Best solution for an angled TM grip

[Hellbat]

I currently have the Cougar HOTAS and am looking to get a better base and mount this to a chair for improved ergonomics.  I am planning to get the Monstertech chair mounts and I want the ability to be able to rotate the grip forwards.

 

At first, I wanted the VKB Gunfighter III base, but I don't think this would give me the option to rotate the grip itself.  This would mean that I would have to rotate the base if I wanted a more ergonomic position.  This might be more advantageous as I could adjust the angle continuously, but I'm not sure whether non-horizontal mounting is detrimental to the internal operation or not.

 

The VPC WarBRD natively supports the TM connector and there are 3d-printed tailpieces available, so this would allow the rotated grip with a horizontally-mounted base.  However, would the shift in center of gravity (the effect would also be similar in the tilted GFIII base example above) produce a noticeable offset in the resting position of the stick, and if so, can this be effectively eliminated in software?

To summarize, a few questions you might be able to help me with:

1) Would rotating the base by 13 degrees have any noticeable undesirable side effects?

2) Would the shift in the center of gravity (due to the angled grip) noticeably affect the operation of a horizontally-mounted base?

3) Is there any real difference between (1) and (2) (i.e. would one option be preferable)?

4) With regard to the two bases above, has anyone had any negative experiences with such a setup?  (e.g. with nonlinear cams, it feels asymmetric in up/down pitch due to the offset center point, or if one base has a more notchy feel in the middle this might not be ideal since it is not longer in the center etc)

 

Unfortunately, it's not really possible to test before buying and the above-mentioned components are somewhat expensive, so I'd like to make the most informed decision based on the information I can find.

Edited February 8, 2021 by Hellbat

[clayvt]

i bought both the 13 degree offset and offset+forward cant adapters from shapeways for my warthog stick.  i settled on the offset+cant adapter and have been quite happy with it.  the base is orientated straight ahead and horizontal and it did not have any noticeable impact on how the stick operates.  the only small gripe is it will sometime stick just a hair in the forward position(due to the center of gravity), but when flying, it is a non-issue. course the warthog uses a spring base as opposed to cam like the ones you're looking at.  

[Bailey]

I just made these today. Hopefully it can help in your decision. 
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4758393

I am using a TM TARGET Profile to cancel out the twist.

Edited February 11, 2021 by Bailey

[crash test pilot]

My experience with a Virpil WarBRD base and a TM Warthog stick: Virpil sticks have a loose cable and connector as opposed to the Warthog and Virpil advises to unscrew the connector plate in the base to be able to use the Warthog. This means also that you can freely rotate your stick to the left or right without rotating the base (crossing the center bump cams off-center would be awkward). I also use a 20 cm virpil extension which sets the heavy Warthog stick about 3 cm behind the center of gravity of the base and have not found this to be problematic in any way - so you could tilt the base forward if if you want a forward angled stick. It centers good even with the standard springs, but especially with the long extension the heavy grip tends to oscillate so i use the extra strong springs. If you plan on using the TM Cougar grip and want a better base i can recommend the Virpil offerings.

[Hellbat]

Thanks for all the input.  I was playing with my Cougar base and just experimenting with positions for chair mounts and I rotated the base forwards about 15 degrees and pushing forwards on the stick felt much lighter than pulling back (e.g. probably only required half the force to push vs pulling).

 

Am 11.2.2021 um 13:15 schrieb crash test pilot:

My experience with a Virpil WarBRD base and a TM Warthog stick: Virpil sticks have a loose cable and connector as opposed to the Warthog and Virpil advises to unscrew the connector plate in the base to be able to use the Warthog. This means also that you can freely rotate your stick to the left or right without rotating the base (crossing the center bump cams off-center would be awkward). I also use a 20 cm virpil extension which sets the heavy Warthog stick about 3 cm behind the center of gravity of the base and have not found this to be problematic in any way - so you could tilt the base forward if if you want a forward angled stick. It centers good even with the standard springs, but especially with the long extension the heavy grip tends to oscillate so i use the extra strong springs. If you plan on using the TM Cougar grip and want a better base i can recommend the Virpil offerings.

 

Did you notice any difference in the way it felt when pushing/pulling the stick?  I would imagine a cam-based solution would be much more robust to this effect than just springs.

[crash test pilot]

I did a few tests: With the heavy Warthog stick, extra heavy springs and the 20cm extension a forward tilt of about 10 - 15 degree is manageable, more forward tilt leads to a forward sagging of the stick. That is also the point where i noticed a difference in forces between pull and push. If you plan on a sidestick configuration without extension I guess you can tilt the virpil base 15 degrees forward without noticing a change in forces. The WarBRD base comes with 2 sets of springs - normal and strong. The extra strong springs have to be ordered additionally but are only needed for really long extensions.