source for four+ position toggle switches?

[TripRodriguez]

Hey guys. The first two cockpits I think I want to complete (blank panels for VR with just the switches and knobs, so relatively easy compared to the projects I started in the past) are the Ka-50 and the P-51.

 

Both of them have some of those strange toggle switches that have more than three positions and kinda go around in a circle. I assume most of you will know what I mean.

 

So, does anyone have a source for these things? Preferably as reasonable a price as possible, I fear I may have to improvise when I find out what they'll cost me. I've got to check and see how many I need and how many positions. I should already have all, or at least most, of the standard toggles, rotaries, and pots I will need.

 

Thanks for any help.

[Extranajero]

I have no idea what they might be - got an example ?

[TripRodriguez]

I'll get more details later, but just to describe: It looks like a normal old fashioned toggle switch, but instead of just up and down, or up/middle/down if I'm not mistaken they are usually "off" in the middle (like a normal three position toggle) but instead of going just up or down from there they go to say... something like 2-o-clock, 6-o-clock, 10-o-clock. In effect it's basically a rotary selector that looks like a toggle switch and has an off position in the middle.

[TripRodriguez]

Ok, so in the Ka-50 there are two of the type switches I'm talking about on the upper panel. Lights (nav?) and wipers. There's another on the right side, that one I think is formation lights. The upper two are four position. I think the formation lights may be five but I didn't make a note.

 

Also in the P-51 one of these is used for the weapon selector switch.

[Sokol1_br]

If you mean a switch similar to this in P-40 (~16:10), I guess you don't find this in electronics stores.

 

Or use a rotary switch in place or DIY one.

 

For one like in P-40, up-center-right-left by combining a momentary (ON)-OFF toggle switch 2 and (ON)-OFF-(ON) switch and a 3D printed support can mimic this operation.

 

https://i.postimg.cc/bv9s0HKh/MON-ON-sw-itch.jpg

 

Or adapt one this: https://www.adafruit.com/product/3758

 

But P-51 weapons switch looks more a (inverted) "Y" switch.

 

https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/upload/iblock/ba7/dcs_2014-09-20_17-24-21-62_1.jpg

 

Back in Ka-50 "hedays" a guy DIY solution:

 

https://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=460145&postcount=210

https://forums.eagle.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=14070&d=1199471687

https://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=473205&postcount=224

Edited July 4, 2019 by Sokol1_br

[TripRodriguez]

Thank you for the links Sokol1_br I will have to give this a close look and some thought to see how bad I want it.

 

Crazy that it's not something available considering it appears in both a US and a Russian aircraft. I thought probably I just needed to know what it was called and I could find it (although probably too expensive).

[RustBelt]

It's a Cutler and Hammer 8905K671. Unfortunately they were bought by Eaton who doesn't want to sell to normal people and won't even make catalogs available to us. but you find the Mill part number (i think it's still used in the A-10 on the environmental control panel) and you could figure out how to order one, but eaton won't help.

 

Unless eaton ever decides to make a catalog available you'll need to look for an old surplus/scavenged unit.

 

They look like this:

 

 

[Extranajero]

Could you live with it being momentary like a joystick button ? i.e. when released the button press is no longer sent and it reverts to centre ?

I think I could make a design suitable for 3D printing.

I *might* be able to make it latch as well, I'll have a think.

[JG14_Smil]

In my Ka-50 I just used a momentary switch to toggle through the positions... nobody cared. :)

[RustBelt]

Could you live with it being momentary like a joystick button ? i.e. when released the button press is no longer sent and it reverts to centre ?

I think I could make a design suitable for 3D printing.

I *might* be able to make it latch as well, I'll have a think.

 

Could do it with a Ball and spring detent in the bottom of the switch baton. Like how they work in a fanatec or Thrustmaster 6 speed shifter. So the base of the switch unit would have a Y looking set of indents in it with slightly deeper round indents at the positions.

[Extranajero]

Could do it with a Ball and spring detent in the bottom of the switch baton. Like how they work in a fanatec or Thrustmaster 6 speed shifter. So the base of the switch unit would have a Y looking set of indents in it with slightly deeper round indents at the positions.

 

I did think about that. I'm very new to 3D printing though - my background is all manual machining - metal mostly - and I wondered how it would hold up over time, with the mechanical properties of the PLA

Currently I'm playing with magnets and reed switches to make this not an issue, maybe I worry too much...

[RustBelt]

The stuff is pretty sturdy especially nylon or abs. You just find the right spring and the right “lip” of the detents.