Simple-Controls: Collective

[Thick8]

Hello All,

In February I purchased a little 3D printer so I could build my own collective and a few other things I had in mind. The first collective I built was one that I found on Thingiverse. It has some inherent issues that I wasn't pleased with, so I taught myself Fusion360 and designed my own. What I ended up with is a very capable piece of hardware that makes flying the Huey much more immersive and precise.

 

Along the way someone mentioned that having swappable heads would be cool. And I though "why not". So I've spent the last several weeks designing and testing a swappable head coupling that seems to work quite well. I've also designed a head for the new OH-58 Kiowa. I should have a working prototype in the next week or so. Probably before the Kiowa comes out. Then on to the KA-50 head.

 

Here's a short vid of the head (and a couple of the one with a fixed head). I'm really pleased with the way it came out. I will start printing the first "for sale" unit after the Kiowa head finishes printing.

 

 

As I have a full time job and can't spend too much time on this venture my wife suggested that I make a kit. Then a forum member mentioned the same thing.

 

I will be making a few of these to make sure there are no issues and make an assembly video. I will continue to make them at a slower rate after that, and also make the kit available so that those of you that have the ability can make your own.

So here is the plan.

1. make a detailed video of the assembly of the new collective.

2. put together complete "kits" that will have everything you need to assemble your own collective (Price to be determined). I will also put together a printed part only kit for those of you that want to source your own hardware. If you lack the ability to build your own collective, then I am sure there are several people here who will be willing to do it for a fee. We are a community after all, right?

3. Continue designing and building additional heads. I'm open to suggestions.

4. Continue production at a slower pace.

 

Thanks for reading.

John

Edited July 12, 2020 by Thick8

[Lobinjaevel]

I really like your design, clever way to change heads and a nice small base footprint.

 

I'm definitely in for a base when it's ready to sell.

Good job!

[Cayman41]

This sounds extremely interesting and I can’t wait to see how it turns out... I’m now holding off buying a collective until seeing the results.

[Andrew u.k.]

I'm also very interested in this one. Kit or fully made.

 

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk

[Ratcatcher]

I really like the work you've done. Would be very interested.

 

Looking forward to the 'how to' video, as the kit option may be beyond my skill base. I would have prefered getting a made up one but understand they may have already gone.

 

Really enjoyed the 3 videos as well. It demonstrates exactly what I wanted to see.

[sirrah]

Wow awesome work :thumbup:

 

Depending on the price, I'll certainly be interested in purchasing

[zcaa0g]

Dude. Dude! Duuuuude! Great work! :-)

[borisff]

Nice, congrat.

I'm curious how you beat gravity and make the lever stay where it is

and at the same time keep it smooth movable? (except if you simply use

the 'force' like a Jedi, I tried, but I can't). This build use a friction

[Mapi]

Why do you call it Simple-Controls? :joystick:

 

WTG man!

[Thick8]

Thanks for the kind words everyone,

 

I think the price is going to be $300ish for the Huey and more for the Kiowa because it's more collective. That's fully assembled. Kits will be significantly less because I won't have to do all that tedious soldering and such. I'm not sure about the KA-50 because I haven't even started on that one yet.

 

@borisff OK you caught me, I'm a Jedi ;D

 

@Mapi It sounded like a cool name. So the whole series will be Simple-Controls: Collective, Simple-Controls: Pedals, Simple-Controls: Cyclic, Simple-Controls: button box.

Oh crap, I'm going to need another printer...

 

I'll be back in a couple of days with the completed Huey collective and maybe a completed Kiowa head.

Till then.

John

Edited July 14, 2020 by Thick8

[Rick50]

Oh wow, I'm liking this!!

 

As long as you can get some real precision for the main axis, and have it last, I'd be in too!

 

Have you considred magneto resistive sensors?

[Thick8]

Have you considred magneto resistive sensors?

 

I have, but the diameter of the body of all the ones I found was too great. If I could find one with a 16ish mm diameter I would swap it out.

If you know of any let me know.

John

[Rick50]

Hmm, maybe either rel4y or Sokol1_br could help you, I probably know less abt electronics than anyone! I just learned of that sensor type from them this yearl

 

See here:

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=220916

 

and here:

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=250644

[sirrah]

Very interested in your project Thick8

 

Please don't forget to share your progress here :) :thumbup:

[Chicki]

I'm in. Very interested. Thanks!

[Thick8]

Sorry about the time between updates. It's been crazy busy at work and I've been pretty beat by the time I get home in the evening; so I haven't been spending as much time building the collectives.

I have finished the first interchangeable head collective (There's a video of it on my phone that I'll upload) and am currently using it it. I didn't make a video of it's assembly but I've just finished the last part of the base assembly video on the one I printed last week. I will have to edit it and get it up on YouTube. I will start on the head assembly video tomorrow. That one will be for sale once it's finished next week some time.

The next one should be done printing early next week. Not sure if I'm going to build it or sell it as a self build kit. Once the assembly videos are posted I hope to have some feedback on that decision.

Thanks for you interest.

John

 

EDIT: I've posted the first 11 assembly videos on my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCroXLHnirCH9a5ZsEa-LT2w/videos

Edited August 8, 2020 by Thick8

[MA_Goblin]

Nice work :D very interesting.

[Ratcatcher]

Thanks for the update. Great looking product and a great series of vids! Even I could understand the construction process! :thumbup:

 

But please, could we have some transparency here??? Thats not really you're wifes hammer now is it!!! ;)

[Thick8]

Thanks for the update. Great looking product and a great series of vids! Even I could understand the construction process! :thumbup:

 

But please, could we have some transparency here??? Thats not really you're wifes hammer now is it!!! ;)

 

LOL! The funny part is that I’m a mechanic by trade and have 8 “manly” Snap-on hammers in my toolbox at work.

[SmooveFRC]

Sounds like a fair price to me.

[sirrah]

Thanks for the update Thick8 :thumbup:

 

Although It'll always be a niche market, I think a lot of community members will be highly interested in an affordable collective. In my opinion, there really is a gap in the market currently. Especially with the upcoming Kiowa, Hind and Apache (hey... we all know it's coming :D)

 

Your design where the "head" can be replaced is brilliant! I'm sure people will want to buy multiple heads from you, to match their modules.

Edited August 8, 2020 by sirrah
Grammer

[Donny]

Your design where the "head" can be replaced is brilliant! I'm sure people will want to buy multiple heads from you, to match their modules.

 

I’ll be one of those

[Rick50]

yea mee too, because I'm not yet sure what kinds of controls and hats I might want for the Kiowa or Longbow Apache... those are some complex workloads for two crewmen, yet most of us will be flying alone. It might not be enough to simply copy an Apache collective.

 

 

BTW, it seems from the Syria map video Wags posted yesterday, where he flies a Huey from Incirlik AFB, that he's hinting that an Apache Longbow, the AH-64D is what they intend to make! So yea, maybe a whole bunch of hats, and maybe a mini-joystick that's accurate, could come in handy for panning around the electrooptics sensors.

[Zoobley]

Amazing work

 

You’ve done a great job with how much progress you have made working on this part time. Looking forward when you are able to sell the kits, I know I’ll order one!

[Chicki]

Any news or progress on this project?