Roger Dodger DIY cockpits?

[spacenavy90]

So I've been looking into making some kind of a home cockpit of my own and for an entry project the DIY PVC setups on the Roger Dodget website have caught my attention.

 

Anyone have any experience or ever trying building them? Especially the "Center Joystick Floor Unit" as shown here:

 

[RagingBunny]

I haven't posted in this subforum before, but I've been lurking for a year or two now, getting ideas for my pit. Finally here's a question I can actually say something about!

 

Yeah I've built something like this about a year ago. It worked great with my Saitek X52 setup. I was surprised about the amount of stability the PVC pipes gave me. I didn't use a Rodger Dodger design (drew something up myself but it was similar), and it was a bit less elaborate than the setup in your picture, but it worked well.

 

It's also easy to change if needed. I've switched tables and chairs a few times to try out what I liked best, so the required height of the setup changed. Every time it was just a matter of a cutting or moving a bit here or there and the setup was perfect again. Also, at one point I changed it from a side setup to a center unit in about an hour. It's a very flexible way of constructing things.

 

Altough 70 euro's isn't much to spend on a good stick and throttle setup, I was a bit surprised that the PVC setup cost me that much. The pipes aren't the problem but all the small connectors really add up.

 

Building the PVC setup was a great way to get introduced to pit building for me. Doesn't cost an arm and a leg and it's an easy enough project for every double left handed tool like me to finish! Tough it was fun building and flying the PVC pit, I have since moved on to the Dimebug pit which I didn't have the confidence to build before I made sure that pit building was for me with the PVC pit.

 

So I recommend building a setup like the one in your picture. I can not vouch for Rodger Dodger as I didn't try one of their designs, but it's a great concept.

Edited December 10, 2015 by RagingBunny
Spelling

[spacenavy90]

I haven't posted in this subforum before, but I've been lurking for a year or two now, getting ideas for my pit. Finally here's a question I can actually say something about!

 

Yeah I've built something like this about a year ago. It worked great with my Saitek X52 setup. I was surprised about the amount of stability the PVC pipes gave me. I didn't use a Rodger Dodger design (drew something up myself but it was similar), and it was a bit less elaborate than the setup in your picture, but it worked well.

 

It's also easy to change if needed. I've switched tables and chairs a few times to try out what I liked best, so the required height of the setup changed. Every time it was just a matter of a cutting or moving a bit here or there and the setup was perfect again. Also, at one point I changed it from a side setup to a center unit in about an hour. It's a very flexible way of constructing things.

 

Altough 70 euro's isn't much to spend on a good stick and throttle setup, I was a bit surprised that the PVC setup cost me that much. The pipes aren't the problem but all the small connectors really add up.

 

Building the PVC setup was a great way to get introduced to pit building for me. Doesn't cost an arm and a leg and it's an easy enough project for every double left handed tool like me to finish! Tough it was fun building and flying the PVC pit, I have since moved on to the Dimebug pit which I didn't have the confidence to build before I made sure that pit building was for me with the PVC pit.

 

So I recommend building a setup like the one in your picture. I can not vouch for Rodger Dodger as I didn't try one of their designs, but it's a great concept.

 

Wow, just the kind of response I was hoping for! :D Thank you!

 

You wouldn't happen to have any pictures of your build lying around would you? I'd be very interested in seeing it.

[agrasyuk]

I did build a pvc pipe based structure in past. Startes with center console to hold MIP and monitor, but quickly realized its not even close to what I wanted out of simpit. Stability wise it was almost sufficient , but there is virtually no way to make it look anywhere close to presentable. So I never processed further with the pvc.

 

Up to your carpentry skills and situation, maybe a stretch, but I'd advise stepping it up a bit and going for something more substantial. Places like home depot will cut lumber and sheet material for you.

 

My pvc contraption :

 

[spacenavy90]

One of the biggest reasons I'm going with this way instead of full wood like you suggest is size constraints.

 

At first I was planning for a full cockpit pod enclosure, then a wooden desk setup and finally I settled for the PVC center stick like in the picture above. I don't really want many fancy, complicated setup. Just something simplistic, easy to construct and that provides a stable platform for the HOTAS and pedals.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[TomOnSteam]

Looks pretty damn nice after you've painted it black like that :)

 

I like the idea of having it all in one unit and being able to move or hide the whole hotas and pedals easily.

[agrasyuk]

Yes, painting removed some of the "plumber bob" feel , but wasn't enough to my taste

 

Navy , I can understand space being a premium and all. And not everyone needs a full tub pit. Still you can build something neater then the "roger sloppy aviation" contraption.

 

There were several guys who augmented their office chairs with arms to hold HOTAS.

 

For long time before I had room for dedicated pit I had special control organizer shelf. Think regular desk with pull out sides and lifting shelfes (on full extension drawer slides) that held saitek 52 controls. I lost pictures of that, sorry.

I stepped up with contraption pictured below. Pretty much a regular desk, but instead of office chair I had a frame with car seat mounted. Stick was mounted on removable plate so it wasn't in way when working. After eventually extending the stick and mounting it closer that was a very nice setup for flying

 

[RagingBunny]

Unfortunatly I did not take pictures untill I started building my Dimebug pit. By then I had remodelled my PVC setup at least 3 times, and I had dismounted the throttle part. I dismounted the throttle when I switched my X52 pro for a TM Warthog, because the Warthog throttle didn't fit and I didn't feel like remodelling the PVC setup since I was going to build another pit.

 

The square bottom is where the Saitek rudder used to be mounted. However, it is removed in this picture because I had already put it in my Dimebug pit.

 

Funny thing tough, the square bottom got a new use after that as you can see in the 2nd picture!

 

(Yeah it's a weird looking pit. I used a laptop back then. I would put my laptop on the keyboard shelf, and then I'd put the instrument panel over the laptop screen, displaying Helios on the laptop and DCS on the tv).

 

 

 

As you can see in the 2nd picture, I turned the setup around and I placed the throttle stand under my seat. It needed this for stability when I removed the rudder pedals.

 

Notice how the top, where I mounted the stick on, hangs over the seat a bit. I build it this way to put the stick in a comfortable position. When I turned the PVC setup around to put the rudder mount under my seat for stability, I simply took the top off, turned it 180 degrees and put it back so the stick was in the same position again. Goes to show how flexible and easy to change a PVC setup is.

 

[blksolo]

I used them for the side by side setup ala F-16. The plans were like 20 bucks and I spent maybe 30-40 dollars on parts. It was super easy and 3 years later it's still going strong.The parts needed are:

Pvc pipe

Pvc pipe cutter

glue

ruler or measuring tape

rubber mallet or hammer

screws and screwdriver

wood and a saw

and the plans of course!!

[Nails]

22mm Plastic Pipe. I was making sure the WiP instrument panel married up OK

 

[craig_sez]

Some very nice basic pits..I applaud all your guys and efforts..Makes a fella think..

[=DECOY=]

22mm Plastic Pipe. I was making sure the WiP instrument panel married up OK

 

 

 

is that a curved projector :)

[hannibal]

looks authentic!! i like the theme that your put into your pit, with the green paint!

[Nails]

Morning, Thanks for the comments.

 

The Cockpit is for the Hawker Hurricane. Radiator, Trim, Rudder Trim (potentiometers) all work (Cliffs of Dover, but hoping someone release one for DCS in the future).

 

Yes it is a curved screen using 2 x Optoma HD projectors and the SimPit Warp software for the blending.

 

Green Paint. If Cripple is reading this (http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=143452). The wife got it for me from B&Q it's called Bespoke, and is close to the real thing.

 

Panel is made out of thin board, using a dremel to cut it all out. All the switches are the genuine air ministry parts which work connected to an 0836x Bodnar board.

 

 

Projector Screen is the Icarus 180 imported from Nz.

 

 

Sizing up

 

Home made Hawker Hurricane H-Lever (underarm deodorant bottle, piece of dowel and MS Publisher, couple of microswitches, Drawer handle from B&Q painted red)

 

Edited January 17, 2016 by Nails
Added the Pictures

[98abaile]

The wife got it for me from B&Q it's called Bespoke,

Lol, pretty sure that's not the name of it. :lol:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bespoke

[SageOT]

My first build was with Roger Dodger. Very well put together plans for the small price. I modified a couple of things... I did the center stick but put the throttle holder on both sides, so I could use the mouse on it too. I also took out the angle they have the joystick mounted on and just did it straight up and down. Only other advice I would offer is just screw together the parts, don't glue. Even when you think you're happy with it you'll eventually want to make small changes.