HOTAS Throttle Joystick

thingiverse

For a while now, I've been flying high with flight simulation games using a standard flight stick and my keyboard/mouse combo. But I got tired of this and started researching the cost of a HOTAS throttle joystick, only to find that these are ridiculously overpriced. After that, I decided to get creative with a simple breadboard, an Arduino Micro, a PS2 thumb joystick, and some buttons. Using the Adafruit Joystick library, I was able to whip up a prototype joystick in no time, which allowed me to control my vehicles in games like a pro. But with a 3D printer at my disposal, using it on a breadboard just isn't as much fun. Time to design a case for it! Included are all the files you need to make this general joystick, including the specific adapter I used for my potentiometers. This device packs a punch with 14 buttons, 2 axis for the thumbstick, and 1 axis for the throttle itself. Don't have a printer? No worries! Contact me on my Etsy store and I'll be happy to print it for you: https://www.etsy.com/shop/XDr4g0nX3DPrinting Print Settings Printer Brand: RepRap Printer: GEEETech i3 Pro B Rafts: No Supports: Yes Resolution: 0.2mm layer height Infill: 15-25% Notes: Print the case/case-top/case-top-deco with the bottom on the bed to provide a smooth surface. For the handle, print it on the closed side and give the holes some support to prevent warping so the buttons fit snugly in place. The handle-endcap is a bit tricky, print it with the outer part facing up and with heavy support to ensure that the outer shell is smooth. Post-Printing After printing the case and case-top, do a test fit to see if the USB cable hole is the right size. If not, file it down so that it is. As for the handle, take your time and do a test fit without hardware installed. If it's too tight, you'll have a hard time getting it apart or worse, breaking the parts. How I Designed This I took a shape that fit comfortably in my hand and used its size to shape the handle. From there, I printed test parts and added holes to the handle to keep testing alignment. After about 4 versions, I've got the one I'm uploading now, which I hope will fit most hand sizes. Custom Section Design The device runs on an Arduino Pro Micro using the Game Controller library found here; https://github.com/MHeironimus/ArduinoJoystickLibrary This library must be installed for the code to compile and upload. I've included my Arduino code with the files of this Thing, along with a schematic of the 4 connection types in the controller. Unfortunately, I won't write a complete tutorial, but with a bit of patience, you should be able to figure out how the other connections need to go. Here's what each wire type is: Red = Vcc / 5V / 3.3V Blue = Gnd / 0V Green = Signal wire for throttle Orange = Signal wire for the button string, which works using a resistor ladder Purple = Signal wire for the single button Yellow = Signal wire for the button inside the PS2 thumbstick White/Cyan = Signal wires for the X and Y axis of the thumbstick For the exact connections, just check the code and wire accordingly...or don't, I'm not your mom. You can change the pins in the code to take note that except for single buttons, all other signal wires from components need an analog pin on the Arduino to work.