VKB Cams - Last Week, Yesterday, Today

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VKB Cams - Last Week, Yesterday, Today

Postby AeroGator » Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:49

So, what's that about cams in your Gunfighters being different? Some people're wondering, I only got my GF a few months back, and when I bought the second for my left hand now I saw the cams were different. How to tell older from newer? What cams are better?

Now, here is the story (and before the story, here is the picture).

GF Cams.png
Cam Parade

The FIRST generation cams were CNC'ed from steel.

    Used in models: Mamba, Gladiator Pro, GF1, GF2.
    Good: hard, lasts forever.
    Bad: may corrode in humid climate, as well as during long sea shipment.
    Solution: this contradiction was dealt with by chromium powder plating.

While working on GF3, we thought what could be done to perfect the working surface smoothness in mass production. Inevitable tiny scratches called for hand polishing which in mass production is something we wanted to avoid by all means. Also, polishing would effectively damage the chromium plating, which in turn called for using of protective lubrication.

This is how hardened aluminum cams came, marking the SECOND generation of cams.

    Good: hard enough.
    Good: doesn't rust.
    Good: transparent electroplating offered further protection.
    Bad: sometimes we still had to hand polish the cams.
    Solution: eliminating CNC as such.

This brought to life the THIRD generation of cams. That would be cast rather than cut.

    What's new (i.e., Good): special proprietary steel alloy.
    Good: greatly improved resistance to corrosion.
    Good: nearly zero need in hand polishing.
    Good: chromium plating has no protective function and is merely used for visual pleasure.
    Bad: remains to be found... if any.

In a word, we made the cams nearly perfect. Cams are the heart of the gimbal, and this heart by VKB is strong, durable, reliable (and not easy to upset). Important: for the end users there is no detectable tactile difference at all. All difference is in technology and streamlining the production. Plus, of course, adding to longevity of the cams (but even the 1st gen cams in fact are made to last forever under normal usage conditions).

By the way... T-rudders are now sporting 3rd gen cams as well!
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AeroGator

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Re: VKB Cams - Last Week, Yesterday, Today

Postby Escapetaxi » Sat Dec 26, 2020 19:41

Helloh!

Thank you for the Information!

I have a Gunfighter MK. III ( with KG12 ) and Generation 2 Cams.
It is possible to interchange them to the 3 Generation? Mine are pretty much unused so far.

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Re: VKB Cams - Last Week, Yesterday, Today

Postby fallout9 » Sat Dec 26, 2020 20:11

It would surely work. Any of the cams models would work on any of the GunFighter base.

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Re: VKB Cams - Last Week, Yesterday, Today

Postby Escapetaxi » Sat Dec 26, 2020 21:40

Oh, Sorry. My English is not that good...

I mean, if it is possible to send back the Generation 2 Cams and then instead get the 3rd Generation - free of Charge? Except the Shipping Costs.

And when they will be available in EU Shop? There is still the 2nd Generation listed.

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Re: VKB Cams - Last Week, Yesterday, Today

Postby fallout9 » Sat Dec 26, 2020 23:17

Please get in touch with the EU rep to find out when they'll get the latest cams version in stock. I don't think you'd be able to swap your cams without paying for a new set though.
But the thing is that there's no gain in upgrading the cams from 2nd to 3rd generation; the upgrade has been decided for easier way to control the production of those cams and not because there was something wrong with the 2nd generation cams at user level. The 2nd and 3rd gen cams have exactly the same profiles.


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