After reading through a number of threads i get the impression some members want to see some "new bloods" work in progress so here is my little project for you guys to have a look at ;)
I set out to build something quite generic but found i was flying the pmdg 737 exclusively so the cockpit evolved somewhat into a scaled down version.
Budget is the biggest drawback of my project, but i hope that helps other builders see what can be done without too much cash.
For the visuals i use 2 projectors and a dualhead which i got 2nd hand. the right hand projector has a problem which i thought was the bulb so i replaced that and found out its something more serious. So just for the time being i have to make do with pink stripes appearing now and again >:(
I use opencockpits mcp and efis and use pmdg's own glass pfd and nd, with the freefd eicas and standby gauges networked from an old cheap pc.
I have opencockpits and hispa panels for the mip and pedestal and buy them everytime i can. Only the landing gear and autobrake are interfaced at the moment. The cdu is el crappo vri, it works perfectly as an emulator and as long as i have the small tft screen displaying the actual pmdg cdu i do not need the mouse.
I wont be starting on the yoke until next year so for now i have saitek :( however i have started the throttle quadrant and jackpilot was very kind to supply me with the throttle levers. The overhead is just a print and is interfaced through leo bodnar joystick cards... i am having the panels for the full forward and aft overhead made at the moment so this is the main project for this year.
The shell is very generic and was made from bits of scrap i had laying around. All i was trying to do here was increase the immersion by actually being inside the cockpit looking out through the windshield.
The pedestal is made up of various goflight modules and a few real 737 radios etc.... i can operate everything i need to from the goflight gear so a full pedestal is something for the future.
Another thing you will notice is the scale of the mip isn't correct... this is because i already had 3 17' screens available and decided to build my mip around them.
Please remember this is my first simbuild and i have plenty of years ahead of me to build the full scale exact replica but i would like to hear any constructive critisism and advise. Here are some pics.
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This is the view from the cockpit door which is actually a curtain.
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On finals to cupboard door 06r.
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I have a keyboard tray installed on the FO side for my daughter who is sometimes my copilot.
As long as i can keep flying and learning while i'm building it should all work out pretty well ( in about 10 years lol )
Regards Steve
Oh wow this is nice!! Yes more pictures. You have a very nice sim.
I think you sime is very impressive. It shows how much can be accomplished on a lower budget with a little inginuity and determination. I think I have spent over 8K to date and feel like I dont have much to show for it because everything is still in pieces. Will probably be another 6 months before I can fly it. And yours is completely flyable which is fantastic! Nice job and I look forward to seeing yours progress as you add to it. Keep the updates coming.
Regards,
Scott
The Throttle has a long way to go :)
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Hey Steve,
Your build is looking great . . and nice to be able to fly as you continue to build and improve your cockpit. I think being able to fly and build is important . . keeps you motivated. I still use the first cockpit that I built to keep flying while building a Lear cockpit. I still use the GoFlight modules in my first cockpit. They have worked very well for me. Keep us posted on your build!
also Steve . . your first build looks a lot better than my first! Take a look at my first build . . . :o
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There's absolutely nothing wrong with that as a first build!
I think you have a nice build there Steve. Nothing wrong building a sim on a budget. And it is flyable. Good thing :)
You succeeded in raising the immersion for sure :)
Also your first build looks very good Shane :)
Steve,
If your interested I have a practically brand new projector I can let you have for around $500 it works flawlessly and awesome clarity. Let me know, just trying to help you out.
Tim
Steve, you have done what I have been telling builders for years now.. Paint, and plywood can really go a long way to getting the immersion factor down pat, and I think you have it mastered. Fantastic job, Dont ever apologize for being frugal :)
I think it looks good too, and my throttle looks just like that under the skin.
Wood is your best friend in this hobby.
Very nice start Steve. Looking forward to watching your build,
Darryl
This is fantastic work! And yes, the design of your latest throttle looks very familiar to me also :)
Looks great Steve.
I'm jealous... :'(
Cheers.
Warren
Hi Guys.
A couple of you have mentioned that your throttle builds are very simalar to mine above. Its easy to see why as this design is very popular and there are a lot of tutorials knocking around the net.
I invented a brilliant way to cover the tq.... 8inch and 10inch plastic sewer pipe... as sewerage is my job nowadays, i even had some offcuts in my van and cut to the right dimensions the radius fits snug over the mdf. I'll upload some pics as soon as i can.
My questions are:
I'm using slide pots for the throttle levers, but what is best for the flaps and speedbrake lever, I have a design in my head for the flaps gate (notched thing) and will be using ballcatchers like Jack for determining positions like armed, up, down etc on the speedbrake, Would encoders work and then be able to be callibrated through fsuipc or do i need an individual microswitch for each flap/speedbrake position.
Thanks Steve
Hi Steve
Both flaps and speedbrake can be calibrated with a Pot.(circular or slide) There was a thread here on that,Check FSUIPC manual.
Cheers
Jack
Thanks Jack... thats what i suspected.
Here is a quick and dirty knock together of how i have progressed so far. I Have only undercoated the sewer pipe and wont be sanding/filling until it gets put together for the final time. I Didn't really need to assemble everything but i wanted to see how the plastic pipe worked and how it would all look. Still have to cut the slots and fit all the levers obviously.
The pipe is 1/8 inch thick 3.2mm and i can stand on it without it bending so i have built a strong throttle lol
I'm enjoying this project.
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Thanks Steve
I love it ! Looks real!
My first one (with levers of fame) was covered with a section of a big cylindrical plastic flower pot!
Another couple of hours today and its almost there!!
I cut out the slots for the throttle levers, added various bits of trim and fitted all the other levers.
Now i can relax while i wait for the postman to bring the throttle levers, pots, interface card etc. Then i'll strip the whole thing, fill, sand and repaint all the wood/plastic components and set about fitting the slide pots and micro switches and interfacing with fsuipc.
I know trevor mentioned earlier "not to ever apologise for being frugal" :o Total cost so far 20 euro's ;)
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20 Euro's guy??? Oh my God, thats awesome.. the result you have achieved for that little cost is exemplary. Dude I think you deserve some kind of a medal for that. Great Job, and by the way it looks awesome.
Trev
Jack. You are a top top TOP bloke. Thanks a million.
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Now the real work ( interfacing ) begins.
(Tear) OMG, that looks Great Steve. You must be so proud.
(Ps the wife must be very proud to have that on the kitchen table as well) Nice centerpiece...
Trev
That is an awesome TQ . . looking forward to seeing that in your build! :D
Quote from: Trevor Hale on March 15, 2010, 12:12:39 PM
(Ps the wife must be very proud to have that on the kitchen table as well) Nice centerpiece...
Trev
I can fix you up with a good divorce lawyer when the time comes Trev. In my first (& last) divorce, I was able to keep the shirt on my back and you may need his help when you surprise your wife with a new centerpiece such as this one.
Maurice
Its funny now about this being on the dining table.... Beacause last night i managed to score a deep scratch in it... Trying to diguise it with a fruit bowl didn't cut it with sam (my better half) and now im trouble... at least its quiet at my house at the moment as im getting the silent treatment. One budget throttle quad just cost me a weekend sanding and varnishing or a new table lol :o She thinks im as mad as a box of frogs :idiot:
Quote from: maurice on March 16, 2010, 06:44:31 AM
I can fix you up with a good divorce lawyer when the time comes Trev.
Too late Mau.. I ended up not needing one.. :) But I may rethink the marriage thing before I try a second time.
Hilarious Steve.. the Silent treatment sucks... just try to hang in there :)
So does sanding down the dining table and refinishing.
Life being married... 8)
Quote from: Boeing Skunk Works on March 16, 2010, 09:22:48 PM
So does sanding down the dining table and refinishing.
Life being married... 8)
I LOVE being married, but I laugh a little as I imagine what would happen and what I'd say to myself if I scratched the table and was NOT married...probably something like, "Oh."
Now in this instance Steve could have responded to the wife in this manner. . . "Sweetheart I'm sorry for scratching the table . . I should have known better than trying to build that TQ myself, I should have just bought the commercially made TQ for $3000.00 then I would not have scratched the table. I'll do better next time" :D
Hey Steve if you do try this, let us know how it turns out. ;D
I ordered phidget sliders today. I got some slide pots locally ( very cheap ones ) but they were totally unsuitable. I have the open cockpits axis card coming too so hopefully by next week i'll have everything interfaced. I do have spare inputs on the buo836x card up on the overhead but i reckon i cant have enough inputs as my build progresses. I managed to get hold of 3 detent plungers too so all in all the throttle should function pretty well.
Jack comes up with the design and enginneering, then i copy his ideas :o I just hope i get a few years out of the throttle as its all mostly mdf, the levers will last for ever its the bits i made im worried about lol
The dining table has been repaired but im forever banished from interacting with the rest of the family when i have anything to do with flight simulation in my hands. :D
Still loads of work to do but its very enjoyable.
I fitted padraig style handles, i know the power Handles should be closer together and i may look at that in the future.
Other stuff i have done is made a base, added stab trim switches, parking brake and light, and i just stuck some dummy trim wheels on to see how the looked. Just wish the axis card would come now!!
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I have put the tq in the sim temporary and wired up one cheap slide pot, mainly its because its Easter and the postmen dont return to work here till next wednesday, and i need to fly albeit with one lever lol.
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Hey, is'nt it fun to play with a throttle and virtually feeling that great push in the back!!
Enjoy, very nice.
JP
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Jack. I know you have heard this a million time but... Nice.... Wow!! :idiot:
You are mixed up Bob! ;) :laugh:
This is Steve's throttle, which, by the way, merits your comments 100%.
Hey Jack,
Maybe Bob was talking about your Easter basket! hehehe :idiot:
HA!!! YOu are so right Jack...... Steve.... Nice work! See too many great looking homebuilt throttles! But then again it is real easy to get me confused.... :huh:
Oh common Bob.. your always confused :)
Trev
Quote from: Trevor Hale on April 05, 2010, 04:35:29 AM
Oh common Bob.. your always confused :)
Trev
Well ... Yes I am !!!!! :huh: ;D :idiot:
A little update to my build, I was never happy with the cdu bay or lack of it :-[ so this
afternoon i set about trying to make it look a bit more like the 737.
I've also started on a home made yoke made from some bits i found in a skip :P
As my build is really a single seat trainer with 1st officer screens if that makes sense i'm not going to try and do dual yokes or have 2 cdu at this stage as no-one only myself ever enters the cockpit. I placed the lower eicas screen in the cdu bay and wished i had done it from the start, its so much better having the screen there to use for atc, graphical cdu, maps etc. Now i need to save up for a proper cdu and throw the vri one away :o and get the yoke control from opencockpits. Other news the full fwd and aft overhead is getting posted out on weds and i received the axis card from opencockpits, still waiting on the phidget sliders though and as soon as the ovh arrives i need to think about ordering 2 more joystick cards and 2 led64's from phidgets, that should keep me busy over summer.
Here's the pictures.
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Screen in place and ready for making good.
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Everything glued and ready for paint.
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Painted.
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Vri cdu in place and everything re-installed.
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Dawn at Heathrow checking the screen works.
Here is the start of the Yoke.
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Regards Steve
Looks great Steve!
Looks Excellent. The CDU Bay really makes a difference to your pit Steve. Great Job.
Trev
Hi guys, just a little update to my build.
Its the start of the overhead for me now, i haven't yet finished the throttle or the yoke and now my overhead has arrived.
I'm very very happy with the quality and now i have the task of wiring once again, this will keep me indoors for the long hot summer ( wheres that aircon remote )
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I was thinking of a couple of buo836x joystick cards for the switches and led64 cards from phidgets for the annunciators. Anyone else use this combo?
Steve, I use 4 bodnar boards for the switch inputs and 2 Phidgets LED64's for the annunciators.. So yes, I am using that combo.
Trev
Thanks Trevor, i just took a look at the aviation megastore website and found the led64 cards for around 90 euro, thats not bad i thought and went through the order process, then they tried to wallop me with over 50 euros postage, now im angry that something so small could possibly cost so much in postage, i ordered a led card from opencockpits instead, total price 70 euros inclusive of postage. I have to make these sacrifices on such a budget.
The overhead is temp in the sim so i can get some flights in maybe tomorrow, i havent flown for ages. 1 leo card and 1 axis card with 24 inputs thru a matrix will keep me going till other cards are ordered/arrive.
This has been my most enjoyable part of the sim i have built so far.
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Very nice front office!
Coming along real good.
I really enjoy seeing the cockpit start taking shape . . that looks great Steve. Hope you can get some flying time in! :idiot: