I have slightly shaky hands due to a minor neurological problem, so I rebuilt a pair of stock sticks 3/4” longer than before. They even still stow into the RC! Instead of the 1/2” throw of the stock sticks, these have a 1” throw, resulting in more fine-grained tactile feedback and reducing the effect of any small jitter I may accidentally impart.
View media item 18761. Remove the rubber collar and file off the top rim that held it below the incised grips. They’re aluminum, so that’s easy, but they’re also small. If you clamp it somehow for working, be sure to screw it onto an M6x1 bolt, to prevent deforming the base.
2. With the top rim gone, the stick now slips inside a 5/16” brass tube (Ace Hardware). Plan ahead for your length preference.
Note: do not extend the tube over the narrow shank of the stick, or you’ll lose the extreme limits of motion! Measure your desired total length from the bottom of the shank flare, and then the required tube length from the top of the shank flare. If you cut the pieces from opposite ends of the brass stock, each has one factory-perfect end and one home-cut end. File or sand that raw end a bit, so it doesn’t cut the vinyl cap later. Roll up a bit of sandpaper and rough-up the interior of each tube at the factory cut end, where the glue will go.
3. Mix a batch of epoxy paste. This stuff comes in little “paint cans”, not tubes. It mixes into a thick putty, almost tar, and gives a nice long “working time” as it sets up. Make enough to have leftovers you can check later for stiffness during the cure time.
4. Smear the interior of the tube with the epoxy paste at the factory cut end, using a toothpick or similar. Also put a
thin layer on the upper end of the filed-down stick, especially the groove, and insert it into the prepared tube. Clean off any excess with denatured alcohol.
5. As the epoxy sets, frequently check that the tube and stick are still at the right depth and on axis. Slowly roll it on a high reflectance surface; I used my countertop. Observing closely as it rolls, you can spot and correct any wobble that is evident between the “socket end” of the stick and its reflection. Make your final check when the leftover epoxy is getting pretty stiff.
6. When the epoxy has fully set, stretch a vinyl bolt cover over the remaining open end, and work it into place.
Hey presto!
