When I started playing E:D (in July), I naturally wanted to maximize my experience and bought a hotas, as I have always been a KB & mouse gamer and haven't played any sort of flight sim since... I think... Homeworld/Aquanox/Freelancer.... era.
I started cheap and bought a T-Flight Hotas X, and as many are probably aware, it's pretty slick, as in it has no grippy grippy! I don't know how many sticks/hotas models out there have a rubber grip or not, but I'm willing to bet some of you
have managed to get a nice DIY rubber coating of sorts going on?Currently I use 'Plasti Dip' on any of my .... anything really... that I want a nice and inexpensive rubber coating on, from my hotas, to my mouse, keyboard, the plastic housing on my tablet, cell phone, my laptop (which has/had a very glossy finish that I absolutely hate due to infamous finger prints), I even use this stuff to rubberize my keys/keyfob/keychain and would ya belive... my coffee mug! (stanley stainless steel green thing).
Anyways.... Although this stuff is easy to apply, easy to make it look like the item was manufactured that way, and just as easy to peel it off and start over... this stuff doesn't seem to last very long on my stick & throttle or my mouse.
Within about 2 weeks of playing E:D every day, at least 8 hrs a day, that nice rubber coating started to gum up and turn shiny, gooey, and sticky right where my hands are gripping. I'm not sure what the cause is, if it's my white-knuckle death grip, my hand lotion, or just natural palm sweat (I know, gross, but it's a known problem right? right guys?.... guys? ..... lol ).
So, has anyone else used this stuff? Has anyone ran into a similar issue? Does anyone use something else similar to this, somewhat, at least something that doesn't represent something that 'Jim-bob the camo wearing, guns and ammo toting, duct tape whoring, backyard mechanic/attic scientist' might construct in his garage. No Frankensticks...
Before spraying it on, I sanded the surface down with a medium grit sandpaper, wiped it clean with iso-alcohol, gave it about 4 powder coats for a base coat, drying decently in between, and then ultimately applied 5 very thick wet coats with drying time in between again, followed by 3 more spit-powder coats (to give it a good even but textured feel).
I didn't use any primer because it says it's not required, and I know this stuff is suppose to be able to be peeled off somewhat easily, which it is... just not in the areas where it's started deteriorating.
I thought about going to an auto part store and looking at the rubber coating/undercoating type sprays, but I'd be willing to bet that most of them are nothing more than a heavier spray version of Plasti Dip. (With the exception of the thicker & more malleable "under coating" spray which comes out like a wax with the consistency of tar, and never really dries hard, can dig your finger nail into it once it's cured) That stuff would probably turn hands blackish-brown with use.
If anyone has used this stuff and has figured a way around it gumming up, OR, if someone has found something better to use or something to add to it, like some sort of additional top coat...whatever, I'd REALLY appreciate the feedback!!!!
I really can't stand the slick, no-grip feel of these things. (Does the X52, 55, or whathog have any sort of grip to them? I can always upgrade in a month-ish and just re-coat my current hotas until then...)
*As far as the yaw spring fix... as it's non-adjustable, I simply played around with the spring until I accidentally bent it so the hooks were now swapped places & facing opposite directions. I'd have to take it apart and show you a picture to explain it, but my mod also require the use of (either) a dremel or a file to make room for the now-deformed spring. It's a whole lot easier to twist now but still provides good snap to center still. If anyone's interested in that, let me know! I'll gladly pop it open and snap a few pics of it.
Alrighty then, thank you all in advance for anything anyone has to offer!
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