Whitegoats Hogpit

[Kaiser78]

I would like to introduce myself seeing how nobody probably knows me here. I have only asked a few questions concerning scripting for mission editing but about 6 months ago my buddy asked me to pick up A10. Up until now I had been playing Janes ATF and USNF regularly. I did the MFSX thing for a while.

 

Because of my background I am always building things...much to the wifes dismay. I used to build custom airsoft replicas, Home automation devices and now a pit. Finally, a PIT! I wish I would have found this section sooner. It would have made my life easier but sometimes doing it the hard way is the way to go. There are lots of people with good information on here and I will be modifying my pit to some of your simpler ways. Some of which I already have. All my stuff is custom made to my own dimensions as far as I know and by attending numerous air museums throughout the States.

My height on the pit from the ground is much higher due to the fact that I am pretty tall. I added supports making it look like the layout from Dimebug.

 

Im just outside Chicago in NW Indiana so during the winter months (when hunting season is over) we have a lot of time and crappy weather. Following are some pictures of my progress. I hope you guys like it.

 

 

 

 

 

The last thing I did was order a laser printer and started to test it out. I should be getting some good panels soon.

 

 

I am using a program called Helios by a guy named Gadrock with Leo Bodnar boards for my interfacing. If he is on here, great work man. I appreciate the hard work. There was another guy on StrandedDuckling from Sweden I think that had some good info. Needless to say I have some reading to do and since I am moving to a new engineering department and I get to use the industrial 3d printer we just bought I am sure I am going to be testing that thing out with my own designs.

 

Long and the short, thank you all for the help your about to receive and if there is anything I can help with in the community please let me know. Also if anyone is in the midwest and wants to meet up at the midwest gaming classic in Milwaukee let me know. I'll be sure to stop by and say hello. Clearly I have a long way to go as some of these other pits are just awesome.

Edited February 24, 2014 by Kaiser78

[Kaiser78]

I thought I would post up probably the most important things. AKA the failures I had.

 

1. The height of the center console.

Being so tall I made my pit very short. IE my knees would cover the engine cluster and sitting for 3 hours on a mission would kill my back by the time I was done. I ended up having to add 6" of height to allow for the comfort level. Looking at pictures I was able to determine that the knees should be even with the lower line of the engine cluster. So I had to modify my pit to be the same.

 

2. Chair

Based on my small room (until the house is built) I could only build a center console and choosing a chair is paramount. Most people here are using an aces 2 seats and that may be in the future for me but now I have to use a desk chair. Incline for comfort is very important and sitting upright at a desk does not allow for a comfortable flight. I had to drill holes and put a bolt through the bottom to make the proper angle for flying.

 

3. Xkeys

This was probably the biggest waste of my time. I spent hours soldering breakout boards for all the inputs only to have an update go through with DCS and have to rekey all of those inputs. (Seems every update I have to rebind all my HOTAS keys anyway). All that time and breakout boards were a total waste of money. It was much cheaper and easier to buy Leo Bodnar BBI interface cards.

 

4. TFT monitors

I bought two small TFT monitors with a VGA/DVI for the MFCD's and although they worked all the circuit boards made the back of my pit very messy. It also limited the location of my PC unless I bought longer cables. With my video card I only had two outputs so either I would have to buy another video card or I would have to go with the lilliput monitors via USB.

 

5. USB Hubs

Make sure they are powered USB hubs! With the lilliput monitors on their own HUB and everything else on another hub. On my motherboard I kept getting a B2 error and all kinds of windows restart problems. Mind you I only have DCS on the machine. (Its not even used to connect to the internet except through DCS.) I also found it better to have 3.0 USB ports instead of 2.0.

 

6. Track IR

If you can find a track IR 3 and buy the vector addition is works just as well as the Track IR 5 in my opinion.

 

7. Remote switching

Wireless remote....http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000G80V28/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My layout is like this...

Computer > Wireless remote 1 > USB HUB 1 > Lilliput monitor 1 and 2

Computer > Wireless remote 2 > USB HUB 2 > Rudder, throttle, fighterstick,

Computer > Wireless remote 3 > USB HUB 3 > Thrustmaster MFCD X2, Leo Bodnar boards X3

This allows me to only turn on what I need and gives me additional control over the individual components to help for troubleshooting issues. I just hide the remote. No burn out on my lilliput monitors also.

 

Hope this help eliminate some of the mistakes. I am sure there are more and I will list them as I can.

[CypherGrunyev]

is very nice

 

please post more pictures though :)

[Duckling]

Welcome Kaiser. A good start of a pit.

(Can't agree more about hunting impact on pitbuilding;-) finally on the the end of session now so pitbuilding is really a spring and summer addiction)

 

Keep the progress pics flow please

 

Cheers

Gus

[Hansolo]

Looking good Kaiser :thumbup: Will be watching for updates along the way. If you need a lot more input I suggest you take a look here: http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=80201

I have gotten two of these cards and are very happy with them. They can't handle rotary encoders though.

 

Cheers

Hans

[Kaiser78]

Progress update 3/12/14

 

I was able to get the laser working properly and I was able to print off a new AHCP. I did it with two different thicknesses of plastic. The first was .220 and that ended up being way too thick. Then I went to .60 and found that it was stronger than I thought. I plan on putting leds on the baseplate. Since it is all in clear acrylic I have already printed out at a local print shop the lettering on translucent foil and will just stick it to the top layer of the acrylic.

 

 

 

Here is the panel procedure I am going to use.....http://www.hanskrohn.com/BuildingTips/Backlit_Panels/Backlit.htm

Edited March 13, 2014 by Kaiser78

[jskibo]

Nice work, just halfway around the lake from me

[Thick8]

if you have a laser you can buy 2 layer, black on translucent white, vinyl plastic. You can get .060 or .125. The cost was $90 for a 24x48 inch sheet. I'll pull my receipt to get you the item #. Here's a link to some pictures of the material. http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=120156&page=5

Edited March 13, 2014 by Thick8

[donbinator]

if you have a laser you can buy 2 layer, black on translucent white, vinyl plastic. You can get .060 or .125. The cost was $90 for a 24x48 inch sheet. I'll pull my receipt to get you the item #. Here's a link to some pictures of the material. http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=120156&page=5

 

I'd be interested in knowing where you got that. I am still buying 60% opaque plastic and spray painting it flat black. It looks pretty nice but it would be nice to skip that step :).

[MacFevre]

Welcome Kaiser! OK, I know, I'm a little late to the party. ;)

[Thick8]

JOHNSON PLASTICS No Carolina

6210-B HACKERS BEND CRT

WINSTON-SALEM,NC 27103-9501

United States of America

Sent By: Ginger Moss, Ph 800-869-7870, Fax 770-236-9625, Email gingerm@johnsonplasti

Description____________________________________________________________

2.00 ENGPLAS EA 91.6800 183.36

ENGRAVING PLASTIC

** PART NUMBR: LM922401 COLOR : BLACK/TRANSLUCENT WHITE

** PLY : TWO PLY THICKNESS : 1/16

** COMMENT 1 : MFG TIME 5-10 DAYS ARO

** GA WAREHOUSE TO CUT MATERIAL **

** DOWN INTO 8 "12 X 24 SHEETS" **

** MATERIAL TO RIDE FROM MFG TO **

** GA WAREHOUSE. **

Est Material Tot: 183.36

Est Handling: 2.50

Actual Freight Will Be Billed

Est Total Quote: 185.86

 

[Kaiser78]

Thanks Thick8.