Warthog slew control replacement part

I'm going this route for the time being. When I get back, I'll order up from 3D printing companies in NYC.

http://tazintosh.com/en/thrustmaster-hotas-warthog/

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These cost a couple thousand each... a little too steep to have a very nice button... :). Thanks for the info anyway...

hegykc, I'm glad you're still here and working on this. I'm looking forward to updates. As long as we're on the subject of replacing the slew joystick entirely, has anyone ever contacted Otto, Sogein, or Atoms regarding their willingness to sell the *real* thing to civillians?

 

http://www.ottoexcellence.com/products/transducer-switch/

http://www.sogein.eu/joystick.html

http://www.atoms-monaco.com/fr/joystick-commande/mini-joystick/

 

These cost a couple thousand each.

Yikes. Would it be worthwhile to buy a surplus F15 throttle like http://www.ebay.com/itm/MS-002-F-15-FIGHTER-JET-THROTTLE-GRIP-/371444115383?hash=item567bcb67b7:g:0m4AAOSw9r1V~VUr&vxp=mtr , if only for the analog transducer? Hook that baby up to an analog encoder and you're in business. "ALL BUTTONS AND SWITCHES WORKING GREAT" they say... I suspect that means they make clicky noises. Not so much that output has all been digitally tested. Anyone have experience with military transducers?

Update on my own project: The DS3 board requires the battery to be plugged into it to work. It's not enough to complete the circuit on the battery connector. There must be some kind of IC inside the batt pack. However, the PCB + battery will fit inside the throttle as long as the weights are removed. It's an ugly setup though. The weird drivers I have to deal with getting it to work on the PC is a pain in the ass anyway.

Instead, I just ordered a teensy arduino, http://store-usa.arduino.cc/products/teensy-lc and I'll be connecting one of the DS3's rather decent hall effect analog sticks to it. I'll just run a second wire out of the throttle. No biggie.

Now what I *really* need is a nice concave, spider-web cap for the joystick with a short neck like what hegykc has modeled already. Man that thing is sweet.

I want one, are they available?

... has anyone ever contacted Otto, Sogein, or Atoms regarding their willingness to sell the *real* thing to civillians?

 

http://www.ottoexcellence.com/products/transducer-switch/

http://www.sogein.eu/joystick.html

http://www.atoms-monaco.com/fr/joystick-commande/mini-joystick/

 

Funny is that in Tm F22 PRO TQS the "slew" use this kind of controller, a pressure device like a IBM laptop mouse, the "transducer", and in this controller that thing are very worst to use. :joystick:

I disassemble this one, before throw away:

In Cougar was used the analog mini-joystick and people beg for better one, them Warthog come with Hall sensor and still bad... :D

Yikes. Would it be worthwhile to buy a surplus F15 throttle like http://www.ebay.com/itm/MS-002-F-15-FIGHTER-JET-THROTTLE-GRIP-/371444115383?hash=item567bcb67b7:g:0m4AAOSw9r1V~VUr&vxp=mtr , if only for the analog transducer? Hook that baby up to an analog encoder and you're in business. "ALL BUTTONS AND SWITCHES WORKING GREAT" they say... I suspect that means they make clicky noises. Not so much that output has all been digitally tested. Anyone have experience with military transducers?

You might have to use an amplifier circuit if that tranducer is anything similar to the one the A-10A throttle as the signal is very low. This may be of interest to you; http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=2551721&postcount=72

Cheers

Hans

Just an FYI, I ordered the parts from Staples. The files provided by http://tazintosh.com/en/thrustmaster-hotas-warthog/

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worked perfectly. I ordered two sets using resin. I'll be back after I replace it to see how it goes.

Bump to keep the dream alive. Ran into some issues trying to repurpose the DS3 hall effect joysticks with arduino. Ended up ordering some generic (3pin) joysticks to play around with instead.

As I look around more and more for options, I am starting to think that the best "force sensitive" stick may be a good ol TrackPoint mouse, AKA the Nipple Mouse, as famously found on IBM laptops. Something like one of these: http://www.computex.biz/parex/default.aspx?com_id=50&pdt_id=331&PageType=ProductDetail&ContentTab=Introduction

You can get arduino to read just about anything but I cannot find a single vendor anywhere on the Internet that will sell me just one OEM, barebones Trackpoint/Gyrostick/PointingStick mouse! Every vendor I can find online that sells some variant of a TrackPoint mouse is an OEM that will only sell hundreds or thousands at a time, despite them costing a dollar or two at most. No samples available either.

I can't read German but something like this guy acquired would be ideal:

http://images.google.de/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mathiasmichael.com%2Fsonstiges%2Ftrackpoint%2FBild04.jpeg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.roboternetz.de%2Fcommunity%2Farchive%2Findex.php%2Ft-39428.html%3Fs%3D7b603f033aad9df8cfb9ad3af68c530a&h=424&w=600&tbnid=YTG5lsJi19XMEM%3A&docid=jMfRuVOpmtCVBM&ei=d0tvVvS8IoWMasv3oYAK&tbm=isch&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=435&page=1&start=0&ndsp=44&ved=0ahUKEwi01KTKu9zJAhUFhhoKHct7CKAQrQMIPzAL

The problem with cannibalizing an old laptop/keyboard with a Trackpoint mouse is that there are so many manufacturers, you're lucky if you get one that has a small enough footprint to be installed in the Warthog. Here's a guy who re purposed his trackpoint mouse, but look at big the PCB's footprint is... https://jpad.wikispaces.com/Making+a+Nugget

At this point, I'm thinking my best bet is to start buying up ancient PC gear for pennies on the dollar from eBay and find an ideal keyboard/mouse model that has a small footprint PCB. Anyone got any suggestions? Aside from getting lucky on google images, I don't know how I'd go about finding the best trackpoint mouse for the job.

EDIT: Another really cool option might be the micro trackball from an Apple Mighty mouse, as seen in detail on http://norestfortheweekend.com/blog/2009/10/03/how-to-stop-a-mighty-mouse-scroll-ball-sticking/

I wonder -- could this micro trackball be connected directly to an arduino via the ribbon cable, or does the trackball *require* the apple mighty mouse guts to be able to function as a pointing device? EDIT2: You need the mouse guts unfortunately! But, this is all doable as shown on http://www.plastibots.com/index.php/2009/12/10/eee-901-mightymouse-hack/ . Shouldn't be hard to fit the mighty mouse board inside of the warthog throttle, especially with the weights removed.

Just an FYI, I ordered the parts from Staples. The files provided by http://tazintosh.com/en/thrustmaster-hotas-warthog/

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worked perfectly. I ordered two sets using resin. I'll be back after I replace it to see how it goes.

I just got these 3D printed on 3dhubs.com. I decided to give this one a try since it's quite cheap to print such small details. Will install it soon and report how it compares to original nipple.

Nice. Still waiting for mine to ship.

I ordered 2 sets of them from 3dhubs too. I might try it out but more likely, I'll use the spiderweb cap to place on top of my 3d joystick.

They came out very nice. I'll update with some more pics later after my potentiometers arrive.

Yup, got mine as well. Looks rather nice. I'm waiting for the glue gun so I can get to work next week. Are you replacing the pots, or did your original one break?

Are you replacing the pots, or did your original one break?

There aren't any potentiometers involved in the (stock) warthog slew, only the cheapo hall effect joystick. I plan on removing the hall effect joystick and replacing it with a 3d joystick from a console controller. It will connect to an arduino, though, not to the existent electronics in the warthog hotas. As hegykc discovered, the throttle's electronics won't work with a standard pots that deliver VCC to the controller. Should have pics in a week or two. Shipping's slow around the holidays.

I installed the mod and I must say I will be coming back to the original nipple. The mod looks great but it exposes the slew to potential unintended touches and I bumped it several times during my tests, mainly when trying to operate the coolie switch which is just next to the slew. The problem is the joystick I believe which is not designed to be used in such way. I think I will need to look for something more robust like mooimacow has described.

And my small advice- be very careful to not to twist the slew after installation it will be very easy to damage it this way.

There's been a few requests for a replacement slew control for the warthog.

 

I am about to start making prototypes of my F-18 grip for the warthog base, so I will include this mini project along with it. Should be fairly straightforward and simple to both make and install.

 

F-18 grip will still be a prototype, while these would be ready to go straight out of my industrial 3d printer, as they're small and not that essential plastic parts.

 

Here is a render of the part assembly (in reality they would come with a pre-soldered 5pin cable):

 

And the removal and installation process would look like this:

1)unscrew the three long screws

2)Unscrew the small one on the other side

3)unplug the 5pin slew connector

4)Push the plastic slew housing latch with a screwdriver

5)it pops right out

 

6-10) reverse the process for the installation of the replacement slew control

.

How would the joystick work, I don't know, it'll take some experimenting, maybe try a few different ones, we'll see.

 

Comment or stay tuned for more. I start testing the week after next.

 

EDIT: I mean, it'll work for sure, it's the same thing as the one inside, just with a full axis movement so the only question is will it feel much better then the cheap cellphone joystick they have in there now.

Hegykc,

Is this part reality yet? My slew control apparently died tonight and I'm gonna be looking for a new one.

Sierra

Hegykc,

 

Is this part reality yet? My slew control apparently died tonight and I'm gonna be looking for a new one.

 

Sierra

If you read the thread, he had a problem of trying to make the analogue stick compatible with the digital interface, so the project seems to be on the back burner.

There is no way to make a regular mini joystick compatible with warthog's electronics. So it will have to be:

A) a mechanism to increase the travel of the original 2d sensor.

B) a separate, off the shelf, mini joystick (3d), connected to an arduino.

I will make and test both, but it's tied up to my other projects as they all use the same machining and electronics so I can prototype them all together.

I installed the mod and I must say I will be coming back to the original nipple. The mod looks great but it exposes the slew to potential unintended touches and I bumped it several times during my tests, mainly when trying to operate the coolie switch which is just next to the slew. The problem is the joystick I believe which is not designed to be used in such way. I think I will need to look for something more robust like mooimacow has described.

 

And my small advice- be very careful to not to twist the slew after installation it will be very easy to damage it this way.

 

Before going back, have you considered adding a small dead zone to each axis so slight bumps wouldn't be noticed?

Just a thought...

Sierra

If you read the thread, he had a problem of trying to make the analogue stick compatible with the digital interface, so the project seems to be on the back burner.

Been reading this thread from its start...well aware of the issues encountered...was hoping he'd been too busy to post progress...

Regards

Before going back, have you considered adding a small dead zone to each axis so slight bumps wouldn't be noticed?

 

Just a thought...

 

Sierra

Hmm, good idea. My glue gun came in, but my GP-WIZ40 boards are on their way! :) So I may end up making the physical switches for A10/Huey first. Also, I'm thinking if you just get used to it, it may be OK as well.

Before going back, have you considered adding a small dead zone to each axis so slight bumps wouldn't be noticed?

 

Just a thought...

 

Sierra

Yes I did play with the deadzone but still was getting random touches. The problem is the nipple is becoming too sensitive when connected to the printed dome. There is a reason why it is so hidden by default.

Biggest issue for me was that I could not rest my hand on the throttle comfortably. I wish slew worked like collie after modding so I could actually lay my fingers on it without fear of making unintended input. No amount of deadzone will fix it. If there was a way to make it more stiff..

I'll let you know what I find. I should be able to tackle it in a next day or two.

So any news on the slew control project?

Menessis

Mine died yesterday. Would love a better replacement. This guy could make some nice money creating a kit to upgrade. JMHO