[old new slot guy]

Hi,

Does anyone know of good controllers with brakes that use thumb plunger control versus trigger?

I understand folks across the pond use thumb while US types use trigger.

Anyway ... need Prof Motor, or Parma type controllers for high amp motors.

Thanking you in advance for your help . . .

Cheers

 

[McLaren]

Nope. The majority of british racers (that I have encountered) use triggers. I can count the number of thumbies I know on only a few thumbs.

MRRC make good thumb controllers, Parma make the best triggers. Fly are also extremely good, but require a quick mod or two.

McLaren

 

[vfr750]

You could try chas at SCD on:

[email protected]

He used to make thumb controllers, I don't know if he still does. he also stocks the MRRC type that McLaren mentions.

John

 

[Tropi]

Old new slotguy - the most common thumb operated controllers are supplied by Carrera as standard issue.

However, the best advice is to forget about thumb types altogether. The reason that they are not common is that trigger types are much preferred for their more natural, sensitive and most definitely faster action by index or middle finger, compared with the thumb, which isn't designed for anything but endowing a firm grip.

For that reason, one hopes that Carrera can be expected to join the modern world, eventually.

 

[Coopdevil]

Thumb versus Trigger seems to be something of a generational thing. Some who were racing in the 60s seem unable to move to trigger whereas since I grew up on the 70s vintage Scalextric controllers the idea of using anything other than the pointy finger just seems very.... alien really.

Chas at SCD does still produce thumb controllers, he's sold two to Oaklands club members recently. He's advertising an "SCD Electronic Thumb" on his website.

Coop

 

[Fergy]

Thumb vs. trigger.... almost as good as "mag vs. no-mag"...

Tropi is right though, the thumb is for gripping, not for quick, controlled actions. It was proven back in the 60's. For cruising around a track, the thumb is fun, but for fast stuff, the thumb is best suited to helping hold a controller that is being operated with a finger.

Of course, you can always turn a Parma upside down and operate it with your thumb too! Which, in reverse, is the way the trigger controller was invented from thumb controllers!

 

[BEEJAY7]

I can't belive it but I agree with Fergy for the second time this month!......

Regards

Alan

 

[Larry LS]

Or you can do this to your controller if you like to use your thumb to feel comfortable.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Or maybe thats why some who are less than precise doing a job are called "all thumbs"

(No personal intent meant with that "all thumbs" aside! except to myself

)

 

[Tropi]

Larry, you have the weirdest set of pics!

Please note: that guy is left-handed and south-paws are VERY strange people!

Latin for "LEFT" is the word "SINISTER" - it explains a lot!

 

[alfetta]

QUOTE Thumb versus Trigger seems to be something of a generational thing. Some who were racing in the 60s seem unable to move to trigger whereas since I grew up on the 70s vintage Scalextric controllers the idea of using anything other than the pointy finger just seems very.... alien really.
As a lad in the 60's. I seem to remember that there were a significant number of Club members that advocated the use of index finger over thumb. I found it quite easy to use the MRRC controller as a finger operated controller. Didn't give me much of an advantage, I was still carp.
Alfetta

 

[old new slot guy]

Well, well . . . some interesting replies my past post evoked regarding controllers.

At least no one here intimated anything like "old fart" as did a poster in another forum. The poster in this forum was politically savvy in dicing it as a "generational" thing. Kind was he . . . appreciate that.

Easy on the 13 percent ... tough to adjust to making use of "righty" made stuff from circular saws, to scissors, to well you name it. At least the gearshift is in the right, er left ... place in a couple of locations.

I will contact [email protected] to see what he has regarding MRRC and so forth.

Perhaps, I can make the adjustment to trigger types. Old fart -- new tricks, perhaps.

But alas ... I did note the "fix" LarryLS provided in the pic. Seems this gent has a "firm" grip with his four sisters while delicately applying good old standard pastor pressure to the plunger.

As always ... treasured the help and advice . . . thanks all . . .

Cheers

 

[Larry LS]

Uhhh What do you mean he is left handed Tropi ? Looks right handed to me!

Nah!! just playng games with it. I miror imaged it, it looks good either side except the lettering comes out backwards on the ID tag he is wearing.

I think the guy is from New Zealand and you know what happens "down under".

Of course I hear they call us "up There"

But then what do I know it may all be done with mirrors and magic

 

[darainbow]

I will say something in defense of the thumb.

Its movement is stronger in both directions. The index finger has less backwards strength.

 

[Swissracer]

The only reason to use a thumb controller is so that your normal trigger finger is left free to pick yer nose..

Now - IS there any correlation between thumb/trigger controller users and magnet/non magnet users ?

Does anyone (joking aside) have any knowledge as to whether one style is better than the other? or is it simply different styles?

I would love to hear some controller history too!

Are there GOOD thumb Controllers? in a similar way to there being GOOD trigger controllers.
IE: Scalextric/ Ninco etc set controllers suck and Carrera thumb controllers are likewise a waste of box space so....

Are there other forms of controller?
Maybe we can adapt a Playstation steering wheel/foot pedal system to run? or am I getting silly?

 

[astro]

pedals - now theres an idea! It should be particularly easy to do with digital

 

[Wankel Ickx]

Kevin Tombeur (an ex-European Champ, I believe) always used to amaze me with the way he turned a Parma on its back and worked the trigger with his thumb. It looked clumsy, it looked strange but he was a demon with it.

 

[Coopdevil]

QUOTE (Wankel Ickx @ 3 Dec 2004, 13:50)Kevin Tombeur (an ex-European Champ, I believe) always used to amaze me with the way he turned a Parma on its back and worked the trigger with his thumb. It looked clumsy, it looked strange but he was a demon with it.
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Kevin Doubleday (BSCRA racer) does this, but to make life even harder for himself he holds it behind his back with his left wrist supporting his right wrist.

Coop

 

[JOHN SECCHI]

Swiss
In the UK the thumb controller to have was [if you could get hold of one!] the ECE, it's the orange handled device in the picture.
This is what i started with when i first went racing at NLondon, mainly because they were produced by club members Ian Fisher and Tony Condon. These were produced in small batches and were favoured by the top drivers at the time, many are still in use today and if you ask nicely they would probably still be willing do do more.
I stopped using the thumb controller when i returned to slot racing about 10 years ago [took a break and did RC] because after several month using the thumb i had problems with my thumb locking up! honest!!!

It got a bit worrying so i decided to try and use a Parma Turbo controller i had, after a couple of club nights i was flying and going quicker than before so i never went back.

[oneofwos]

 

[Fergy]

QUOTE I agree with Fergy for the second time this month!....

BJ! Stop it! You're putting the planets out of alignment!

QUOTE Does anyone (joking aside) have any knowledge as to whether one style is better than the other? or is it simply different styles?

I know people who never switched to trigger controllers. But all the rest who did switch were faster in a very short period of time, some instantly. I bought a Ram R4 (thanks again Endbelldrive for the memory fill-in!) when they were first released - well in advance of the Russkit trigger units. I, and several others, quickly discovered that by turning the pistol shaped thumb controller upside down it could be used as a finger operated unit. In short order, the race results were all topped by the "finger guys". Later, when Russkit's design (aka Parma now) became available, I remember reading in several magazines about the thumb vs. finger "science". It simply boiled down to speed and fine control vs. strength - the thumb is much more powerful than any finger, but fingers, especially the index and middle finger, move faster over a greater distance and also have fine control that the thumb is lacking (in part because of one extra joint). Science aside, I suppose style comes into it, since some guys never switched even though they were very good racers. But personally, I side with science and always "give it the finger".

 

[Tropi]

Larry, you . . . really had me going there for a minute or two . . . !
I only read the first line of your reply (sneaky bugger left a BIG gap!), but figured out your sneakiness myself - eventually!

I remember getting my first MRRC thumb plunger in the mid 60s and what a difference it made after the rough old Scaleys of the day! But after being told to operate it with a finger, there was a bigger improvement.
Those little blue cylinders were great with their smooth, fast action.