlang](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/dlang)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2018, 5:01am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154/18 "2018-04-07T05:01:35Z")
the problem is that ‘normal’ pots turn 270 degrees and are not always linear. If you can adjust the little knob to 1 degree, that 1 degree would move the maslow ~1cm a pot based joystick is doing good tohave90 degrees of movement, so 1 degree of joystick movement will be almost 3cm (just over 1") of movement ---
**Author:** ![mooselake](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/mooselake/32/6218_2.png) [@mooselake](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/mooselake)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2018, 7:38am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154/19 "2018-04-07T07:38:22Z")
Logitech game pads were pretty common common for LinuxCNC, had one on my router some years back. At our low speeds they might get tedious if moving more than a few inches/cm. ---
**Author:** ![mrfugu](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/mrfugu/32/22_2.png) [@mrfugu](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/mrfugu)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2018, 3:43pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154/20 "2018-04-07T15:43:14Z")
Looking at the thread, I wanted to emphasize more broadly in favor of making sure GC incorporates as much ‘standard flatbed CNC’ capability, parity, standardized operation, terminology, functionality, etc as is possible. I’d oppose any meaningful effort to ‘one off’ or jury rig, functionality that doesn’t fit logically into the larger world of similar CNC machines. IMHO, MaslowCNC and GroundControl should be focused on adding identifiable and standard functionality to the machine such that new users gain understanding of concepts operations and functionality that is directly applicable to more complex machines and experienced CNC users are able to use all their skills on a MaslowCNC. I assume at some point (as has already been demonstrated with the Raspberry PI forks) GC will become integrated into a ‘controller head’ along with the rest of the hardware and electronics and the more standards brought to bear, the easier it can sit alongside other machines. [Next page](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154.md?page=2)