Boltz

I prepare the case yesterday which involved pulling out all the 3.5" bays which I don't need and adding the system fans and radiator. I've got 4 fans on The h100 in a push pull configuration. Then there are 5 more chassis fans. 4 input at front and bottom and 1 exhaust at the back plus the h100 setup as exhaust. Annoyingly I won't be able to connect the fans to a hardware controller since the pc will be hidden from view so they will either run through the MB or just he PSU with no speed control. I'm expecting motherboard and ram today so will get it in with the cpu. Had to change to 850w PSU since no 750 was in stock so that will be. Few more days.

Reoze: We will only be putting 5V and a few milliamps through the switches but you just can't beat that nice "clunk" feeling when you push the switch. It really feels like you are switching 110VAC when you flick the inverter switches :pilotfly:

Thanks Cali! Parts have started arriving and I can't wait to put it together :D

That is an (On)-Off-(On) switch so both up and down positions are momentary. It will not work for what you are intending. The Engine Operate switches are MS24659-31N and are On-Off-(On). They are also lever locking meaning they must be pulled upwards to change from any position except IGN to NORM which is the momentary action. http://buyaircraftparts.com/part-number/MS24659-31N - There are a bunch of dimensions of the various parts of the switch on this page here. Boltz

Building an A-10 SAS Panel Part 3 Wiring and electronics for the SAS panel. I start by preparing wire and then solder diodes for the matrix input, add crimps to connect to the switches, solder a D-Sub connector (each pin on the D-Sub is connected to a pin on the switch) and finally add all the wiring to the panel including the TO Trim LEDs. This will then be connected to another D-Sub connector through a VGA cable and then will become a single "row" of the cockpit matrix. Each panel is a "row" and each switch on a panel corresponds to a different "column." All is the hooked up to an Arduino Mega through a custom protoshield and then I will configure A2DCS for the panel. Note that the rudder trim switch is not a rotary action but just a standard (On)-Off-(On) toggle with the knob on top. Next video will be about making switch covers for fake "flat top" switches which are found on the AHCP, CMSP, KY-58 and also the Monitor Test Switch of the SAS panel. Have a happy new year everyone! Boltz

Thank you Nigel! I will see what I can find here.

New PC Enroute I bought myself a Christmas present this year so that finally I will be able to use all 3 screens for the outside views. I bought the screens last Christmas so a year on I might be able to fly with them :) Specs: i7-4790k Maximus VII Hero MB Corsair Vengeance Pro Series 2133MHz 16GB RAM Palit Jetstream GTX970 Corsair RM750 PSU Corsair H100i Liquid Cooler Probably use a Corsair 300R Case assuming the H100 fits with the MB. Boltz Edit: I decided that since I am upgrading I will do it right. Corsair C70 in Military Green on the way as well :D

Cheers Peter. I'll take a look at them. Boltz

A2DCS has not yet been tested with 1.2.14 Boltz

Thanks for the offer Mac but I've got boxes of cable here and already being told to get rid of it so best not add any more ;) I think you have a good idea about making my own. I will look and see how much the connectors will cost. Merry Christmas everyone! Boltz

4 new "Fully Wired VGA Cables" arrived today. Tested with my panels and they didn't work. Tested with a multimeter and I found 5 pins had no continuity across the cable and the 3 RGB ground pins were connected together to create a common ground. Hardly what I would call a "Fully Wired Cable." They will be going back for a refund after Christmas. I need a supplier for fully wired D-sub 15 Male to Male cables. Anyone know of one in the UK? I have tried 3 different companies and each time they have just sent me a variation of the previous. :helpsmilie: Boltz

Good luck Weeb! I see you are in Scotland me too. If I knew about this a couple of months ago I would have offered you all of my old centre console and MIP. Unfortunately, I have taken it apart now and some of it has gone into other things. If I can help you with anything just let me know. Boltz

Today, I added detailing to the left side of ACES II. O2 bottle I made over a year ago. If I had built it today I would have one it differently but had it laying around so decided to put it on for now. I'm starting to find a lot more problems with the plans I used for the seat with parts not fitting. Doesn't look like I will be able to add the seat rails. I'm sure it is to do with the way oversized hoses and fittings I used but also the size of the seat. Also I have made a quick version of the CRU-60/P oxygen regulator ad hoses for the system. Those parts are drying at the moment ready for assembly tomorrow. Boltz

For the MIP there is http://www.mikesflightdeck.com/oldnews/oldnews_2011.html Starting from 21st September and there is also y2kiah's design, sorry don't have a link to the section. I don't know how accurate either is but Mike was able to use real instruments with his MIP. As for the screen, I am not an expert, but a component draws what current it requires so the rating will be what it uses and not the maximum input. If something gave me a maximum current input then I would be very worried about the quality.

It looks amazing! Nice work!

Welcome to the pit building community! Definitely start by looking at Dimebug's plans. They are a very good starting point. As for panels there is no one that I know of making and selling them at the moment. For the front console (MIP) there are only a few panels (LDGP, AHCP, CMSC, NMSP, Fuel Quantity and HARS) so you can begin with the structure and look at the panels afterwards if you cannot find a source for them. If you need help with anything then just ask here. There is an amazingly large wealth of information and people will be happy to help. Boltz

Not at the moment. You just need to open the config.xml file and have a look. Edit the "Controllers" section to add the COM port your Arduino is on and the "Init" string to your pin layout. The following should help: DI - Digital input (switches) MI - Matrix input (switch matrices) DO - Digital outputs (LEDs) Only the Master Caution can be exported in the current release, but it is very out of date. Then the "Inputs" section needs the Arduino ID, Pin number and value mapped to the Device ID, Clickable ID and Value for the DCS command. I have included all the UFC, there is not a complete list anywhere in the DCS file structure but I am working on it. PM me if you have specific panels in mind. I already have some of them done. I know this is all easy for me to say since I wrote the software but I'm not sure what else I can say to help. I know video tutorials would be good but there is no point me making them for the current version, maybe the next though. Boltz

As you've probably noticed I'm spending a lot of time on the pit now since I have finished work for the year. It has also given me the time to catch up on other things. 3 days ago someone sent me a PM regarding the Donate button on my website. I believe people were unable to donate since it was a personal account and also you were being prompted for an address. Both were my fault since I had overlooked these parts when setting it up. I'm happy to say it is now working and I was able to donate myself £1 to test it (but PayPal took £0.23 of it) Any donations would be hugely appreciated. http://it-eam.co.uk/boltz/ Boltz

Thanks Anton! I'll have a look at ribbon cables, I have some laying around. I spent 5 hours troubleshooting the SAS panel and software till I have just discovered that the so called "Fully Wired" VGA cables I have been using have pins 6 ,7 and 8 shorted. That has been the source of all my problems. I should have had more faith in my wiring and electronics from the beginning. Now I know what the problem is I need to find some replacement cables that are in fact fully wired. I'm going to dissect a VGA cable now to ensure that is in fact the problem. Boltz Edit: Just taken apart the VGA cable and it was the problem. All the ground pins were soldered to the casing so these VGA cables are unusable.

I have finished the electronics of the SAS panel now. I soldered the diodes and D-Sub connector which is going to be standard throughout my pit. Then I added the LEDs for the Takeoff Trim indicator when disaster struck: I spilt glue on the front of the panel!!! Cleaned it up as much as I could for these photos but I'm always going to notice that blotch in the paint. In taking off the glue I think I also took off the top clear coat I used to seal the labels. I am very annoyed at this careless mistake. Anyway, on to some pics of the panel with electronics: I just need to tidy up the wiring and attach the prototyping board and connector on the threaded rod stand-offs I have made. I have also created the matrix for all the digital inputs of the cockpit. From this single Arduino I will be running up to 700 inputs and 16 potentiometers. The following pictures show the prototyping shield for Arduino I used to interface with the Mega 2560. There are only 9 inputs here at the moment so I will let you imagine the wiring for 700 :lol: Boltz

I finally received my order today for a bunch of electronics to get some panels working. That means I can finally finish the SAS panel and some of the others I have been working on. Still need to buy a load of switches but I now have the basics for my IO system. Going from a single Arduino prototype to over a thousand inputs and outputs to control is a completely different game.

Thank you, Sir Boltz

I've not had problems with painting MacFevre, just with the actual plexiglass staying outside. The stuff becomes too brittle in the cold. Only other problem I have had is condensation freezing on the inside of my garage roof. Then when the temperature gets up I have an indoor rainstorm. That is not fun but finding someone to take away an asbestos roof is expensive here. Maybe a project for the summer The evidence is here :D Not in final position, just held in place by gravity for a preview And the MIP, showing painted instrument "tubes" Still to go on the LDGP apart from previously mentioned: - Attach switch guard (already made) - Swap out Downlock Override and TEMS Data push switches - Create legends for gear indicators I will probably create an assembly video and show the rest of the LDGP Boltz Edit: I don't think I posted my last YouTube video which shows the MIP in action

Anton, this is a CNC router not a laser engraver. I believe it is the one rockler sells: http://www.rockler.com/cnc-shark-routing-system-with-new-7-0-software

The size of travel needed depends on what you will be making. It would be nice to have something large enough to cut an entire MIP but in the end you will only be cutting one of them (hopefully) and for the seat you would probably be cutting the aluminium with a jigsaw anyway as I don't think large sheet alu is easy on a CNC. So long as you aren't expecting to be making lots of cockpits then it is plenty to make panels, instruments, brackets etc for the A-10. Something larger would be a lot more expensive. The machine to cut a full MIP second hand would probably be at least the full price of the Shark CNC.