A question for the home made cockpit makers

[JAG]

I've seen a lot of things related to home made cockpits, and I could mention some of them, the last one I saw is the caution panel from pitbldr, so I gently have to ask this to the guys who did and still do things like that... You guys have the tools, the ability, the imagination, the ideas, the resources ... why don't you sell it? :smilewink:

 

And the last think I can say about your work is... Hats off to you :thumbup:

Edited August 6, 2011 by JAG

[Gadroc]

Several of them do. Pitbldr does sell some of his panels. It's a rarity for a couple of reasons though.

 

First there just isn't enough demand to mass produce them. It takes a lot of effort and time to make things like that this keeps prices high usually which keeps demand low.

 

Second usually the folks who make them made them in the first place because the want to use them. This combined with the first point means they'll have a real job as well. So if you become moderately successful you will no longer have free time to enjoy what you make.

[pitbldr]

Several of them do. Pitbldr does sell some of his panels. It's a rarity for a couple of reasons though.

 

First there just isn't enough demand to mass produce them. It takes a lot of effort and time to make things like that this keeps prices high usually which keeps demand low.

 

Second usually the folks who make them made them in the first place because the want to use them. This combined with the first point means they'll have a real job as well. So if you become moderately successful you will no longer have free time to enjoy what you make.

 

Exactly....

 

As Gadroc mentioned, I will be selling some panels from time to time. I am currently finishing up a batch of UFC panels for several folks.

 

But I doubt I'll ever establish a formal store or anything along those lines. I expect I'll just make a batch here and there and then offer them up for sale. All the reasons he mentioned are why. My real job has kept me so busy for the last 2-3 months, I've struggled with finishing these UFC's. And actually working on my own pit or flying, that was non-existant until about 2 weeks ago.

 

Now I will promise that if I hit the lottery or have dear relative pass away who leaves me a buttload of cash, I'll quit my job and work on pit stuff full time! Until then though, I'll just do what I can do, when I can do it. :D

[HitchHikingFlatlander]

LOL We should all get home CnC's and start a collective like a neighborhood grocery store that's owner operated co-op. Speaking of you UFC's I was going to ask if you're planning more.........:thumbup:

[Rainman]

Several of them do. Pitbldr does sell some of his panels. It's a rarity for a couple of reasons though.

 

First there just isn't enough demand to mass produce them. It takes a lot of effort and time to make things like that this keeps prices high usually which keeps demand low.

 

Second usually the folks who make them made them in the first place because the want to use them. This combined with the first point means they'll have a real job as well. So if you become moderately successful you will no longer have free time to enjoy what you make.

I am dealing with exactly that now even though my job is sometimes building sim parts it is still difficult to find the time to fit everything in ,that said I have had a few individual sales and some OEM that went into a high school and the RAAF

[pitbldr]

LOL We should all get home CnC's and start a collective like a neighborhood grocery store that's owner operated co-op. Speaking of you UFC's I was going to ask if you're planning more.........:thumbup:

 

I'll make more but I won't be doing "preorders". Instead I'll just make five or six and offer them for sale when they're ready to ship.

[Flim]

ya, I pulled back as well because I was always working...

[Deadman]

simply it cost more to make panels and parts than people are willing to spend:huh:

[HitchHikingFlatlander]

Isn't that the truth Deadman if only we had control of Saitek or Thrustmaster........

 

...................................We'd probably run them out of business making things that don't have a big enough market!

[Rainman]

I actullay got to the point of not flying the sim for about 3 weeks even though it is a part of my normal work PC and the yellow cockpit next to my desk in the workshop.

Edited August 7, 2011 by Rainman

[Deadman]

There is nothing i would like to do more well than finishing my own pit :smilewink:

Than make either Main instrument panels ,bezels and instruments or panels.

I don't have a company that owns CNC and laser tools. The amount of product that i would expect to sell would never cover the investment and my time but it would be fun to build sim panel from the designs of my real ones

[Rainman]

For anybody who is interested I have access to the laser cutters as most of my stuff is done like that ,I also have access to powder coating and electro plating ,the flat panels are fairly simple to do ,the bezels are a bit harder but if there is sufficient numbers they can be quite reasonable ,one of the projects that I am working on at the moment is a cockpit kit from aluminium profiles ,one of my regular machinery customers has all plant to process the profiles and do the powder coating.

The design is still in the paper stage ,so anything is still possible to incorporate into the kit including multi and single screen mounts ,seats etc.

My personal unit has an electrically adjusted car seat I have mounted an industrial 12v psu on it to run the adjusters.

Mark

Rainman Simulators

http://www.rainman.tv

[Deadman]

Rainman Those are all great some of the items can be quite heavy IE the Main instrument panel will possibly weigh 5 Kilo width with packing would be over 1 meter wide 1/2meter wide and probably 15cm thick shipping from AU to the states would be killer on the deal.

[Rainman]

deadman airmail upto 20kg was aud$190 seamail $120

I would do the panels in 1.6 - 2 mm aluminium with folded reinforcing pieces and have the main panel in 2 halves ,i think you wold get all of your base panels in under 10kg ,my helisim with adjustable pedals and made from 3mm black plate steel is only 17kgs.If enough people wanted them they could be bulk posted and shipping would be even cheaper split over a few sets of panel parts.

Mark

[Deadman]

Rainman that no a small amount in shipping and for me 2mm thick panel with reinforcement would not work to support the real ADI HSI and other gauges i have a rel MIP is over 20mm thick. I am sure if you decide to make some thing people want They may purchase it.good luck

[Rainman]

panel work

 

deadman the cockpit on my web site is all 3mm cut and folded black plate with no reinforcing and light enough for me to lift by myself into a trailer

[Succellus]

Well... i understand having a second job ain t fun. A pity some of you retired of the sellings like flim. Was looking forward for his front cockpit.

I guess i ll have to do it myself. I ll have to import every single flip...crap.

 

Raiman then i ll have to look at the selling section for your sellings spree :) or elsewhere ?

 

anyway kuddos to all of you guys

[KLaFaille]

deadman the cockpit on my web site is all 3mm cut and folded black plate with no reinforcing and light enough for me to lift by myself into a trailer

 

Well as he said you have to deal with the weight consideration of the real instruments as he and I are using. Our real ARU-2B/A's weigh approximately 9 pounds, the HSI is around 6 or 7 pounds, RWR, Altimeter, Airspeed all weight anywhere between 2 - 5 pounds each. Let alone MFCD solutions, and all weight from the engine instrumentation gauges (probably 15 or 20 lbs there) All that weight hanging from the front bezel on 2mm aluminum wouldn't work very well. Then you have to take into consideration the forces that will be applied to the panel from auxiliary controls such as the landing gear handle and the fire pulls. These take probably close to 20lbs of force to actuate.

 

if you are running straight sim gauges and instrumentation then perhaps you could get away with it, real stuff you need heavier, thicker material.

[Deadman]

Kl don't forget how much of the MIP is cut out for the different gauges .

He is probably a very skilled crafts man but he has no experience with a replica A-10C, Compairing it to the cockpit he has made is an apple to oranges comparison nuff said

Edited August 9, 2011 by Deadman

[Rainman]

guys as a design exercise for me would you be able to send me some photos and whatever diagrams and I will do the panels and fit it with mock instruments the same weight as yours