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Securing a MS Forcefeedback 2 to a base

Posted By: smoker

Securing a MS Forcefeedback 2 to a base - 08/27/14 05:38 AM

Does anyone have any experience or ideas on how to secure my joystick (the second one I've had) to an 18mm thick base?

It needs to be quite secure as the base needs to fold vertically to fit in a cupboard.

The msff2 has small self-tapping 10mm long screws around the base, but I can't find longer ones to fit through a base.

I've been using a large g-clamp for years but I'm rebuilding my setup :-)

Any thoughts appreciated.

56RAF_phoenix
Posted By: Brandano

Re: Securing a MS Forcefeedback 2 to a base - 08/27/14 10:30 AM

I'd remove the base, find three or four spots where it is sturdy enough, drill new mounting holes and glue some nuts above them, possibly with a reinforcement plate around them as well. This should leave the joystick pretty much unaltered for normal use and provide with a very sturdy mounting solution for a more permanent setup.
Posted By: Aero

Re: Securing a MS Forcefeedback 2 to a base - 08/30/14 10:14 PM

Magnets! smile

No kidding, so long as the base is ferrous (which I assume it is). Something like this ought to work:

http://www.amazon.com/CMS-Magnetics%C2%AE-Holding-Magnet-RB85/dp/B000WMQFR8/ref=pd_tcs_subst_hi_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=15T1J27THKADA0FE7SH4

I use one less than half as strong for my X-65, MS Sidewinder and G940, though I did need to add some guide pegs to keep it from slipping a bit. Allows for easy swapping too.


But yes, drilling and tapping some holes in the base might be easier and more straightforward. I'm just a big fan of using magnets whenever possible. wink
Posted By: Aeliusg

Re: Securing a MS Forcefeedback 2 to a base - 09/01/14 10:57 PM

Aero, how do you use this for G940? The base is plastic, as is the base for the FFB2.
Posted By: Aero

Re: Securing a MS Forcefeedback 2 to a base - 09/03/14 02:55 AM

Good question. I screwed an electrical cover plate, such as you would use for a quad junction box to the bottom of the G940 (about $0.50 each at a hardware store). My MS Sidewinder has a steel bottom.

Of course, since it would already involve drilling and tapping, were it a permanent mount this would probably make the effort not worth it. I was primarily interested in being able to swap them out quickly.


http://www.homedepot.com/p/Raco-4-in-Flat-Blank-Square-Electrical-Box-Cover-8752/100542712

edit:
Check that, had a look. I screwed the cover plate to a piece of masonite and then mounted the masonite to the G940 with via its built in mounting holes. I happened to have some cover plates lying around. You could alternatively just buy some steel sheet and mount directly to that, but unless they'll cut it to size for you, without a pedal shear, it's a pain to work with.
Posted By: Aeliusg

Re: Securing a MS Forcefeedback 2 to a base - 09/03/14 03:11 AM

OK, thanks, those magnets are a great idea anyway, I didn't realize they were that strong.
Posted By: Aero

Re: Securing a MS Forcefeedback 2 to a base - 09/03/14 03:14 AM

On the subject of mounting with screws though, the plastic base might be an advantage (provided it's reasonably thick). I think I'd recommend using some tee nuts over gluing nuts to the inside of the base. A steel-plastic bond expected to withstand the torque of tightening could be difficult (though certainly not impossible) to achieve, whereas the tee nut would just cut deeper into the plastic and grip better the more you torqued it. You could always add some epoxy too.
Posted By: Aero

Re: Securing a MS Forcefeedback 2 to a base - 09/03/14 03:26 AM

Here's a photo I posted in an earlier thread, if you're interested:

Linky
Posted By: Aeliusg

Re: Securing a MS Forcefeedback 2 to a base - 09/03/14 02:11 PM

How secure is it with the X65? Any wiggle/play?
Posted By: Aero

Re: Securing a MS Forcefeedback 2 to a base - 09/03/14 09:59 PM

No, but that's with the pegs are for (they're just two long screws, that slide into slightly larger holes I drilled in the X-65 base plate). I had to add the pegs specifically because of the X-65. There's was no wiggle, but there was twist, particularly because if I wanted to use the twist axis I had to set the force levels and dead zones quite high to get it to center properly (not really the best HOTAS I've ever bought). The magnet will grip firmly against the plane it joins with the plate, but its just going to be the coefficient of static friction multiplied by the force applied by the magnet that resists forces along that plane. Pushing the stick in the X and Y axis is working against the magnetic force as with a lever, but not so with the twist.

All that said, it didn't *easily* twist, but it would twist a few degrees from time to time when I was really cranking on the twist axis and that was annoying. A 120lb magnet by itself might do it... or (and I thought of this way too late) just a thin rubber or anti-slip layer between the magnet and the plate.

For the X-65 alone, though, it's mostly just academic because it does come with some nice, built-in mounting holes. I've seen people using VESA-standard pole mounts clamped to the arms of their chair for their HOTAS kit lately, and I think that's a great idea, and not too expensive (though you'd still have the original mounting problem).

http://www.amazon.com/Bracket-Pole-Mount-VESA75-100/dp/B00BCRRVD4/ref=pd_cp_e_2

It would be nice if HOTAS manufacturers just adopted one of the VESA standards. wink

edit: Oh, and don't take the Amazon link as an endorsement, I've seen the same product elsewhere for much cheaper, just can't remember where. Also, it's the message board that's changing every occurrence of the word HOTAS to a link to Amazon, right? Hope so.
Posted By: Brandano

Re: Securing a MS Forcefeedback 2 to a base - 09/04/14 02:58 PM

If there's the space for it you could epoxy a VESA mounting plate inside the base of the stick. After drilling the matching holes, obviously. What worries me is how close the circuit boards are to the base of the stick.
Posted By: Aeliusg

Re: Securing a MS Forcefeedback 2 to a base - 09/05/14 11:59 AM

Thanks for the ideas, Aero.

Brandano, these sticks are packed tight. Even a thin plate would be too much.
Posted By: Aero

Re: Securing a MS Forcefeedback 2 to a base - 09/06/14 09:08 PM

There's something I hadn't thought of: Pop rivets! (I get excited about these things wink ).

The (I forget the technical term) non-scrunched side of the rivet would only be a couple millimeters thick.

I like the looks of this thing: http://www.amazon.com/Rosewill-Computer-...ounting+bracket

You could rivet or epoxy the plate part to the bottom of the stick then screw the VESA pattern to the mount. I'm just guessing this would work based on how it looks in the pictures, though.

As for adhesives, I have doubts about the steel to plastic bond with epoxy though. Could be some JB Weld (the original metallic stuff) could do it (it doesn't, after all, have to be all *that* strong), but you might want a specialty adhesive like Lord Fusor 116 (which I have no experience with at all and and is pretty expensive to boot).
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