Uber II NXT construction

[TX-Gunslinger]

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

[TX-EcoDragon]

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

[TX-Gunslinger]

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

[TX-Gunslinger]

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

[TX-Gunslinger]

Wednesday - Yokes almost completed.Black 2

[TX-Deck]

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.

[TX-Gunslinger]

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

[TX-Gunslinger]

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

[TX-Deck]

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

[TX-Gunslinger]

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

[TX-Gunslinger]

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

[TX-Gunslinger]

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

[TX-Deck]

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

[TX-EcoDragon]

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

[TX-Zen]

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