HOTAS stand WIP

[nigelmcelwee]

just thought id post my newest build for my HOTAS Warthog system. Only costs around 90 bucks to build and about 3 hours of time to measure and cut. Its still rough. Needs painting and some nice patchwork on the wood.

Edited October 24, 2015 by nigelmcelwee

[rrohde]

Now that is a pretty cool solution. Do you have a parts- and measurement list to share?

[nigelmcelwee]

Now that is a pretty cool solution. Do you have a parts- and measurement list to share?

 

thanks! Well the measurements are pretty different based on the type of chair you are sitting in but I will give you the parts list and height dimensions

 

 

6x 2x24 2 inch pvc pipes

 

1 2" 90 degree elbow

 

3x 2" end caps

 

3x 2" high pressure T fittings

 

2x 2 inch shower drains (you must remove the base plate and drain and you can mount to the wood)

 

2 bags 1/4" number 20 1" long screws (when you drill holes in wood you can tighten the screws into the wood to countersink them)

 

1 can PVC welding cement

 

2x 10x12" common wood pieces (use common wood not oak or anything hard or you wont be able to easily counter sink screws)

 

the throttle sits 18 1/2" high so it can fit under my desk and my arm doesn't hit desk when advancing throttle forward. the stick base sits 22 inches high to give clearance for my legs underneath.

 

you will have to get the pieces around your chair and do measurements to figure out how to cut. I used a mitre box and mitre saw to do the cutting and it cuts like butter through pvc pipe.

 

Please note the 3 inch long extension on the top left was not part of the original build. I made my cut too short and my throttle was hitting my chair. The fittings counter sink about 1 and 1/2 inches so you have to take that into account when fitting them together!!!

Edited October 24, 2015 by nigelmcelwee

[TomOnSteam]

very nice!

 

Have you considered taking the base plate off the joystick? It will let you mount it lower in a more comfortable spot, and of course it will be a smaller and lighter stand :)

[rrohde]

Thanks for the detailed list and info, @nigelmcelwee. I am considering this solution! :)

[Lucky]

Very nice design. Is The joystick stand wobbly when yanking and banking? You could also build a box around your rudder pedals if they tend to move around on the floor.

[TomOnSteam]

You could also build a box around your rudder pedals if they tend to move around on the floor.

 

Good point - even just something like a couple of hooks to hook the pedals onto the frame. (through the hard mount holes on the bottom of the pedals)

[nigelmcelwee]

Good point - even just something like a couple of hooks to hook the pedals onto the frame. (through the hard mount holes on the bottom of the pedals)

 

 

Actually I have large 2 inch rubber feet on the pedals so they grip the carpet and don't move an inch. The stick is a bit wobbly so I decided to trim the board up on top and chop the pvc down 4 inches and add a coupling halfway up. It reinforces it and makes it a lot more stable. with the 2 inch piping it doesn't wobble hard at all. If you want to, you could go to 3 inch tubing but it will be a bit more expensive. so far ive enjoyed several flights with it.

 

I have considered taking the base plate off and just mounting it that way but this was an easier solution.

[Lucky]

I ask about the wobble because I'm using a RealSimulator FSSB R3 for the warthog and it needs a ridgid mount. If any amount of force applied causes the mount to wobble it could introduce unwanted movement of the comtrol surfaces negating precision control. I really like your design And might adapt it for my own use. Right now I have a board screwed to the under side of my desk that sticks out about 12 inches which I have the stick base screwed to. I use the box the warthog came in turned on its side as a base for the throttle. It actually sits at a perfect height right next to my leg.

[nigelmcelwee]

hmmm you might try making a few braces on the shaft of the piping or go with 3 inch piping. the 2 inch is pretty stable but 3 or 4 inches even would stiffen it up. The price goes up considerably and I don't think they make a 4 inch shower drain assembly so you would have to go with something else in the PVC aisle to mount it all too.

[Lucky]

hmmm you might try making a few braces on the shaft of the piping or go with 3 inch piping. the 2 inch is pretty stable but 3 or 4 inches even would stiffen it up. The price goes up considerably and I don't think they make a 4 inch shower drain assembly so you would have to go with something else in the PVC aisle to mount it all too.

 

As someone who sold plumbing supplies for years, there are always ways of connecting different sizes of pipe and even dissimilar materials.

[Lucky]

Thanks for posting your design. I like it and I'm in the process of building one similar to yours. As soon as my MFG Crosswind pedals arrive I'm going to build a box on the front of the stand for it. The floor where my computer is is hardwood so it would most likely slide around without some kind of box around it. On the front corners of the stand I used 2x2x1 1/2" reducing tees. I thought 2" PVC Might interfere with rudder movement.

[TAW_Blaze]

My HOTAS stand is the most simplistic thing in the world ever. Includes 2 chairs. Stick on the one I'm sitting on, throttle to the left on the 2nd chair. :D

[Lucky]

My HOTAS stand is the most simplistic thing in the world ever. Includes 2 chairs. Stick on the one I'm sitting on' date=' throttle to the left on the 2nd chair. :D[/quote']

 

Been there, done something similar. Having the RealSimulator FSSB R3, requires a rigid mount. So, this PVC design seemed the easiest route to take.

[cichlidfan]

This is a custom fit for my Volair Sim pit. It clamps to a metal bar that is part of the seat mount. The center column is made of 3 2x4s glued together and lag screwed to the base. The stick mount is 1/4" thick red oak glued and lag screwed in place. It is very solid though I might want a thicker stick mount if I were using FSSB.

 

 

Sorry for stepping on the OP's thread. :)

[Lucky]

Joystick mount

 

 

Joystick on mount

 

 

Throttle mount

 

 

2x2x1 1/2 reducer for building box around pedals when they arrive