My A-10C preparation

[rocketeer]

Looking great Rocketeer

 

I got the Defog knob from same as this part: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330377126474&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT

 

Quiz, how you manage to drill the center holes on the knobs. Are you using the molds to keep em centered ?

 

/Gus

 

I got the defog knob for $4.60.

 

I determine the center of the base, then use a drill press to drill it straight. Is there a better way to do this, I'd like to learn.

[Duckling]

Nopp. No suggestions, just questions. Got a load of knobs to drill but havn't found a way to have them fixated while doing it. The vise will leave marks on the knobs or risk to krack them.

If the moldform isn't avalible, do you have a suggestion of how manage it ?

/Gus

[Alex_rcpilot]

Shawn, have you got ahold of any switch that has more than 3 resting positions? 3 way switches are basically all that I can find here. 3 or 6 contacts available, which means they're all ON-OFF-ON models.

[rocketeer]

Nopp. No suggestions, just questions. Got a load of knobs to drill but havn't found a way to have them fixated while doing it. The vise will leave marks on the knobs or risk to krack them.

If the moldform isn't avalible, do you have a suggestion of how manage it ?

/Gus

 

 

Yes the drill press vise are made of metal and can easily scratch the knobs. I cut rubber sheets and use thick double sided tape (like sort of foam, bought at one dollar shop) and stuck them to the vise, see picture below.

 

 

Also, I sawed a small piece of wood and place it below the knob that I am drilling for support, in case the knob slips down during drilling.

 

Then I secure the drill press vise with several clamps.

[rocketeer]

Alex, which switch are you looking for? Are you talking about the four way switch in the Emergency Flight control panel?

[CAT_101st]

wher did you get the stuff for casting.

[rocketeer]

Tap Plastics. I use 'clear-lite' casting resin, mixed with MEKP liquid catalyst. 10 drops of catalyst for every one oz of resin. Mix well and then pour into mold. It stinks, so do it outside or open window and have fan blowing outwards for a while. Then the smell subsides.

 

It doesn't take one day to dry, but it'd still feel tacky. After several day it'd be ok. Best to dry in the sun. If it keeps feeling tacky it means you didn't put enough catalyst. Just spray some resin spray to seal it.

[Alex_rcpilot]

Alex, which switch are you looking for? Are you talking about the four way switch in the Emergency Flight control panel?

 

Well, I'm not being cockpit-specific. I was talking about toggle switches though. It seems like the most sophisticated switch which I can find off the shelf is 3-way ones.:music_whistling:

[rocketeer]

I'm a simple guy. I don't try to make sophisticated things for the sake of being sophisticated. If the A-10 cockpit doesn't have complicated switches, all the more better as it'd be easier for me!

 

I think online stores like Digikey have four way switches. Thinking of robbing the hat switch knob from my old broken TM F22 Pro for the Emergency Flight control panel.

[Alex_rcpilot]

No body wants them for no practical reason, dude. If I learn that it's not possible for the majority of cockpit builders to acquire sophisticated switches, then I won't embed the support for such components in my card in the first place. That will be a pretty reasonable balance between workload and versatility :)

[Duckling]

Yes the drill press vise are made of metal and can easily scratch the knobs. I cut rubber sheets and use thick double sided tape (like sort of foam, bought at one dollar shop) and stuck them to the vise, see picture below....

 

Thanks Shawn... :thumbup:

[Deadman]

Alex witch switch exactly are you calling complicated?As an example on toggle switches there is only one four 4 way switch in the cockpit all other are a form of three 3 way or an on off. the only other addition is possibly a locking system on the switch.

 

 

No body wants them for no practical reason, dude. If I learn that it's not possible for the majority of cockpit builders to acquire sophisticated switches, then I won't embed the support for such components in my card in the first place. That will be a pretty reasonable balance between workload and versatility :)

[Alex_rcpilot]

Alex witch switch exactly are you calling complicated?As an example on toggle switches there is only one four 4 way switch in the cockpit all other are a form of three 3 way or an on off. the only other addition is possibly a locking system on the switch.

 

Hi Deadman. The only example available is the Ka-50 engine start selection switch which trigger had gone through some trouble to make. We certainly didn't see a second example of this in Ka-50 or A-10C, but since I'm a real amateur with airplanes, I'm not sure whether they're going to appear in later aircraft models. I hope toggle switches will stick to 3-way maximum, which makes things a lot easier.

 

I'd also like to mention dial switches, as they appear quite similar with toggles to the IO cards. The only difference is probably the null position which only exists in 3-way toggles. I don't know how many ways at most a cockpit dial switch can have. I'm currently preparing a maximum of 16 resting positions for one dial.:music_whistling:

[Deadman]

Ok I had no Idea you were also talking about the four way switch in the KA-50. Do to the thread we are in I think we should be be specific about the A-10C and not other or generic Aircraft pits,to avoid confusion. Personally i am not even concerned about witch IO card to purchase or programing it until DCS A-10C is released.:thumbup:

[Triggerhappy69]

Hi Deadman. The only example available is the Ka-50 engine start selection switch which trigger had gone through some trouble to make. We certainly didn't see a second example of this in Ka-50 or A-10C, but since I'm a real amateur with airplanes, I'm not sure whether they're going to appear in later aircraft models. I hope toggle switches will stick to 3-way maximum, which makes things a lot easier.

 

I'd also like to mention dial switches, as they appear quite similar with toggles to the IO cards. The only difference is probably the null position which only exists in 3-way toggles. I don't know how many ways at most a cockpit dial switch can have. I'm currently preparing a maximum of 16 resting positions for one dial.:music_whistling:

 

You mean this one?

 

'cause this is one of the 4-way switches in the Ka-50. The one in this picture is for the APU. However there is one on the right switch panel and another two on the overhead panel if I am not wrong?

 

It might look complicated to make, but if anyone is in dire need of one I can whip them out on the good'ol CnC for you..:thumbup:

 

I have tested the one I have on the APU panel extensively now. And it works like a charm every time still!

Edited March 1, 2010 by Triggerhappy69

[Alex_rcpilot]

Ok I had no Idea you were also talking about the four way switch in the KA-50. Do to the thread we are in I think we should be be specific about the A-10C and not other or generic Aircraft pits,to avoid confusion. Personally i am not even concerned about witch IO card to purchase or programing it until DCS A-10C is released.:thumbup:

 

Oops, sorry guys. After all these days of messing with cards, I grew so concerned about how to implement something before thinking about where it's needed. :doh: Shawn has been really nice to share his A-10C information with us. So far, I'd say it's been straight forward for me to figure out how to make a card support the A-10C cockpit.:)

[Alex_rcpilot]

You mean this one?

 

'cause this is one of the 4-way switches in the Ka-50. The one in this picture is for the APU. However there is one on the right switch panel and another two on the overhead panel if I am not wrong?

 

It might look complicated to make, but if anyone is in dire need of one I can whip them out on the good'ol CnC for you..:thumbup:

 

I have tested the one I have on the APU panel extensively now. And it works like a charm every time still!

 

Yes, that's what I was talking about, and forgive me for wrong counts. That switch should be accounted for in my firmware. And I'd probably take it just this far. What's up next is waaaay ahead.:D

[sweinhart3]

4-way hat switch from digikey:

http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=679-2289-ND

[Alex_rcpilot]

I'll include that into my schematics, thanks sweinhart.

[Duckling]

Alex witch switch exactly are you calling complicated?As an example on toggle switches there is only one four 4 way switch in the cockpit all other are a form of three 3 way or an on off. the only other addition is possibly a locking system on the switch.

 

Only one diff from these found is the 4 pos "triangle" switch for air condition heat control (on)-(on)-off-on :) on the "Environment panel". Looks very simular mechanicly as Triggers pic above.

 

Guess I won't connect it to the IOCards boards though :-)

 

/Gus

[y2kiah]

(on)-(on)-off-on

 

Really? weird. What is the point of the manual HOT and COLD modes being momentary? To get cold air the pilot would have to hold the switch down in that position constantly? Doesn't seem logical.

 

I was going to implement that switch as a 3 way on-off-on where left would be manual cold, center would be auto, and right would be manual hot. I guess that won't work though?... doesn't leave room for an off position

[Duckling]

Middle (off) is a pending position (as in "non-auto") and the manual temp setting is made by holding the lever into the selected position, cold or hot. Cycle time from full hot to full cold is aprox 30 seconds. I managed to get hold of the switch from a starfighter panel.

 

Guess I'll need a hairdryer and a freezer connected to get the right feeling :-)

[Deadman]

Hi Gus yes that was the switch I was Talking about i will just just an extra on off toggle there and not connect it to the board:thumbup:

[Alex_rcpilot]

....the manual temp setting is made by holding the lever into the selected position....

 

Hi, does that mean part of the swich works like a toggle, and the rest works like push buttons?

 

A toggle holds itself at a certain position, and only requires the IO card to generate a "one shot" button press event on the computer when you flip it. The one shot button press lasts for a certain period of time which is usually predetermined in the IO card firmware, and can't be changed by real-time manual operation.

 

A push button will be reported as pressed on the PC as long as you hold it down, hence you can control how long you wanna hold it there.

Edited March 6, 2010 by Alex_rcpilot

[rocketeer]

Let me recap. Are you guys saying that the Up position is a latched position like a toggle as Alex suggested, the center OFF position is a transit position, kinda passing by position, then the HOT and COLD are like momentary push buttons?

 

If so, I can foresee using Trigger's method to build a four position triangle switch, but add two springs to the bottom positions one each to make those positions become momentary.

 

Gus, it'd be helpful to see a picture of that switch! Something interesting to build! I guess we'd need that guitar knob.