Home made yoke

[davemuir]

Hi
if anyone is looking for a reproduction 737 yoke handle johns the man for the job .
i received from john a wooden kit consisting of various sheets of wood and when glued together
and covered with filler, the end product looks great ,it's heavy and feels like the real yoke as aposed to using the plastic ch yoke ,
trim switch was from simparts.de and counter is a real one .
regards
dave

[skino]

I want one too. Do you have a link?

[John_B]

Shucks .......Thanks for the accolade Dave here's a pic of my prototype
http://www.mycockpit.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=10642&stc=1

John

[John_B]

OUCH I have just seen the price of the Simparts trim switch...I think I need to put on my drawing hat and fire up the laser !!!!!!

John

[muffyman]

Hi Dave its I from the gold coast in Australia how r u mate r u still on skype? cheers Ian

[muffyman]

Hi Dave I'm wanting to run a trim wheel using a dc motor wired into my trim switch do u know how I could achieve this cheers Ian

[John_B]

Can I jump in here with and an idea or two?.

The problem with using a dc motor is knowing the trim's position a sensor would be needed to send position info to the sim.
A stepper motor has its own driver and the software keeps track of its position by counting the pulses it sends in which direction.

However in my experience steppers can be tricky little buggers to set up as it needs to "step" round for each pulse and not drop/lose any steps or for that matter gain any.

To keep track of a dc motor some form of sensing needs to be added for example an encoder with an opto switch or a magnet and switch (if you have a scrap printer all the mechanics are in there).
Actually driving the trim wheels depends on space and set up gears/belt or even direct drive.

Or have I missed the question?

John

[muffyman]

Can I jump in here with and an idea or two?.

The problem with using a dc motor is knowing the trim's position a sensor would be needed to send position info to the sim.
A stepper motor has its own driver and the software keeps track of its position by counting the pulses it sends in which direction.

However in my experience steppers can be tricky little buggers to set up as it needs to "step" round for each pulse and not drop/lose any steps or for that matter gain any.

To keep track of a dc motor some form of sensing needs to be added for example an encoder with an opto switch or a magnet and switch (if you have a scrap printer all the mechanics are in there).
Actually driving the trim wheels depends on space and set up gears/belt or even direct drive.

Or have I missed the question?

John


Hi John
Thanks very much for your input, I currently have a none motorized 737 throttle quadrant, and I have setup a small dc motor with a belt drive inside the unit which when connected to a 6 volt battery works fine, what I would like to do is connect it to the trim button so when I trim forward the trim wheel will turn forward and the same when I trim back and when when I release the trim button have the motor stop not sure how to achieve this cheers Ian

[John_B]

Hi Ian
Got ya

Ok to do this with just a switch the switch needs to be a dpdt (double pole double throw)
hang on will knock up a diagram it will be easier,.
John

[John_B]

Here ya go ian
http://www.mycockpit.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=10700&stc=1
John

[muffyman]

Here ya go ian
http://www.mycockpit.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=10700&stc=1
John

Hi John

Thanks heaps for help, I will pop down to my local electronics outlet over the next day or so and see if they one in stock thanks so much again for your help

Cheers Ian

[muffyman]

Hi John

Thanks heaps for help I will pop down to my local electronics outlet over the next day or so and see if they one in stock thanks so much again for your help

Cheers Ian

[Zlatko]

Hello John and Ian, the switch you are aiming for , looks like this :
http://www.mycockpit.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=10702&stc=1
I've already seen people, who implement it in real experimental aircraft for the same purpose - to change poles and drive DC trim motor in two opposite directions.
PS: For some strange reason a caught myself thinking about car windows. I really don't know , why is that.

[davemuir]

Hi ian
Greetings from Scotland 😃
how's it going down in sunny Australia ?
I'm not on Skype any more mate -
but I'll give you my new email address.

did you see the yoke kit that john made ?brilliant job eh
how's your sim coming on ?
cheers
dave

[John_B]

Hi Zlatco...
I hear you re car windows except they use (mostly) SPDT and a pair of relays as they are quite power hungry.

For my Yokes I will be looking for paddle switches so I have the little ....paddle??? sticking up from the switch.(seen them on Alibaba but they will have to wait until I start my build properly)..

Hey Dave Nice to see ya....thanks for the accolade :oops:

John

[muffyman]

Hello John and Ian, the switch you are aiming for , looks like this :
http://www.mycockpit.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=10702&stc=1
I've already seen people, who implement it in real experimental aircraft for the same purpose - to change poles and drive DC trim motor in two opposite directions.
PS: For some strange reason a caught myself thinking about car windows. I really don't know , why is that.

Hi Zlatko
Thank you so much for the photo that's help make things really clear cheers Ian

[muffyman]

Hi Dave great to hear from you mate its been along time I'm getting close to completing my sim I have just started making single
yoke control systems and http://www.mycockpit.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=10705&stc=1http://www.mycockpit.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=10706&stc=1
dual 737 yoke systems lots of hard work could you send me your email and we can have a chat cheers Ian

[Biggles2010]

It's fairly easy to make a realistic trim switch from a suitable double throw centre sprung rocker switch. I used a double pole version made by SCI, product number R13-2401, sold in the UK by Rapid for about £1-50.

http://www.mycockpit.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=10719&stc=1
The rocker part can be carefully removed by pressing the retaining pipper on each side and pushing it upwards. Best to hold the switch body in a vice so you are less likely to disturb the contacts inside the switch body. Watch the centring springs don't get lost when removing the rocker. Remove them while working on it and refit before reassembly.

The retaining pippers can be seen more easily on this picture.

http://www.mycockpit.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=10720&stc=1


With the rocker removed it's quite easy to add a shaped piece of wood to the top, retained with epoxy. I backed this up with a couple of very small screws from the underside of the plastic rocker, into the wood. The shape of the wood only needs to be approximate, then finish with car body filler and sand to exact shape. I cut a slot in the centre of the new false top to simulate the twin switches used in the Embraer. Spray with black paint, check the contacts are correctly positioned inside the switch body, refit the centring springs and carefully push the modified rocker back into the switch body. Don't forget to check for correct mechanical and electrical functioning at this stage, it's so much easier than finding out later.

I think the effect is quite realistic.

http://www.mycockpit.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=10721&stc=1

It's been in use for a couple of years and functions very well.

http://www.mycockpit.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=10722&stc=1

[Zlatko]

Just to mention - with all those switches changing poles, there is some extra care needed with wiring . If they are installed on both yokes and pressed simultaneously in opposite directions, theoretically it is possible to shorten circuits.
And it's true - many options available out there as shape and size , with paddles too , without paddles :mrgreen: , etc, etc.
At certain point i stopped trying to achieve 1:1 visual representation and stick with proper positioning and right way to function for each stuff.

[John_B]

Hi Zlatko

Its true that if both press it would short but extremely unlikely that the FO may wish to trim down while the capt is trimming up LOL or vise versa !

Both the captain and FO should never be "flying" the plane together... imagine the chaos.. :evil:..
But as you have brought it to my attention I think a little micro giving only first pressed switch priority might be in order...BUT then if our dozy FO is first and has chosen the wrong way ...........the scenarios are endless :lol:

John

[John_B]

I want one too. Do you have a link?
Hi skino
Sorry for the delay I seem to have missed your post......I can make you the kit

pm me

John

[SimSupervisor]

.BUT then if our dozy FO is first and has chosen the wrong way ...........the scenarios are endless :lol:

John


That is why priority should not go to "first in" but to the command that has a higher hierarchy. I. E. If FO press down, and then CMDR press up, you always should select the CMDR and Up.

[John_B]

Ah I hear you

But not too comfy with the idea that CMDR knows best (whether that is RL practice or not) it might not "be aware" of that ufo/Eagle or whatever just above the plane where as the FO just might.
Otherwise we could just leave the humans on the ground (except the PAX and trolley dolly of course ;-) )

John

[davemuir]

Ah I hear you

But not too comfy with the idea that CMDR knows best (whether that is RL practice or not) it might not "be aware" of that ufo/Eagle or whatever just above the plane where as the FO just might.
Otherwise we could just leave the humans on the ground (except the PAX and trolley dolly of course ;-) )

John
Wise words john -your right the commander doesn't always know best -
that's why cockpit management was brought in under human factors ,no more rank/hierarchy etc

[John_B]

Yeah a 747 pilot was saying (when I went up to Glasgow for an iFly meet up) now its pilot flying and pilot monitoring....wonder what happened to the days when it was crew getting drunk????????


John

[SimSupervisor]

well, at least on a Boeing its not "plane flying and pilots looking what's happening"... like on airbuses

[John_B]

well, at least on a Boeing its not "plane flying and pilots looking what's happening"... like on airbuses

This is true....

[davemuir]

Hi
if anyone is looking for a reproduction 737 yoke handle johns the man for the job .
i received from john a wooden kit consisting of various sheets of wood and when glued together
and covered with filler, the end product looks great ,it's heavy and feels like the real yoke as aposed to using the plastic ch yoke ,
trim switch was from simparts.de and counter is a real one .
regards
dave

The first yoke finished and painted ,ready for replacing the plastic ch yoke
regards
Dave