Cheap Collective

[26-J39]

HI All,

 

I recently had the idea to make myself a collective stick and thought i'd share my idea. My idea is quite simple- rewire the thottle potentiometer in my Logitech Extreme 3D Pro into a collective stick which I would manufacture. I set about to manufacture a simple collective assembly (for now) and to test the idea. As you can see in the pic's it's nothing fancy just a main frame RHS (25x50mm)with 2 plates rivited to support the collective stick( 25mm Tube). A cotter pin is driven through the support plates and the collective stick, making sure the cotter pin binds on the collective stick and not the supporting plates allowing the cotter pin to rotate with the collective. Now it's a matter of making the collective rotate a potentiometer, I did this using some spare parts from R/C servo horns, which worked out quite well. Atm moment I need a 100K pot to properly replicate what is existing in the Logitech but for testing purposes I used a 50K pot.. Results were great, even with a 50K pot I was getting 85-90% of the thottle/collective range. I will have to further test as i'm out of 100K pots atm... Darn it! Further down the track you could possibly relocate all the buttons at the base of the joystick to the collective. This can be done with any joystick with a throttle/collective slider. Basic electronics knowledge would be recommended. Hope i've given some ideas for a cheap collective assembly. :D

[CAT_101st]

whats the around cost for the whole thing?

[26-J39]

The cost for me is minimal as its materials i have lying around at home...

I would estimate the cost to be no more than $10 US dollars... The aluminum pieces are off cuts from a ali supplier, they usually throw them out.. The potentiometer is $1 or so...

[HitchHikingFlatlander]

Thats pretty neat how are you planning to add tension so the collective stays where you leave it?

[26-J39]

You will see a bolt running through the two plates, adjusting the nut will vary the tension of the collective lever. ;)

[Prophet4no1]

Now you just need to wire up a bunch of buttons and switches!

[talisman]

well done - a very simple and effective idea.