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y2kiah's A-10C cockpit build


y2kiah

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I suppose it's time I started a thread. Since I haven't actually started construction yet, I'll probably start by posting some pics of my home built CNC. I hope to get it up and running within the next week or so.

 

For now, here is the first of many panels to come, to be cut and engraved on the CNC. I split the light plate into an upper and lower half since they will require different cuts. The actual material will just be a single piece of acrylic, flipped over for the back side cut.

 

Fuel_Panel_perspective.png

 

just the base plate...

Fuel_Panel_base.png

 

base plate with lower half of the light plate (disregard the color)...

Fuel_Panel_light_lower.png

 

just the top half of the light plate...

Fuel_Panel_light_top.png

 

full panel, with DZUS...

Fuel_Panel.png

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Looks great y2kiah :thumbup:

 

Eny you on the CNC, would be great to have :-)

 

Watch up for the guidepins of the toggles If you plan to use real toggles, the small hole needed for the notch that hold them fixated to the baseplate is easy to forget.

 

Will you have the mechanism for the RCVR bolted under the baseplate or in the frame ?

I had to take out some extra width for the cutout. Havn't seen the real Quad sideways so first setup needed some adjustments

 

/Gus

- - - -

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Thanks all.

 

Looks great y2kiah :thumbup:

 

Watch up for the guidepins of the toggles If you plan to use real toggles, the small hole needed for the notch that hold them fixated to the baseplate is easy to forget.

 

Will you have the mechanism for the RCVR bolted under the baseplate or in the frame ?

I had to take out some extra width for the cutout. Havn't seen the real Quad sideways so first setup needed some adjustments

 

/Gus

 

I won't be using real toggles, too expensive. Instead, I based my cutouts on the actual hardware I will be using. The switches I have unfortunately don't have an anti-torque notch, but you can see the notch cut out for the rotary switch. I do plan to compensate for twisting on the toggles, just not sure how yet.

 

Good point on the RCVR mechanism. I've studied your pictures and I think I will mount it to the back plate. I'll place the holes for standoffs once I design that component. I may decide to use a pot with a center detent for that lever, or I may use two microswitches as you did. If I use a pot, it will be a simple matter of edge detection to determine when it goes from CLOSE to OPEN and vice-versa. I'd also like some kind of spring action to slightly pull the lever to one side or another from the mid point, with no pull at the mid point. I'll have to think about that one.

 

Measurements:

The only measurements I'm sure are accurate are the overall dimensions, and the DZUS positions. Other than that, the cutouts are meant for the specific hardware that I will be using, so your results may vary.

 

Fuel_Panel_measure01.png

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Setup of RCVR lever I made is less then perfect. It works but the gap on center of the bottom pin (pivot point) make the lever twist somewhat and feels too sloppy right now. Tighten the bolt mean to much friction so I need to replace the wachers with something less rough materials.

 

First idea for mech was a 45 degree rotary switch but I could't find a way to fixate the lever on the shaft. If you find good solution, I'm all ears :-)

 

I'll use a spring (just now a rubberband :-) to apply needed force to have the lever to stay in place when activated the microswitches.

Position points of the "spring" is below the bottom pivot point and the upper guidepin seated on the lever itself.

 

Cheers

- - - -

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Setup of RCVR lever I made is less then perfect. It works but the gap on center of the bottom pin (pivot point) make the lever twist somewhat and feels too sloppy right now. Tighten the bolt mean to much friction so I need to replace the wachers with something less rough materials.

 

First idea for mech was a 45 degree rotary switch but I could't find a way to fixate the lever on the shaft. If you find good solution, I'm all ears :-)

 

I'll use a spring (just now a rubberband :-) to apply needed force to have the lever to stay in place when activated the microswitches.

Position points of the "spring" is below the bottom pivot point and the upper guidepin seated on the lever itself.

 

Cheers

 

I started the design for the fuel lever, just wanted to quickly post what I have so far. It's designed to be built out of only a few common materials:

1) 3/4" x 3/4" x 1/8" aluminum angle

2) 1/8" aluminum sheet

3) 1/4" bolts, nuts, washers

4) #8 machine screws, nuts, washers

5) glue for bonding metal

6) magnets

 

I decided to use a magnet on each side of the lever's travel, not shown in the screenshot but would be attached just below the microswitches on each side of the contact point. This will provide exactly what I'm looking for - a positive snapping action on each side of travel and no obvious pull in the center, minor resistance to movement out of a position, force to keep microswitch pressed.

 

The lever has 30 deg. total travel, 15 to each side. The routed arc near the top of the plate will have a bolt through it from the lever to provide lateral stability and adjustable friction (will use some non-metallic washer as a friction disk, tightened with a wing nut.

 

To address the issue you talked about with wobbling of the lever around the shaft, I will use a bearing block with a 1/4" bore. The block will be secured to the plate with small screws, and the shaft will be secured to the outsides of the bearing on each side with a nut or washer+nut combination, which will make contact only with the inner ring of the bearing, thus tightening the shaft for stability, but allowing it to rotate freely with no friction. I learned this little trick from the guy at www.buildyourcnc.com - he builds his linear bearings using bolts, nuts, and skate bearings, which I've done for my CNC build as well.

 

Fuel_Lever01.png

 

Fuel_Lever02.png

 

Fuel_Lever03.png


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Looking good y2kiah. I'll probably "snatch" the idea for bearing supported bolt, thanks.

 

Thought of another thing, the rotary you'd use for the RCVR light, whats your plan of how to use it ?

I use a 10k linear pot in that pos (still non interfaced though) to be connected to the A/D input on the MasterCard (O.C) I weight that option against a Gray encoder and selected based on price only . Don't know if the upcoming DCS 10C would have support for RCVR light or not. If not I'll might place some white LEDs in front of the pit for the fun if it..

 

/Gus

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I was also planning to use a pot for the RCVR control. I thought of using one with a built in switch to click into the off position, common on volume knobs, but I think I remember seeing a linear pot somewhere with it. Regarding DCS, I have the same thoughts as you on many of the controls around the cockpit - the environment panel being one that is pretty much wasted on the sim. It has no meaningful contribution to the software or the physical environment (unless you built in an A/C and heater, hehe). If nothing else, I will put them there for looks and procedure. Extra switches can't hurt anyway, could always map them to some random function in DCS instead of what the real world function is.

 

On the topic of cockpit lighting, my plan was to use three-pole switches and pots for pretty much all cockpit lighting controls. One pole would interface with the sim, another would be on a 120VAC isolated circuit for NVIS lighting the panels with EL sheet. The third on yet another isolated circuit for white back lighting of the panels with LEDs. Dimming would only be available for the LEDs.

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It looks like your measurements are very close for the fuel panel. The RCVR LT is a pot but it does not have a click to the off position. The Fill Disable switches are push pull like a circuit breaker switch. The Line check is a push button. just so you know

https://www.shapeways.com/shops/a-10c-warthog-supplies

https://forum.dcs.world/topic/133818-deadmans-cockpit-base-plans/#comment-133824

CNCs and Laser engravers are great but they can't do squat with out a precise set of plans.

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It looks like your measurements are very close for the fuel panel. The RCVR LT is a pot but it does not have a click to the off position. The Fill Disable switches are push pull like a circuit breaker switch. The Line check is a push button. just so you know

 

Thanks Deadman, the screenshots Wags posted make the fill disable switches look like push buttons. I'll have to look for some push/pull switches, or push on/push off would satisfy me too. It's always nice when someone who owns the real panel is willing to share information.

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Wages your right I just looked it up to be sure From the T.O. page 1-19 Fill disable switches The four fill disable switches are similar to circuit breakers. If a main or wing tank is damaged, pull up the respective switch to prevent that tank from being refueled

https://www.shapeways.com/shops/a-10c-warthog-supplies

https://forum.dcs.world/topic/133818-deadmans-cockpit-base-plans/#comment-133824

CNCs and Laser engravers are great but they can't do squat with out a precise set of plans.

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It's alive!

 

 

It's a home made 5' x 3' machine of mostly my own design, borrowing several techniques from well-known DIY cnc tutorials online. I still need to make the router mount, and smooth out the motors with some calibration. It's capable of jogging at over 4 inches per second (240 ipm), but it remains to be seen what kind of cutting speed can be achieved without stalling the motors.

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Thanks gents. Trigger I have you and your monster thread to thank (blame?) for all of this craziness.

 

My next video will hopefully be cutting out the fuel panel. I found a local plastics supplier that should save me some $ on shipping, though I think they sell 8x4 sheets minimum, which is probably much more than I'll need for the whole pit. I plan to use a translucent white Acrylic for the panels, so the lettering will be white when engraved from the painted black surface, and can still be back lit.

 

I've also been playing with a couple samples of EL sheet. One is pink when off and light green when lit, the other is white off, green lit. I know now to stay away from the pink/green stuff because the green it produces is not very good. The white/green variety makes a much deeper, truer green, much closer to the bluish green tint of NVIS backlighting.

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Well done on the CNC. It makes some good noises - it is indeed alive.

 

See if your acrylic supplier will sell you some offcuts, or find one of their local customers, and buy their offcuts. 8 x 4 sheets are an awkward size for cars and home.

 

I assume you will be able to control the plunge depth on your router? Or just two positions?

 

You'll be able to feed your cutter (1/8 or 1/4 end mill?) at a good speed, but your enemy will be heat, and the acrylic melting round the cutter, I think. Never machined acrylic like that though, you may be fine.

 

This has got me thinking about g codes and cutter offsets for the first time in years!

 

Looking forwards to seeing your results.

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Does anyone have an estimate of the slope of the outer row of panels on the right and left in the A-10 cockpit? I'm eyeballing it right now and it's very hard to tell if I'm in the right ballpark.

 

The SAS panel is nearly done. Also looking for good dimensions of the lamp seen on this panel and throughout the cockpit. Again, I eyeballed it.

SAS_panel.png

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Does anyone have an estimate of the slope of the outer row of panels on the right and left in the A-10 cockpit? I'm eyeballing it right now and it's very hard to tell if I'm in the right ballpark.

 

The SAS panel is nearly done. Also looking for good dimensions of the lamp seen on this panel and throughout the cockpit. Again, I eyeballed it.

 

I used same methed so no real info. I settled for 20 degrees.

 

Great work on the panel !

 

/Gus

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Just another new panel to show

 

Wanted: part number/source, or to buy spare 4-way hat switch for this panel

 

Unfortunately I don't have an old joystick with a coolie hat that matches the one on this panel

 

 

Emergency_Panel.png

 

In the yellow areas, there will be a white stripe dividing each yellow section. I'll probably try to engrave the different areas, then paint. If that doesn't work out, I'll engrave the whole strip and overlay a printout of the colors.


Edited by y2kiah
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