Making detents

[jackpilot]

These ball plungers can be screwed in or pushed in a moving metal part, like a lever, and allow creating a detent spot when they hit a notch made in a non moving adjacent part.. (EX:spoiler Arm position or any  of your choice...50%trottle etc) dirt cheap too. They accept all orders .
http://www.fastenal.com/web/products.ex?N=999601130

[Trevor Hale]

Ohhhh Nice Jack.  I can see a few places where I could use something like that..  Great post.

Trev

[jackpilot]

Works impeccable.
These plungers are 1/4" diam . I drilled a bolt and inserted the plunger in it. That way the depth is adjustable. The ball draws an arc when the lever is moved, showing where to drill half holes.. The feel is really good with a  soft "click" at each point.

[Trevor Hale]

Outstanding product.  Jack, once again you have taken a regular item and shown us how to use it.

Awesome.

Trev

[Boeing Skunk Works]

That's using your noggin too about how to place those holes! Great thinking.

Fastenal is much faster on-line than in the store. I went to the local store to order specific brass screws for my instrument panel. I waited a month before they arrived.

[when acting as a wave]

Genius!

[jackpilot]

Nope...just obstinate and using what's avail.(lol)
The best system so far seems to drill a bolt to insert the plunger and set the bolt like this so that it is adjustable.

[Trevor Hale]

Does it not take hours to drill the bolt out?

Trev

[Bob Reed]

Does it not take hours to drill the bolt out?

Trev

I would not recomend using case hardened ones!!  lol

[jackpilot]

Got them at Rona, piece of cake in a press drill, 15sec.
Reading you guys, I suspect I was lucky, or bought crap bolts 
Right now I have  to drill two of them for the Power levers detents (idle, max and 50%)
Will report.
------
OK part 2
Just drilled them no prob, goes right in.
ref: 307A sj

[Bob Reed]

So let me ask you this Jack, how do you lock them and keep them from un adjusting themselves?

[jackpilot]

One lock nut on each side as shown on the drawing.
Actually by drilling a slightly smaller hole in the aluminum arm I can thread it by forcing the steel bolt . Then the lock nut on the head side is not necessary anymore and the other lock nut is used for adjustment.

[Trevor Hale]

Purley amazing...  God I am so jealous..  Looks incredible..  I can't wait to see it finished.

[Boeing Skunk Works]

Jack, as you move the handle from one detent to the other, the handle is not trying to move outboard is it?

You have me seriously considering another throttle build. I'd be re-using most of the same components but redesigning the housing and internal engineering.

[phil744]

Thats the kind of engineering i love, top of the class for you

the exact same principal can be applied to rotary encoders also, small detents in the lightplate and small hole drilled in knob with bearing and spring, gives such a loverly feel to otherwise friction free encoders.

I was lucky enough to totally dismantle a real A320 throttle and servo feel unit, and the detents are done more or less in the same way, small roller bearing on a spring loaded canterlever, the main difference is the direction of force is not latural but in the vertical direction, main difference is as the ball clicks into place the lever moves up not sideways producing a very posative feel through your hand.

Im not one for posting often but i lurk in the background and i am enjoying watching this one come together, keep it up

[jackpilot]

Jack, as you move the handle from one detent to the other, the handle is not trying to move outboard is it?
.

No because in my case the plunger is really tiny, and actually the mini mini ball  stays in (spring compressed) all the time except when it hits the half hole where it pops out, not enough to induce any play in an relatively massive lever held tight on a 5/8 axle.
Also the plunger is on the moving part (lever). Not the opposite.
But Phil's comment on a vertical mount can be done too. I made it horizontal to use the existent side wall and lever, making it vertical will imply a circular track for the plunger, but it all depends on the design of the TQ.

[ak49er]

Another solution that i have used is these really cool little Socket Head Set Screws, with a spring loaded nylon tip, very similar to the OP, but with a "lower profile",  they only require a threaded hole to insert, and a 1/8" track to follow, with dimples for detents, they run really smooth against aluminum, and will not gall. I posted photos on the "other" forum months ago.