Well...One night i started to think how to make simple and working three step gear handle. Up-Down and Off for Boeing planes. Little work with CAD and i got this.http://mikkila.wabbits.org/t/paneli/gear/gear1.jpgThere is some parts missing. Like all screws and so on. But you can see basic shape and how it works.Next step was to look my storage and i found some material for this small project. I simply used large milling machine and milled little bit plastics and aluminium. And everything is done manually. No CNC-options used.http://mikkila.wabbits.org/t/paneli/gear/gear2.jpgRound know is missing. I believe i get it before weekend.Finally i installed microswitches and attached it to my small generic panel. I like "touch" of it.http://mikkila.wabbits.org/t/paneli/gear/gear3.jpg- J

NICE WORK!!!That looks really awesome! Thanks for sharing, you really spared me a few hours of "figuring-out-how-to-make-a-simple-and-realistic-mechanism"Just have to find a friend with a milling machine :-)Im gonna steal your idea! Dont let that offend you, thats the best compliment i can give you :-)Care to share your cad drawings too?/ Olle

Oh, I forgot this one.http://www.mikkila.org/fsbus/cad- J

Very very nice indeed.And now comes the BIG question: what will you use (or how will you make) the rounded part that goes on top ?Cuz that's where i'm stuck atm. i've got something made out of wood that looks +/- like it provided i put some wood-paste on it and then sand it ...Other question .. the "housing" is that plastic ? Doesn't really look like metal and I can imagine that plastic would be way more easy to cut/drill etc in such a shape.Smooth work dude :)

Hmm, that E-Mail notification is nice option...Rouded part will be propably black plastic. One guy makes it for me with CNC-lathe. I made it so simply as i could. So it will be just 30mm round cornered wheel. My panel is not accurate copy of anything, so it is just fine for me.Housing is PVC plastic. Top and bottom ends are 10mm thick and mechanic area is 7mm thick. That plastic is quite strong so thicknes is enough. Front panel height is 105mm with gear indication panel.- J

Hey,Really nice work there! I'm impressed!>And now comes the BIG question: what will you use (or how will you >make) the rounded part that goes on top ?Got an idea! Don't know if it's doable though. What about a roller blade wheel? Maybe it's too big. But I know there are transparent ones, and they have the right shape at least.TGIF,

>Hey,>>Really nice work there! I'm impressed!>>>And now comes the BIG question: what will you use (or how>will you >>make) the rounded part that goes on top ?>>Got an idea! Don't know if it's doable though. What about a>roller blade wheel? Maybe it's too big. But I know there are>transparent ones, and they have the right shape at least.Could work. The "freestyle" skates have small wheels, although they are pretty wide. But it's just a darn knob :-) Whatever that is the somewhat correct shape works. /Tuomas

Well. That handle is so small that i need some 30mm knob for it. It is hard to find so small skate wheel.Well. Something is coming. Guy who is going to make it for me said that he has been quite buzy, but i think i get it in next week.- J

don't forget da picture for us ;)

that is f***ing brilliant dude !!i'll check the web 'bout sizes of those things.lets go look for the smallest possible to be found !will report back

>that is f***ing brilliant dude !!Actually. Original idea goes to one German guy, who's name i can't remember. I just little bit modified his ideas and made it smaller.And i have bigger one too. Waiting for future ;-)- Jhttp://www.fsnordic.net/discussion/attachments/2_b944f8.jpg

ROFL !no hard feeling but this time i refered to the idea of "MATS something" on the rollerblade-wheel ;)i already told you that your idea was brilliant .. let the others get some positive comments as well :(anyway, doesn't matter ;)greetz,P

I agree, really nice work!An idea to make the gear knob is acrylic plastic. You can get it in .25" sheets. Sometimes a glass shop will have drops that they will give you.Cut three pieces with a fly cutter or hole saw. Glue together and shape. I have one I am making in which I hollowed and inserted a red LED. It comes on when the gear is in transition. The stuff is easy to work. Just be slow on the machine tool speeds. Too fast and you will melt the plastic.John

Thanks! Dunno if it's doable though... :-)

>Thanks! Dunno if it's doable though... :-)Well, if you get a block of nylon with a hole saw, you can then tighten it to a long bolt with a nut and two washers, then put the bolt on a power drill. And have a large block of wood with sandpaper fixed to it, and just round the edges by pressing the round piece against the sandpaper while it rotates.Just be careful though and wear goggles and other "dont put cats on microwave oven" -type disclaimers apply :-)Oh, and r/c model aircraft wheels would work too. Or wooden toy wheels, check your local hobby shop. Or look in your good old toybox and see if you have any games that have such round pieces - I remember a billiard-like game we used to have that was called "Corona" - square table with 4 "pockets" on corners and you played it like pool but with those round plastic/wooden discs... which were pretty much the correct size :)/Tuomas