XY potentiometers/joysticks without reset to zero

[winny]

First time poster here. I didn't find a 100 % suitable sub-board for this so I took the closest. Let me know if not suitable.

TL;DR: Where to source xy potentiometers/joysticks WITHOUT return to zero position by spring force in 2024? Alternatively, is there a regular joystick on the market which is possible to disassemble to take out the springs from?

Some background: analog guy in a digital world trying to work around digital UX problems. As encoders have replaced analog potentiometers to a high degree, it's 100 times worse for joysticks you would find in video mixers in the 90s where you could just dial in the position of your picture-in-picture, start of dissolve position or similar with a regular xy poentiometer which does not spring back to idle position by spring force but retains its position by a small friction. These days, it's all replaced by either straight up computer mouse, trackpad or joystick with return to zero interface. I'm not building a video mixer, but the simplest possible UX I can think of for the end user would be one of those 90s video mixer xy potentiometers. Setting either x and y value or perhaps angle and amplitude by just "feel". Also, just looking at the potentiometer axis sticking out, the user does not have to go into any menu what so ever to see the setting, it's right there in front of him/her, ready to be understood or changed on the fly if needed. No button clicking, menus, context-switching sub-menus, moving hand from a control surface to a mouse or similar.

Problem: Unobtanium for a hobbyist in 2024. I have found one which could be custom ordered without springs as very high cost (https://docs.rs-online.com/95cd/A700000008823378.pdf). I'm looking for something more cheep and cheerful to get started with testing.




Have I missed a potential source for such a component? Alternatively, is anyone aware of a regular joystick which is possible to disassemble, take out the springs from and assemble again? I'm not above 3D-printing or having to mechanically adapt something to make this happen, but I don't have a CNC mill either so making it from scratch is too far of a goal to me.

[Benta]

Is this a one-off or a volume product?

[janoc]

Look at RC model transmitter joysticks (err, "gimbals"). Those exist without (or with adjustable) spring return as well, esp. the stuff used for RC planes.  They are also a fairly easy to modify:
https://youtu.be/zkaG667tleg

There are also industrial "position hold" joysticks that are typically used to operate various machinery but those are going to be fairly pricey. But maybe AliExpress has some cheapo ones.

[SiliconWizard]

I second considering the RC joysticks, some are very good quality and usually easily modifiable indeed. Especially if this isn't for commercial projects, which I'm assuming from the "Unobtanium for a hobbyist in 2024."

[Benta]

Yep, RC joysticks was also my first impulse. Cannibalising a broken remote Tx is free.
Alternatively, you can make them yourself pretty easily (I've done that), but you need access to a milling machine (vertical/horizontal/universal, whatever is there). Only makes sense if you have special space restraints or requirements.

[dmendesf]

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mP585Af

[Smokey]

I'm not sure what exactly you are doing with this, but that seems like nightmare interface to have to fiddle into position.
Would it not make more sense to have dual sliders, or just two encoder wheels?

[winny]

Is this a one-off or a volume product?

Low volume, between 10-100 planned.

[winny]

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mP585Af

Does not indicate anywhere that it won't return to zero/home position. Or are you recommending this as a joystick to buy and take out the springs from, from your own experiments?

[winny]

Look at RC model transmitter joysticks (err, "gimbals"). Those exist without (or with adjustable) spring return as well, esp. the stuff used for RC planes.  They are also a fairly easy to modify:
https://youtu.be/zkaG667tleg

Most excellent find! Will investigate more.
One question popped up immediately, most of them from the look of it seems to have a rectangular "working area". Is there an RC term for ones which has a circular one instead? I suppose I could cut a round hole in the opening area for the stick to limit the range, but won't be as nice as a regular joystick feel with its own mechanical stop.

[janoc]

You can get them here, for ex:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32990534828.html
 

It says explicitly that it doesn't self-center and is intended for lighting consoles - i.e. very much the kind of use case you are after.

[winny]

You can get them here, for ex:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32990534828.html
 

It says explicitly that it doesn't self-center and is intended for lighting consoles - i.e. very much the kind of use case you are after.

Holy mackerel! That's it. I tried various search terms on Ali and browsed for hours in vain. "won't self reset" was not one of my search terms but that seems to be the key here. Many thanks!

[Stray Electron]

Look at RC model transmitter joysticks (err, "gimbals"). Those exist without (or with adjustable) spring return as well, esp. the stuff used for RC planes.  They are also a fairly easy to modify:
https://youtu.be/zkaG667tleg

There are also industrial "position hold" joysticks that are typically used to operate various machinery but those are going to be fairly pricey. But maybe AliExpress has some cheapo ones.

   I was going to suggest the same thing.  I had a Kraft RC aircraft remote control in the early 1970s and you could simply remove the centering spring(s) to prevent the control from returning to the center position.  The RC radios have changed frequencies since then so you might be able to find used one very cheap.  At the time Kraft made very good radio and a slighter cheaper version. I had the better one and it was very well made and the joysticks and their poteniometers were separate from the circuit board so it would be very easy to remove them and repurpose them, as long as their resistance will work for you.