TM Warthog Joystick base

[JCook]

The squar-ish base that the Warthog Joystick is attached to works great for a desktop but isn't very useful when trying to have the stick center mounted in a simulator pit.

 

Remove the four screws at the bottom and you've got a round base and some exposed circuitry - it’s too bad Thrustmaster didn't protect that area better since they made it so easy to remove from the square plate (they surely knew we'd be doing that).

 

Anyway - I'd like to build a rigid center stick extension and bolt it to the floor of the pit. At the top will be a circular platform for the joystick to screw into (basically replacing the square base). The stick extension won't be moving only the joystick itself will move.

 

Observed Dimensions:

110mm Warthog circular base (outer diameter)

 

85mm screw pattern diameter (4 screws on bottom of plate)

 

4mm screws with 6-7 threads on the screw and a screw length of 7.97mm (including the head) - I think that is a metric #4 screw.

 

~9mm diameter of countersunk holes in the square base

 

.132" is the thickness of the Warthog square desktop base. I believe that is 10 gauge sheet metal (note this measurement is in inches)

 

Has anyone else done this type of thing that could share their measurements, diagrams or how they implemented this type of design?

[Supersheep]

I yesterday finished mine.

This is the original design by Tailspin45.

 

I need to re-read the post there to see if I made any changes to it and I'll post them here.

 

 

Edit:

Mine looks a bit different, so I did modify it a bit.

I'll post some pics when I have time.

Edited January 15, 2012 by Supersheep

[Supersheep]

Here are some images I took and placed on Picasa.

 

The assembly has absolutely no play when it is properly smushed.

The joystick is screwed to one blind cap, the other material is a 50 cm sewage pipe with a "connector element" and another blind plug. The diameter of all the parts is 110 millimeters. The pipe doe snot fit to the base, but the cap perfectly takes care of this.

 

I took an image of my template I used to get the four holes into the cap. It was traced from the Warthog base, the middle of it marked by the lines that connect the holes and with the help of a hole I punched there I aligned it in the center of the plug (as indicated in the image).

 

You want to repeat this for the other end cap to srew it to your floor board, as Tailspin45 did.

I left it out because I cannot do this here, but now I need to ballast it to be able to use it.

 

 

 

Edit:

Oh and yeah, I still have to cut that long pipe down, I will shorten it by about 30 cm.

 

 

 

Have fun!

Super-

Edited January 15, 2012 by Supersheep

[Supersheep]

A little update:

 

At first, I need to backtrack a bit on my statement that there is no play.

In fact, the pipe assembly wiggles around center a bit, but I will try to take care of it.

 

Second, I cut down 25 cm or so of the pipe and put the whole thing on the original Warthog base. Also; I added screws to the connection of the lower end cap and the pipe.

 

Third, I now have about 10-11 kg of lead in the lower 2/3ds of the pipe.

The good thing: It does not move or tip over anymore.

The bad thing: It does not move when I want it, because it is on carpet. Shoulda known that :(

This needs a solution, maybe I put a flat/narrow rag under it to be able to lift it.

 

So, I am making progress.

Tonight will see how I can fly with it as it is now.

When I feel it is ok or I have some time, I'll do some more images.

 

 

Super-

[BigBANGtheory]

I have a similair setup for my TM Warthog, a few tips I learnt on the way:

 

1. You need an extension on the handle which allows you to offset the handle by atleast 10 degrees, otherwise your wrist is going to hurt.

 

2. If you do not have a cut out in your seat then you really need some way of bringing the handle closer to your body.

 

3. The plastic end-cap for the waste pipe flexes, I found it better to use a hard material inserted into the pipe as this was more rigid.

 

4. The base of the pipe wobbles a little, it has to be secured somehow you can't leave it free.

 

5. Your floor may not be perfectly flat which may also introduce some stability issues, so I think it needs to be mounted on a base with rubber feet.

[JCook]

Thanks for the info guys. It doesn't sound like your solutions are the route I am planning on. I am only interested in replacing the square base with a circular bottom plate to cover up the exposed circuit borard - thats it.

[mladen]

This is how I've done it...

 

 

I combined a few pictures for illustration ("a picture speaks a thousand words")

Insert A: this is the bracket I use now. It is not good looking but it is functional. It is adjustable in height and length and I can rotate the stick around its axes. I twisted the stick for 15° to the left. Even though I can fly “normally” I should make a script in T.A.R.G.E.T. for this 15° adjustment.

Insert B: another option which I have ready and have to experiment with it.

Insert C: you can see how it’s fixed.

Insert D: also this is an option which I like but do not know yet if it will work in practice.

[JCook]

Good Design

 

mladen

 

That looks pretty close to what I want to do, but I will probably have the extension mount to the floor instead of the chair. The thickness of your circular base looks thicker than the original square base - but it should work with the right length screws. Can you send any drawings or diagrams on the circular base and what size / length screws you used for attaching to the stick?

 

Thanks

[deaconjb]

mladen

 

That looks pretty close to what I want to do, but I will probably have the extension mount to the floor instead of the chair. The thickness of your circular base looks thicker than the original square base - but it should work with the right length screws. Can you send any drawings or diagrams on the circular base and what size / length screws you used for attaching to the stick?

 

Thanks

 

+1 I'd like to know as well

 

Thx

[avlolga]

mladen

 

Very nice !!!

[mladen]

I do have drawings, but they are at my office. Tomorrow I will post them.

My construction is indeed mounted on the chair. It is not ideal ut it does the job.

[deaconjb]

I plan to mount mine to the chair as well. Looking forward to your reply

[mladen]

Here are two sketches of the joystick plate. I used materials which I had available; in this case it was st.st. bar stock material dia. 110 mm.

From the picture you can see that this assembly is 360° rotatable. I've done that to rotate joystick 15° counter-clockwise. It can be adjusted in hight and length as required. This adjustment feature does bring some instability once all bolts are tightened.

My preference goes to the floor-based construction which brings more stability.

 

(all dimensions are in millimetres)

 

 

 

[deaconjb]

Very Nice. Thanks for the pics and explanation. It will be a big help in my assembly

[metalnwood]

I did this, fairly simple and it attaches to the base of my pit, it only takes 10 seconds to get it in and out and it is secured well, no wiggle at all, you could pick up the whole pit with it.

 

Obviously it is not flexible like mladens design but it was very simple to make, you just have to know where you want it ahead of time. I made it so that it overhangs my seat to get it closer.

 

[LeLv30_Superbus]

Just to give people more ideas, hopefully, here is my solution too. Thanks to the supporting steel plates Buttkicker shakes the stick quite a bit, not just the chair. It's perfect for me.

 

I will install a seat arming switch, a warning light and an EJECT switch later.