went through a similar process in 2020 and made my own keypad after going through a couple of iterations: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/custom-control-panel-binding-led-switches.539613/
Building a 3D printed HOTAS based on the in-game cockpit
- Thread starter MathCampbell
- Start date
That’s some awesome work you’ve done there.
I am aiming still to progress to the panels after I’ve finished the stick and throttle. The throttle shouldn’t be too much work as someone already made and uploaded 95% of what is needed to thingiverse. Minor tweaks to the shape is about all, then just wiring the thing up.
This stick is 100% custom modelled. The base I used realrobots gimbal design but pretty much had to redo all the 3d files from scratch as well.
The panels, ironically, will likely be the easiest part of the build. They don’t move, they only need some simple switches and they’re fairly pedestrian.
get gud as no amount of stick will save you 
but it will be super cool nun the less
but it will be super cool nun the less
Hah. True. I do play a lot better with the stick than my steam controller, even in its current state.get gud as no amount of stick will save you
but it will be super cool nun the less
That's great to hear
If you need any help - just call. Have showed it already two of my friends who are thinking about upgrading their simpit a bit and this is really promising.
Would it be possible to do a left-handed version for us south-paws...
Yeah, pretty easy to just hit “mirror” on the files and print the stick in reverse (tho I’d leave the button layout the same!)
Been doing some work on this again the last few days (partly cos I was ashamed I had no updates!).
Redesigned the top of the stick, and have printed the stick afresh in PETG. Not perfect, may have to redo it a 3rd time...
I'm toying with the idea of casting it in aluminium.
I got into making jewellery cos I bought a 3d printer for this project but I've been making a lot of other stuff, and sorta fell into doing stuff in silver and gold...
I now have the skills to cast things in metals like silver, gold, pewter, brass and of course, alumnium...
I'm unsure tho, as the stick casting itself seems sturdy enough and I'm worried about the strain it would put on the gimbal...but I am thinking teh gimbal mechanism itself would be a lot harder wearing if I cast it in solid metal. I could cast the piece that connects the stick to the gimbal base, then the bottom part of the stick itself that does the z-twist...then the stick itself would still be PETG..
The only problems with doing this would be the time/expense of redoing it in metal, machining the metal cos no cast is perfect, and then I'd need to buy a tap and die set for teh screw holes...
Or I could just get on with the rest of the project making panels, the throttle etc. cos I am also concerned this is turning into a "I will never finish this cos I keep improving it each iteration" kinda thing
Thoughts?
Redesigned the top of the stick, and have printed the stick afresh in PETG. Not perfect, may have to redo it a 3rd time...
I'm toying with the idea of casting it in aluminium.
I got into making jewellery cos I bought a 3d printer for this project but I've been making a lot of other stuff, and sorta fell into doing stuff in silver and gold...
I now have the skills to cast things in metals like silver, gold, pewter, brass and of course, alumnium...
I'm unsure tho, as the stick casting itself seems sturdy enough and I'm worried about the strain it would put on the gimbal...but I am thinking teh gimbal mechanism itself would be a lot harder wearing if I cast it in solid metal. I could cast the piece that connects the stick to the gimbal base, then the bottom part of the stick itself that does the z-twist...then the stick itself would still be PETG..
The only problems with doing this would be the time/expense of redoing it in metal, machining the metal cos no cast is perfect, and then I'd need to buy a tap and die set for teh screw holes...
Or I could just get on with the rest of the project making panels, the throttle etc. cos I am also concerned this is turning into a "I will never finish this cos I keep improving it each iteration" kinda thing
Thoughts?
If you want to go for a full metal gimbal - buy it. Ideally, you'll "just" need to figure out (or find someone who figured out) the protocol on the Virpil or Warthog stick connector (I thought I remember they were even compatible), or, worst case, cannibalize the electronics from a working grip.
Other thought: If your printer can handle it (110°C bed temp, 285 or so °C hotend, hardened or ruby nozzle, preferrably a closed box), take a look at Prusa's PC blend carbon fiber. Yes, it's twice as expensive even compared to their PETG - but it's simply fantastic.
You might even be able to combine that stuff with some small ball bearings and steel axles to emulate that metal gimbal. I.e., do the "arms" (or whatever they're called) of that gimbal in 3d-print, but let the axles rest in ball (or needle) bearings set into the printed parts.
Other thought: If your printer can handle it (110°C bed temp, 285 or so °C hotend, hardened or ruby nozzle, preferrably a closed box), take a look at Prusa's PC blend carbon fiber. Yes, it's twice as expensive even compared to their PETG - but it's simply fantastic.
You might even be able to combine that stuff with some small ball bearings and steel axles to emulate that metal gimbal. I.e., do the "arms" (or whatever they're called) of that gimbal in 3d-print, but let the axles rest in ball (or needle) bearings set into the printed parts.
My gimbal is already actually based on a full metal bearing; it has a printed plastic piece that slots into teh bearing, and a plastic printed collar from the other side that holds the bearing to the mount.
The sensor parts of the gimbal (the arms) are currently PETG as well; it was these and the rod that slots into the bearing that I'd be replacing with aluminium.
I can cast & machine the aluminium no problem (and it would definitely be cheaper than buying one etc). I just don't know if it's worth it..
The sensor parts of the gimbal (the arms) are currently PETG as well; it was these and the rod that slots into the bearing that I'd be replacing with aluminium.
I can cast & machine the aluminium no problem (and it would definitely be cheaper than buying one etc). I just don't know if it's worth it..
Managed to get the new printed bits onto the stick. Couple of loose connections meaning the hat switch isn’t reliably working but other than that pretty good!
Bit of an update; I am working on the model files for the panels - I've redone them as I've learned a bit more about what works and what doesn't when printing etc.
I finally managed to get the display I was wanting to use with the left hand panel, so I hooked it up and it looks amazing. Now I'm working on the case for that panel (incomplete as you can see).
The hole cut-outs are for the backlighting rim for the palm buttons, and the screen of course. I'll likely either keep the screen running the (very excellent) Icarus terminal direct from windows, or if I can get it to work, a raspberry pi zero (assuming I can find one. They're really super hard to find in stock, and my old raspberrypi B v1 hasn't got the power to do it!).
I finally managed to get the display I was wanting to use with the left hand panel, so I hooked it up and it looks amazing. Now I'm working on the case for that panel (incomplete as you can see).
The hole cut-outs are for the backlighting rim for the palm buttons, and the screen of course. I'll likely either keep the screen running the (very excellent) Icarus terminal direct from windows, or if I can get it to work, a raspberry pi zero (assuming I can find one. They're really super hard to find in stock, and my old raspberrypi B v1 hasn't got the power to do it!).
Attachments
Here’s a rubbish pic of the printed top part of the case with the screen in it. Still need to print the 14-hour long bottom of the case and then wire up buttons and LEDs.
Still not sure exactly what I’ll use to drive it. My original plan was a raspberry pi zero to do the screen with the buttons linked in on the GPIO but since I can’t get a zero for love nor money I’m tempted to keep it as an external monitor on windows and use an arduibo for the buttons.
I’d rather use a pi zero tho. Some of the buttons down the bottom of this pad need to be linked to the game as the red button is the “frame shift” activation button so they need to be a regular game pad; the screen can just be windows or it could be a Pi displaying Icarus terminal via web sockets.
Thoughts?
Still not sure exactly what I’ll use to drive it. My original plan was a raspberry pi zero to do the screen with the buttons linked in on the GPIO but since I can’t get a zero for love nor money I’m tempted to keep it as an external monitor on windows and use an arduibo for the buttons.
I’d rather use a pi zero tho. Some of the buttons down the bottom of this pad need to be linked to the game as the red button is the “frame shift” activation button so they need to be a regular game pad; the screen can just be windows or it could be a Pi displaying Icarus terminal via web sockets.
Thoughts?
Attachments
Some Arduinos (Micro Pro, for example) can also act as game controller (USB). e.g. https://www.hackster.io/Arnov_Sharma_makes/arduino-game-controller-v2-15ee8c (that was just the first one that popped up in a Google search) or https://www.instructables.com/Arduino-LeonardoMicro-as-Game-ControllerJoystick/ . Micro Pros are listed at Amazon here in Germany, but quite expensive (~10 bucks each).
There's also a graphics library (ok, several) for the Arduino - https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-gfx-graphics-library - so you don't need to put that hand warmer (Raspi) into your control panel. Downside is that, once you have that GFX and HID/Gamepad libraries in there, memory space is going to be pretty tight.
There's also a graphics library (ok, several) for the Arduino - https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-gfx-graphics-library - so you don't need to put that hand warmer (Raspi) into your control panel
. Downside is that, once you have that GFX and HID/Gamepad libraries in there, memory space is going to be pretty tight.Yeah, that’s what I’m using for the stick. The screen needs to either be raspberry pi or used in windows as an hdmi external display. An arduino can’t run the web interface it needs etc.
I could leave the screen as an external display and use one of my arduino micro’s for the buttons in this panel (the throttle will be an arduino pro micro, the stick is already, and the right control panel will either be another arduino, or possible a raspberrypi pico, as I’ll be driving a small display with the joystick’s trim settings, which a pico could manage but the arduinos will struggle with)
My preference would be to use a pi zero for the screen and the palm buttons as well; the buttons at the bottom could then go to a pro micro along with the throttle etc.
I just can’t get a pi zero easily.
I’m trying to limit the amount of devices im using obviously cos too many plugged in at once isn’t great.
I could leave the screen as an external display and use one of my arduino micro’s for the buttons in this panel (the throttle will be an arduino pro micro, the stick is already, and the right control panel will either be another arduino, or possible a raspberrypi pico, as I’ll be driving a small display with the joystick’s trim settings, which a pico could manage but the arduinos will struggle with)
My preference would be to use a pi zero for the screen and the palm buttons as well; the buttons at the bottom could then go to a pro micro along with the throttle etc.
I just can’t get a pi zero easily.
I’m trying to limit the amount of devices im using obviously cos too many plugged in at once isn’t great.
Thanks; I’m happy enough using the arduino pro micro for buttons etc if I need to. The joystick already uses that and there’s no difficulties in coding it.
I’m more just thinking what the best combination is between the need for the 4.3 inch display (needs to be rPI or windows), the buttons, some way to control the screen if it is using a Pi, and still keep as few devices connected as possible.
I’m leaning towards having the throttle directly connected to this, and use the arduino driving the throttle also do the buttons on the panel, then either an embedded rPI or hdmi for the screen (tho this still leaves me with issues regarding controlling the screen and also led lights inside the panel.
Just a small update from me. Got new circuit boards this time with a space for the apparently required capacitors (which is seemingly why the last two boards died a bit?)
Still some work to do on the horizontal buttons on the stick, and also it all needs painted/light shielding to stop the bleed but still lookin nice…
Still some work to do on the horizontal buttons on the stick, and also it all needs painted/light shielding to stop the bleed but still lookin nice…
Attachments
Minor update; case for the left panel is now printed. I need a thinner hdmi cable cos the housing on the plug is a bit too big but otherwise great.
I’ll be getting the buttons etc done soon but still not sure whether to link the screen to a Pi and the buttons with it, or buttons to an arduino and screen in windows (where it’s pretty but I can’t use in-game without alt-tabbing becuase windows!)
I’ll be getting the buttons etc done soon but still not sure whether to link the screen to a Pi and the buttons with it, or buttons to an arduino and screen in windows (where it’s pretty but I can’t use in-game without alt-tabbing becuase windows!)
