Some of you know I'm about 2-3 weeks away from a significant change to my HOTAS Cougar. Anyway, Ian Johnston, the designer and builder, of the Uber II NXT upgrade to the Thrustmaster HOTAS Cougar, posts pictures of progress during the manufacture of your particular upgrade and I thought some of you might be interested.  I of course am, and this will save you enormous amounts of wasted comm chatter listening to me go on and on..... :)

Here are the first stages of my U2NXT.  As you can see, it is slated for installation into "Gunslinger's Focke-Wulf of DOOM".  First picture is of the aluminum blanks for U2NXT run #3.

The process that Ian Johston, the creator of these user-installed modifications utilizes is a computer-controlled multi-axis milling machine or CNC.

Anyway, Ian posts pictures of progress in the creation of these masterpieces and I thought some of you might be interested in watching along with me.

At the end of week 1




Todays progress (Ian J works in Australia!)



The aluminum switch housings:




Utilimately, the U2NXT will look something like this:

front

back



I ordered an Uber II NXT, aluminum dogfight and speedbrake switch housings (in the stock Cougar these are made out of plastic.  It's a good plastic but tends to cause problems over time.)

S~

Black 2

Yow!I don't even know what to think. . . no idea what it is but it looks hi-tech!Is that dohickey on the bottom with the springs connecting the thingamajigs to the whatchamacallits a replacement to the gimbals in the cougar (is it upside down in those two pics?)?S!TX-EcoDragonBlack 1TX-Squadron XO

Yeah, the handle screws on to the threads.It's upside down....gimbalsBlack 2

Monday's progress......Black 2

Wednesday - Yokes almost completed.Black 2

You have any links to get in touch with him about pricing and such?  If the price isn't outrageous on the speed-brake housing, I might be interested.  Mine broke during week 1 of use over two years ago.  I'm happy with the gimbals, so I'm set there.Thanks,TX-Deck out.

Hey Deck,Email Ian J [ubermod@optusnet.com.au] for current prices and details.  I believe I paid $38.00 Australian (less than 29.00 US at the time) for two of the aluminum housings.My spdbrake housing broke first and right now I have the bare switch sticking out of the hole.  I did get another plastic housing from Thrustmaster for free, but have'nt put it in yet.  Now that I have my two housings coming with my new gimbals and optical pots, I won't be using the plastic housing.    You have to mod those by cutting some of the plastic to keep them from breaking in the first place and I don't feel like taking my joystick down at the moment.  Ian's metal housings are less work install.Black 2

Fridays progress on my UberIINXTFor Deck, construction of Dogfight/Speedbrake housings:Black 2

Thanks for  the contact info, I know exactly what you mean by the bare switch sticking out of the handle...TX-Deck out.

Monday's progress:Hall Spanner wrenches (Hall effect sensors)Hall Sensor mounting bracketsBlanks drilled and tapped for the X and Y adjuster/Spring mountsX and Y are adustable!Black 2

Well, I was gone to San Diego most of this week, and my plane got back very late on Friday.Ian J, was not gone from his workshop in Australia and completed all this cool work on my UberII NXT (and 43 others).Tuesday:X-Y Adjuster Spring Mounts finished!Wednesday:Ian Writes:"First pic is the blanks slowly turning into end plates!There is a huge amount of material removal to get the finished part as I can't buy raw stock any closer to size.I get 3 end plates out of each bar.""2nd pic is the blanks for the spring end plates.These come from 6061 structual angle so save a lot of time as it's close to finished size!There are a few "Spares" in amongst this lot just in case!"Wednesday:Ian writes, "These are the Hall End plates just about done!""I'll drill and tap the small holes tomorrow and that should be just about it for this week!"So what is a Hall End plate and why does it have to be tapped?The Hall Endplate mates with the Yoke via a bearing and provides a mounting point for the Hall Sensor which transmits changes in X-axis position from the joystick, to the Cougar I/O.By the way, the joystick screws into the bell-shaped extension at the top of this picture.The endplate has to be tapped for machine screws, so it can be solidly mounted instide the cougar joystick (by me!).Black 2

Oh yeah, I forgot, Fridays progress:Drilled and TappedS~ IanBlack 2

Awesome.  This will turn your Cougar into the last joystick you ever purchase!TX-Deck out.

Man, looks really awesome, I still haven't seen a cougar in person, but they sure look cool in the pics I've seen!  The strength of those innards coupled with some hardcore pots, combined with the hefty cougard probably is worth whatever seemingly absurd amount of cash for the mods and the stick itself when you consider that Deck is probably right that you won't be needing another for some time. . .and dare I say. . .ever. I should post a pic of my pile of plastic pieces that used to look like an X-45. . . hmm. . . not sure I can compete though  ;-DS!TX-EcoDragonBlack 1TX-Squadron XO

Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet?Zen

AHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh,   I can't wait................. My brand new "Focke Wulf of Doom" is only missing a stick.  The stick. I need to name her I guess.  Excalibur sounds too wussy, "Slayer of the Unholy" seems kind of droll, "Ubernocker", "JagdSpitstangchikin".... I don't know.I do know this though, if Kurt Tank could have gotten these from Ian way back when, then I'm sure they would have been used in the Ta-152!Black 2

Mondays progressIan's CNC rig.  Cool.  You could probably make a BMW 801 TS with that!From Ian today:"There are 3 parts left to makeBrass spring bushesY axis pivot pinsCentre shaftsThe brass parts are way basic and simple but I have to make a new fixture as I designed the old one to work in the old manual Mill I recently sold.Y axis pins again are pretty basic so should only take a day.Centre Shafts while being complex are pretty quick to make so only a couple of days in them.Then a day to beadblast everything and another day to assemble/pack!"Black 2

Well, I've been on travel again all week and have gotten way behind Ian J on this.From Ian, "It's 7 PM here and I've just finished up what has to be my least favourite part of the Nxt/U2 mods!The little brass bushes for the spring bolts.These things are a PITA to make and as each Nxt uses 6 it's a LOT of mind numbing work.All done now, in the pic you can sort of make out my fixture I made this morning it's 34x precise slots in a plate that hold the rough cut blanks.This then goes in the CNC vice and they get trimmed on one end then turned around and finished to size on the other, following that they go to the lathe and get centre drilled one by one.... all 330 by hand no automation!"Black 2

Center shafts start.  Oh baby, we are getting close now!This is the part that the Cougar Joystick handle screws into.  The round collar to the right of the handles is a collar from a Cougar handle that screws down onto the yoke.Center shafts complete!Black 2

I'm behind in posting...too much work and travel ...Anyway....here is the last process of the center shafts which was finished last Friday.  The shaft which has been rotated in the foreground (this is actually right side up) shows the large screw that the joystick handle collar attaches to.Black 2Black 2

From Ian:"Ever wonder what I've been doing for the past 4 weeks? I just finished stamping serial numbers and decided to do a roll call.All of these parts are made by me excluding the fasteners/bearings/springs!(sorry for the green tinge it's under the green skylight in the workshop".Black 2Black 2

If you look closely at the center shafts in the pictures above, you will notice one center shaft which is obviously longer than all the others.Wonder why?presenting the UBER-2 VIAGRA MODActually the truth be told, the extended shaft mod in run #3 (this run) is only 20mm longer than the standard shafts.  So it's technically not the Viagra mod, which is 100mm longer than a standard/stock center shaft.Check out http://forums.frugalsworld.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=22044&page=148&pp=50for more informationBlack 2

After beadblasting in which all the shiny aluminum is "sandblasted with glass"the gimbals are almost finished!This is Tuesdays picture!Ian on beadblasting - "Beadblasting is done with a suction feed gun much like a spray gun for paint, picture tiny spheres of glass as fine as castor sugar.This is sprayed at pressure into the surface and as they hit they shatter, it's much like very uniform sanding and removes surface defects/scratches and rough edges. It slightly work hardens the surface and reduces stress risers (think of the dotted lines in toilet paper for an example of a stress riser)"--------------------------------------------------------Black 2

OMG THEY ARE DONE!IN SHIPPING BOXES SOON!Black 2

AAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!Look!Well, let's see.....the quickest delivery stateside was to a guy in California and that took three days.  The average delivery time from Melbourne to the USA is 6-8 days.....I will not track the mailman, I will not track the mailman.....I will not spawn-camp at the mailbox...I will not spawn-camp at the mailbox...All I've got to say now is, how many times in your life have you ever spent money on something in which the builder was as communicative and responsive as Ian J?  For me never!  This man actually posts daily progress reports WITH PICTURES to let customers know whats going on....ON A DAILY BASIS while performing all this work.  Unbelievable.S~ Ian Johnston... you are INCREDIBLE.  Anyone who manufactures or produces any product in a web-based manner should take a lesson from you.Can't decide if I'll start a new thread on installation when I get the package or if I'll just add on here....Black 2

Well man you have had this for a couple weeks now, we need a REVIEW!  How is it??!!TX-Deck out.

Yeah, I'm with Deck on this one!S!TX-EcoDragonBlack 1TX-Squadron XO

The crowd chants ... "REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!"Regards,TX-Rahman"BLACK 4"

-> crosses arms and taps foot....TX-Deck out.

OH THIS INCESSANT TAPPING AND CHANTING HAS BEEN GOING ON THREE MONTHS AND FOUR DAYS!!! PLEASE GUNSLINGER MAKE IT STOP. . . Give them the Review!;-DS!TX-EcoDragonBlack 1TX-Squadron XO

The saga. Anyway since they don;t sell them cougars new what is the next best stick. Shot answers please, I need a new stick.TX-Kingsnake

Actually it looks like you can still get the cougar at Hunter82's store (he's the Moderater at UBI and one of our IL-2FB community members) for 244.00http://www.magnum-pc.com/it looks like Amazon.com has them too. (New&Used it says)I would give serious thoguht to the CH gear though. . .I'd LOVE a cougar, and in a way, I'm tempted to just get one. . . but I don't think I could do this mod that gunslinger did if I remember the cost, and from what I've heard the stock Cougar is usually only good for a year before the pots go, and centerplay gets bad. . . CH sticks don't ever seem to do that. The ergonomics of the CH aren't my favorite, and the springs are so light it's like there isn't anyhting there, which I don't like, though it does make precise flying a bit easier, and the CH stuff is as smooth as can be, so don't scoff at it. You can get the CH stuff in components, so if you don't need the throttle yet, just get the stick. . . it's sorta like financing.  The CH Fighterstick USB can be found for 105.00, the throttle can be found as low as 99.00. (Those happen to be the prices hunters has on them.) The CH stuff is either the next best thing, or perhaps better in some regards as out of the box it's smoother, and perhaps more long lasting. S!TX-EcoDragonBlack 1TX-Squadron XO

So,

It's been over four years since I recieved by U2NXT mod - serial number #037.  How's it been.  Hands down the best -obtainable- apparatus for controlling a combat flight sim imho and very experienced opinion. 

Recently however, my Y axis has been giving me fits - occasionally deciding (and lately there's no occasionally) that the Y axis is actually 10 point more negative.  It's fun to suddenly just dive.  It's worse when you trim it out!

As a testament to what I've always found with the Cougar and with IJ's U2NXT mod - is that when I've had an issue - there was a solution.  Tonight I took apart and put my U2Nxt back together to tighten a grub screw which contacts the Y axis Hall Sensor shaft - which did the trick!  Flys like a champ!

http://forums.frugalsworld.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=137235

Since I never posted completed pics of my U2NXT mod here - we'll here's my FOUR YEAR OLD U2NXT - just the same elegantly engineered solution as it was when I first got it.

(https://webspace.utexas.edu/joem/U2NXT-037-Grubscrew%20maintenance.jpg)
(https://webspace.utexas.edu/joem/U2NXT-037-Grubscrew%20maintenance2.jpg)
(https://webspace.utexas.edu/joem/U2NXT-037-Grubscrew%20maintenance3.jpg)
(https://webspace.utexas.edu/joem/U2NXT-037-Grubscrew%20maintenance4.jpg)

Can't say enough good things about the U2NXT and Cougar.  I've had the Cougar for Five years now and the original two slider pots and throttle pots have never been replaced, or even cleaned.  I've taken these guys on airplanes, in luggage and through carry-on.

S~ I.J. and thanks

Gunny

Note to self: Oct 2009,

There is another Grubscrew under the 1st Grubscrew in the pictures.  The shaft must be taken out.  2nd problem during the last two days with same symptoms as months ago - this time I secured the 2nd Grubscrew.  The 1st Grubscrew holds the shaft - remove it - then the shaft.  The second grubscrew is on the bottom of the shaft - it mates with the hall sensor shafts - flat input end (rotational input).

S~ to self - fixed now

Gunny

Well, the grubscrew did not fix the issue.

Current issue is extreme spiking in the X axis - while Y will occasionally get reset.  Upon close inspection I found a loose connection at the "solderless' connectors which come with the Halls on my Y Hall.

Decided to restrip, and solder the wires together.  Unfortunately, I got the 0 reference DC and +5 DC crossed and blew my Hall.  Another note to self:  Refer to the other Hall in the Cougar for wiring reference, not memory.

I've sent an email to Cubby asking for two more Halls (who knows).... Hopefully I'll hear back from him soon because I"m without a joystick right now.

S~

Gunny

Woo! Sorry for that and it can be very frustrating but if you wish to fly the Camel there is no need of a joystick you know that the Camel has been optimized for Keyboards users... :) Hehehe!

Kidding apart, it would be good to have a used Joystick in case of a problem :(  I feel your pain!!

(https://webspace.utexas.edu/joem/HOTAS/Battle%20of%20the%20Somme.jpg)

(https://webspace.utexas.edu/joem/HOTAS/U2nxt%20wiring.jpg)

(https://webspace.utexas.edu/joem/HOTAS/B%26W-Y-axis%20Hall.jpg)


(https://webspace.utexas.edu/joem/HOTAS/Hall%20and%20Stock%20pots.jpg)
That Hall has lasted me 4 or 5 years, until I killed it.

This thing is built so well and fly's so smooth.  That axis grubscrew never required tightening.
(https://webspace.utexas.edu/joem/HOTAS/X%20Axis%20Hall%20Detail.jpg)

A precision ball bearing set on all four X and Y mounting points makes this stick unlike anything else.  Those will last longer than me probably.
(https://webspace.utexas.edu/joem/HOTAS/X-Axis%20Ball%20Bearing.jpg)

Well, this has been what my day's turned out to be...

S~

Gunny

Damn dude. That straight up sucks.  :'(

Is Cubby the only one you can get those Halls from?

On a completely different note, do you plan on waiting it out, or is there a possible alternative? I know you've looked at the G940, but I've got an extra CH Pro Throttle and a Flightstick Pro (not a Fighterstick, but more than you'd need for RoF and both still right handed)). You'd need some pedals though. They're all USB, so install the Control Manager (DL from CH), calibrate and you're done. You can use them as direct controller by assigning everything in the game, or you can use the CM software and make a map.

Just let me know if you're interested.

Thanks TB!

I might just take you up on that if I don't hear from Cubby in the next 24 hours.  I have CH gameport and Saitek USB rudder pedals so that would work out well for me.

Yes, unfortunatley Cubby is the only source that I know of - these units are not stamped with manufacturer or #.  Maybe on the inside...hmmmm...

They don't break - but I'm going to get two anyway.

Thanks for the offer - I'd just need the temporarily and we could hold on to them as "squad emergency equippage" and I could some pedals to the set maybe.

All the best,

Gunny

F * I *X*E*D

Problem was a bad connector to old Hall - which I made worse by wiring error which blew the Hall.  Warning - Hall's are destroyed if cross wired.

Ordered new stuff from Cubby - but fortunately - for Beta testing anyway..  My local "Cougar" club had a Spare Hall.  Good to have a club like this in your area....

I'm up no spikes - ...

Back to testing..

Gunny

Wo good job! Gunny what kind of flight Sim are they flying at the club ?

Wings over Europe - Wings over Vietnam - etc... etc....

They have ROF - but one can't fly it because he's remodeling his house.  I have his U2NXT to install in his Cougar when I get time over the next several weeks.

S~

Gunny

By the way - about that review I never quite got to - Gremlin_WoH posted a link to this great review he wrote over at the Wing of Honor web site.....

http://www.wingsofhonour.com/hardware/thrustmasterhotascougar/review_modding-u2nxt-hs2-hs1_20090718/html_woh_hardware_review_cougar-u2nxt-hs_20090718.en.html (http://www.wingsofhonour.com/hardware/thrustmasterhotascougar/review_modding-u2nxt-hs2-hs1_20090718/html_woh_hardware_review_cougar-u2nxt-hs_20090718.en.html)

S~

Gunny