Gimbal Play
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Hi all,
Aside from going to gimbal mods etc, what have people done to eliminate play in standard gimbals?
So far I have been following this guide, but am a little bit concerned about drilling 6mm holes into the cradle. I’m not sure that even with an industry grade drill press I’d be able to get a prices 2.5mm deep 6mm wide hole. I still plan on widening the holes in the metal stick base as they should hold the bearings just fine. Would I be better putting brass bushings in the cradle part instead?
Slop on gimbals:
Here’s my progress elsewhere:
Cage sides and moving parts filed and polished (it’s even smoother since taking this photo)
Metal ‘shim’ fashioned out of a coke can. Perfect fit now!
Ignore the tape in the photos. That was just used whilst I fine tuned the shape of the part. It has been removed, the shim degreased with IPA, and hot glue applied. I will grease it with white lithium once the project is complete and everything reassembled.More photos to follow.
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Another alternative cause dremel makes it slim - slim makes it more crackable…
I’m thinking of using silicon glue which is easy to remove and electronics friendly… i mean the heated one that melts.
Just pοur silicon there for the x y axis play and use silicon to fixate the metal plaques (coins) for the force sensors… -
Thanks Arty. Forgive me if I’m being a bit dumb. Where are you applying glue? The problem is half cured by adding spacers etc, but the hole through the stick base and cradle are stretched due to wear. This means the can move around on the shaft which translates as play in the stick. Are you saying to bond the ends of the 3mm shaft to the cradle so that it only moves in the stick base?
Another thought about the gimbal cradle. Would it be worth using a brass bushing (such as http://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/p120255/AM0305-6-Oil-Filled-Bronze-Plain-Bush-3x5x6mm/product_info.html) and install bearings in stick base part? Or, unless I’m misunderstood Arty and he’s already suggested this, but what about simply gluing the 3mm shaft to the cradle so it can’t move at all within that, and rely on the stick base bearings for rotation?
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:lol: you hard locked me.
Sorry but the terminology doesn’t help me to understand your post and also can’t help me reply that good.
So I haven’t yet but will.
The center tube (XY) were you put the metal foil like: tube foil gimbals. I want to put it like: tube silicon foil silicon gimbals.
Also in my pic where the many wires are putted which i covered in the next pic with the red plastic thermal insulation takes care of the y axis I believe.
Still there is metal friction and metal filings are scattered here and there… and the slim wires are cut and have to re fill often.
So to reduce those micro gaps I thought to just pour and squeeze as much silicon as I can… I know small amounts but what ever can save or make better… Not the best or recommended but when no money… a man got to do what a man got to do.
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:lol: you hard locked me.
Sorry but the terminology doesn’t help me to understand your post and also can’t help me reply that good.
So I haven’t yet but will.
The center tube (XY) were you put the metal foil like: tube foil gimbals. I want to put it like: tube silicon foil silicon gimbals.
Also in my pic where the many wires are putted which i covered in the next pic with the red plastic thermal insulation takes care of the y axis I believe.
Still there is metal friction and metal filings are scattered here and there… and the slim wires are cut and have to re fill often.
So to reduce those micro gaps I thought to just pour and squeeze as much silicon as I can… I know small amounts but what ever can save or make better… Not the best or recommended but when no money… a man got to do what a man got to do.
Hi Arty,
Sorry, I kind of rambled on a bit.
Here’s my current plan:
I would apply hot glue to the red line on both sides so that the 3mm shaft cannot move within the cradle. Instead, only the stick end will move around the shaft after I install the bearings. This would be much easier than fitting bearings.
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well hot glue is not that durable or resistant. it will be elastic and come off at some time. The combination I believe will be more effective.
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well hot glue is not that durable or resistant. it will be elastic and come off at some time. The combination I believe will be more effective.
I’m still not sure I follow what you’re doing. Could you illustrate where you plan to put silicon to stop the stick base moving around in the cradle?
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Guys, the play is a lot better, but I still hate the springs. They’re just too damn stiff making it very difficult to make precise movements. It feels very X or Y if that makes sense, with tough mechanical deadzones.
Has anyone replaced the springs with softer ones, or even bungee cord or something?
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Don t know, but i hopefully wait the force sensing mod from milesd
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+1
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Me too. Any ideas on the latest? I can see me really enjoying BMS 433 but this old POS cougar is making it really hard.
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Don t have any news on milesd. Awaiting…
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So I haven’t been able to get into the tech rooms at work yet, but whilst I wait I’m wondering if bearings are the right thing to do, or would a brass bushing be better? I’m dubious about drilling a 2mm deep hole. It would be easier and more precise to simply drill a 6mm hole all the way through the gimbal, and put a brass bushing in to remove the slop.
Thoughts?
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what kind of brass bushing would work… I did put a piece of steel around the center stick and it removed most all of the play, I would like to further remove play if I could add some bushings…
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Personally, I’d try nylon bushings - seeing as the metal on metal is what’s wearing the base gimbal, and nylon might be easier to find/replace from hardware/hobby store stock.
I’ve already replaced my Cougar gimbals with an FCC 3, but now you’ve got me curious to tinker with the old parts I removed….