The "Might resemble a cockpit build"

[DEChengst]

I'm in my first week of a four week vacation so I decided to start my first cockpit build. I'm really making it all up as I build, so I have no idea what the end product will look like. My goal is to have at least the most important switches and the MFDs. I don't care too much about looks so this will be very much a functional build. I decided on PVC pipe as a construction material as it's easy to work with and quite affordable.

 

 

First part build. This is the piece that will hold the chair. I'm not sure yet how to drill the holes for the bolts holding the chair. I don't have a column drill but still need to make sure they're very straight.

 

 

Cockpit baseframe standing on it's legs seen from behind. I've also added the inner side of the piece that will hold the panels in place.

 

 

Same piece, but now with the bottom cushion of the seat on it. Still haven't bolted it to the frame.

 

 

Today I went shopping for a photocamera. Stumbled across some box. No idea what was in the box but box looked great so I decided to buy it.

 

 

It turned out that the box contained a stick and throttle. Maybe I can uses this for my simpit ?

 

Next step will be to fix the stick and throttle to the frame. More later.

[Triggerhappy69]

It turned out that the box contained a stick and throttle. Maybe I can uses this for my simpit ?

 

 

Well watta'ya know..! They just seem to pop up everywhere these HOTAS thingies from Thrustmaster these days..!? LoL:lol:

[Feed]

HA HA HA HA HA!!! Congratulations on finding a very lovely box, and the beginning of your 'pit! Welcome to the insanity. I got started the same way, dropping about $100 on PVC and just started putting things together. That was about 3 months ago ...

 

Have you chosen an interface yet?

[Avilator]

It turned out that the box contained a stick and throttle. Maybe I can uses this for my simpit ?

Meh, they don't look too high quality. Maybe keep them as spares and put something else in the pit?:D:megalol:

[DEChengst]

Have you chosen an interface yet?

 

Not yet, I'll have to look into that. I may go for Opencockpits as they're being sold by a shop here in the Netherlands, which would ease support if needed.

[Feed]

IMHO, OpenCockpits is the way to go. Input & Output, extremely versatile ... a little more complicated to work with, but I think the flexibility and integration is worth it. Of course, I'm just getting started, too.

[JaseGill]

Hi,

I'm also going the same way with PVC Pipe.

Can I ask what spec pipe you're using? Is it the usual 40mm Waste Pipe stuff?

What is it like supporting the Warthog? Mine seems very heavy for the PVC pipe to support it?

I bought the Rodger Dodger plans and they are very good, but Im wondering if they are tough enough for a Warthog setup?

Thanks,

J.

[DEChengst]

Can I ask what spec pipe you're using? Is it the usual 40mm Waste Pipe stuff?

 

Standard 40 mm pipe with 3 mm wall thickness.

 

What is it like supporting the Warthog? Mine seems very heavy for the PVC pipe to support it?

 

Didn't fix the HOTAS yet, but I'll be making a seperate piece for it so it shouldn't be a problem.

[DEChengst]

Just ran into the first problem. Went to the hardware store to get some long bolts to bolt the old office chair to the frame. Turned out the bolts for the chair use a non-metric thread and the guy in the store told me they would be hard to find over here. Wikipedia convinced me I need 1/4 inch BSW threaded, 3 inch long bolts. I'll need to find a shop here in Rotterdam that sells them or order them online somewhere.

 

Once I can bolt the chair to the frame I'll extend the frame so it can hold the HOTAS.

[Feed]

Depending on what the bottom is like, you could make new holes. Is there a mounting plate on the bottom you can get to?

[DEChengst]

Depending on what the bottom is like, you could make new holes.

 

Bottom is made from wood and doesn't look like it's very fit to make holes that would hold other bolts. Also I made to frame to fit to the screwholes that are already in the bottom of the seat.

 

Is there a mounting plate on the bottom you can get to?

 

Original mounting plate broke, that's why I decided to recycle the chair for my cockpit build.

 

I guess I need to start the hunt for the bolts. At least they're available online, just need to find a place that sells and ships them for a decent price. Found one webshop that sells them, with a nice shipping rate of 20 quid for 10 bolts. That most certainly goes into the zark off category.

Edited November 6, 2010 by DEChengst

[DEChengst]

Could find only one shop over here in Rotterdam that is selling the BSW threaded bolts I need for my project. They asked EUR 40 (lolwut?) for them. I ended up ordering them at a UK based webshop. Total was just shy of seven quid including shipping. Ordered them last Friday and yesterday I found them in the mailbox.

 

 

Warthog base attached to the frame.

 

 

Underside of the frame with the bottom cushion of the chair attached. One of the bolts didn't want to go in all the way, but it seems secure enough. I used six PVC braces for some added stability.

 

 

Standing up on it's legs with the chair and stick bolted in place.

 

 

Another view of the cockpit. The back cushion is still a bit dirty from all the sawdust.

 

Next step will be to mount the throttle and make the outer frame pieces that will hold the side panels.

[Feed]

Nice! How's your comfort with the stick there (it seems like it'd be too low)? Are you planning to try extending the shaft a bit?

[DEChengst]

Nice! How's your comfort with the stick there (it seems like it'd be too low)?

 

It's okay. To mount it higher I would have needed to mount it further forward. Didn't like the feel of that, so where I mounted it is a bit of a compromise.

 

Are you planning to try extending the shaft a bit?

 

Not at the moment. Don't have the skills and equipment to make such a thing. I may buy a ready made extension if one were to appear on the market.

[Gadroc]

The Hog is connected to that metal base by four screws. You can easily remove the base and fashion a different mount. You can also potential rotate the hog so the plate the narrow end of the plate is front to back. This may give you the clearance to mount it up higher.

[DEChengst]

I know I can remove the base plate, but to be honest I really have two left hands, so I need to keep things simple. For the moment I'll just keep it as it is.

[power5]

go to hardware store and buy a 2" PVC pipe and 2 caps. Take WH off base plate and attach to PVC cap put cap on pipe. Bolt other cap to WH base plate and slide on pipe. You now have an extension for your WH. You can also easily rotate the grip for more comfort.

 

I would connect the bottoms of the legs so they are all connected together like the seat base. They will be easy to snap off individually as is.

[DEChengst]

go to hardware store and buy a 2" PVC pipe and 2 caps. Take WH off base plate and attach to PVC cap put cap on pipe. Bolt other cap to WH base plate and slide on pipe. You now have an extension for your WH.

 

Thanks. That's really a neat way to extend the stick. When I was asked if I would extend the stick my first thought was to extend the stick itself. Using a CNC machine to create such a piece is not an option for me.

 

I'm not sure though I'm going to use your suggestion. Yesterday I noticed that the frame piece that holds the Warthog base is too wide to get to my old rudder pedals comfortably. I've already designed a new frame piece with custom mounting plate that would be narrower and raise the stick as well. I'll take the decision between your and my solution as soon as I get a set of decent rudder pedals. I'll probaly get the new Saitek Combat pedals, so the build is on hold for a few weeks.

 

I would connect the bottoms of the legs so they are all connected together like the seat base. They will be easy to snap off individually as is.

 

I plan on boxing it up with plywood. Both for looks and indeed for holding the legs together.

[DEChengst]

Finally some more building done:

 

 

Mounted the rudder pedals. Raised and narrowed the stick mount, so I'll have to make a custom mounting plate out of plywood for that.

[pitbldr]

Looking good! :thumbup:

 

How do you like those rudder pedals??

[DEChengst]

I can only compare them to my old TM Elite pedals. The Saitek pedals are quite smooth and I can give much smaller control inputs than with the TM ones. I really love the toebrakes too, no more need to reach for the keyboard during taxiing.

[pitbldr]

Thanks! I've been considering those, but waiting to hear what others thought first. :)

[LeLv30_Superbus]

This just caught my eye:

 

You can also potential rotate the hog so the plate the narrow end of the plate is front to back. This may give you the clearance to mount it up higher.

 

In order to stop builders from wasting time: If you mean "it is easy to rotate the plate by +/-90 degrees" - it is not. If you connect the screw holes, you get a rectangle which is not a square. In other words...

 

+ b +

a

+ b +

 

...a does not equal b, unfortunately.

 

I hope this was at least of some use to someone. My apologies if I misunderstood you, Gadroc.

Edited March 17, 2011 by LeLv30_Superbus

[jerda]

How does the beer tap connect to the pvc? :D

[DEChengst]

Some more work done today:

 

 

Created the lower part of the dashboard and testing out what the custom mounting plate for the stick should be like. Next step will be to create the inner support beam for the side panels.

 

@jerda:

 

No beer involved. Don't want to get a fine for FUI.