GA progress: Stick mechanism and Electric trim..

[tigert]

Hello again :)Some progress during vacation - I did redo my plans and the piston twin sim: Making a yoke got too big in the plans and I dont have the tools for something I'd be happy with, so I took route B: this will have a real control device: a stick :)I think I did show you this part already, but for completeness' sake, here it's again :)http://tigert.com/aviation/vatsim/cockpit-...k-mechanic.jpegNylon plastic block I think, drilled a few holes with the cylinder drill bit, and brass tubing for bearings. M8 bolts and lock nuts.. We have a stick mechanic!Bicycle "horns" - bargain for 3 euros at Biltema, the local car parts, junk and everything else -store :) - combined with a bike hand grip makes a nice stick..http://tigert.com/aviation/vatsim/cockpit-...-mechanic3.jpegHere's the bike brake cables with RC airplane control rod end parts to transmit the movement to the potentiometers - those will be placed in the front of the sim, where they can be easily replaced and fixed, away from all the dust etc..http://tigert.com/aviation/vatsim/cockpit-.../kludge++-2.jpgAdd some bungee cords for centering force.. ;^)http://tigert.com/aviation/vatsim/cockpit-.../kludge++-5.jpg..and the screws along the top are for testing the trim mechanism. Basically one of the bungees for elevator axis get stretched (via the roller wheels) to move the centering position of the stick back and forth - simulating the elevator trim feel of a small aircraft - so I can trim off control forces required to maintain a certain attitude.Then the part that scares even myself.. Got a cheap rechargeable power drill from the junk store, opened it, and to my joy discovered the motor, planetary gear unit and the "grip" head that fits the drill bit is one compact unit. So add a kitchen drawer slider rail, a bit of threaded rod, some L-shaped fixing parts and a few nuts and washers - a movable "slide" to attach the bungee to.. You'll know where this leads into..http://tigert.com/aviation/vatsim/cockpit-...ludge++-7.1.jpgWorking electric pitch trim! It makes noise like a machine from ####, but who cares? It WORKS! :)Need realplayer for this small video clip:http://tigert.com/aviation/vatsim/cockpit-...ectric-trim.3gpThe switch on the stick is centering two-way toggle, the red one is my PTT for radios in Vatsim.. The trim switch swaps polarity for the drill motor, thus letting me trim either direction. I need to do a trim indicator still and perhaps add "limit switches" to prevent trimming too far, but for now it works.. :)http://tigert.com/aviation/vatsim/cockpit-...ev-trim-ptt.jpg//Tuomas