I've been thinking of building my own wheel/Pedal set for some time.
Anybody know where I could get potmeters, and what the price would be? I
would like *quality* parts, so I won't have to change them for a
while...
Mailorder-companies will work fine!
Thanks,
Matt
--
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Matthew Birger Patrick Knutsen
(http://sofus.hiof.no/~matthebk
"Racing cars is like dancing with a chainsaw"
-Cale Yarborough
Cheek Racing Cars (http://home.sn.no/~kareknut/
Please Remove "NoSpam" from my E-mail adress when replying!
-------------------------------
You might try Radio Shack...although I'm not sure of the durability I know they
sell pots, transistors and the like.
R. Faust
aka Xducer
> You might try Radio Shack...although I'm not sure of the durability I know they
> sell pots, transistors and the like.
> R. Faust
> aka Xducer
Radio Shack does indeed sell pots, but having built several
electrical/electronics projects in my day, (a wheel will be coming soon)
I'd recommend taking a look at some of the better electronic component
suppliers like Digi-Key (http://www.digikey.com/) and Mouser
(http://www.mouser.com/). Both have free catalogs, and a wide selection
of higher quality pots, some of which would do quite nicely for building
a wheel or a set of pedals. The catalogs come with operating and design
specs for all of the parts they sell. These outfits also stock the
joystick port connectors you'll need, along with tools and wire.
There is a manufacturer called ALPS which makes some of the best higher
end pots available, along with making the low and middle end parts
(mentioned because not all ALPS pots are high-end). I don't know where
to get the linear taper versions of their cream-of-the-crop pots, having
only used audio taper in HiFi projects, but they do make some really
nice ones. They can be a bit pricey ($30 US and up) but they track very
accurately. If anyone has used ALPS units in their wheels, speak up! I'd
like to know where to get 'em. :-)
(BTW, I'm not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned, just a
satisfied customer.)
--
Don Henry
> You might try Radio Shack...although I'm not sure of the durability
> I know they sell pots, transistors and the like.
The original poster asked for quality parts. And we all know you can't
spell quality with the letters in "Radio Shack"... :-)
Seriously thought, DigiKey (800) DIGI-KEY is a reasonable source for
higher quality parts. There are others, but none with such catchy 800
number. I've never been unhappy with DigiKey, though they are a bit
expensive in small quantities. (Still better than RatShack on value
though.)
For ultimate reliability, I think the way to go is optical encoder
wheels rather than pots, but then you're talking bigger dollars and
you have to interface over USB or the like. (It's not compatible with
the traditional game port.)
---Jim
> You might try Radio Shack...although I'm not sure of the durability I know they
> sell pots, transistors and the like.
> R. Faust
> aka Xducer
Don't waste your time at Radio Shack...their stuff is cheap, but it's
pretty cruddy too. I had one of their pots fail on its second day in
use. I went back and bought two more, but before installing, I
connected both to my digital multimeter. They were very different...one
had a dead spot in the middle range, the other a dead spot at 100%
resistance.
--
Neil Yeatman
Ajax, Ontario, CANADA
>For ultimate reliability, I think the way to go is optical encoder
>wheels rather than pots, but then you're talking bigger dollars and
>you have to interface over USB or the like. (It's not compatible with
>the traditional game port.)
Tell us more, Jim! My motherboard has a USB connector, But I have
nothing to plug in there! :-(
I just hope this optical wheel technology gets here about the same
time that force feedback gets ironed out and implemented by both
software companies (read that Papyrus for N3) and wheel companies
(read that Thomas "TSW" Enterprises and Thrustmaster. I have no
experience with any other company.)
In the mean time, if you e-mail Trevor, he might or might not be
interested in selling you one of the 0-100K linear taper Clarostat
pots that the TSW uses for it's wheel. (I have a TSW and I can vouch
for the long life and accuracy of these pots. The quality of the
Clarostat pot that Trevor uses in the TSW is proportional to the rest
of the "heavy duty" nature of the TSW.)
Clarostat also makes a full range of products. Be careful to get the
longest life "ceramic" versions of whatever you can get your hands on.
To use the Clarostat or any other 1/4" steel shaft pot in a
Thrustmaster wheel, you will first have to reduce the diameter of the
shaft 1/32" (use a lathe) and then extend the slit and add another
slit at 90 degrees (use a dremel tool with a cut-off wheel). This is
how I modified a Clarostat pot to press into the Thrustmaster's
aluminum hub with the proper friction.
I'd rather go to this much expense and trouble than keep replacing the
"free" pots that thrustmater provides. Thrustmaster does have
excellent customer service. It's too bad they do not offer a premium
quality potentiometer as either OE or as an upgrade.
PSST! , Hey THRUSTMASTER. Clarostat, ceramic, sealed, etc.!
--
Best Wishes!!!
Robert Huggins
Raleigh, NC
> >For ultimate reliability, I think the way to go is optical encoder
> >wheels rather than pots, but then you're talking bigger dollars and
> >you have to interface over USB or the like. (It's not compatible with
> >the traditional game port.)
> Tell us more, Jim!
Not ready to tell you anything more quite yet. Soon.
Patience grass-hopper... :-)
---Jim
