Love seeing pictures of people's rigs! BTW if you are at all interested in the option to hide the top menubar (and/or the top navigation buttons) so you get more usable display space for ICARUS, just let me know! =)
Building a 3D printed HOTAS based on the in-game cockpit
- Thread starter MathCampbell
- Start date
That would definitely be handy tho I’d still rather have keyboard access etc.
think in my case it’s gonna end up being on a raspberrypi zero (If I can get one!!) cos I need to do too much else to leave it to windows. Thank you. It’s gonna look much better once the backlighting
think in my case it’s gonna end up being on a raspberrypi zero (If I can get one!!) cos I need to do too much else to leave it to windows. Thank you. It’s gonna look much better once the backlighting
A small but moderately significant update from me;
As I await the next PCB from China, I got the hall sensor switch working on the top of the stick - this one means that when the safety cover is down, the game detects a button press and so will stow hardpoints and when it is open, hardpoints will deploy. I have also painted the safety toggle cover (tho the paint job isn't perfect!).
Sadly, the springs I ordered for it are "wrong" (they'll stay up but won't go down) so I have ordered new ones...
Please ignore the gaping hole where the HAT switch's "hat" is supposed to be...it fell out somewhere and I cannot find it...
As I await the next PCB from China, I got the hall sensor switch working on the top of the stick - this one means that when the safety cover is down, the game detects a button press and so will stow hardpoints and when it is open, hardpoints will deploy. I have also painted the safety toggle cover (tho the paint job isn't perfect!).
Sadly, the springs I ordered for it are "wrong" (they'll stay up but won't go down) so I have ordered new ones...
Please ignore the gaping hole where the HAT switch's "hat" is supposed to be...it fell out somewhere and I cannot find it...
A better shot since I found the hat switch and a wee video!
Minor update: the circuit board for the horizontal buttons; still need to repaint it as the buttons aren’t finished etc.
I will probably end up re-printing it but it’s now entirely functional.
I will probably end up re-printing it but it’s now entirely functional.
Sorry for the lack of updates; was trying to source a raspberrypi zero.
Those of you in the know will know these things are impossible to get. I got very lucky and managed to get one second hand from someone who ordered two by accident on launch!
The interior circuit board is still needing made, so I don’t have any backlighting yet but the palm rest panel is coming along nicely.
Those of you in the know will know these things are impossible to get. I got very lucky and managed to get one second hand from someone who ordered two by accident on launch!
The interior circuit board is still needing made, so I don’t have any backlighting yet but the palm rest panel is coming along nicely.
Sorry again for the lack of updates, having to wait in between designing and building for parts to arrive...Will share some pics tomorow; spent all day soldering and working on the palm rest panel..the custom circuit boards arrived for it.
I decided the buttons felt rubbish, so I redid the circuitboard to use cherry mx keyboard switches. They're backlit properly, and feel much better.
Unfortuantely the redesign keycvaps I made now don't quite fit the box I printed. Nothing a 5 minute job with a dremel didn't fix but it now looks like a 5 moniue job with a dremel, so I'm going to have to redo the box. Ah well, maybe I'll have it finished by this time next year...
I decided the buttons felt rubbish, so I redid the circuitboard to use cherry mx keyboard switches. They're backlit properly, and feel much better.
Unfortuantely the redesign keycvaps I made now don't quite fit the box I printed. Nothing a 5 minute job with a dremel didn't fix but it now looks like a 5 moniue job with a dremel, so I'm going to have to redo the box. Ah well, maybe I'll have it finished by this time next year...
Pics as promised. Excuse the visible wires; I haven’t soldered in the PiZero yet so I’m just feeding the power and data lines by a wire for testing.
As you can see I need to reprint the box itself and I also need to put a light guide/block in to stop the blue backlights washing out the three keys at the bottom which should be red/yellow.
Still, serious progress now. Starting to look cool!
As you can see I need to reprint the box itself and I also need to put a light guide/block in to stop the blue backlights washing out the three keys at the bottom which should be red/yellow.
Still, serious progress now. Starting to look cool!
Just a "sorry for no updates" update from me - I'm still working on the project but the maker-space I use has been undergoing some heavy renovation/relocation to a MUCH larger facility (thanks to a large govt grant woo) so I now have a real laser cutter (2mm stainless steel cutting real!) and decent sized CNC mill etc so I can take this project up a notch. I'm considering milling parts of the stick from aluminium for strength/coolness...
My geometry, created as it was in a polygonal modelling suite, is OK but not good enough and a real pain to work with. 16.5 milion polygons and it was taking 3-5 minutes a time just to move a screw hole...so I took the dive into actual CAD and I'm mostly finished fully re-building the joystick design in Fusion360. This redesign is tighter tolerenaces and should eliminate the z-axis wobble I was getting (assuming I can find/make the requisite torsion spring)
My geometry, created as it was in a polygonal modelling suite, is OK but not good enough and a real pain to work with. 16.5 milion polygons and it was taking 3-5 minutes a time just to move a screw hole...so I took the dive into actual CAD and I'm mostly finished fully re-building the joystick design in Fusion360. This redesign is tighter tolerenaces and should eliminate the z-axis wobble I was getting (assuming I can find/make the requisite torsion spring)
Finished that and re-did the Z-axis mount as well...just need to get the right spring and it should be a lot more solid than my previous design...
Source: https://imgur.com/gallery/t0QfwOw
Source: https://imgur.com/gallery/t0QfwOw
Sorry for the two month long break there but had to take a while on this.
Redesigned the entire main of the stick from the ground up, as discussed in my last post but then printed it and realised that was wrong in a few ways, so redid stuff, tweaked, experimented and got it mostly done. Figured out how to literally make my own springs, so the ztwist is now a lot springier tho I’m still not 100% happy with it but hey.
Then realised that the HAT switches were just not working. Not only does the plastic rub and wear down super fast meaning they’ll only work for weeks, the led being underneath it means whilst super bright, it eventually pushes the led component loose or breaks it etc.
Redesigned to use these tiny psp style thumb switches. This unfortunately means the LEDs have to be moved over a bit, but hopefully a light guide Aka light pipe should give the hat at least some glow.
Also spent two weeks getting the new IO expander board I bought working. Turns out it didn’t have a circitpython library but my pico is CP based and the usb stuff only works on that so I had to learn how to make the Pimoroni ioexpander board I bought talk in circuitpython. Very tricky but it’s working now.
This was needed cos it has 8 adc pins instead of the pico having 3; it’s also more precise but on top of that, it means the extra adc pins can work the potentiometers in the thumbsticks so I’m making them work as hat sticks in code but could also use them as extra axis if I wanted. Very cool to be able to switch definitions on the fly if I choose etc.
I’ll be reprinting the stick again with the changes cos the new boards I had to get made are slightly bigger. But here’s a look now. I know it’s seemed this stick has been almost done for 2 years now but genuinely I think we’re getting to almost done now!!
Redesigned the entire main of the stick from the ground up, as discussed in my last post but then printed it and realised that was wrong in a few ways, so redid stuff, tweaked, experimented and got it mostly done. Figured out how to literally make my own springs, so the ztwist is now a lot springier tho I’m still not 100% happy with it but hey.
Then realised that the HAT switches were just not working. Not only does the plastic rub and wear down super fast meaning they’ll only work for weeks, the led being underneath it means whilst super bright, it eventually pushes the led component loose or breaks it etc.
Redesigned to use these tiny psp style thumb switches. This unfortunately means the LEDs have to be moved over a bit, but hopefully a light guide Aka light pipe should give the hat at least some glow.
Also spent two weeks getting the new IO expander board I bought working. Turns out it didn’t have a circitpython library but my pico is CP based and the usb stuff only works on that so I had to learn how to make the Pimoroni ioexpander board I bought talk in circuitpython. Very tricky but it’s working now.
This was needed cos it has 8 adc pins instead of the pico having 3; it’s also more precise but on top of that, it means the extra adc pins can work the potentiometers in the thumbsticks so I’m making them work as hat sticks in code but could also use them as extra axis if I wanted. Very cool to be able to switch definitions on the fly if I choose etc.
I’ll be reprinting the stick again with the changes cos the new boards I had to get made are slightly bigger. But here’s a look now. I know it’s seemed this stick has been almost done for 2 years now but genuinely I think we’re getting to almost done now!!
So, here's a question for you all:
I'm doing the design for the right hand panel (the one you see next to the joystick, with the switches etc on it).
The buttons in-game are all marked with various letters, which don't really mean anything.
Do I copy those letters (as i've done here in the screenshot attahded), or should i change them to be more useful e.g LGT for lights, LDG for landing gear, CGB for Cargo Bay etc?
On the one hand, it means it won't look exactly like it does in game, but on the other hand it'll be easier to remember which switch does what.
I'm doing the design for the right hand panel (the one you see next to the joystick, with the switches etc on it).
The buttons in-game are all marked with various letters, which don't really mean anything.
Do I copy those letters (as i've done here in the screenshot attahded), or should i change them to be more useful e.g LGT for lights, LDG for landing gear, CGB for Cargo Bay etc?
On the one hand, it means it won't look exactly like it does in game, but on the other hand it'll be easier to remember which switch does what.
Another wee update. Had to redesign the entire top of the stick with new boards, and psp-style thumbsticks because the old 4-switches-in-a-square was working but the led underneath kept dying anytime the button was pressed too hard. I tried making some sort of mount to sit on top of it but that didn’t work either so I started again - I’ve replaced that design with thumbsticks that work great. Trouble is there’s no way to put an LED underneath them, so I tried an led beside them and a light pipe but it was too dim.
So, instead there’s a new “daughter board” made of the thinnest pcb you can get made (think it’s 0.4mm?), with two side mounted neopixel leds.
This board has a hole in the middle so that the stalk for the hat switch can go through. These side mounted leds then illuminate the stalk, and it acts like a light pipe to see the light above.
I made the case slightly too small sadly so the top doesn’t fit on with the new boards. Need a bit more space so a quick redesign and reprint should fix that.
I’m still having trouble with the flick switch-cover thing but I’ll get there. Hopefully.
So, instead there’s a new “daughter board” made of the thinnest pcb you can get made (think it’s 0.4mm?), with two side mounted neopixel leds.
This board has a hole in the middle so that the stalk for the hat switch can go through. These side mounted leds then illuminate the stalk, and it acts like a light pipe to see the light above.
I made the case slightly too small sadly so the top doesn’t fit on with the new boards. Need a bit more space so a quick redesign and reprint should fix that.
I’m still having trouble with the flick switch-cover thing but I’ll get there. Hopefully.
unfortunately I cant get my mum's raspberry pie no more either 
keep @it cmdr fine works!
I did hear that stocks should start to recover soon to which the pandemic took a toll on them
anti virus just not good enough I suppose
keep @it cmdr fine works!
I did hear that stocks should start to recover soon to which the pandemic took a toll on them
anti virus just not good enough I suppose
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Yep, I managed to get a pi zero 2, so all is good on that score...
Now I'm finishing off button designs and making sure the light bends where I want it, and re-=printing everything for the like, 12th time, to make sure it's the right fit etc...
Once I'm done I'm tempted to send it out to have it done in nylon so it's stronger.
Now I'm finishing off button designs and making sure the light bends where I want it, and re-=printing everything for the like, 12th time, to make sure it's the right fit etc...
Once I'm done I'm tempted to send it out to have it done in nylon so it's stronger.
Update time.
Had to redesign a bit more on the stick then print, reprint, clean, check fit, reprint again but I think we’re 99% there.
Couple of minor tweaks to make it sturdier/less wobble on the z axis, and then I need to gently sand and paint it all with light blocking paint so that there isn’t any “bleed” from the LEDs but other than that I’m pretty happy.
Both HAT switches work perfectly now, and as you can see the backlighting looks great.
Had to redesign a bit more on the stick then print, reprint, clean, check fit, reprint again but I think we’re 99% there.
Couple of minor tweaks to make it sturdier/less wobble on the z axis, and then I need to gently sand and paint it all with light blocking paint so that there isn’t any “bleed” from the LEDs but other than that I’m pretty happy.
Both HAT switches work perfectly now, and as you can see the backlighting looks great.