Community Event / Creation Custom E:D throttle

Anyd Tellock

A
I've been frustrated for a while now looking for a throttle to go with my CH Combat Stick. I don't have room for rudder pedals and none of the commercially available throttles have rudders like the good old T Flight Hotas X.

So I took the plunge and got out my soldering iron and modelling tools. This is the result.

20150801_225551.jpg

It's got Hall effect sensors for the throttle and rudder and two rotary encoders for targeting. I really enjoyed making it and it makes dog fighting so much easier.

Here it is next to the CH stick.

20150801_225241.jpg

Safe flying everyone.
 

mono

mono
Nice job. I trust you've done a better job than Saitek's 6 months of fully functioning then starts going f-up x52-pro throttle.
 
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Windscreen Smudge

W
Good job, I set out to do the same thing without the plastic modelling tools, I had plenty of sheet metal tools to work with though, and making a 6DOF thrust control instead of a flight throttle. Ended up junking it after the third iteration that didn't handle right, so I can fully appreciate the kind of work that went into this.
 

DentRed

DentRed
Looking slick champ. The Lack of h.o.t.a.s on the market needs to change. They need to make a happy medium between the X55 and warthog. With the functionality of the X55 and all its buttons, but with the quality of the warthog.
 

Yodafone

Yodafone
Very nice! Do you have any pics/thread of the build progress? Would love to see how you did it (that's if you'd like to share your secrets ;-)
 

Anyd Tellock

A
The hand grip was taken from a T.Flight Hotas X. I removed all of the switches and wiring and fitted my own. The 'gimble' that it turns in is also from the Hotas X, I used a razor saw to carefully chop it away from the (frankly awful) body of the original throttle unit and used an epoxy glue to fit it inside an ABS plastic project box from Maplins. I bought all of the internal electrics from Leo Bodnar, an excellent UK based electronics shop with great customer service. All of the rest is scratch built. I'm afraid I didn't take any WIP photos, but I might take it apart one last time and photograph it then.

@ Jacob Marshall. I love that Thumb-stick. I was going to fit an X-box thumb stick but I couldn't find a way to physically fit it in the space I had without losing three or four buttons but that one looks much better. Time to start planning a Mark II I think.
 
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Blairvoyach

Blairvoyach
I'd love to see how you integrated the hall effect sensors, or even where you got them. I'd like to change the pots in my F22Pro and TQS for Hall effects.

Nice build BTW :)

Edit: +1 for Leo Bodnar USB boards. I have three of them in my HOTAS, very easy to work with.
 
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Anyd Tellock

A
Blairvoyach, I got the Hall sensors from Leo Bodnar but there are plenty for sale on eBay. Here's a photo of the throttle Hall sensor.
20150802_103712.jpg
I inserted a brass tube into the centre of the gimbal, where an axle would be if it had one. I then filled the tube with epoxy and stuck the Hall sensor into it (after I had soldered it to the cables and insulated the pins with heat shrink insulating tube). You can see the magnets either side of the brass tube. At neutral the hall sensor sits flat whilst the magnets are vertical either side of it (think Star Wars TIE fighter). The Hall sensor then rotates so that the top side faces either Magnetic north or magnetic south, depending on which way you turn it.
 

Anyd Tellock

A
Blimey Cataclysm. I've just checked out your blog. What you're building is amazing. I've hacked and stuck some Lego together. Yours is a work of engineering. I'll be watching for your updates with anticipation.
 

Blairvoyach

Blairvoyach
Anyd Tellock said:
Blairvoyach, I got the Hall sensors from Leo Bodnar but there are plenty for sale on eBay. Here's a photo of the throttle Hall sensor.
View attachment 53313
I inserted a brass tube into the centre of the gimbal, where an axle would be if it had one. I then filled the tube with epoxy and stuck the Hall sensor into it (after I had soldered it to the cables and insulated the pins with heat shrink insulating tube). You can see the magnets either side of the brass tube. At neutral the hall sensor sits flat whilst the magnets are vertical either side of it (think Star Wars TIE fighter). The Hall sensor then rotates so that the top side faces either Magnetic north or magnetic south, depending on which way you turn it.
Click to expand...

Superb, I have a set of hall sensors off Leo myself, just thought you might have found a pot replacement type:)
Think I will give this a go
 

Cataclysm72

Cataclysm72
Anyd Tellock said:
Blimey Cataclysm. I've just checked out your blog. What you're building is amazing. I've hacked and stuck some Lego together. Yours is a work of engineering. I'll be watching for your updates with anticipation.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I thought you modelled the throttle grip but now i see you took up the challenge of gutting it, good thinking!
 

t00thPIK

t00thPIK
@Jacob Marshall
I found those little Pop thumb sticks on an electronics sites myself yesterday when I was planning my own custom throttle. I too was originally thinking of a regular PlayStation or xbox analog stick, but this thing would be awesome!
Ideally I'd like to make my own joystick too, probably using a Ch Fighterstick as a base. I'd take another one of these little joysticks and replace one of the 4 or 8 way hats. This is because I will also be playing SC (should it ever be completed) and there seems to be strong support for releasing the gun aiming from the flight controls altogether; meaning an analog thumb stick on the joystick as well could be a major advantage.
In addition to the thumb stick, I want to add a twist rudder to the CH.
All of the above will be quite a task for me as I haven't played with circuits since 8th grade high school (1998), but I'm sure the Internet has all the resources I need :)
EDIT: I forgot to thank OP for showing us his throttle! Very similar to what I've been looking into the past couple of days! Great to see someone's own example and that it can be done! Cheers mate :)
 
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Jacob Marshall

Jacob Marshall
t00thPIK said:
@Jacob Marshall
I found those little Pop thumb sticks on an electronics sites myself yesterday when I was planning my own custom throttle. I too was originally thinking of a regular PlayStation or xbox analog stick, but this thing would be awesome!
Ideally I'd like to make my own joystick too, probably using a Ch Fighterstick as a base. I'd take another one of these little joysticks and replace one of the 4 or 8 way hats. This is because I will also be playing SC (should it ever be completed) and there seems to be strong support for releasing the gun aiming from the flight controls altogether; meaning an analog thumb stick on the joystick as well could be a major advantage.
In addition to the thumb stick, I want to add a twist rudder to the CH.
All of the above will be quite a task for me as I haven't played with circuits since 8th grade high school (1998), but I'm sure the Internet has all the resources I need :)
EDIT: I forgot to thank OP for showing us his throttle! Very similar to what I've been looking into the past couple of days! Great to see someone's own example and that it can be done! Cheers mate :)
Click to expand...


Just want to stress that I linked other peoples' craft, I haven't done this yet; been told I have to do it in the garage because concrete doesn't burn.*
Mine have been delayed until tomorrow *damn the posty to hell!* but it's given me time to think...and I agree about the 8-way hat. It seems that once it's all been melted together you can try different bindings on them, I'm on a T-X Hotas and Up/Down/left/right thrusters are a bit rough for me, so will have a go using the pads to control those.

Have to say, can't wait to get my teeth into it, will post any update and pics once the fire brigade have declared the area safe.

Concern has been express about my soldering iron:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dmE-emrrAs#t=0m10s


*We'll see...
 

nexxo

N
Very well-finished project there!

I have a lathe and mill, and have for a while been thinking about making a HOTAS from aluminium and lovely brass. Perhaps with some walnut thrown in. :D
 
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