Warthog Centre Stick Mod No.2
 

So some of you might recall my first mod the which was a 109 Grip and a few days back I ordered some more items for my next project :D

http://s5.postimage.org/grdj1rx9z/003.jpg

http://s5.postimage.org/pvby27yuv/DSC00867.jpg

http://s5.postimage.org/orrtq9e7r/DSC00866.jpg

Hopefully after all the wiring and assembly it will look something like this...

http://s5.postimage.org/jf2zc4qbb/IMG_0032.jpg


http://s5.postimage.org/jdt1ipohj/spit6.jpg

Not sure how long it will take to complete but it should be fun, hopefully I don't electrocute myself too much ...

Now which one will I end up using the most... :!:

http://s5.postimage.org/hi697jznb/DSC00864.jpg

;)

Deffinatley the spade grip and then you can sell the KG13 to me... ;)

Where di you get it from Krupi and do they do a KG13?

I stumbled across it on ebay AU after looking for ages, as far as I am aware he makes spade grips and Beaufighter yokes :D

You can have the KG13 after you deposit £5000 into my bank account :P

Any links or contacts to this guy ?

Sure no problem I will send you his email address via a PM :)

If anyone else wants it just ask.

S!

You lucky son of a devil you, Krupi! :grin: Please keep us posted on the progress. Was it hard to incorporate the KG13 to Warthog?

To be honest its not a great conversion, I took one look at the wiring of the warthog and decided to go for a different way to get some power to the buttons LOL

My way requires a teensy board and a bit of programming, it takes up another usb slot and you have to have the warthogs original handle connected for it to maintain connection to the pc but its far easier and can be swapped around quickly.

I could have one commissioned for that price Krupi :-P

ARGHHHH... MY EYE, MY RIGHT EYE!!!... More on that later!

Okay so here is my very brief project plan...

1) Complete assembly and resizing of spade components.
2) Assemble and Programme buttons for testing.
3) Attach buttons to spade grip and test.
4) Add black spade grip to handle.

Like I said short and sweet.

So today I got started on cleaning up the spade grips button and casing...

BEFORE

http://s5.postimage.org/k8k6ihlpz/DSC00871.jpg

ARGHHHH... MY EYE, MY RIGHT EYE!!! that was when I managed to blow aluminium swarf into my eye OUCH, I started to wear my safety glasses after that.

AFTER

http://s5.postimage.org/hjksepquv/photo.jpg

http://s5.postimage.org/lihzxjfhz/photo_1.jpg

http://s5.postimage.org/8fmde9p9z/photo_2.jpg

So what do you think..

I was using these pictures for reference.

http://s5.postimage.org/jdt1ipohj/spit6.jpg

http://s5.postimage.org/xvuu4g56f/spit5.jpg

Next I will work on button :D

Things have suddenly speeded up around here, I ordered some buttons yesterday and they arrived today :D HURRAH!

I made a slight mistake when drilling the holes in the case for the button but I was able to correct it (Well sort of) but its all going to be covered up anyway :)

So here is the button case with the buttons installed...

http://s5.postimage.org/ohtyhrvav/photo_4.jpg

You can see the left button is a bit too far to the left, but luckily I was still able to get the nut and anti rotation washer on.

http://s5.postimage.org/ogk0octh3/photo_3.jpg

The two parrel lines are where the spitfire grip will be resting not the drilling location so while my drilling was not great it was not THAT bad ;)

I have done some work on the button, filling the grip etc and tomorrow I will be finishing the button and casing and moving on to the brake lever.

I would be doing some more work today but I just got a call, apparently we are starting drinking at four today :-x its such a hard life :P

Looking good Krupi.

I was looking for a yellow ball for my 109 throttle yesterday. Could not find one - dont kids play with power balls anymore?

Are you gonna do a quick change mount of some kind to change or just stick with one?

I heard its pretyy hard to reproduce the grip covering... To me the grip covering looks like something they used to join pipes with in the 60's 70's or even before. Its like hessian and tar? Maybe you could varnish or coat it so its not sticky.. Or just wear gloves :)

Yeah it will be quick change between the two sticks :D

I am trying to find out what the grip is made from, if someone here knows please tell.

Awesome thanks Farber :D

nice buddy

Okay another quick update, unfortunately due to a hangover I was not able to do as much as I had planned on... however given that I was not expecting to receive any of the items until next week I won't be too hard on myself :P

So the button and button housing are basically finished, the nut and bolt are only place holders I am going to use something else for the final fitting...

http://s5.postimage.org/68n6ngqbb/IMG_0362.jpg

http://s5.postimage.org/57mxyc9br/IMG_0363.jpg

Finally here are some images of the button at work...

http://s5.postimage.org/kx2ocag53/IMG_0382.jpg

Cannons

http://s5.postimage.org/hotlli4hj/IMG_0377.jpg

Machine Guns

http://s5.postimage.org/m9fs0fo6v/IMG_0369.jpg

The only button I have yet to work on is the fire of both cannon and maching guns, this will be achieved by a slot in the button which will allow me to press on the centre and activate both buttons at the same time... Well that's the plan anyway :o

Obviously its nothing like an actually spade button but it works :D

http://spitfiresite.com/wp-content/u...30-480x640.jpg

P.S. Any comments are welcome.

So much effort on something so ugly! :-P


Can you run it at the same time as the KG13? ie, fly in a 109 with the KG, then respawn in a Spit with the spade grip?

Basically yes, I just pull of the KG13 and pop on the Spade :D

Yes kind of ugly but that particular medal goes to the american aircraft sticks URGHH, in fact that sums up all american ww2 fighters... URGHHH ;)

I was thinking about this, cast spade male and female connectors in resin and use a lever clamp for quick change ;)

Work is slowly progressing on the spade grip, I got hold of the brass parts of the button and have been trying to get the shape of the grip filed into them but its proving a hard task, I will probably have to live with a few gaps :(

http://s5.postimage.org/ydlupxmbb/IMG_0395.jpg

http://s5.postimage.org/4n3bhwqpj/IMG_0396.jpg

http://s5.postimage.org/o145hli5z/IMG_0400.jpg

http://s5.postimage.org/q6ygc3lmf/IMG_0401.jpg

http://s5.postimage.org/5o3k717p3/IMG_0402.jpg

http://s5.postimage.org/3jo932cdz/IMG_0403.jpg

FYI its held together with bluetak atm ;)

So a bit more filing is required and hopefully the circuit board will arrive tomorrow so I can test the buttons a few finishing touches and by next week it should all be done.

Still waiting for the teensy board to arrive so I went ahead and tapped a M6 thread into the spade grip for the brake lever.

This is one area that I was a bit worried about since if the thread was ruined I would only have one or two more goes and then I would have had to buy another grip, luckily my old man was on stand by and had brought backup in the form of some bike oil :lol: and the thread tapping went perfectly a small but good accomplishment given that we only had a small vice and a hand drill :D...

http://s5.postimage.org/nuhq6eb7b/IMG_0412.jpg

http://s5.postimage.org/6v8rr4zzr/IMG_0413.jpg

http://s5.postimage.org/q1lyubghj/IMG_0414.jpg

So far so good, again a bit more filing required, a few holes and countersinks to be drilled and then I will only have the dreaded wiring and programming to do :cry:

Brake lever is now done :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90annRahkjQ&feature=plcp

So this week the Teensy Board arrived and after a small problem I managed to get the buttons working :D.

So my finial list of "Things to do" are as follows..

1) File down brass bars and check installation of buttons.

2) Solder buttons and the Teensy Board.

3) Epoxy coat the handle to replicate the grip.

4) Paint.

5) Assemble :D...

6) Kick ass in a spit... err.. okay, as soon as the FM's are improved :neutral:

Small update, I now have all the button wired and have just tried it out in a 109, no cannon spits yet :x....

So far so good, landing is now a lot easier in a spit with the brake lever... The brake lever also doubles up as my press to talk button which means its going to be quite hard to cover up my terrible landings... :D

Don't you mean language? :)

Looking good mate. I'm highly envious of your skills. I was wondering about the dual action gun button, but it makes sense to have it for the future. Who knows, maybe we'll get a MkVB in 'the sequel'?!

Thanks Dutch..

Very quick bad pic before i go and finish off the spades grip errr,.... grip :D

http://s5.postimage.org/5ftvgkbp3/IMG_0425.jpg

I have a few more bits and pieces to go, I loath working with Brass and thats the final piece of the jigsaw.

I spend about three hours yesterday kneading putty epoxy and wrapping it around the string and then another three after it had dried scoring the putty to give the grip effect...

My attempt

http://s5.postimage.org/ewoa0xkxj/IMG_0427.jpg

What do you think?

Looks spot on. You're an artist Krupi.;)

Forgive me for asking this, but doesn't the gun button look a bit big, or is that the perspective of the photo?

Its just the perspective mainly, but I think your right it is a little bit too wide.

Not bad at all Krupi, I'd be pleased with that if I were you. ;)

Get that bloody bolt end sawn off!

Whats bad about working with brass? - just cos its hard wearing and not so soft?

Kind of the opposite brass is soft but hard, so you need quite a sharp file to work it and my old mans are not what you would call in great shape :lol: I brought some new files but they are needle files so its taking ages :|

Lol, soft but hard?

Bad workmen blame their tools because they have bad tools... :-P

Good work krupi keep just on If you manage to do what you want i want to be the firsy who will command you a BF 109 :-P

:D If only, you will have to ask this legend very kindly to make another (he wont :( )...

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.ph...3493904/1.html

Angle grinder...;)

How about this guy :D

http://www.schreinerschmid-web.homep...0000805865,8,1

You could ask him if he sells the KG13 separately!

right, I have a pair of resin casts of original sticks (KG-13 and Macchi ones), I don't know whether I could (or would want to) turn these into joysticks, but I was told there are some companies in the US that can do a CNC jobbie out of your CAD drawing even for single units.. would that interest anybody?

it's nothing personal, but if there's one saying I can't stand it's that one, it's typical of someone that has never done any manual labour and doesn't understand the importance of having the right tools for the job ;)


Anyway Krupi, where did you get the KG-13 mate?

Yes, Im interested. Isn't USA a little far P&P is pretty steep. Any local companies, maybe this needs a new thread.

Im an electrician... ;)

The phrase is actually "Bad tradesmen blame there tools", as you can see I have expanded it to mean that not having the right tools for the right job makes it harder therefore the result is not so good. Maybe you misunderstood as you seem to agree in your reply.


Krupi's stick was from Tarmac aces just before they went pop, hence he didnt get a base with it.

well if there's anybody in the UK/Europe that does it as well I'm happy with it! I'm looking for some CAD drawings of the thing, I might have found someone able to help, and once we have this we could have an accurate estimate of how much it would cost to make.


lol just kidding mate, good to know we have a sparky, it might turn out to be useful for the wiring! ;-)

Wiring is easy, leo badvar board, plug and play. PM you email address.