Hooked on Making Videos- Standby ADI

[Warhog]

Well this is a hoot. I made my very first EVER video today. All for a demonstration just for Adrian and the problems he's having with his altimeter. Like WOW...It was just too easy. You know whats going to happen now :smilewink: ... Hundreds of videos... by you know who.:music_whistling: ... And I thought still pictures were enough :doh:...well there not...:P....so I'm going to make more videos.:D

 

So here it is. Nothing earth shattering but it does show my soon to be finished, Standby ADI in action(partial action that is). Its just running through a test routine to determine what kind of speed I should set for it and how it will react and sound and move and stutter (it better not stutter:mad:) so I know before hand what to set in the code.

 

 

It also gives you an idea of what went into its design/construction so others can see that its not especially difficult to make yourself. :)

 

Hope you enjoy and get something out of this little video.

John

[Hansolo]

Very nice indeed Warhog.

 

I especially like the "its not especially difficult to make yourself". That must be the understatement of the day :smilewink:

 

Thanks a lot for sharing how you have done it. "you must spread some reputation" :cry:

 

Cheers

Hans

[Warhog]

Actually Hans, building the Standby ADI isn't very hard at all. It's all based on creating multiple levels to add stuff too. All of the acrylic plates can be made by stacking six or seven pieces of acrylic cut to the same size and clamping them down. You mark one edge to act as a registration mark for later assembly. Then drill four corner holes and one centre hole. Now when you use brass standoffs they will all align when you assemble it. Your centre hole is drilled already so if you need to enlarge it for a bearing its already partially drilled. But more important, it's already in the correct location as are all the other centre holes.

 

Making the cradle for the rolling dive/climb angle is also not difficult. If you draw this up ahead of time and use it as a pattern you can make it from styrene and it will be strong enough and light enough to work.

 

Its really just a matter of studying how it was made and replicating it. Thats all I did. I looked at a partially disassembled ADI to see how it was made and copied it. But I used less exotic materials and materials that I could work with. In fact, there's no reason it couldn't be built with simple styrene plastic, model airplane glue, a sharp exacto knife and patience. I know this to be true because I have built more complicated projects with just sheets of plastic and a sharp knife as you can see below.

 

So never say never.

 

I built this WWII Cargo vessel 6 years ago and every single part was made by me from scratch with only some plans, a lot of styrene plastic and glue and a very sharp knife. Maybe a few other small tools but no CNC, no lathe, no laser cutter or anything of that nature. Only the hull was prefabricated by someone else as I don't work with fibreglass.

 

 

DSCN2342 by John Wall, on Flickr

 

 

Most of the people on this forum have been at this for a while. I have only been flying for 2 1/2 years and building stuff like this for the last year. Many of these instruments were quite foreign to me so I was very much at a disadvantage compared to most everyone else. Several times after say 10 or so hours of working on a component I trashed it, started over and from the mistakes I made, I rebuilt it because I learned how to make it better by screwing up my first go at it. :) Even my fuel panel was completely rebuilt last week with better motors and a nicer display because I learned new techniques on how to make it better.

 

My other goal besides building my A10C cockpit, a Huey cockpit , the Hornet and if they ever come out with and A6 Intruder, is to document a lot of what I am building and how I did it so I can pass on the techniques I developed... basically as payment for all that I have learned here and as a thank you for all those that took the time to teach me.

 

John

[agrasyuk]

Looking very good John! on both the ADI and the Ship model

 

while it maybe not to difficult, it still takes dedication, time and effort. once again things coming up taking the time away from my build, so at least i can watch your progress.

[Mr_Burns]

Well all I can say I wow, and insofar as its not too hard, I agree with anton above but you still have the skills I couldn't wish for!

 

Truly remarkable piece of engineering.

[Warhog]

Thank you both for the kind words. I just wanted to let others know that its not in the realm of impossible. Unfortunately real life often gets in the way but if you keep at it you will eventually reach your goal.

 

Building this cockpit has been one of the most involved projects I have ever undertaken. Some days I get really down about it because I can't see the end. Its such an overwhelming task that has taken so much time yet it is still so far from completion. I wonder, in fact, whether I can actually finish it.

 

But regardless, I have certainly made some friends here and I have had the pleasure of helping others when I can and getting help when I needed it. It surely is a fantastic community.:thumbup:

 

John