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Shark Pit, acemark


acemark

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hi acemark,

 

thank you for answering all my questions with sincerity:

you understood and answered question 6 correctly.

 

i did not mean a real ejector seat (i will cry if you mysteriously ejected through the roof of your house, but...that would be super super cool :) ).

 

i totally understand your concern about the cost of sheet metal, i am cheap too. however the bodice of your pit (if you want it to have a long life/re-sale value) ought to be 0.5mm to 2.00mm pitch thick sheet metal, for your information. buyers like to think they are getting value for their money. wood has an obvious finite life span, if you cannot afford steel, then acrylic fabric sheeting is a second option.

 

my whole point being it would be a shame to have to abandon lose all the work and energy you have put into such a beautiful pit after a short while, when a strong infrastructure would have made a world of difference. nevertheless you have built a pit, so be it.

 

now, where did you hide that butt-kicker...

 

grainny

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Hi Grainny ,you bring up some good points.

I had to google acrylic fabric, never heard of it. I suppose you wood use it instead of canvess ? Intresting stuff.

I have no intentions of selling my pit, but at the same time realize,it could happen.

I think the pit building buissness is a tough one, and have no intentions of persuing one. Must addmitt the idea crossed my mind.

The test of time. I think to swithes ,moving parts will go first.

I am considering , right now, of making a modification that will use sheet aluminum.Will see.

The butt kicker will be in the g-seat. I have a TSF-3 (I-vibe) seat right now. Tactile feedback adds volums to the siming experiance.

 

If your wondering, so far I have $2500.00 invested in the pit.Before I started the pit. The PC and hardware I was using (and still am) before construction was $4000.00 . Oh and 2.5 year of most of my spare time.

Probally just going to keep on adding untill its done or I start a new one.

 

Mark.

Home built X-58FTW,i7 950, 3 x GTX570oc,

screens; 3 x 22", 19", 17", 9" :D

My pit. http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=121598

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Thank you Adrian . We share somthing in common. It was Badcrc and Triggerhappy that made me crazy.:D

 

To anyone intrested in KA-50 pits ,you should Check out their threads. And of course Simulatorregp who is building at present.

 

Mark.


Edited by acemark

Home built X-58FTW,i7 950, 3 x GTX570oc,

screens; 3 x 22", 19", 17", 9" :D

My pit. http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=121598

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Hello all.

I would like to show how I make an indicator. I have pics of the APU panel indicators construction.

 

APU_panel_003.jpg

I used a florescent ceiling light diffusers .

 

 

APU_panel_005.jpg

Piece cut out and chrome sanded off on outside only.

 

 

APU_panel_006.jpg

The piece is cut horizontally, Twice.

 

APU_panel_010.jpg

To make the cuts I used 1/8" steel guides and a hacksaw blade.

 

APU_panel_013.jpg

1st cut is bottom. Thick side.

 

APU_panel_015.jpg

2nd cut is top. Thin side.

The material is a high density styrein, and cuts easilly.

 

 

APU_panel_019.jpg

This is the diffusor. Its corigated plastic sheet, bisected.

 

 

APU_panel_026.jpg

Bottom piece gluded to top of panel. 2mmx5mm White leds mounted with 2 holes each,an gluded to panel. I should have used green . The indicators are bluish green . I will live with it as the leds are not replacable with this design.

 

APU_panel_027.jpg

An inkscape desighned transarancy ,printed with an inkjet printer is gluded to the bottom of 1/16" piece of acrylic .

APU_panel_028.jpg

The piece must be trimed 5 min. after glue sets while it is still soft. It tends to pull away from the acrylic if its to hard, defeating the purpose of

glueing it on.

 

To be continued.


Edited by acemark

Home built X-58FTW,i7 950, 3 x GTX570oc,

screens; 3 x 22", 19", 17", 9" :D

My pit. http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=121598

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Here is the rest of the indicator construction pics.

 

APU_panel_030.jpg

after trimming with sharp sissors

 

 

APU_panel_033.jpg

The diffusor glued on over the leds.

 

 

APU_panel_035.jpg

here is the center piece glued on top of the green difusor and the 1/16" acrylic glued on top of the center piece. I found that if dont use the center piece,glue the acrylic directlly on the green difusor,then the indicator can be easilly read when not on. You need a gap between them. Note that in this pic, the back side is stiil un painted allowing light through.I want the indicator only visible when lit.

 

 

APU_panel_037.jpg

visible part of indicator covered with tape, acrylic lightly sanded for painting.

APU_panel_038.jpg

the top piece ,only peice to have chrome removed on both sides, ready for paint. I used an exacto blade to scrape the chrome off. (sand paper wont get into the corners)

 

 

APU_panel_039.jpg

painted on all sides.

 

 

APU_panel_040.jpg

A coat of glue for filler put on the edge side of the indicator with my finger.

 

 

APU_panel_043.jpg

painted again.

 

APU_panel_057.jpg

Top piece pre painted and glued on.

Thats it. Note; All parts glued with 5min. Epoxy glue. Supper glue also knowen as crasy glue reacts badlly with styren. It frostes like a corroded battery terminal but takes a few days.So dont use it.

 

Please ask any Questions you have.

Mark.


Edited by acemark

Home built X-58FTW,i7 950, 3 x GTX570oc,

screens; 3 x 22", 19", 17", 9" :D

My pit. http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=121598

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks Dave.

Yes ,I made the switch Guards. As far as I know no one sells them. I have see a few on Ebay but only in sets of 2-4 at $20 - $30 range each.

There are 27 in the cock pit in 5 styles including the ejection one.

 

I used a toggle covers made in china for all of them and 3/4" aluminum track.

http://img.dxcdn.com/productimages/sku_132176_4.jpg

 

I got them locally at $3 each.I cut them down ,and glued the alluminum caps on.

I dont have pics of construction but can give more details if intrested.

Mark.

 

Edit. I see the ones pictured are clear/see through. This allows you to see the part that cant be cut . The spring and steel band. If you cut this part the integrety is ruined.The ones I used where solid non see through so I ruined a few.


Edited by acemark

Home built X-58FTW,i7 950, 3 x GTX570oc,

screens; 3 x 22", 19", 17", 9" :D

My pit. http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=121598

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I've ruined acouple of them myself trying to adapt them. Not entirely with you on the aluminium track though, a couple of close ups would be useful when you have time.

 

Great work on the cyclic but no mention of the collective. Can you give more details?

 

Thanks

 

Dave

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Here are some close ups of my toggles

togle_covers_016.jpg

see top right corner of base,pin head. This pin is conected to a micro switch mounted beneath the panel. When the cover is opened, the pin will

be pressed, closing the micro switch.

 

 

togle_covers_017.jpg

togle_covers_019.jpg

togle_covers_020.jpg

togle_covers_022.jpg

togle_covers_023.jpg

 

I am making a drawing to help explane construction. also found old, miss fit ,broken, bad,parts , that will do for explaining. hold questions for next post.

 

The collective. will try to find some pics. If you check the forum ,The collective is relativly common compared to the info on the cyclic. So at the time of building, I didnt see the need , Sorry.

Mark.

Home built X-58FTW,i7 950, 3 x GTX570oc,

screens; 3 x 22", 19", 17", 9" :D

My pit. http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=121598

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Thanks Mark! Those pictures really help. That is some great out of the box thinking. I cannot believe the amount they want for the genuine switch guards. I suppose it is because they are 'aircraft quality' and therefore sell for 10x a normal one.

 

As for the collective, I've seen several on the forums and all are great but you know what it is like you can never have enough examples and reference material. Any pix would be great but don't knock yourself out to get them, I'm a ways off from building it yet.

 

Thanks again,

 

Dave

 

Oh and rep inbound.

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more info on toggle covers.

 

The pieces showen are left overs and are not exact. But they show the idea ok.

 

togle_covers_001.jpg

here you can see the template for marking the cut line on the plastic toggle cover. Important to press it firmly down onto the covers base. The rear sloped side of the template is alined with the rear sloped part of the toggle cover.Use masking tape on the cover, mark the cut lines, repeat on other side and cut .

 

 

togle_covers_003.jpg

The steel band has been allmost compleatly cut off in this pic.You can see the cut was almost an 1/8" too low. The template is not quite in position here, It needs to move back/to the left, untill the rear sloped surfaces aline.

 

togle_covers_005.jpg

Here is what the cover looks like before cutting. The left over track is not enough to make one more. This track was 8' long when I started. I think I used about 3' for expirimenting.

A key point here is that the track fits looslly over the cover. Take a cover with you to the store to check . You dont want to have to file of grinde the side to fit.

 

 

togle_covers_009.jpg

togle_covers_009.jpg

Some of my trial and errors. Be prepared to make a few extras .

 

togle_covers_012.jpg

Here are the 3 pieces that you need to make.

The large piece is in the drawing above and is gluded on first. The piece to the left is gluded on next . It is 11mm long with 12mm sides or legs. The 3rd piece, lower one is , is one of the cut-outs fron the large piece. It needs to be trimed to fit on top . It is oversized a small amount, gluded on and finished by carefully filing to fit, top and 2 sides.

 

The hole for the toggle switch tip ,1/4 " is slightly widend and elongated with a 1/4" round file. A 10 mm one is filed the opposite of a 20 mm. as they protrude through the hole from different angles. The 15mm goes basically straight through but the hole is still enlarged a bit.

 

now drill 2 holes in center of base for mounting, I used #4 machine screws, and 1 hole for the micro switch pin if needed, exactlly where the left or right side of the cover contactes the base.

 

Paint it.

 

Last thing is to cut the 2 protruding " original feet" off the bottom of the plastic cover . Then cut the base with tin snips exactlly in the center of the original 1/2" mounting hole, removing the lower portion. Be careful as the base will close further and may bend if you snap it closed. Untill its mounted ,It wont work correctly "opening and closing the cover".

Thats about it .

Mark.


Edited by acemark

Home built X-58FTW,i7 950, 3 x GTX570oc,

screens; 3 x 22", 19", 17", 9" :D

My pit. http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=121598

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Great pictures. Thanks, really clear on this now. Must have taken an age to make 27 of these let alone the development of the idea. The finish is really good too. It looks metallic even the panel. What paint did you use?

 

@Mike Powell

 

Thanks for that Mike, but I'm in the UK and I can get them locally at a reasonable price. Ebay is your friend!

Great books BTW

 

Dave

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Hi Mike. Thats a hell of a deal $0.69 for 1 . discount for bulk. My local guy now wants $3.75. I have seen them as high as $10.00 /each. Its buyer be-ware.

 

Dave, The paint was Flat Black Acrylic spray paint.

 

As to the time, about 4 hour each total. I did batches of 10 at a time. Add 1 hour for micro switch install. Add cost of material and $20.00 is not unreasonable. The problem with the real ones on E-bay is, they dont look the same.

 

I will post some pics of the ejection seat switch cover with description latter. I dont have the exact dim. ,but you will get the idea I think.

 

I see that I forgot to mention the lip of the cover needs to be bent up about 20 - 30 deg. I did this last. I put 4 in a vice at a time and bent them togeather, Remove and replace 3 of them , then bend the 3 the same as the first.

Mark.

Home built X-58FTW,i7 950, 3 x GTX570oc,

screens; 3 x 22", 19", 17", 9" :D

My pit. http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=121598

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Here are close-ups of the Ejection switch cover.

 

ejection_switch_cover_001.jpg

you will need 2 plastic toggle covers for this one.

This is style # 4 and the 5 one that I used is pictured above [bottom right]

Its on the right panel. There are more pics in first post of this thread. All I did was paint the black base red. No outher mod was done. They dont look like the real ones, and they dont work in the sim. I really could'nt figure out how they work so I compromised here.

 

ejection_switch_cover_005.jpg

 

 

ejection_switch_cover_006.jpg

 

 

ejection_switch_cover_007.jpg

 

 

ejection_switch_cover_008.jpg

 

I will make a drawing to help explaine the construction and post latter.

Mark.

Home built X-58FTW,i7 950, 3 x GTX570oc,

screens; 3 x 22", 19", 17", 9" :D

My pit. http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=121598

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Thanks again Mark.

I'm not ready to make these yet but am trying to size everything in order to make the wall panel. I didn't want to make it only to find the guards obscured the labelling on the panel. So far I have the left and right console carcases done and a dummy main IP to work out sizes and positioning of the monitors.

I have countless hours spent drawing the panels and sketches too, but you'll know about that!

The switch guides (like the one fitted to VHF-TLK) - home made or purchased?

 

Hope you don't mind me picking your brains.

 

Dave

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Dave, Your questions are wellcome.

 

The guards are home made. I think, From 1" aluminum track. I made them a 1/8 " taller than the tip of the toggle switch.

 

Here is a drawing of the ejection switch cover lower part. Its not completly visible in the pics. I dont have exact dimentions.

 

Ejection_switch_cover_drawings_002.jpg

 

What I remember. Its made from the same 3/4 " alu.track as single covers.

The ends to the feet are the same as the single cover above , on the outside. The top and inside are cut back . The only need to extend past the plastic covers for good glueing surface.

The Plastic covers are cut the same as the other ones. Only one mico-switch needed.

I made mine about 1/4 inch too wide. Look at under side when open, left and right plastic covers should line up with left and right toggle switch.

It allmost didnt fit.

I used 1" centers for all my large toggles.

Hope this helps

Mark.

Home built X-58FTW,i7 950, 3 x GTX570oc,

screens; 3 x 22", 19", 17", 9" :D

My pit. http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=121598

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