Throttle Quadrant Quick Release Lever Handles

thingiverse

Added a quick-change connector to the levers of brettkp's Throttle Quadrant. Goal is to make it easy to switch the quadrant to match controls of different types of planes, e.g. a modern single engine turboprop (example provided) to a twin engine, to a tubeliner (exercise for the reader) or anything else. This replaces the original levers, but no other parts; fit should be identical. The levers are modified to have a male side-release connector (common buckle in outdoor gear), but are otherwise identical (gearing and mounting point) to the original lever; they should be drop-in replacements. The "buckle" parts are included to help further remixing, and an example set of levers, based loosely on a modern turboprop (Quest Kodiak), are provided. Of course, a set of 4 or more straight levers could be used to model a twin, or a jet, etc. [EDIT -- this does not work well, don't use as provided]: Minor additional modification is a simple tension-release mechanism to enable typical aircraft jog gates in a separate console housing, e.g. for beta throttle or condition lever and the like, without unduly stressing the lever pivot point. [9/16/2020] - Initial release. [9/17/2020] - Added NegativeSpaceTemplate.stl: Don't print this, but use it as the "hole" in a new extension, to receive the male end of the lever. The example connectors are a good deal thicker than necessary, around 7.5 mm. The receiving socket is about 12.3 x 4.3 mm, and has a solid core past the side levers, so it can be printed at 6 or even 5.5 mm thick for a cleaner look. The lever itself is 15.05 mm wide, if you want to match that profile. [10/24/2020] - Posted WIP prototype; the top level delaminated and needs a redesign. The idea is that the levers and the entire "skin" (lever tracks plus pretty top layer) can all be quickly detached and replaced to simulate different planes. So am I crazy like a fox or just crazy? I'm not going for super-realism (tho I appreciate the people who do), but rather a quick-change to approximate the "feel" of different planes. Note the mashup of switches -- they're the ones I want accessible during take-off/landing, not anything like any real plane. Next version I may try to add the switch plate to the removable skin as well. The published lever strain gauge DOES NOT WORK -- it fails/breaks on any twisting motion. Best solution I've found is highly printer, slicer and material dependent. Basically make the bottom layers roughly .75 to 1 mm thick (depends on material) before allowing any fill, then remove a 1-2 mm slice from the rest of the lever (no more "W" shape, just a square trench across the lever). For the bottom layers, use an even multiple of layers depending on your optimal Z-stepper increment: E.g., Ender 3 likes .04 mm Z steps, so do something like 6 x 0.12mm bottom layers for .72mm total (or initial .20 + 5 x .12). Do a couple of tests of different bottom thicknesses to get the right stiffness for whatever knob sits on top. My big black handle will wobble too much at less than .84 mm, but all the others are fine at .6 mm.