4-way and 3-way toggle switches

[Bucic]

Has anyone tried to make a custom one from scratch or some carriage to convert a regular 2-way On-(On) switch? There at least 2 of such switches needed for the F-5E vertical panel.

 

[Mr_Burns]

Are they 4 position toggle switches rather that 4 pole? 
 

could you use some kind of 3D printed switch which bridges the 4 different positions to make a signal?

maybe just a wheel on a lever that rolls over a micro switch to push it?

not sure how much throw is needed, obviously this route is pretty agricultural but you could make is smaller have 2 micro switches each side.

[No1sonuk]

@Mr_Burns I used a similar idea for a 5-position P51 fuel tank selector.

[Bucic]

@No1sonukCould you please post a photo of the solution?

Problematic switches:

1. Left panel - Bomb ARM

2. Right panel - Fuel balance

3. Right panel - Cabin temp

 

 

 

 

Edited September 16, 2024 by Bucic

[Bucic]

13 hours ago, Mr_Burns said:

Are they 4 position toggle switches rather that 4 pole? 

Yes, as you can swe above. 3- or 4- position lever switches, cross pattern.

[No1sonuk]

7 hours ago, Bucic said:

@No1sonukCould you please post a photo of the solution?

 

Problematic switches:

1. Left panel - Bomb ARM

2. Right panel - Fuel balance

3. Right panel - Cabin temp

My solution wouldn't work for those.

[Bucic]

I have an idea... For this kind of work a stock of externally threaded M12 pipe would be useful, to have a ready-made starting point.

Those huge thumb rocker for airbrake and the slider for the flaps are also something I'm going to have to devise on my own.

 

[Bucic]

(continued in the F-5E simpit thread)

 

Edited September 16, 2024 by Bucic

[Mr_Burns]

Sorry if this is obvious but you know that DCS can use the off state as an input so any on off on switch is 3 way?

those 4 ways though, you might have to search for OEM parts.

 

edit: sorry I see now from the picture and your explanation the cross, interesting it’s designed like that, before design to manufacture said change that design, we are not having our own mil-spec switches designed and manufactured!

Edited September 18, 2024 by Mr_Burns

[No1sonuk]

Looks to me like the cross is a joystick switch without the self-centring.

[Bucic]

9 hours ago, Mr_Burns said:

Sorry if this is obvious but you know that DCS can use the off state as an input so any on off on switch is 3 way?

those 4 ways though, you might have to search for OEM parts.

 

edit: sorry I see now from the picture and your explanation the cross, interesting it’s designed like that, before design to manufacture said change that design, we are not having our own mil-spec switches designed and manufactured!

 

If you don't mind me asking... Were you involved in designing the panel? Or do you work in aerospace engineering?

[Mr_Burns]

14 hours ago, Bucic said:

If you don't mind me asking... Were you involved in designing the panel? Or do you work in aerospace engineering?

I am far too young for that

edit: removed rest, probably too much!

Edited September 19, 2024 by Mr_Burns

[Bucic]

@Mr_Burns You'd have to be 90 years old to be part of the design process for that panel

Interesting story and you were very lucky. BTW, Cura slicer has an option to print loaded 3D model as a casting form, just like that.

[Scott-S6]

4way latching switch.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mLrOEg8

[Bucic]

Thanks Scott-S6, but that'd need to be some 3 times smaller Nevermind, making it myself.

 

Don't forget we've got a SOLENOID LATCHING 3-pos switch to make as well (fuel balance switch)

[Hempstead]

Couldn't you just buy one? https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/nkk-switches/MN43BB1W01/20839896

Granted, they are not cheap, and of limited stock. But for one or two pieces, it ain't worth the efforts to develop one, unless you are in for the "journey." Note that the one I linked is a miniature toggle. A lot of panels are designed with minimal space for miniature toggles, like the F-16 ICP. Regular sized toggles won't fit.

Even I wouldn't bother making toggles. I design/make optical switches for no debounce, and low latency reasons (needs firmware development to go with them), in additional to durability. Toggles? Why bother? Latency is almost irrelevant in such controls on panels. A 50ms delay of debounce time wouldn't hurt. On stick trigger though, that's literally a live or die question. 

[Bucic]

@HempsteadHAs I live in Poland, add some 50% to that price. Subtract 90% to availability. Stuff that is commonly available , from Canada to Sri Lanka, is oftentimes hard to obtain in Poland. Also I've got an entire box of unfit switches. Mostly too light or a combination of too light and uneven operation. For some I failed to check specs, for some they were sold... without a stated model.

As for the one you linked, the retailers don't even bother to put a photo

The linked spec sheet doesn't seem to mention 4-way anywhere.

https://eu.mouser.com/datasheet/2/295/MN_ToggleSections_DP-3389170.pdf

I don't crave the journey, I'm just aware there are multiple non-standard switches in F-5E.

 

 

Edited September 25, 2024 by Bucic

[Hempstead]

Ah, sorry, that was a 4P3T, not a 4T.

[Vakarian]

12 hours ago, Bucic said:

HAs I live in Poland, add some 50% to that price. Subtract 90% to availability. Stuff that is commonly available , from Canada to Sri Lanka, is oftentimes hard to obtain in Poland.

You sure about that? Most of the stuff I order for my electronic projects come directly from Poland. You do know about https://www.tme.eu? Between Mouser and TME, we have quite the nice selection in the EU

[Bucic]

9 hours ago, Vakarian said:

You sure about that? Most of the stuff I order for my electronic projects come directly from Poland. You do know about https://www.tme.eu? Between Mouser and TME, we have quite the nice selection in the EU

I extended my comment to various technical goods in general. As for the switching components, it's often the case everything can be ordered until you actually try to place an order OR the shipping and low-volume pricing sends the price to the orbit. To be precise, in case of switching components I mostly mean the high pricing.

TME, RS, Mouser, yes, I know those retailers.

Let's take the ALPS RKJXT1F42001 4P switch for the trim hat. For 4 of those I could have bought some all-metal flight stick base. The only reason I was able to buy them for around $12-15 a piece is that a Polish racing sim rig company was re-selling them.