Rollers to reduce friction between harness and seat cutouts would help, e.g.
US$15 fairleads from e.g. Alieexpress, Amazon or eBay:
For range of motion no more than 4cm, direct pulls without bungees are suitable.
Mobile Driving/Flying Cockpit with Motion and Tactile ( Build )
For range of motion no more than 4cm, direct pulls without bungees are suitable.
RCHeliguy
Premium
NLRv3 is known to have issues when you put too much stress on it.
Someone with HE Ultimates set to 95Kg will have the NLRv3 quit mid race because it is too much force. I've had this happen once or twice when I panic stopped and pressed too hard.
Next Level Racing specifically said NOT to attach seatbelts to the frame because it could put too much stress on the unit.
If I over stress the unit it will fail and I'll have to ship it back to Europe for repair and it is out of warranty.
If I had an actuator based surge system, I would definitely go with something like SRG used with profile that had a bit of give to it. Of course he was dealing with 3-6 inches of travel.
I think I'm going to shelve this idea for the time being.
Someone with HE Ultimates set to 95Kg will have the NLRv3 quit mid race because it is too much force. I've had this happen once or twice when I panic stopped and pressed too hard.
Next Level Racing specifically said NOT to attach seatbelts to the frame because it could put too much stress on the unit.
If I over stress the unit it will fail and I'll have to ship it back to Europe for repair and it is out of warranty.
If I had an actuator based surge system, I would definitely go with something like SRG used with profile that had a bit of give to it. Of course he was dealing with 3-6 inches of travel.
I think I'm going to shelve this idea for the time being.
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RCHeliguy
Premium
Whoops! Impulse buy!
And in stock! Woo Hoo!
So what triggered this???
DCS announced they are working on an AH-64D ( Apache Attack Helicopter )
I've got the DCS Huey already, but it never really excited me.
This announcement ticked a box and suddenly I felt like I absolutely needed a real helicopter Collective/Throttle stick!!!!!!
And in stock! Woo Hoo!
So what triggered this???
DCS announced they are working on an AH-64D ( Apache Attack Helicopter )
I've got the DCS Huey already, but it never really excited me.
This announcement ticked a box and suddenly I felt like I absolutely needed a real helicopter Collective/Throttle stick!!!!!!
Random question, could please share the vendor and filament type you used for these prints? They have a great finish and it may be the picture but it looks as if it has a flake like shimmer? I have an all black aluminum chassis rig and I would like to use this for a couple projects in the pipe line. Thanks!
RCHeliguy
Premium
It is Prusament Galaxy Black and it has just a bit of fleck in it to a very nice effect. I looks better in person than in pictures.
RCHeliguy
Premium
Correct it is not. Komodo has a 6-8 week backlog, uses 3D printed parts and I read just enough reviews to make me think it was not worth twice the cost of what I purchased.
I ordered the Bell 206 Jet Ranger stick because the Huey looks too bulky, plus the Bell 206 is in stock. I did receive an email stating it would ship within 2 weeks.
This also looks like it will be easier to mount than the Komodo which has a few weird things about it's base. The Komodo does have 2 mount points for the stick, but I can already think of a number of ways that I could angle the mount for this to put the stick where ever I want it.
OE-XAM
Helicopter Simulator Heli Hubschrauber Helikopter Bell 206 Jetranger Jez Ranger FSX Flugsimulator Kollektiv Collective Pedale Pedals Stick Panel
oe-xam-simulators.blogspot.com
I'm quite certain I can find a nice mount to my seat bracket that is easy to remove when I'm driving, but I'll figure that out when it arrives.
As a (former) RC Heli junkie who has spent more time in the DCS Huey than any other aircraft, this presses a button for me and understanding how a collective stick and throttle work on a helicopter, I'm quite sure it will be much better ergonomically to control a heli like this than with a split airplane throttle.
Plus Apache!!!! It may be a while before they release it, but I'll get reacquainted with the Huey and put some time on this control.
Who knows, this may fire me up to get my RC helis in the air again.
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Thanks for the info! Just ordered a 1kg roll. Looking forward to trying it out. What do you use for slicing? So far I have worked pretty much exclusively with hatchbox and I have an ender 3 pro but I really like the looks on that finish.
Correct it is not. Komodo has a 6-8 week backlog, uses 3D printed parts and I read just enough reviews to make me think it was not worth twice the cost of what I purchased.
I ordered the Bell 206 Jet Ranger stick because the Huey looks too bulky, plus the Bell 206 is in stock. I did receive an email stating it would ship within 2 weeks.
This also looks like it will be easier to mount than the Komodo which has a few weird things about it's base. The Komodo does have 2 mount points for the stick, but I can already think of a number of ways that I could angle the mount for this to put the stick where ever I want it.
OE-XAM
Helicopter Simulator Heli Hubschrauber Helikopter Bell 206 Jetranger Jez Ranger FSX Flugsimulator Kollektiv Collective Pedale Pedals Stick Panel
I'm quite certain I can find a nice mount to my seat bracket that is easy to remove when I'm driving, but I'll figure that out when it arrives.
As a (former) RC Heli junkie who has spent more time in the DCS Huey than any other aircraft, this presses a button for me and understanding how a collective stick and throttle work on a helicopter, I'm quite sure it will be much better ergonomically to control a heli like this than with a split airplane throttle.
Plus Apache!!!! It may be a while before they release it, but I'll get reacquainted with the Huey and put some time on this control.
Who knows, this may fire me up to get my RC helis in the air again.
I made a set of rudder pedals for my sailplane simpit (I'm a glider pilot) but they'd work well for helis too and the parts are pretty common and construction simple. I bought used Aeronca Champ rudder pedals off ebay and bashed it together with some scrap metal and a junk joystick... my computer still says my Logitech Attack III are ready when I plug them in. I see the same pedals for like $20 on ebay still show up though atm the cheapest is $50. Of course VKB makes decent rockers too but than you're stuck with that form factor. I see Bell heli pedal assy's show up there too but usually for way to much money and they look p much like the thing I made
These Pipistrel pedals would be great for this too and worth way more than the asking price https://www.ebay.com/itm/1128074-Pi...r-Rudder-Direction-Pedal-Assy-LH/333472201077
Correct it is not. Komodo has a 6-8 week backlog, uses 3D printed parts and I read just enough reviews to make me think it was not worth twice the cost of what I purchased.
I ordered the Bell 206 Jet Ranger stick because the Huey looks too bulky, plus the Bell 206 is in stock. I did receive an email stating it would ship within 2 weeks.
This also looks like it will be easier to mount than the Komodo which has a few weird things about it's base. The Komodo does have 2 mount points for the stick, but I can already think of a number of ways that I could angle the mount for this to put the stick where ever I want it.
OE-XAM
Helicopter Simulator Heli Hubschrauber Helikopter Bell 206 Jetranger Jez Ranger FSX Flugsimulator Kollektiv Collective Pedale Pedals Stick Panel
I'm quite certain I can find a nice mount to my seat bracket that is easy to remove when I'm driving, but I'll figure that out when it arrives.
As a (former) RC Heli junkie who has spent more time in the DCS Huey than any other aircraft, this presses a button for me and understanding how a collective stick and throttle work on a helicopter, I'm quite sure it will be much better ergonomically to control a heli like this than with a split airplane throttle.
Plus Apache!!!! It may be a while before they release it, but I'll get reacquainted with the Huey and put some time on this control.
Who knows, this may fire me up to get my RC helis in the air again.
That's awesome. Thank you for the info....now I need to order one.
RCHeliguy
Premium
I'm using PrusaSlicer 2.3.0 and it has profiles for their PLA. It also has profiles by printer and the Ender 3 is one of the printers it supports.
I design everything in fusion 360 and export STL'S with the "high" quality option.
RCHeliguy
Premium
I'm sticking with my CrossWind pedals and Virpil stick for Helicopter use. The stick is another area where a helicopter does have a very different feel because you have mechanical linkages to the cyclic control, but I'm not sure how they could simulate that. The collective control is much more straight forward. Even though it is connected to the same cyclic control ring is has a very different characteristics.
I has "assumed" incorrectly that most modern helicopters would have something similar to the flybarless controllers in RC Helicopters. That would make the sticks completely fly by wire with compensation to maintain whatever orientation you are in.
It seems that most remain mechanical linkages from the sticks to the cyclic/collective ring. This is very surprising to me. However if you loose power in flight this means that you can still have a controlled auto-rotation down. FYI that means keeping neutral to slightly negative collective on the rotors to keep their speed up and usually a slight nose tilt down and then pulling back on the cyclic and adding positive collective at the very end bleeding off all of the rotors momentum at the very end generating just enough lift to touch down without crashing. You only have one shot.
This guy makes autorotations look easy, but with RC helicopers I've watched some people get a lot of altitude and do a full blade stop and then spin the blades back up unpowered as the heli starts to drop. Not something I would do with a real helicopter.
I was sent an email saying the Collective Throttle would ship within the next 2 weeks.
There are plenty of attachment points, the NLRv3 side holes, the Sparco seat bracket and the two 40x40 8020 pieces on the front and back.
I'm not worried about getting it positioned well. I may use aluminum angle along with something 3D printed.
I has "assumed" incorrectly that most modern helicopters would have something similar to the flybarless controllers in RC Helicopters. That would make the sticks completely fly by wire with compensation to maintain whatever orientation you are in.
It seems that most remain mechanical linkages from the sticks to the cyclic/collective ring. This is very surprising to me. However if you loose power in flight this means that you can still have a controlled auto-rotation down. FYI that means keeping neutral to slightly negative collective on the rotors to keep their speed up and usually a slight nose tilt down and then pulling back on the cyclic and adding positive collective at the very end bleeding off all of the rotors momentum at the very end generating just enough lift to touch down without crashing. You only have one shot.
This guy makes autorotations look easy, but with RC helicopers I've watched some people get a lot of altitude and do a full blade stop and then spin the blades back up unpowered as the heli starts to drop. Not something I would do with a real helicopter.
I was sent an email saying the Collective Throttle would ship within the next 2 weeks.
There are plenty of attachment points, the NLRv3 side holes, the Sparco seat bracket and the two 40x40 8020 pieces on the front and back.
I'm not worried about getting it positioned well. I may use aluminum angle along with something 3D printed.
I recently just started doing my own models in Fusion360, I love the software so far. I was also exporting STL's and slicing with cura. I was not aware of a quality setting on export. I must have missed it. Thanks for the heads up. On a side I find it extremely rewarding to come up with your own design, model it, and print it into existence. Interesting world we live in these days
you dislike the Huey?? big shame!! it even got multicrew for humans!
it even got multicrew for humans!
RCHeliguy
Premium
you dislike the Huey?? big shame!!
I didn't dislike it. I used it more than my P51, A-10, F-15 and others. I'll be going back to it once I get this collective stick installed. I actually landed the Huey successfully the first time I flew it which surprised me. However the Apache seems a lot more interesting. I have the Ka-50 Black Shark but I got it years ago and not through Steam and I never associated it with my copy of DCS World. I probably should get that fixed.
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Lacking easy access to welding or brazing,
one might improvise e.g. using scrap bicycle cranksets.
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RCHeliguy
Premium
I've had a number of people interested in mounting the retractable casters that I got but who are not comfortable fabricating the brackets.
I want to see if I can print a PETG bracket that can handle this load. I'm printing the initial test with 7 layers top and bottom, 4 vertical wall layers and 30% infill. I could have gone with a 60% infill to start, but I want to test with 30% infill. If 30% holds for a while than 60% should be good for a longer period.
There is mostly sheer force on these holes, but the caster is mounted with 6 x beveled M6 bolts that are 14mm at their largest head diameter. That should distribute the load well. Whether the 4 x M8 bolts will hold is another story.
When lifting the rig, the top will be under compression while the bottom will try to pull away. I think that will be the largest peak stress.
PLA is more rigid, but I think it would be more likely to crack under this kind of load.
Any guesses as to whether this will work or fail?
I want to see if I can print a PETG bracket that can handle this load. I'm printing the initial test with 7 layers top and bottom, 4 vertical wall layers and 30% infill. I could have gone with a 60% infill to start, but I want to test with 30% infill. If 30% holds for a while than 60% should be good for a longer period.
There is mostly sheer force on these holes, but the caster is mounted with 6 x beveled M6 bolts that are 14mm at their largest head diameter. That should distribute the load well. Whether the 4 x M8 bolts will hold is another story.
When lifting the rig, the top will be under compression while the bottom will try to pull away. I think that will be the largest peak stress.
PLA is more rigid, but I think it would be more likely to crack under this kind of load.
Any guesses as to whether this will work or fail?
Work or fail? All depends on the meaning of work and fail. Or....how many lift/retract cycles constitutes success. Also there's the load cycles from getting in/out of the rig, and a motion system (when equipped).
30% infill seems low, but you gotta start somewhere. Besides, the majority of the stress passes through the shell; so with the thicker shell layers, maybe 30% is fine. PLA generally has better layer adhesion that PETG, so it might actually do better than the PETG here. That said...There is some torsion between the caster screw holes mounts and the bracket mounts. So, I'd certainly fillet the inner edges of the caster pocket to limit the stress concentration in that area.
Profiling the backside of the mount to fit into the 80x20 slots would help distribute the sheer load load so that its not all taken by the M8 bolt holes. I never really like putting bolt holes in sheer like that, and prefer to distribute it over more surface area through interference.
My concern is actually the inner diameters of the bottom 3xM6 counterbores. Those holes will be under tension (axial with the bolt shaft, and outward), while the upper 3xM6 will be under compression (and some sheer). That's where the material is the thinnest (potentially too thin...depending) and cracks could form and propagate over time. Making the entire bracket thicker to ensure a minimum thickness in that area might be necessary.
30% infill seems low, but you gotta start somewhere. Besides, the majority of the stress passes through the shell; so with the thicker shell layers, maybe 30% is fine. PLA generally has better layer adhesion that PETG, so it might actually do better than the PETG here. That said...There is some torsion between the caster screw holes mounts and the bracket mounts. So, I'd certainly fillet the inner edges of the caster pocket to limit the stress concentration in that area.
Profiling the backside of the mount to fit into the 80x20 slots would help distribute the sheer load load so that its not all taken by the M8 bolt holes. I never really like putting bolt holes in sheer like that, and prefer to distribute it over more surface area through interference.
My concern is actually the inner diameters of the bottom 3xM6 counterbores. Those holes will be under tension (axial with the bolt shaft, and outward), while the upper 3xM6 will be under compression (and some sheer). That's where the material is the thinnest (potentially too thin...depending) and cracks could form and propagate over time. Making the entire bracket thicker to ensure a minimum thickness in that area might be necessary.
RCHeliguy
Premium
What I'm trying to see is if I can get it to fail with 30% infill in a "reasonable" period of time with a number of duty cycles lifting and releasing with all the other casters retracted so this is getting the highest load it can get.
I'll also yank it around the floor with all the other casters locked down to put other stresses on it whipping around a few hundred pounds of rig.
I could be absolutely wrong, but I don't expect it to fail immediately. I believe it would likely be something that happens over time so I'm trying to see how durable this is and I like to know where it would tend to fail first so I know what area would benefit from additional reinforcement.
I'll also yank it around the floor with all the other casters locked down to put other stresses on it whipping around a few hundred pounds of rig.
I could be absolutely wrong, but I don't expect it to fail immediately. I believe it would likely be something that happens over time so I'm trying to see how durable this is and I like to know where it would tend to fail first so I know what area would benefit from additional reinforcement.
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