Bergisons Making Of

FFB Flight Control Stick

Reading about the amazing Rhino Force-Feedback Control Stick by VPforce, I knew right away that I needed to have such a stick for my sim. Given that the waiting time for a full unit were still quite long in 2024, and plus I wanted to it to feature a sturdy full-metal gimbal without any play or slack, I decided to go for the DIY kit and build my own FFB stick!

Coming up with a plan for the build. Coming up with a plan for the build.
The center piece of the gimbals. The center piece of the gimbals.
Added the pitch gimbal box. Added the pitch gimbal box.

Cut the outer casing panels. Cut the outer casing panels.
While waiting for the delivery of ordered parts, I did a first test of the servos and the electronics. While waiting for the delivery of ordered parts, I did a first test of the servos and the electronics.
The Timing Belt Pulleys arrived and needed to be cut a bit to fit in my design. The Timing Belt Pulleys arrived and needed to be cut a bit to fit in my design.

Mounted the pitch pulley and the brackets for the stick extension. Mounted the pitch pulley and the brackets for the stick extension.
Assembled the roll pulley and its mounting bracket. Assembled the roll pulley and its mounting bracket.
Pitch and roll gimbals joined. Pitch and roll gimbals joined.

The top plate will hold the emergency off switch and act as an adjustable throw limiter. The top plate will hold the emergency off switch and act as an adjustable throw limiter.
Added the electronics and some fans for cooling. Added the electronics and some fans for cooling.
Mounted the stick extension, connector and grip mount. Mounted the stick extension, connector and grip mount.

Assembling the gimbals, belts, and servos. Assembling the gimbals, belts, and servos.
Assembling the gimbals, belts, and servos. Assembling the gimbals, belts, and servos.
Done! Done!

My new FFB Control Stick inside the F/A-18 simpit. My new FFB Control Stick inside the F/A-18 simpit.

Here is a list of materials and parts I used for this build:

1 x VPforce DIY Kit 86BLF04 x2 + USB vpforcecontrols.com
1 x Grip Mount Machined Aluminum vpforcecontrols.com
2 x Timing Belt Pulley 72-5M-09 zahnriemen24.de
2 x Timing Belt Pulley 18-5M-09 zahnriemen24.de
1 x Timing Belt 655 HTD 5M wantabelt.de
1 x Timing Belt 490 HTD 5M wantabelt.de
1 x Power Supply Unit 24V, 400W amazon.de
2 x Cooling Fan 24V 80mm x 80mm x 10mm amazon.de
2 x Fan Grille 80mm x 80mm amazon.de
8 x Flange Bearing 12 mm amazon.de
1 x Black Coated Multiplex 9 mm obi.at

Plus some Cables, Connectors, Shrink-on Tubes, Nuts and Screws and Metal
for the Gimbals.

 

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