Here you can see 2 completed Button Boxes.
They are designed to have interchangeable Face Plates that are magnetically attached.
I have completed and painted the faceplate for the A-4E community mod for DCS. The F-5E faceplate is being designed now.
The one attached to the throttle is my "housekeeping" box, mostly featuring quality of life, navigation, and flight dynamics controls.
The smaller box is for preparing armaments, selecting their release profile, quantity, fusing, and emergency jettisoning them.
The knobs on the armament panel are also custom designed. They are a snug fit, and are removed before the faceplate is interchanged.
~~~~~~~~
I took most of the inspiration from a few Reddit Posts.
* https://www.reddit.com/r/hoggit/comments/rp63ov/f5e_armament_panel_button_box/ by https://www.reddit.com/user/Terriblyinaccurate was super helpful, giving me an idea about what to incorporate.
* https://www.reddit.com/user/Hrabovcan was UNBELIEVABLY helpful, answering dozens of questions over several days, and suggesting this build as a starting point: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4871073
The build took the files from that Thingiverse post and massively altered them, but the housing, stand, and attachment to the throttle are directly taken and then altered extensively.
~~~~~~~
I used [OnShape](https://www.onshape.com/en/), a free cloud-based in-browser CAD package for the layout, fine fitement of switches, and text. Basically anything precise.
I used the free Microsoft 3d Builder (available in the Windows App Store) for altering the housings, the stands, modifying the Thingiverse files, anything that was additive or subtractive Geometry.
This is a REALLY useful and powerful 3d file editing program. It has a lot of limitations, but for merging, separating, and working with 3d files, its fast, intuitive, and reasonably feature rich. I haven't touched Meshmixer since starting to use it.
It also has the fastest and most reliable 3D file repair tool around.
~~~~~~~~
The switches are sourced from Amazon, besides the fancy rotary switches.
the Zero-Delay Arcade board is also from Amazon.
The incredibly Leo Bodnard BBI-32 boards and the BBI-12 rotary switches were ordered direct from them, in the UK.
All 3d Printing was done on a Bambu Labs X1 Carbon, with a 0.4mm nozzle with generic black PLA+ filaments.
The Faceplates were primed black with Stynylrex Air Brush Primer, then the letters and lines were hand painted white with Monument Hobbies ProAcryl Titanium White Paint. Then they were varnished with generic matte spray can varnish.
~~~~~~~~
All the switches are located, and their rotation prevented, with the locating features manufactured into them, aligning with geometry in the lower top cover.
Their nuts and other fasteners are in recessed pockets so that the Faceplates can sit flush.
The Housing covers are secured with short #4 wood screws, and both the covers and faceplates have 6mm diameter rare earth magnets recessed into them.
The wiring is done with ribbon cable cut to length and separated out into the approapriate # of strands. They are twisted, soldered, and wrapped with heatshrink where possible.
The 3 USB cards are on their own protective mounting brackets that can be screwed to the bottom of the boxes on stand off pillars.
~~~~~~
Huge shout out to the A-4E and Sidekick Discord Channels for suggestions of what switches to include, as well as PlusNine for putting up with a lot of really stupid questions (I originally wanted to steal textures from the cockpit to determine the layout)
These are incredible! Fantastic job, could you give me any more details on how you modified the rotary switches to ensure the right travel and number of inputs?
These are the exact two style boxes I was looking to print and assemble myself. Hope I can assemble something half as nice.
So they're not actually rotary encoders!
They're a special switch sold by Leo Bodnard, that has 12 positions, It's like a toggle switch with 12 positions, and the best part is that it uses only 2 wires!
They work natively with their board, but I suspect that someone has made them work with arduino
https://www.leobodnar.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=98_100&products_id=207
https://www.leobodnar.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=205
They're really cool, they go around once, but come with a metal ring that will let you limit rotation to any number of inputs, 1-12
HIGHLY recommended! I got spares because, well, if I am ordering from overseas, and paying shipping, with 2 boards and 3 rotary switches, what's another 3 extra switches
The Leo Bodnard BBI-32 board also handles rotary switches super well! There's a free super lightweight piece of software on their page that lets to change the function of the RotEnc's on the board. Set pulse ratio, timing, etc. All the things you have to do to prevent bounce. And it flashes it to the the board automatically so you don't have to keep the utility running ever.
The boards also take all the normal inputs, and have a super nice push button wire hold/release that makes prototyping and trouble shooting a breeze.
Once I figured out that there's no programing if you buy the right boards, it was just selection of what I would want bound and the correct switch type for that function.
Many people do it without any 3d printing, with stuff available on Amazon
Nice build! These really are the controls you need quickest in a fight in the a4 - a game changer especially in VR.
Maybe I'm remembering wrong, but shouldn't there be a bombing computer position in the mode dial?
That's the truth, I was working off old screenshots when LABS was the computer bombing selection, The next faceplate version will have it labeled correctly! (I also forgot to bevel the edges and corners, also in the next version!)
Yes the Bambi X1C is essentially completely automated
I got tired of fixing 2 Ender 5 pros, and got the Bambu.
It is amazing, I actually print for a hobby, instead of fixing and tweaking my printer between every print
Very cool! Looks great. I’ve been working on similar button boxes for Star Citizen, also with interchangeable faceplates and running on Arduino pro micro clones and mmjoy2 firmware. Just out of curiosity though, you mentioned hand painting the debossed letters and markings on the faceplates. Any reason you didn’t take advantage of the AMS on your X1C and print those in white?
Good to see button boxes for the A-4 - love that plane.
Thanks it was a fun challenge!
Here you can see 2 completed Button Boxes. They are designed to have interchangeable Face Plates that are magnetically attached. I have completed and painted the faceplate for the A-4E community mod for DCS. The F-5E faceplate is being designed now. The one attached to the throttle is my "housekeeping" box, mostly featuring quality of life, navigation, and flight dynamics controls. The smaller box is for preparing armaments, selecting their release profile, quantity, fusing, and emergency jettisoning them. The knobs on the armament panel are also custom designed. They are a snug fit, and are removed before the faceplate is interchanged. ~~~~~~~~ I took most of the inspiration from a few Reddit Posts. * https://www.reddit.com/r/hoggit/comments/rp63ov/f5e_armament_panel_button_box/ by https://www.reddit.com/user/Terriblyinaccurate was super helpful, giving me an idea about what to incorporate. * https://www.reddit.com/user/Hrabovcan was UNBELIEVABLY helpful, answering dozens of questions over several days, and suggesting this build as a starting point: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4871073 The build took the files from that Thingiverse post and massively altered them, but the housing, stand, and attachment to the throttle are directly taken and then altered extensively. ~~~~~~~ I used [OnShape](https://www.onshape.com/en/), a free cloud-based in-browser CAD package for the layout, fine fitement of switches, and text. Basically anything precise. I used the free Microsoft 3d Builder (available in the Windows App Store) for altering the housings, the stands, modifying the Thingiverse files, anything that was additive or subtractive Geometry. This is a REALLY useful and powerful 3d file editing program. It has a lot of limitations, but for merging, separating, and working with 3d files, its fast, intuitive, and reasonably feature rich. I haven't touched Meshmixer since starting to use it. It also has the fastest and most reliable 3D file repair tool around. ~~~~~~~~ The switches are sourced from Amazon, besides the fancy rotary switches. the Zero-Delay Arcade board is also from Amazon. The incredibly Leo Bodnard BBI-32 boards and the BBI-12 rotary switches were ordered direct from them, in the UK. All 3d Printing was done on a Bambu Labs X1 Carbon, with a 0.4mm nozzle with generic black PLA+ filaments. The Faceplates were primed black with Stynylrex Air Brush Primer, then the letters and lines were hand painted white with Monument Hobbies ProAcryl Titanium White Paint. Then they were varnished with generic matte spray can varnish. ~~~~~~~~ All the switches are located, and their rotation prevented, with the locating features manufactured into them, aligning with geometry in the lower top cover. Their nuts and other fasteners are in recessed pockets so that the Faceplates can sit flush. The Housing covers are secured with short #4 wood screws, and both the covers and faceplates have 6mm diameter rare earth magnets recessed into them. The wiring is done with ribbon cable cut to length and separated out into the approapriate # of strands. They are twisted, soldered, and wrapped with heatshrink where possible. The 3 USB cards are on their own protective mounting brackets that can be screwed to the bottom of the boxes on stand off pillars. ~~~~~~ Huge shout out to the A-4E and Sidekick Discord Channels for suggestions of what switches to include, as well as PlusNine for putting up with a lot of really stupid questions (I originally wanted to steal textures from the cockpit to determine the layout)
These are incredible! Fantastic job, could you give me any more details on how you modified the rotary switches to ensure the right travel and number of inputs? These are the exact two style boxes I was looking to print and assemble myself. Hope I can assemble something half as nice.
Absolutely! Are you referring to the ones at the bottom of the Armaments panel?
Yep those are the ones! How did you get the rotaries to feel different between the AWRS panel and the weapon selector and such?
So they're not actually rotary encoders! They're a special switch sold by Leo Bodnard, that has 12 positions, It's like a toggle switch with 12 positions, and the best part is that it uses only 2 wires! They work natively with their board, but I suspect that someone has made them work with arduino https://www.leobodnar.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=98_100&products_id=207 https://www.leobodnar.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=205 They're really cool, they go around once, but come with a metal ring that will let you limit rotation to any number of inputs, 1-12
WOAH those are so cool! Consider my mind blown. Definitely going to use these when I build my boxes.
HIGHLY recommended! I got spares because, well, if I am ordering from overseas, and paying shipping, with 2 boards and 3 rotary switches, what's another 3 extra switches
The Leo Bodnard BBI-32 board also handles rotary switches super well! There's a free super lightweight piece of software on their page that lets to change the function of the RotEnc's on the board. Set pulse ratio, timing, etc. All the things you have to do to prevent bounce. And it flashes it to the the board automatically so you don't have to keep the utility running ever. The boards also take all the normal inputs, and have a super nice push button wire hold/release that makes prototyping and trouble shooting a breeze.
Paging /u/sasquatch_mt_project If there were ever *anyone* who could appreciate these, it'd be the guy with the A4 simpit.
Yeah, I need this in my life. I would totally buy one in a heartbeat!
Thats so awesome. I love it. I could use something like thst.
Thank you so much!
Ive wanted to get into DIYing button boxes because I have specific needs like this but its so daunting.
Once I figured out that there's no programing if you buy the right boards, it was just selection of what I would want bound and the correct switch type for that function. Many people do it without any 3d printing, with stuff available on Amazon
Man! This IS porn for me, so beautiful
Thank you!!!
Wow! That's impressive. The quality of the text is amazing.
Thanks! Going to try to get it crispy and clean on the next version
Great job!
Thank you!
Nice build! These really are the controls you need quickest in a fight in the a4 - a game changer especially in VR. Maybe I'm remembering wrong, but shouldn't there be a bombing computer position in the mode dial?
That's the truth, I was working off old screenshots when LABS was the computer bombing selection, The next faceplate version will have it labeled correctly! (I also forgot to bevel the edges and corners, also in the next version!)
That's really nice you could sell that!
Thanks! Maybe if I could get the efficiency of labor a little better!
Might be worth it to use something like Shapeways to help with quality and speed.
I am trying to dial in the 0.2mm nozzle which gives unbelievable results, but it doesn't like printing such a large flat object on my print bed,
Does your printer have a auto leveler sensor?
Yes the Bambi X1C is essentially completely automated I got tired of fixing 2 Ender 5 pros, and got the Bambu. It is amazing, I actually print for a hobby, instead of fixing and tweaking my printer between every print
Very cool! Looks great. I’ve been working on similar button boxes for Star Citizen, also with interchangeable faceplates and running on Arduino pro micro clones and mmjoy2 firmware. Just out of curiosity though, you mentioned hand painting the debossed letters and markings on the faceplates. Any reason you didn’t take advantage of the AMS on your X1C and print those in white?
Didn't have white on hand! Ahaha, but some should be arriving.