Going for gold: Motorized TQ!

update: I’ve been spending my time working on the fmc (see my other post thread) and in the meantime came to a PROFOUND existential decision to DROP simvim and go with Mobiflight. 3rd party arduinos are back down to about $20 and it just makes sense since everything here is all about mobiflight. Karl did say at one point there are forthcoming videos showing MTQ wiring so I’m kind of on hold with this until those are available.

Look what came today!! Ok, not part of the TQ, but ive been printing the glarewings as well. I got a bonus flaps panel, not sure if that was a mistake or not as I wasn’t charged for it, but these are great!

Frustration. Both stems holding trim wheels failed. on both sides, the internal structure that accepts the screw to hold it all together pulled out. Then, on the the other side, the whole stem broke off.

@Karl Clarke any ideas about why these both failed?

Reprinted the brake handle and got it installed. Took out the throttles and cut off the extra material on the 10k pots and got everything back together. Everything seems to be moving correctly so am working on the linkage for the trim wheels. It’s all together but getting it on the TQ so it engages the gears with all the wires in the way has not been easy. I wish the videos showing wiring were available for sure.

Some days you eat the bear, and some days the bear eats you. I got eaten today. I’ve labeled all the wires and have attached both sides together but ran into a rather cruddy issue. The 10k pots that tell the sim that the reversers are on are running into each other.

There are a lot of screws that need to come out to get to that.

then, while I was flipping things over to fixture out why the throttles were mashing into each other I broke the brake lever.

So that has to be reprinted and the brake unit will have to be taken apart again.

on the plus, all wires are labeled.

something’s also up with the throttle 1 reverse release not working. Too frustrated so going to put it down for awhile.

The ultra mini micro mini switches came so I have to get that in the parking brake assembly. I also had to take the throttle arms off to get to the 10k pots that I’d forgotten to wire up. Not too bad but I broke the left starter stem that I was trying to get away with making out of pla.

While I had things strewn about it reminded me that the manual crank handles on the trim wheels just flip around, although it looks a little in the design like a locking mechanism was intended:

I decided just to wrap wire to the hall sensor and goop with solder. Seems ok.

I think I’ve finished printing parts! Somehow I am sure I’m not, but I think I am.

I’ve got the sides together but then realized I did this. Doh!!

Don’t think it’s a good idea to have the stepper wires right at the gear. Must mean I’m done for the day.

next step is the trim wheel connection. It wasn’t clear at first but the thin pancake steppers on each side run the trim wheel indicator with input from the sim. There’s a limit switch on one side of travel but not the other, so not quite sure how that will work.

besides the trim wheel connection I have to wire the pots on the throttle assemblies that I forgot to do before putting them all together and I’m still awaiting the ultra mini micro switch for the parking break switch. then it’s sim wiring time!

I‘m using SumVim so only one arduino. I’ll be rewiring my MCP onto multiplexers and serial led IC’s. The EFIS (which I’m waiting on the new version to be published) is also set up to be attached to multiplexers and led IC. There’s only one light on the TQ as far as I can tell (I did not back light it) so I think I’ll have plenty of room on the arduino. I realize Karl uses many arduinos and mobiflight, but we all have our crosses to bear 😎

Printing lots of parts for the throttle wheels which has been taking a lot of time. Getting big, though!!

does anyone know if there are any connectors that can make wiring the hall sensors any easier?

still not sure how I’m going to use the angle sensors to tell Simvim position information. But first I wanted to figure out first how to center them. I assigned one to the yoke but it moved far too randomly. Then on a whim I thought about the tiller because on the wall of the plane next to it is a center marker. It worked great!!

Guess what came in the mail today?!?!? YAAAAASSSSSS!!!!

Glory days!!!!

but then this happened:

This is what happens when the filament gets stuck on the pla roll in the middle of a 12 hour print! 🤬

Ok, the latest. Still no hall angle sensors. No updates on the shipping page since 6/27 so I’m beginning to abandon hope they’re coming.

pushing on, I’ve finished everything else I can without those. I’m now printing the trim wheel panels, which take about 12 hours each piece (x3 for small mod).

I thought I got the correct mini switches needed for the parking break, but they’re supposed to be ULTRA mini micro switches. 🤯

then, when I was trying to pry one of the TW panels off, I chipped the printer glass!! I even let it cool all night first. I mean I have printed about a zillion things for this build and it’s heated and cooled a lot, but I didnt know this could happen!

I ordered a new one from Amazon and it’ll be here tomorrow.

more progress:

Nuts! Hopefully the container isn’t on the same ship my hall angle sensors are 😂

Hello, Fantasic job, There are actually 5 build videos of the MTU coming. The problem is they are all trapped on my computer in the shipping conatiner. I created about 14 videos before i left, but forgot to transfer the video footage before they packed up the house. The idea was to release a video every two weeks until The container arrived. Now i have nothing until it arrives.

Not a lot to do while these multi day parts print. I wired the inside of the left side, except for the angle hall sensors, which are supposedly supposed to arrive July 1st. I wonder if Karl could consider either an Illustration of where wires go (not what they’re attached to as those are posted) or maybe a boring long video showing the final product with things where they should be?

The trim wheel is a looooong print, and possibly longer for those of us using the small printer mod.

I ran into a weird issue with the way the end of the white piece seems to be missing the requisite inlay and screw hole:

So I did a little surgery and figured the cosmetics weren’t as important as you won’t see this area anyway.

And Bob’s your uncle!

Now I’m printing pieces for the other trim wheel and playing the “is there enough filament on the spool“ game!

now that’s more like it:

A little smoother at 0.1 level. that’ll do, pig. That’ll do.

I’ve had a great build session. Just a couple of weird things. Like, the decal for the flaps is oddly the wrong size:

How can that be?

Guys, this is freaking awesome.

Does anyone know if a real 737-800 flaps lever says “Flaps” or “Flap”?

I’m also trying a 0.1mm level hight incase it smooths out the print without having to change nozzle size.

Guess what happens when you try to put a 6202 bearing into the spot a 6002 bearing is intended?

answer:

More assembly. Running out of M4 screws. I realized I forgot to get hall sensors and am a little disappointed to see they’re not available anywhere locally and cost a ton. it’ll give me the opportunity to print all the pieces I still need to print.

I ran into a hiccup putting the plate on the first stepper motor because the screws didn’t line up. Hopefully 2 of 4 will work.

Also, as I start installing more and more parts I am starting to get worried about going forward without adding wires before it becomes too difficult. The build instructions don’t really say when a good time to do that would be.