F-18 grip, WARTHOG compatible

[Davee]

Signing in for interest.

I salute the initiative as I went through the 90 pages with awe.

 

I have been personnally involved with the Cougar and the Warthog development and testing, not within TM but just outside as adviser and avid tester. Been fighting some TM flaws since day one but that's another story.

I have been providing the community with spare parts for Cougar for ages since then. During all that time I have been wishing third party grips to be done and I hope to see you succeed in your venture Hegykc.

I'll definitely buy extra grips whenever they become available.

 

Looking forward to it

 

+1

But . . . if I could get just a new gimbal setup to replace the TM stock unit that would be great also.

[Markeebo]

Signing in for interest.

I salute the initiative as I went through the 90 pages with awe.

 

I have been personnally involved with the Cougar and the Warthog development and testing, not within TM but just outside as adviser and avid tester. Been fighting some TM flaws since day one but that's another story.

I have been providing the community with spare parts for Cougar for ages since then. During all that time I have been wishing third party grips to be done and I hope to see you succeed in your venture Hegykc.

I'll definitely buy extra grips whenever they become available.

 

Looking forward to it

 

 

Red Dog, you're the real deal! I've bought parts from you. Great to see you're still around.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[hreich]

Please let is know when its available...i am desperate to buy after my warthog tailpiece broke and i cant use my tm warthog anymore

 

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[KoN]

Any news on these 2016

[hydrawind]

greatr，where can i buy it？

[Fakum]

Buy what?

[wormeaten]

This theme started more than 2 and half years ago.

 

Is there any real progress made so far or it is just bunch of nice ideas which will never be realized at all?

[hansangb]

We're told it's pretty close. Although he seems to be focused on TrackIR alternative at the moment.

[Blaze]

This theme started more than 2 and half years ago.

 

Is there any real progress made so far or it is just bunch of nice ideas which will never be realized at all?

 

That's a nice attitude to have. Did you read the thread at all? There have been quite a few updates.

[SCPGrinder66]

hegykc, just wondering - with Leatherneck's F-14A/B supposedly coming out sometime in H2 2016, would there be any chance of the F-14 sticks/throttles being ready for release this year?

[98abaile]

hegykc, just wondering - with Leatherneck's F-14A/B supposedly coming out sometime in H2 2016, would there be any chance of the F-14 sticks/throttles being ready for release this year?

It would be dependant on whether he is ready to start selling sticks first, but he has said he has plans for an F-14 stick.

[hegykc]

In order to be able to develop all other grips in a reasonable time frame, I need to have the production process streamlined and efficient. Not make every grip by hand, which I can do right now, but I won't.

 

I need to Henry Ford the shit out of this.

 

I can start making them now, but it'll be maybe 50 F-18 grips a month and I'll be working 30 days to manufacture them. So no time for anything else for the next year at last (I personally think, ever). Just look at all the other manufacturers, first product (or a couple similar ones), then straight to sales and then nothing else for years to come.

 

And in order to have them at 60$, I need other products. Instruments, panels and the head tracking clip are waaaay more simpler to manufacture, and they are going to fuel the 60$ grips development. And once I have 60$ grips, the snowball will just keep getting bigger and bigger.

 

That's plan A.

 

Plan B, everything I just said falls to pieces and I start making them at the low level like everyone else. Give me a few more months and we'll know which way we're going.

[spacenavy90]

So you think making more products that people will likely buy ALSO with a joystick will make your productivity better?

It just adds to the complication and workload.

 

And then when is enough? When will you get to the point where you are like: "Yeah this seems like enough products to sell."

[hegykc]

I don't have time for manufacturing 1-on-1 :D

 

But here's were your thinking should be:

 

Every grip has a few engravings, lettering. Laser cutter is a 20.000$ machine. What's more productive, have that machine engrave grips one day, and sit idle for the rest of the month. Or have it work 24/7 making grips, panels, instruments, tracking clips etc.

 

And what about that cnc mill you need for the threaded connector. Another 20k and what is the machine gonna do after it makes 1.000 connectors in a day? And what about every other saw, drill, lathe, jig and tool? But now you're gonna say, just have it all made. Sure, but than I have a 500$ product like everyone else, earning money for 10 other companies, least of all for me. Not interested.

 

When do you stop? When you have enough to keep each machine running non stop. Which is right about now.

 

Edited January 5, 2016 by hegykc

[qmaster312]

I rather wait for a couple of months and have plan A ;)

[T_A]

Is this all a one man show?

[whiteside]

I'll take 3+.

Try the Oculus Rift with DCS. Mind blowing experience.

[TheSlickOne]

Personally I am very grateful to Thrustmaster for the Warthog. It's awesome.

Obviously you think you can do better and sell it for less money but until you do then it's all just talk.

 

Your open negativity towards Thrustmaster is not selling your product to me, in fact I have lost all interest in your Hornet stick because of your public persona presented on these forums.

 

Try being a nice positive enthusiastic salesman like Palmer Luckey and you may find you sell more of whatever you end up selling.

 

Here is some more open negativity toards TM for ya. I'm absolutely furious at TM !!! I just purchased the HOTAS and just as well have bought a $400 pile of turd! Take a good look inside and see how it's made! I did. I had to. I tried everything to fix it. But you can't fix badly molded parts and when your mechanical design relies on plastic FRICTION to create FEEL of the stick it's already a bad start! Yes, flying jets in DCS doesn't require the same amount of precision control for guns aiming as for example War Thunder or IL2 for WWII planes. Particularly, for BVR engagements the HOTAS is just fine. You can take off and land with it and push some buttons and that's all you need.

 

Ever since I saw the photo of VBK new cam gimbals I knew what the MOST important part of a good stick is. Forget number of buttons and such. A good stick has to have a good feel that is also customizable! The HOTAS sticktion is real, particularly in the latest batches. Mine is so bad I can relax my hands at full deflection and I can comfortably hold the stick for hours. Relax a bit more and the stick suddenly jumps back to center. Yeah, very realistic and perfect for precision aiming...

 

So to finish, the most valuable part of hegykc's design for me is the precision dampened gimbal mechanism. I can't wait to have that available. I want no solid center feel but I do want progressive resistance with increased deflection. That is what you feel in a real plane. Joystick manufactures have conditioned us too long for the stupid center detent feel. BS!! Fly a real plane and you'll know. The only center detent there is what the air pressure does to the control surfaces. And it's very soft and progressive.

 

Let's hope this project bares fruit. I'm in line with my money to get the full package and will burn my HOTAS in celebration! (rent over) :)

Edited January 13, 2016 by TheSlickOne

[TheSlickOne]

That's fine hegykc, you sound very skilled etc.

 

There is no need for you to be so critical of the TM Warthog in your posts. It's currently the best HOTAS out there and it was obviously produced by hard working people passionate about it.

 

If you can make a better one then please do so. I really wish you all the best.

This is an interesting project and thread, you do not need to be making statements about how crappy the TM Warthog is when nothing exists to match it.

Some people might enjoy your comments and jokes about transsexuals, but I for one find it all a bit petty, especially since you haven't sold one unit yet. I recommend you tone it down a bit and just make your product and keep posting the cool pics.

 

One more post about how CRAP the TM HOTAS stick is !! :D I challange any TM engineer to stand in front of us and explain why the stupid friction gimbal is a sound idea for a top of the line stick! And for $$$ !!! Are you kidding me ?!? And exactly because the rest is reasonably good it is such an outrage! I don't care if it's currently the "best" available. They will fall soon, many great cam/ball bearing designs are in the pipeline! They deserve what they get for selling such crap as so called "top quality" product at an outrageous price! I just bought the Mamba III and will buy hegykc's set also. I have no issues putting my money where true QUALITY is found! I also bought the VBK pedal and it's top notch. And yes, I also bought the MFG too, also fantastic.

 

Anybody calling the TM HOTAS "amazing" has no credibility with me...

[Fakum]

Interesting post! I have 2 Thrustmaster Cougar HOTAS's, 1 is OEM, the other is a MODDED one. Both of them have bad microstick and antenna pots. Im working on getting replacement parts, its been a struggle. I have also been considering buying a replacement, like the warthog, I considered the X55 but not to thrilled with alot of the plastic. Id be VERY happy just to fix what I have, but if I can not,, I will need an option,,, Ive seen alot of negative comments about the Warthog, then you have those that praise them. But I would have to agree with your findings,,,not a big fan of any plastic moving parts, including for friction,,,

[dburne]

The Warthog is miles beyond the quality of the Cougar, especially in gimbal design. The stock Cougar was horrid in that department. I modded my Cougar with IJ's excellent NXT gimbal mod and hall sensors, and made it a very nice setup - albeit at a high cost to get it to that point.

 

The Warthog is just as good today as the day I bought it, and I have had it for a few years now. And I recently added one of Sahaj's extensions to it, and am very pleased so far.

 

As far as how the Warhog is built, there is plenty of documentation out there along with videos one can easily educate themselves on what they are getting with it. I would encourage anyone looking to purchase one to at least research what they are getting. I personally do not see myself replacing my Warthog anytime in the near future.

Edited January 13, 2016 by dburne

[Fakum]

My 2nd Cougar is modded with IJ's Gimbals & Hall sensors as well, thats why I dont want to toss it to the side. Its the microstick and antenna pot that are problematic, and the only reason why I may have to consider an alternative.

[TheSlickOne]

The main problem with purchasing the Warthog is that it's not available in stores so you could put your hands on it and try it out. Plenty of other joysticks are on display where you can try and compare but for some reason the Warthog isn't. So it's a $400 black box in terms of feel unless you know someone who has it. And even then, because of the molded construction apparently there is enough variability that you're not guaranteed to get the "same" stick as the next guy. The ability to reproduce the exact same quality and feel from stick to stick is just non-existant if you look at how and from what it's built. Funny thing is, I have two of their t16000m sticks which are quite good for the money but even though I bought them about 6 months apart they don't feel and work the same either. I already had to replace the trigger micro switch in one of them coz they've saved 0.15 cents by using the cheaper switch...

 

But enough talk about the Hog, as it turns out I bought a $400 throttle and grip (which I have to drill to lighten coz it's just too heavy) and be waiting for the cam/bb base to arrive. Good riddance!

[Endy]

The fact that it's available in online stores can be an advantage though. Where I live, if you buy something in a brick and mortar store, you can't just return it if you don't like it, unless there is some fault in the piece you got. And even then they can just replace it for another if they wish and not give you your money back.

 

On the other hand, when you buy online you have two weeks to return the goods you bought and get your money back without even having to give any reason. You don't like the stick, simply return it and the only thing you lose is the shipping cost which is not that big within the country.

 

So buying online effectively gives you a two week trial period where you can play around with it and return it if you don'l like it. Trying it for only a moment in a brick and mortar store would not give you the same real opportunity to test it.

[spacenavy90]

:megalol: The fan boy returns to protect his joystick from the mean internet people. :megalol: