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Throttle from scratch


Lynx_132a1

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Hi folks,

 

I want to make a F-16 style throttle from scratch. I found someone who is capable of carving the throttle grip from wood and we have a deal. But the problem is electronics for me, i don't know where to start. I searched net for some answers but i have nothing. Can it be done with an arduino board like Mega 2560 and a good potentiometer as throttle axis. Also i found BU0836X 12-Bit Joystick Board at bodnar website, would a stick board like this be easier to use for my task?

 

So to sum up, i found a person to carve me a F-16 Throttle Grip and i can find switches and such from local suppliers but i have problem with integrating the whole setup to DCS and such. I am planning to use a pot as the axis sensor but how can i integrate this to DCS with buttons and such? Which card do i need? Which card would be better and easier?

 

My best bet is this sub forum i guess as i saw some F-16 threads up. I guess you guys know better from most of the guys at hardware sub forum as I/O is more important for you guys. So

 

Thank you

 

P.S. I know we don't have F-16 in DCS but i like the feel of the grip, it feels better for me to use with single engine aircraft.

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I use a BU0836X in my Throttle unit,no problems with conecting buttons and axis to it. It's pretty much straight forward and easy to use. I have no experience with other controler boards, but I imagine they would work well too.

 

So, for example, if i set all my hats and buttons into my grip casing and attach it to a potentiometer (as axis sensor) and connect them to the bodnar card i am pretty much plug an play? I mean after i assign the buttons and such, setting the pot as the axis sensor it is pretty much all i have to do right?

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You just have to connect everything you like to the board. The Board is plug and play with USB. Just remember the Board supports 32 Buttons,1 POV hat and 8 Axis. Your Throttle will be seen as Standard Game Controller by Windows. Every Game that makes use of Joysticks will see the controler aswell.

 

I might add,the Board is pretty large ca. 12cm x 5cm ,it will not fit into the Grip. You have to find a way to route the wires from the grip to some kind of box which contains the Controler Board.


Edited by Lausbub78
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For ~$ 10 Arduino PRO Micro with MMJoy2 firmware.

 

Read to use the most affordable is DS 12 bis controller - $39.75 - free shipping.

 

5 axis > just what F-16 TQS need.

32 buttons

 

http://www.derekspearedesigns.com/12-bit-controllers.html

 

BDW - Use this parts at start save you a lot of work, specially with switches:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Trustmaster-F-16-Flcs-Stick-and-F-16-TQS-THROTTLE-WITH-MANUAL-UNTESTED-/282603597942?hash=item41cc7cb076:g:m2wAAOSw7EJZigFH

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I use the BU0836X board too, totally plug and play, you don't even need any solder connectors.

As well as the switch and pot inputs you can also connect rotary encoders and led indicators.


Edited by Lensman

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Agreed. The Bodnar board will provide the simplest solution.

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Hi folks,

 

I want to make a F-16 style throttle from scratch. I found someone who is capable of carving the throttle grip from wood and we have a deal. But the problem is electronics for me, i don't know where to start. I searched net for some answers but i have nothing. Can it be done with an arduino board like Mega 2560 and a good potentiometer as throttle axis. Also i found BU0836X 12-Bit Joystick Board at bodnar website, would a stick board like this be easier to use for my task?

 

So to sum up, i found a person to carve me a F-16 Throttle Grip and i can find switches and such from local suppliers but i have problem with integrating the whole setup to DCS and such. I am planning to use a pot as the axis sensor but how can i integrate this to DCS with buttons and such? Which card do i need? Which card would be better and easier?

 

My best bet is this sub forum i guess as i saw some F-16 threads up. I guess you guys know better from most of the guys at hardware sub forum as I/O is more important for you guys. So

 

Thank you

 

P.S. I know we don't have F-16 in DCS but i like the feel of the grip, it feels better for me to use with single engine aircraft.

 

IMO a more sensible starting point is a Cougar throttle grip and print the afterburner trigger/mount for it available here: http://www.checksix-forums.com/download/file.php?id=36195&sid=1ff76f9d0b7c1617211efad4132096c9 (from this thread, which also has the throttle arm and other useful printable bits..)

 

262978image396.jpg

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One vote for Bodnar from here.

 

Remember that no one is forcing you to use just a single bodnar board, you can use multiple!

 

When you build a own custom contoller, you can select freely all the buttons, switches, knobs and hats you need and then just get enough those boards as you need to get them connected. Then connect all them to USB HUD and then from there to computer. This way you get a multiple unique USB controllers that you can bind to DCS as wanted (only difference is that you need to know what device you will be binding) and all works.

 

And that is the amazing thing that such board makes everything so simple. The hardest part really is to get the buttons etc and then make the grip/board/stick and then drill holes, iron the cables to buttons etc and then just plug them to board. So it is the design and decision that you need to do how you want things to be. And if you are doing after F-16 throttle, you already have all the designs done for you, only need to list what you need, buy them, put the throttle together and all works without programming or tweaking with the software one bit.

 

Yes you can go for Arduino road, but that is something I wouldn't go unless you need something ultra special and complex and enjoy from programming and scripting etc.

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Hi folks,

 

I want to make a F-16 style throttle from scratch. ..

 

Hi Lynx_132a1, why not use an older TM Cougar throttle as base for your build instead ?

Base, grip, switches etc provide what you need. Building a replica from scratch does have an appeal but it is a lot of time and effort needed, just wonder why you roled that option out.

 

Cost on what avaliable on ebay right now is cracy but both older items and bricked ones pops up from time to time, and there been some HAL conversion kits offered in the sale thread recently if I remember correct.

 

Best

/Gus

- - - -

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IMO a more sensible starting point is a Cougar throttle grip and print the afterburner trigger/mount for it available here: http://www.checksix-forums.com/download/file.php?id=36195&sid=1ff76f9d0b7c1617211efad4132096c9 (from this thread, which also has the throttle arm and other useful printable bits..)

 

262978image396.jpg

 

Hi Lynx_132a1, why not use an older TM Cougar throttle as base for your build instead ?

Base, grip, switches etc provide what you need. Building a replica from scratch does have an appeal but it is a lot of time and effort needed, just wonder why you roled that option out.

 

Cost on what avaliable on ebay right now is cracy but both older items and bricked ones pops up from time to time, and there been some HAL conversion kits offered in the sale thread recently if I remember correct.

 

Best

/Gus

 

Well, thank you guys for suggestions! I did think about getting a cougar (even a broken one, not physically of course) and then doing other modifications on it but first we all know prices of those stuff, I can get one guaranteed (one of my friend has an amazing skiil on finding rare stuff and getting them for me, he found like dozens of cougars compared to the quantity of them on market) but the price is a problem for me (especially if you live in a country where dolar is a lot more expensive than your currency, it's like 3.6 times my currency!) and also at many sources that i found earlier only accept Paypal. Guess what? Paypal got out of my country a couple of years ago! I can't do any transactions, payments, shopping with anything related to Paypal with a Turkish registered CC. So there is basically no way of me buying one without braking the bank and asking politely to the seller if they would accept an IBAN transaction or such...

 

I got your point... At first that was the best shot for me but after a couple of months i found a group of 30 (i guess, damn there are alot of guys in my group) who are building "Homecockpits" with "Arduino" boards. Most of them don't have the money to buy a cougar or such so everything is pretty ghetto! believe me. They have cartoon filled plexi-glass instrument panels and such. I found them by searching for a 16 throttle grip, they said one of them had a friend who would carve them from wood. It was like 2 months ago and i never heard back! :lol: After getting a grip (hopefully) my next hunt would be for the button caps and such (I can obtain buttons, thats easy)...

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Electronics for DIY is very accessible today, and cheap with Arduino + MMjoy2 or EasyJoy32 firmwares.

 

Carve a "F-16'ish" stick or throttle grip in wood, make a plug, mold in fiberglass etc depends on "sculptor" skill - a forum colleague do their DIY sticks in this way.

 

The real difficult is the "details" - proper HAT's and buttons caps to look "real", anyway consider 3D print for this parts.


Edited by Sokol1_br
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Aha ok, if PP is inop and currency rates are mad it's hard. Some sellers accepts a banktransfer if probed so it might be an option. If cougar is out of reach, and if seller will accept a banktransfer there might be another option. have you seen the earlier thrustmasters F-16 stuff ? http://m.ebay.com/itm/Trustmaster-F-16-Flcs-Stick-and-F-16-TQS-THROTTLE-WITH-MANUAL-UNTESTED-/282603597942?hash=item41cc7cb076%3Ag%3Am2wAAOSw7EJZigFH&_trkparms=pageci%253A60421c0d-83d4-11e7-9fa7-74dbd180348a%257Cparentrq%253Af3c557e415d0ab6b9b463d95fffa43ab%257Ciid%253A2

 

Plastic and gameport devices, the handle is almost identical, and can br modded with generic USB joystickcards like bodnars, arduinos mjoy etc. They pops up on ebay or likewise from time to time at low cost or almost nothing (cost of the linked ones a sky high) since they not supported nowadays

Hope you find a way forward to your build

 

Best

/Gus


Edited by Duckling

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