John,

Whilst I agree with many of the points that you have raised I still feel that Hardware is the most appropriate forum as the net result is a large piece of hardware.  Yes it does require software to run it but this can be likened to drivers, if I was a new member looking for info on a homebrew cockpit I'd probably look first in the homebrew section (*hint hint) and then in the hardware section if it wasn't there.

Anyway here are some pictures of my rudder pedals.  They are not my design but rather a copy (and I feel enhancement) of a set I found, I'll do a search and reference it later.

1)  This one shows the basic construction and string I was talking about.  The base joystick (Logitech Wingman) has been stripped and screwed firmly to the base board.  String runns from near the tips of the pedals through the brackets to the joystick.  The lengths of drinking straw act as "lubrication"



2) This is to show the gate hinges that I used as the actual pedals.  The lengths of wood are essential as strengtheners, just the weight of your feet resting on the pedals will bend the hinges in no time.


3) This shows that the joystick is deflected when one pedal is depressed. (ie the darn thing works!)



Refinements required are the finishing work (ie painting and sanding of rough edges.  The joystick needs enclosing in a box and the wires need protection.  The string also needs replacing with bicycle brake or gear wire for more positive control.

As you see them the pedals cost me about £5, and that was the cost of the hinges which was the only item that I didn't have in the shed.

Yeah I know.  I can't remember the names

Will

Will,

Thanks for the pictures.

That pedal arrangement is ingenious!  NEVER would have thought of doing it that way.  Pretty darn simple and straightforward.  And it wouldn't be that hard to adapt the basic idea to a "parallelegram" mount that would allow the perdals to slide forward and backward.

Hum...... ya' got me thinking here.   


Yesterday I had an "aha" moment about constructing and connecting pedals.

Instead of needing a whole extra usb input card into the computer and such for a separate joystick for the pedals....... if you ALREADY have a twist action joystick..... the rudder axis is already there.  So you just disconnect the potentiometer that runs that rudder axis in the joystick itself...... find the value of it...... and run a wire to a remote one mounted in your homebrew rudder pedals and hooking back to the point where the original pot was attached.  Pretty simple.

I also thought about trying to deactivate the spring centering in the little mini joysticks on the Axispad FX game controllers.  That would give you a couple of useful mini joysticks for something on an aircraft panel.  Like maybe mixture control.  In fact they sort of look like the mixture, prop, and throttle controls on the Cessna 172...... just smaller  .

I checked in the sim "Assignments: section this evening to see what functions are available to assign to "axis" (infinite variable potentiometer) control.  Besides the obvious ones........ you can also use pots to control the spoilers, propeller pitch (for each of up to 4 engines), mixture (for each of 4), right and left brakes (toe brakes!), flaps, and trim.

So if you can get two of the Axispad controllers onto the usb buss connection...... you can potentially control 8 separate axis functions....... in addition to the normal joystick ones.  So that would allow you to cover 8 of the 11 potential ones.  Three Axispads (total cost under $60.... plus the home-made stuff to run it) would let you control all of them for up to four engines.  Not to mention adding 36 momentary push buttons that you can assign to anything you want.  Not bad.

This is all interesting stuff.  And all this not getting anywhere NEAR stuff like EPIC cards.   


Best,

...................john

PS:  Changed the layout of my throttle quadrant this evening to include both spoiler and flap control levers.