Tinkering with a DIY Handbrake to mount on my BRD-N Black Stork Joystick.
Using a 3Kg loadcell and a Bodnar loadcell board.
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Will it make a ‘hiss’ sound when released? 
Very cool DIY @Troll - as I sit here with a broken lightbulb above my head I can feel nothing but a feeling of inadequency. 
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Oooooh… Great idea!
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But how will you get a snake in there???
<hiss …get it? back to my day job>
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I was thinking just the head of the snake and attach electrodes to the tounge, that activates as the signal reaches zero…
Keeping a live, trained, snake in there will become a bother. They eat like a rat every month.
I have ordered a airgun scope adaptor that I thought I’d use to mount the brake lever body to the joystick…
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Calling this one finished.
Now let’s hope the mailman brings me my scope adapter, or I will have to make a temporary mount. Straps will work… Or Ductape.
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Nice job!
Wish I had some metal working experience!
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Thanks!
I just love making things…
There’s something special about using your own controller.
Nothing in the mail today. I’ll just strap the handbrake body to the joystick, for now.
There!
Made a temporary mount. Will mount it slightly closer to the stick when I get the scope adapter.
Tried it with the DCS: L-39C and it works great!
My differential brake control, and thus nosewheel steering, increased ten fold, at least!
Now I can park that thing anywhere. 
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I am envious of your metal workshop! I got the tools to make some light metal stuff though so that’s nice… I mean I really shouldn’t complain…
Gorgeous project too!
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Thanks!
Working with aluminium is almost as easy as with wood.
So much fun!
I have noticed that the weight of the brake handle, even though it’s aluminium, is enough to trigger a signal from the load cell, when I move the joystick…
Not a lot though. I will dial in a few notches of deadzone to kill it.
I’m surprised at the resolution of the loadcell signal, and how precise the controller is.
I think that that is why they love loadcells for racing sim-gear?
Yeah.
I got the idea of using a loadcell from a racing brakepedal mod. Racers usually get a bigger loadcell and mount a piece of rubber that compresses against the loadcell.
I chose a spring since I needed to control the amount of compression force on the loadcell (max 3Kg) so my handle stops before the spring is fully compressed.
Ah I see, I would have used some sort of screw for that, so that you can easily change that if the cell ever changes.
I thought of that, and I still have the option to add a set screw that will allow for an adjustable stop.
Will be interesting to see how the loadcell and its strain gauges hold up over time…
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And I’m happy to report that the DCS: Spitfire groundhandling improved significantly with a proportional brake!
Still is a 
during takeoff though…
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