http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=4273

there even are metal axles

https://www.bricklink.com/search.asp?itemType=P&catID=134&itemStatus=U

this in ~1cm diameter with 16 teeth would be a good joint.

I share the concern for the longevity and accuracy of the maneuver tool. Is there some way we could break it down into a template system? So we could layer templates on top of each other to deduce the final position?

For instance you could have a straight, one 'click' or two 'click' template for the first movement distance. And instead of that template ending in a clickable dial, it ends with a little notch. Into which you could place another straight, one click or two click template. And so on until you reached the final position. Think of placing multiple X Wing movement templates end to end, and you're in the right ballpark.

So, you'd need a small bag of templates (Nine I think? One for each movement type, over three speeds?) but you'd never need to worry about them wearing out. You could even magnetise them so that they could hold their position once assembled, and they'd be dead simple for third party people to put together.

I hear what you guys are saying. The tool being made of soft plastic is clearly going to wear out faster. However, they do sell a replacement toll, at a pretty cheap price also.

Also with the new tool, you can just replace the second section with the other sections as they continue to wear out. I do not think this is going to be as big a problem as its being made out to be. A minor inconvenience at most.

Well to do templates for all combinations that would be 5^4 templates. to many. you could go with 5 templatesfor the 5 options at range one. place a dummy ship base at the end and start over until you reached you desired speed.

in the meantime i condensed the idea of a new tool a bit based on the lego idea which interlocks so well due to the 16 instead of 1 tooth interlocking. The kind of joint that would imo be ideal is called hirth-coupling.:

You have 2 of those (black and white in picture) with 16 teeth (22.5 click degree) each. One attached to the one and other section of the tool. so that each section has one of these on each end. one pointing upwards with the teeth, the other one pointing downwards. you could even cast or 3D print that from acryl i think as the area the teeth use to connect is so much larger then in the current version that wear will occure far less imo (its not the one tooth that makes or breaks it but the whole area of contact).

In order to interconnect them you use a bolt with a flatted head and a nut (or a bolt fixed to the bottom hirth disc permanently and one nut) very similar to the one i did in lego. It stands out a bit trough the top disc pointing upwards if the tool is placed on the table. Then you first put a spring over that top bolt and afterwards a nut holding the spring over the bolt. by screwing the nut further on the bolt you increase the force that presses the 2 hirth discs together so they stay interlocked. due to the 60° for each tooth you can click those depending on how tight you screwed the nut. Instead of a nut a snap ring together with groove in the bolt might work better with a fixed spring force applied though. maybe some washer/shim/grommet (dont know the eng. word) could be used to optionally further shorten the spring length in case of a snap ring.

so yea thats basically the way i think this kind of joint should be done.

here you can see an example which misses the spring under the nut.:

Well, you'd only need 3x4 templates, as they would be reversible the same way the X Wing ones are. I mean, granted it's a lot to carry around but IMO it seems simpler than putting together a mechanical replacement, and it would sit flat on the table. It would also give you the option of only putting down the templates you need if you're only moving 1, 2, or 3.

I mean, you need what, 11 templates for X Wing anyway, so it's not a huge jump.