DIY collective

[Crash]

For Friar and anyone else Very interesting and great ideas.

https://theairtacticalassaultgroup.com/forum/showthread.php?t=29447&highlight=colective

[wingflyr]

[wingflyr]

Hey Colin here is my collective simple and cheap

[Crash]

Where and how is the axis located?

[wingflyr]

Crash the location and function is very basic as of pictures. Old joystick part functions as a pivot for axis, also fitting the Pot. The other view is the collective mounted to the chair. Hope that helps.

[Crash]

Is the old joystick board in the CD player chassis? I still cant work out how it is mounted on the chair. I love this home brewed stuff. Is the throttle on the arm or have you mapped that to other hardware?

[wingflyr]

Sorry Dave I should clarify, Yes you would place the joystick Circuit Board into the housing, however I use an existing Arduino that I have in my cockpit. I have 5 Arduinos running for various button rotary and toggle systems.

Two axis -One for collective up down the other on the bottom

                -Second under the collective 

I didn't like the fact that the collective mounted on the chair was banging into the side of my cockpit. So mounted direct to cockpit.

Mounted by a couple of screws through the cd housing.  I love building these things

[Crash]

One excellent cockpit there Wingy

You might have tempted me into building one, then I will have to buy a heli module

I still cant work out how the pivot works. Surely not on the pot stem? Any twist grip on it?

[wingflyr]

Thanks Dave , I always had this thing of building things. Anytime you what info on your build don't hesitate to ask M8.

No twist grip, to complicated for something like twist throttle to be used rarely, usually on the start up only. However I did implement a throttle rotary lever underneath the collective head, activated by left ring finger when needed.

[Crash]

This is what I fancy building

[wingflyr]

Woo very nice.

[TwinPainter]

Yes,that is good.Looks like you know a bit about wiring,can i ask a question.I've got some logitech G940 rudder pedals,could the connection be converted to usb so i can plug them straight into my pc.Thanks.

[Crash]

Yes. You would need a board to connect the pots to. I have used one of these https://www.leobodnar.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=94&products_id=180&zenid=faa42252a81912d8d178b050e81c6675

Its expensive but easy to use. Buy a bag full of switches from ebay and build a button box. Lots of videos on youtube.

[TwinPainter]

Great,thanks for your reply.That is very helpful.

[wingflyr]

 

Here is an indepth video

converting old gameport to usb stick

 

[Crash]

After a lot of thought, well not that much, I have decided to go ahead with the project. Stuff might be inbound next week and questions will be asked. Like do I buy this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09C1S4TW8/?coliid=IDE4DQ6ANF77N&colid=3GJ0HH41UWZCS&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

or this https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B085RHTBJT/?coliid=I3365O26UF01P1&colid=3GJ0HH41UWZCS&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

and do I need this https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01G8F9M9A/?coliid=ILIQ5OVUVSOEV&colid=3GJ0HH41UWZCS&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

or this https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B014SGTP20/ref=sspa_dk_detail_4?psc=1&pf_rd_p=15c0cc83-c6c5-4d44-aa3d-0de17a9f3682&pf_rd_r=P9JFK2CCBRVTCHCYD5J4&pd_rd_wg=YuDiu&pd_rd_w=rM2M7&content-id=amzn1.sym.15c0cc83-c6c5-4d44-aa3d-0de17a9f3682&pd_rd_r=957852f2-0b4d-4a7a-acf4-73a1bf8f7e1e&s=industrial&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWw

other stuffz and questions later

[wingflyr]

Only my opinion

This is what I would use Dave. Easier to program and flash as a joystick.

Pro Micro ATmega32U4 5V 16MHz Micro USB Microcontroller Development Board with Arduino Leonardo bootloader (2PCS) : Amazon.ca: Electronics

Uno and Mega a little more tricky to program as a joystick.

I do like the Gikfun Screw Shield Expansion Board thou. Looks pretty useful.

 

 

[Crash]

I have started "cutting metal" as we used to say in the aircraft industry. More info and photos next week.

[Crash]

Question for Wingy, when setting up Arduino in sketch, do I have to tell it how many buttons I am going to use or does it just see what I use when I press them?

[wingflyr]

No it does not until you code them in

Yes you will have to tell how many buttons you wish to use,  up to 32 I believe.      0 to31  as 0 counts as 1.

Give me a bit and I will send you an example.

[wingflyr]

Now buttons are assigned as how

many are going to be used, 

how many in a row ,and

how many in a column      Hope that not to confusing.  

first part of the code example

#include <Keypad.h>
#include <Joystick.h>

//DEFINITIONS
#define ENABLE_PULLUPS
#define NUMROTARIES ? //replace "?" with number of rotary encoders you are using
#define NUMBUTTONS ? //replace "?"with number of buttong you are using
#define NUMROWS ? //replace "?" with number of rows you have
#define NUMCOLS ? //replace "?" with number of columns you have

//BUTTON MATRIX
//first change number of rows and columns to match your button matrix, 
//then replace all "?" with numbers (starting from 0)
byte buttons[NUMROWS][NUMCOLS] = {
  {?,?,?,?},
  {?,?,?,?},
  {?,?,?,?},
  {?,?,?,?}
  
 
 
};
 

 

 Here is a video that I followed to run a Arduino Micro Pro for 32 buttons with 4 rotary encoders

 

[wingflyr]

Sorry what type of Arduino are you using again. I will see what info I have on the type.

[Crash]

I am not doing the columns and rows stuff. Its a mega plus board https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09C1S4TW8/?coliid=IDE4DQ6ANF77N&colid=3GJ0HH41UWZCS&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Looks to me like it does 53 buttons

[wingflyr]

Ah yes the Mega

You may already have this info already

you will have to find a Mega sketch for the Arduino software here is some direction 

Sorry Im not that helpful with the MEGA Dave

https://www.javatpoint.com/arduino-mega

 

[Crash]

I am having a nightmare with the project. I cant find a  sketch that will work with my board and the damper set up is far too stiff. Looks like buying a leonardo is the only way forward with this.