Due to popular demand, I thought I’d post something about my DIY throttle, the ConTrollR. Yes, @Maico came up with the name 
I did a build thread about this at SimHQ. I have since then migrated over here.
Anyway, I wanted to build a controller with dual throttle, propeller and mixture for use in FSX, X-Plane and IL-2 BoS/M/K. DirectInput has a limit at 8 axes and 32 buttons, so I went with that.
I bought the lever mechanisms from a DVik on the IL2 boards. They are very compact and sturdy.
He sells them with or without TLE5010/11 magnetic sensors that are incredibly precise. Highly recommended!
The handles are my designs, 3D printed from Shapeways.com.
This is DVik’s small lever mechanics with the TLE5010 sensor mounted.
Behind the chip, there’s a magnet, mounted on the screw that makes up the axis of the mechanism.
I spent a lot of time on a CAD software, testing different designs. This is filed under the same category as “measure twice, cut once”. 
The brains of the outfit is a Teensy ++2 controller with MMJoy2 firmware, on a PCB I designed myself. It’s a button matrix setup. Same principle as a keyboard. MMJoy2 can deal with shift registers like those found inside a Thrustmaster stick as well. Basically different ways of connecting 32 buttons to just a few pins on the controllers, without messing up the signals
I got DVik to cut the aluminum sides for my handles as well. Here’s the right hand throttle with the speed brake switch.
This is the aluminium electronics box I bought of Ebay. Covered it in textured carbon fibre vinyl from a car tune-up store. Holes and slits are drilled and cut. Aluminum is easy to work with.
I’m using rotary encoders for elevator, aileron and rudder trims wheels, and another two for other use. Rotary encoders output a button press for each dent it is turned in either direction. Works really well for any control that use a button one way, and another button the other way, like trim. It’s just like assigning pitch trim to the PoV hat, but here it’s a wheel that does the same thing.
I gave the elevator trim wheel some extra support by offsetting it inside the box, and a bearing on the encoder neck.
I use two Honeywell “pull to operate” switches. One for landing gear and one for a 3-stage flap switch.
I replaced the spring with lighter ones, as the original ones are rather stiff.
The flap handle is my own design, 3D printed in aluminum.
That’s the condenced history.
Feel free to ask me anything…
