Hemp’s Flight Sim Stuff

This is the new 10 degree F-16 front panel fixing adapter (the black one up front) with quick connect. The bottom is supported by the same rod adapter (blue, with an additional lip) sitting on two solid OD=1" aluminum rod (with a notch to accept the lip). The weight of the front panel is supported by the two solid aluminum rods (slids in and out for supporting different "boards", like driving wheel board, and large keyboard/mouse tray etc. Now, this new quick connect adapter allows me to quickly connect/disconnect the F-16 front panel, and align to the 10 degree correctly and accurately, with the help of two "spacer" rings on the bottom. The top quick connect will force roughy 10 degree when tightened. And the bottom spacer ring will butt against it to make accurate 10 degree. Then, the two aluminum rods are locked in place by two more quick connects to fix the position of the bottom edge. The space between the two quick connect adapters is just perfect for ano...

It's very simple. It's built out of 80/20 aluminum extrusions, specifically 1515 and 1010, i.e. 1.5x1.5", and 1x1". The main idea is simple. It's a rectangular 1515 frame, center to center exactly the center to center width of a narrow sliding racing seat I bought from Amazon. The center to center is about 14.5". Some of the regular wider racing chairs on Amazon would be too wide and would eat into F-16's side panel and control stick space. There are two 4x4" wood post bought from HomeDepot for widening the "stance" and mounting 4x office chair casters. Otherwise this thing would easily flip over when you lean to one side or the other during dog fights (I can't help it!). That was the main load bearing structure. Then, I put two 2020 gates up front for mounting the center console and other stuff.... other stuff means retractable and/or replaceable trays for keyboard, mouse, etc. They must be lockable for they don't move, preferably ...

Refinements of the Mini-Hal Joystick. The basic mechanical design prototype was completed. But it's not done yet. Just received the PCBs and have to now consider the details of the wiring, assembly etc. I do have some idea about how to wire them, with electro-magnet wires, or 30+ gauge wires (that's why the 4-point star shape of the inner components. Now I also have to consider how to easily assemble and make this stuff... for you.... and me. There are already a lot of design details considered for you, and me, to make them at home, preferably with just a 3D printer and some hand tools, avoiding using CNC mills at all costs.... For instance, one of the problems that I have to solve is how to make the latex "spring", easily. Take a look at the first picture. That's the set of jigs to make the latex membrane "spring." The basic problem is that I have to 3D print 2x concentric rings (one OD=1/4", ID=2mm", and one OD=19.31mm, ID=10.34mm) and tie a ...

The mechanical prototype of the Mini-Hall Joystick is completed. It's now mostly 3D printed. I have not beautified it with all kinds of methods to make it look less 3D printed yet. I am still waiting for a new version of PCB, the analog version with MLX90333, plus the optical sensor. I totally forgot to design and order this one but only ordered the planned more advanced version with MLX90363 (fully digital SPI version). Note that in the video, the click click sound is not the activation of the button press. It's the central detent. I did not expect it to be this loud and distinct. It only sounded that loud because of the echo of my vaulted ceiling dinning room. Oh well, now I definitively will know the center! This version is vulnerable to UV damages. I will have to find a way to "cover" the vulnerable part. I think I already have the solution, no worries. The only parts that are not 3D printed are: a small piece of latex sheet, a bronze sleeve bearing, a neo magnet,...

This is a very satisfying button click test for the new button mechanism for the mini-Hall joystick (no gimbal). Most of the parts are 3D printed. Inside, there is an off-the-shelf self-lubricating bronze sleeve bearing for smooth button presses. The force required is 1.8kgf. You can see in the video that such large activation force is not only for the satisfying click, it is also necessary to prevent accidental activation. It's fatal if you accidentally activate the boost button (I often assign it on the F-16 mini-stick button press, and it's a bit iffy with the TM F-16 TQS Viper's puny activation force) inside a space station in Elite Dangerous. I could have done 0.9kgf with just 1x dome switch, but I felt it's too easy to accidentally activate it so I doubled it with 2x switches. This new mechanism (not shown) is much straight forward than the previous working design, and is only possible with the newly released stainless steel dome switch with back lighting (I am no...

After months of keeping the finished two-stage trigger mechanism on my work desk as a fidget toy.... I broke it. It's not as scientific, nor as gimmicky, as how Ikea showed you how they tested their  POÄNG  chairs in store. But I figured, if I can't even pass this simple durability test, forget scientific methods. It... still works... it's just that the 2nd stage force is no longer as strong as new. It's still very distinct, but, I can feel that it's breaking slowly. So, now I have two choices, assuming the main design does not change. Go Hard Go Flexible. This merits a bit of explanation. The original Otto two-stage trigger uses plastic, mostly plastics of various kinds... I am NOT sorry to break all your all-metal mythologies... My guess is that they are made of Delrin, aka Acetal. Delrin is a very slick substance, not as slick as Teflon, but very close. But... it's very hard, as far as plastic can. It's almost as hard as aluminum. So, you can easily machi...