Homemade Collective
[Bell 206 type, with mechanical idle release button]
the collective is based on this real Bell 206 version
3"x 3" hardwood (Maple) was used for the collective switch head
switch head cut to rough shape with bandsaw and router
aluminum tubing for main shaft and throttle twist grip
final shape
aluminum main shaft tubing epoxied into switch head
slots cut on main shaft (left) for inner 1/4" pot drive shaft, and on twist grip (right) for mechanical idle release button
throttle twist grip slid over main shaft to check fit
inner potentiometer drive shaft (1/4" PVC tube)
Here's a rough idea of how it all fits together;
a sheet metal screw holds the outside twist grip (black), through the little white spacer, to the inner pot drive shaft (white)
a slot cut in the main shaft (gold) allows a track for the spacer to travel when you rotate the twist grip
so when you rotate the twist grip you rotate the pot drive shaft
partially assembled with working mechanical push button idle release
1" sq. steel tubing tail piece with teflon bearing block and potentiometer drive gear installed
tail assembly epoxied to main shaft
inner 1/4" PVC pot drive shaft connected to potentiometer drive gear
(gears are recycled from discarded printers)
10K precision potentiometer installed with driven gear
aluminum cover plate
