Post Your Pit!!!! 1000 Member Show and Tell

[Flying_Fox]

Photos didn't load?!?!
It was a bug in IOS 8.
Installed update and all went well.

Excellent idea and work, Craig.

BTW, looking at your first picture - do you have more pictures of your yoke columns and their mechanism? 

Nick

[Caflyt]

Nick,
I took what you did and made a few changes (which I plan on changing again...explain shortly).
I used a crossmember made from extruded aluminum from a company named 80/20 Inc. http://www.8020.net
I also got three linear bearings from them for the mechanism. Everything is similar to yours except this mechanism (roll axis only at this point) which I made by attaching the lower chain drive to the center bearing to be moved when roll inputs are introduced sliding the bearing along the aluminum guide. The outer two bearings flanking the center bearing are connected to each other with a spring or two so that when the center bearing moves it "pushes" the outer bearing on one side while the opposit bearing is held stationary and the spring tries to pull it back to center. I used a lid hinge and modified the slide or guide to only allow the bearing to move in one direction. When the control input is released the center bearing is forced back to its starting position by the sprung bearing it was pushing...(does that make any sense?? )
I also added some gas Pistons to dampen the springy feel so it was more fluid and doesn't just "snap" back.
Now for the bad news.... I have found that the aluminum cross members "twist" too much to be used as a crossmember so I have decided to re-engineer the vertical columns and support crossmember out of steel instead of aluminum and weld the crossmember to the vertical columns to make the structure as rigid as it needs to be. I will of course maintain the aluminum one as a
guide for the linear bearings but it will not be relied upon for structural support.
I will try to take some better pictures as these are not as explanatory as they could be.

[Flying_Fox]

Hi Craig,

Thanks for the pictures, Craig!

I think I understand how it works. Two outer bearings instead of my swinging plates. Instead of mine central stopping pin you have lid hinges that stop the other outer bearing from following the central one when it pushes another bearing.

Would be nice to see the video.  Also could you post the pictures of the top yoke column assembly?
Another thing I noticed - you have some kind of insert for the bottom sprocket shaft. What did you use?

I moved my yokes assembly into simulator and it's very rigid. But I already have an idea of redesigning the mechanism and add the ability to "motorize" it.  I will just build a new assembly.  But not right now - need to work more on sim itself.

May be we should start a new thread for this.

[RayS]

I've been asked to post pics of my Beech 1900D simulator.

So, I guess by popular demand, here's a few!

[Nat Crea]

Super nice Ray!

Nat

[Sam Llorca]

Wow Rey!!! That's impressive,  awesome,  love it! Cheers.

[mickc]

Magnificent Ray, a work of art   

[Trevor Hale]

Fantastic Ray!  Bob and I were talking about that last night.

Great Job.

Trev

[jackpilot]

Superb !

Congrats and have fun!!
Jack

[pcpilotmd80]

Hello Everyone,

I love all the simpits and this is a great idea for everyone to share different varieties to build.I had the privilege flying on the C-9a nightingale back in the late 80's and 90's as medic in the USAF, but my love for the Douglas/McDonnell Douglas twin engines started as a boy growing up right next to Lambert St. Louis in the early 70's watching all the classics from my back yard.  There is nothing like the scream and roar of the JT8D engines.  So, there is the brief history of where my passion of these old gas hogs comes from.  I always wanted to be a DC-9 or MD-80 pilot for TWA, but I enjoy another passion of the career I'm in now, so in a way I get to have both with this awesome sim hobby.  I have FSX, on a AMD 8 Core 4gz,  55" HD TV for scenery monitor and 27" for instrument display.  I am using SAITEK controls (for now).  I Have 2 Bodnar boards controlling all switches and some LED lights.  The "printed out gauges/instruments" are to signify what still need to be built and to ad some realism   The two aircraft I use are the Coolsky DC-9 and the Leonardo SH Maddog 2010 Professional.  Currently, I can't decide which one to commit to; I'm leaning toward the DC-9 after doing some research on making my own gauges (THANK YOU TREVOR!)  I know it's a "hardware store special" haha, but made do with my budget,and some day get some real parts.  This is only a year into the build so not bad after getting tired of flying the desk.

Here are few pics and vids of my 'pit.  Check out my media library for more.  ENJOY!..I hope

Mike

PS thanks ALL for advice so far esp Trevor!

[pcpilotmd80]

oops almost forgot, heres overhead.  Measured to scale, took a high def print to sign shop had it printed plexi glass plastic.  Two Bodnar boards,  Panel back lights and map lights are separately wired into standard wall dimmer switches.

Mike

[NextBestPilot]

Hello everybody,
Not a real cockpit but my little convertible flightdeck! DIY throttle quadrant and a couple of switches all built from USB joysticks and gamepads. On the android tablet I run FlightGauge, a very cheap and useful solution for basic instruments.

I currently plan to build an ATR cockpit, that's how I found this forum. I saw the users Mikeh and neomorph discussed this but I didn't get a hold of them. So any tips are much appreciated.
Happy flying everybody!

[727737Nut]

I like it!  Brings back lots of memories. 

[Trevor Hale]

Great start.

Ruscool Electronicshas a lot of ATR stuff. Do a Google search for them and if you buy anything make sure you mention to them where you found out about them.

Trev

[NextBestPilot]

Thanks,
Ruscool seems unaffordable but good to know. I am thinking of printed foamboard.

[jr2mey]

IT Lives!  It FLIES!!!

This a pic of my 737-800 Ver 3.

Using PM Boeing Suite,

Graphics with Prepar3d v2.5

FDS throttles and MIP, CPflight MCP and EFIS, CH yokes, GoFlight Rudder peddles and radio stack, Overhead I custom built.

[fsaviator]

Excellent James!  Enjoy!

[RayS]

Very nice!!

[jr2mey]

Thanks Ray and Warren!  Its been almost a year working to get it flying again!  Still a long way to go though!

[Bob Reed]

I know it has been a long time since I had much of a sim, in fact it has been several years since I have had one at all. But in less than 10 days here is what I have built. The bug is back and this is flyable!

[smg id=1163]

[jr2mey]

Looking good Sir!!!  Now you just need some throttles to go with that!  LOL

[Bob Reed]

I think someone has taken care of that. Looking forward to getting the ole girl back! Have a really nice home for it.

[mgovernali]

Hello everyone!
Here is my modest contribution.
Here are some pics - and much more info and VIDEOS on my 747 site.

www.boeing747sim.com

Thank you all.

[Trevor Hale]

Awesome stuff.

[jackpilot]

Very nice 747...
BTW, I think I posted some new pics somewhere else but to follow up on my first post here (page1) here are the latest:
(still using smooth & rock solid FS9 !!)