CH Hat Switch

[zack1234]

Where can obtain one of those big hands and how much do they cost?

Does one of those big hands come with a beanstalk

[morfiend]

 I had the same issue with my new warthog stick,fortunately the hand perch is rather large so I was able to use several pieces of pipe insulation to make a similar raised hand perch.This allows me to reach the upper hatswitch with ease.The insulation is a closed foam type that happens to be black,I rolled the first piece and taped it then wrapped 2 more pieces around that and taped the whole thing to my stick with black electrical tape and it almost disappears!


  It was cheap,easy to work with and can be made to fit anyones hands with a pair of scissors!




   

[zack1234]

pipe insulation foam is good

X52 hand rest is a good design

[Krusty]

Here's the secret to the CH Fightersticks:

It's all in how you put your hand on the stick.

The stick is molded from the real size and dimensions of an F-16 side control stick. However, in an F-16 it's at a low angle and based on the ergonomics of it you have no problems reaching all the buttons readily.

Here's the trick: Mount the stick on a platform level with your elbow. Make is so that your arm goes down from the shoulder, bends at the elbow, and is mostly parallel to the ground when you reach the handle (that means mounting the base lower to get the handle to that angle).

Now here's the hard part for most joystick users. Most of you are so used to grasping the stick very firmly with your palm flat along the surface. This is not how to use the Fighterstick line. You place your trigger finger on the trigger, you hug the body with your middle finger and partially with your ring finger. The palm does not hug the stick, rather you get the area right around your thumb (the webbing) and your middle/ring finger to keep the stick in play. There is air between the palm and the back of the stick.

From this angle your hand reaches the stick in such a way that your thumb easily manipulates the hat, and with a stress-free movement of the pinky you get your extra button.

Of course the only way to get this is by mounting the stick at a lower angle. Putting foam cuffs or rest pads won't help you any if your stick is still "above" the elbow point, necessitating your wrist to meet the stick at the wrong angle.


There you have it. I like mine, but I don't think I would if I couldn't have mounted it at elbow level. It makes all the difference.

[zack1234]

i do have a flight chair with positions in middle,left and right

Stick is at waist height

[Krusty]

But are you still angling your wrist "up" to the stick? If your hand comes at the stick from almost horizontal with NO upward angle, your wrist won't have to rest on the stick. You hold it lightly, like teachers try to teach you how to use a pencil in grade school, or like when you're on a bicycle -- you want to move it, but not grip it and tense up. When you do that you can reach the hat OK.

I do wish they would have done it differently, but as-is if you get the right angle you can use it pretty well.


EDIT: Have I described it well? Or is it still confusing? Should I attempt some photos of how I rest my hand on the stick?

[Shamus]

This is who they used for the ergonomic study.

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3620911616/tt0106834

shamus

[CRYPTIC]

I used the grand-kids foam noddle from the pool they never missed the 2 inches I cut of it. I then made a wedge leaving the front the pinky button open. I didn't use the whole 2 inches I just keep cutting till it was right for me. Not that I have small hands but had a accident that left my hand half useable. This helps me to reach with my thumb that doesn't straighten out along with 50% feeling.

[Ack-Ack]

Why CH chose the uppermost hat for the views I do not know.

Because the CH line of fighter sticks (fighter stick, combat stick) were all designed to fit the hand of one person and that's the only hand that will find the stick "ergonomic".  Who was that person?  Well, the person who's hand was used to design the stick and that person was none other than Chuck Hayes (founder of CH).  So if you had a hand the size of Rhode Island like he did, reaching the coolie hat wasn't hard at all nor was he going to change the design, that's why CH introduce the ill-fated and poorly designed Gamestick 14 for those "dainty handed" gamers.

ack-ack

[nrshida]

Because the CH line of fighter sticks (fighter stick, combat stick) were all designed to fit the hand of one person and that's the only hand that will find the stick "ergonomic".  Who was that person?  Well, the person who's hand was used to design the stick and that person was none other than Chuck Hayes (founder of CH).  So if you had a hand the size of Rhode Island like he did, reaching the coolie hat wasn't hard at all nor was he going to change the design, that's why CH introduce the ill-fated and poorly designed Gamestick 14 for those "dainty handed" gamers.

ack-ack

'Dainty handed gamers'?   That's a disturbing concept on so many levels.

Well if that's true Ack-Ack then it wasn't a very intelligent design choice. There are ergonomic models available for average sized persons. What's even more daft is that CH doesn't respond to the customer's issues and restructure the circuit to move the 8-way (which would let them avoid an expensive new mold). I've heard this complaint constantly about the CH sticks. Do they not care to listen?

[MajWoody]

I use this....


(Image removed from quote.)


of course now I can't find any gloves that fit!   

Is that a HB fighter runt?