A MUST READ! Another episode of my insanity!

[blueskydriver]

Hey Everyone,

Edit: Read to bottom to find out what happens

If you recall I posted in the past about the Public Surplus website (www.publicsurplus.com) where many of things can be had for mere pennies on the original dollars. Well, this past Wednesday an auction showed up for Madison, WI and of all things it was a Fire Truck Simulator...yes, you read that right, a Fire Truck Simulator (call it FTS).

Anyway, Karen and I had to go to Madison on Thursday for one of my doctor's appointments, and afterwards, we went to view this FTS to confirm its status before we bidded. We saw it and could not believe our eyes! This thing was never used and had just surface dust on it from sitting...we were like OMG!

Thus, we hurried home and placed our bid. We were in the running until today and at the last 10 minutes we got out bidded (we had a budget...uh, because of Christmas, it cut my fun money short!). So, I was sad because I couldn't get it of course, but more so because we...uh, I...just had to go see it beforehand. Seeing anything prebid is much harder if you really want it.

Finally, it sold for $3,039.00 and you might say it was a lot, but look at the attached picture below. Everything in the photo except the telephone and the foreground table & chairs were all a part of it. Oh, this FTS sim worked, plus it was all mobile, and let alone the seat/platform/monitors had some limited motion control.

I am still wiping tears away from my eyes!

Here it is:

[Nat Crea]

Maybe Mau outbid you!

[archen]

Hahaha!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Maurice]

Sorry to disappoint you Nat but after selling my sim, I feel like I have been reborn as a sane person. But I must admit, I still get a kick out of watching the rest of you worry about absolutely trivial details and I feel so smug & superior knowing that I escaped from this bondage 

As for John, I'm afraid he is a lost soul still trying to re-capture childhood fantasies. Who else in their right mind would want a fire truck simulator or a full scale cockpit in their basement for that matter?  And John, thank your lucky star you were outbid; this would just become another dust collector after a few joyrides. This is what is happening now to my new desktop sim, so I speak from experience

Ok, excuse me for now...I have to make room in my basement for a fir... I mean a new treadmill to ride on & get nowhere, much like my old sim come to think of it

Maurice

[simlady/ Karen]

HI guys.. i thought i would chime in here.

Maurice, John had lost his mind when he first told me about this Fire Truck Sim but i had other thoughts for it, if we won it.... I would let him have his fun, driving the truck for awhile and then I would talk him into letting me have the monitoring system for my F-16, that is collecting dust. 

I picked potatoes off of it the other day.. lol.

As for John, I don't think he ever grew out of his childhood fantasies... come see our house sometimes. it's the ultimate "guy" pad. Sim in the garage, sim in the dinning room, RC planes hanging from the living room ceiling, and RC planes in the basement family room.

Oh... don't let me forget the BIG Cockpit in the Driveway, that the military really likes to "Hover" above in the summer time to try to figure out what the heck it is..

So until i can figure out how to block that site, the one John likes so much, Public Surplus, I guess we all have to live with his findings....

I'll be starting a fund so that i can build my own house on our land, i'll need it soon. 

[Sam Llorca]

But I think he is missing the airport beacon that is on sale at his site. Lol.

Happy new year!!!

[blueskydriver]

Sam,

You mean this beacon? See attached...

OMG! All I would need is a tower structure and some duct tape...uh, and some...

John

[Sam Llorca]

Yeap, lol.

[blueskydriver]

Well, as some of you may have read this thread eariler and there are those reading it for the first time, I must say that if you believe in the saying "If there is a will, there is a way", you will get your simulator sooner or later!

By that, here is what I mean. This Fire Truck Simulator was auctioned already and another person won it; afterwards, I felt disappointed because Karen and I actually got to see it, touch it and yes, smell it. So, I got that attachment syndrome; it's when you want something so bad and you cannot let it go.

Anyway, as fate would have it, the winner backed out, as well as the second place person (we were third), so the agency reposted it last week. I called to find out what happen...long story, but in short it got reauctioned. So, we waited until last night to place our same bid as we did last time, thinking we'd just get out bid again. However, no one else bid at all...we were the only ones!

Now, as I already said, this is an episode of my insanity or OCD, but if you tell me how it came to us actually winning it, I'd say that is just as crazy or if not crazier. Karen says it was good karma...

I look at this whole thing the same way I look at getting any sim, if you want a sim bad enough, you can get it one way or another! Albeit, it might not be what you want at first, but you will eventually get there...you just got to want it bad enough.

John

Ps will post pics after we go pick it up next week.

Edit: attached are some pictures of the unit broken down for transport.

[murdoughnut]

I've been told that these sims use TPA as their layout - would be curious if yours does too (I work for TPA).

[blueskydriver]

Hi Kenneth,

What is TPA?

John

[murdoughnut]

Hi Kenneth,

What is TPA?

John

Sorry - Tampa International Airport.

[phil744]

Be honest with you John when you first posted about the surplus/auction thing a month or so back i did chuckle to myself.  Simple reason for this is I am also an addict to this sort of stuff. big time.

Government surplus, public surplus, repossession auctions and liquidation auctions, well if there is one going on, im there

Best ones by far are are the MOD (ministry of defense) auctions, i do travel the country for those, just for the hell of it really, probably the only chance in life where you get to play with some serious military hardware.  And there is something fun about bidding on a fighter jet or an attack helicopter.

Only word of advice is be careful, sometimes things sell for a lot lower then you will ever expect, yeah sure Phil, go ahead and bid on a armored personnel carrier, only to quickly realize you have now bought the damn thing!! interesting set of emotions you go through, starts by pure panic, and seconds later you have been transformed into an 8 year old boy thinking "i'm sooo gonna turn up to work in that thing tomorrow".

a good place however i recommend you all give a whirl are these computer/electronic recycling companies.  Seriously why pay for PC power supply, TFT screens, wires and other odd things for your sim when you can get a boot full for free.  Give you 2 tips, 1, become really really friendly with them, so much so they let you walk around all day unsupervised, we need time to brows stuff of interest. its very therapeutic.   2, mobile phone with sim pictures, offer them a go in it one day (mention " AFTER U FOUND WHAT U NEED OF THEM"first) seriously phone with sim pictures can be a passport to a world of stuff, and remember the secret code for the wife "the money i will save will go towards a holiday" its a win win situation, it really is "wink wink"

Tonight i have been to liquidation auction, companies who have gone bankrupt selling what they had.  Ever since the armored personnel carrier incident i now curve my bidding, tonight me is a happy boy, i bought a lightly used Kurt milling vice (RRP £400) for £72, 150 new assorted carbide end mills (guess RRP £250?) for £6, 30 cans of WD-40 for £19 and 200 toilet rolls for £10!!!!!! (I dont know why??)

However, another wise word of caution from me.

Before going to an auction, never ever ever ever evverrrrrrrrrrrr eat Indian food before.  I did, and half way through, ironically lot"0767" i farted. and it was, erm, how can i put this politely, smelled like something had crawled up my ass and died....  Now, natural instinct is to hide and deny all knowledge of recent events, unwittingly in my moment of shame I hid my face behind the paperwork i was carrying that had my bidders ID number tattooed in 128pT font on the rear side...... i am now the proud owner of "LOT 0767" listed as, "various commercial computing equipment"  Yes Ladies and gentlemen, i now own the computing power of a small country

**Note to Trevor and Bob**

You chaps need any servers to host this website on?

[Karl737]

Phil, you totally crack me up - "I farted". OMG, I cant stop laughing!!!!

[blueskydriver]

Hey Phil,

You're a down right hoot! Thank you for keeping all of us laughing...

As for FT sim, we will be picking it up this Sunday, and we hope to have it setup within a few days. We'll post a video shortly afterwards.

We're really excited about all of this!

John

[Jetcos]

All I can say is Station 51 "KMG365"

Motorola "Quik Call I" codes; Emergency!

Squad and Engine 51 leaving Station 127

John you are having way too much fun but as I remember it goes something like this:  "He who has the most toys when he dies...wins"

[blueskydriver]

Hi Steve

Thanks for the postings! I have not thought about that show since my younger brother and I watched it all the time in our youth. We both loved it! My brother still has our "hotwheels" collection with the Engine 51 vehicles.

Funny thing is, he and his son are Firefighters; he is a volunteer and his son is full-time. Even funnier is I have not told them about this Fire Truck Simulator yet. When I do they'll both will want to come visit, and more than likely, try to talk me out of it!

Also, thanks for the reminder about "he has the most toys..."; I better slow down then because at the rate I'm going, I'll be dead tomorrow...

John

[blueskydriver]

Hey Everyone,

WE DID IT! We got the Fire Truck Simulator here in the house now. However, it was a very exciting challenge that almost stopped us 5 times throughout the day...

First, Karen and I, with one of her co-workers (Mike) drove down to Madison, WI from our house; a two hour drive, with Mike and Karen in a 14ft U-Haul, and me in my wheelchair van. We were supposed to meet Susan from the City Office at 10AM. We got there at 9AM and I thought to call her early, but silly me (strike 1), I leave her cell phone number at home and yet, I was supposed to call either way.

So, now what do we do? I look at my cell phone recent calls and see what looks like her number, I call it and get the Chief of the Maidson Fire Department. He remembers me, but does not know Susan's cell number. Thus, there we sit, blocking a street by the capitol, deciding what to do. By chance, two capitol mall personnel come by and we tell them the situation. They let us in...somewhat!

Second, Karen attempts to drive the U-Haul into the bay/garage area where the FT Sim is, but the truck is 2 inches higher then the door! Now what? So, Mike turns the vehicle around to back it up to the door, to be as close as possible and I drive around the block, but there is no place for me to park and get out using the wheelchair ramp...mountains of snow everywhere. Thus, Mike pulls back out and I drive into the bay/garage area, he then backs up again.

We figure it'll be cold for a bit with the door remaining open, but everything will get loaded by using the U-Haul ramp (strike 2). The U-Haul Ramp is to narrow! OMG! I say to everyone, as I am thinking we will not get this stuff in the truck. Luckily, there was a forklift in the bay area, but the two mall personnel left to go on a break (which is the reason they first showed up to begin with). UUUGGHHH! We can't find them and dare not just jump on the forklift, being that it belongs to the city of Madison. Ironically, Susan shows up because it's now 10AM, she is surprised and wonders how we got into the building?

Well, we explain everything and off she goes to find the two mall personnel. 10 minutes later, she comes back with these two guys, but during that time Karen and Mike staged everything for loading in the way of the forklift and my van is in the way. We then relocate everything and they attempt to load the FT Sim Seat and Steering Wheel section...guess what? The metal frame of the monitor(s) holder is two inches higher than the U-Haul door opening (strike 3).

Third, after having the mall personnel try to load the FT Sim three different ways, they had to get it in by tilting it up, the long way, at one end on the forklift, while lifting it into the door opening. In other words, a very unsafe procedure to do because it could drop the load and/or land on someone. Needless to say, they do this and we get it in the truck along with everything else. So, I finish the transaction with Susan, thank the two mall personnel and off we go...one block later, we stop because something shifts, but Mike resecures it, and then we head home.

Fourth, we get home and start unloading. Mike and Karen get everything off the U-Haul except the first section we had trouble loading in Madison. My thoughts (strike 4) were to "go ask my neighbor to unload it with his Bobcat (using his pallet forks)". However, my neighbor says the forks are buried in the snow somewhere and he forgot where he left them on his 10 acre plot. Also and sadly, our skidsteer is stored for the winter and all the snow is preventing us from getting it out. What can I do now? Then, I remember the hardware store has a forklift, so Mike and Karen clear 3 feet of snow off and away from our 6x8 landscape trailer, with the plan to drive it and the U-Haul to the hardware store, have them unload the problematic section, and then put it on the trailer.

I call the hardware store and they're okay with my plan. Besides, they owe me at least a few favors from all the computer stuff last year, so off we go there. Same problem, it has too be tilted to get it off, but we succeed after 20 mins and it's now on the trailer; although, it's getting dark and the windchill factor is -25 by this time. Still, we drop off the U-Haul just 3 buildings down...the best luck of the day, and Karen and I drive home using my (rear wheel drive) van to pull the trailer on snow covered roads. Yep, we drove a whole 25-30mph for 7 miles on a 55mph road...good thing it was Sunday.

Finally, it was planned to get our neighbor to help roll this last section off the trailer, using the trailer ramps. However, the neighbor is gone and we told Mike to go home back at the hardware store (strike 5). So, that leaves Karen and I too get it off. We use a logging rope and the trailer railings as pulleys, and we get it off, but now it will not fit through our garage service door. Therefore, we have to pull/push it up the deck ramps and put it in our living room. Although, the darn monitor frame is 1 inch taller then our front door! So, we get a 3 ton floor jack and jack it up at one end to tilt it under the door frame. At last, it sits here in the living room...waiting to go somewhere...

One thing for sure, we were MEANT to get this thing! Or, so I believe that to be true...

John

Ps. Attached some photos of it here in the house.

[Jetcos]

Quick search on eBay and for only....

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/46-X-35-Jacket-Firefighter-Turnout-Bunker-Fire-Gear-Janesville-J101-/191067969354?pt=BI_Security_Fire_Protection&hash=item2c7c89d74a


And

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/VINTAGE-OLD-FIREMAN-FIREFIGHTERS-HELMET-WITH-INSIDE-LINER-By-Morning-Pride-Mfg-/221364241238?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item338a564356

I don't know who is more excited?  me or John. I think this is cool, would probably drive my wife nuts with the air horn and siren.

Better look for headphones!

[blueskydriver]

Hi Steve,

So, you going to come visit us then? You can bring the wifey and let her rub elbows with Karen. Heck, it might be your wife who drives you nuts with the horn and siren! I think all kids (boys and girls) fall for that and the flashing lights when they're young. Thus, it might bring out that love for her to actually play with the buttons and switches...

You're welcome to visit anytime. In fact, any member of Cockpit Builders is welcome to come see this Fire Truck Sim, bring your whole family.

John

[Maurice]

[quote author=blueskydriver link=topic=3993.msg31507#msg31507 date=

You're welcome to visit anytime. In fact, any member of Cockpit Builders is welcome to come see this Fire Truck Sim, bring your whole family.

John
[/quote]

You don't really want that John...it would be complete mayhem, like in Kindergarten with all the kids fighting to play with the latest toy. Funny when looking at toddlers but a very ugly scene when all the kids are 'grow-ups' 

Maurice

[simlady/ Karen]

Waking up to sirens and horns going off is not my idea of a new alarm clock, but John couldn't control himself.

As everyone knows by now, John got a new "Toy" He was up all night connecting cables and firing up the 7 computers, running through the programs and having WAY to much fun. How do I know he was having way too much fun you might ask, I had to put ear plugs in to sleep.

I came up stairs to see a very excited "boy" in the driver seat of the fire truck playing with all the buttons and knobs. It was like Christmas morning as I stood back and watched for a couple of minutes. Once I  moved into view, John started talking like a chick muck on speed. Telling me about what he did all night and how he got the fire truck working. I watched him drive and it was pretty amazing and I could see why he was so excited.

I kicked him out of the seat and told him it was my turn. (I might have stomped my foot and gave him an evil stare.) I did get to drive it and at first I was getting motion sick because everything moves and it might not have been the brightest thing for me to jump on first thing in the morning before my senses are functioning.
I drove around and it's so real like, I hit curbs and road signs, just for the fun of it and felt the steering wheel jerk and the platform bounce.

I'm sure John will post later about the details but here are some pics of him this morning.

[iwik]

Karen,
Nice one, though I feel that is as close as you are going to get to those visuals. Surely John
wont let you part it out when he having so much fun.
look forward to hearing from John. I bet it was lots of fun. Did not realize it had Force Feedback. That makes for more immersion.
Les

[blueskydriver]

Hey Everyone,

Some of you may remember this thread that was about "Public Surplus" and of course the Fire Truck Simulator (FTS). Well, as of today the FTS is set backup again and in the living room. We had it setup in the same spot from back in February of 2014 until June of 2015, but we disassembled it and put it all in storage to await the new pole shed, a.k.a. as the new hangar, being built.

However, as luck would have it, we now got it all back together, so we can demo and maybe, sell it too our local city Fire Chief. Recently, the City Council approved a plan to accept 17 year olds as volunteer firefighters, and in doing so, they also approved additionally training funds too be used for this new plan. Anyway, I heard about all of this and approched the Fire Chief with the idea of selling the FTS too him at the price I got it for.

You might ask why sell it; especially, if we were going too use it for Karen's F16 sim. The answer is, I do not have the heart to dismantle the FTS when there is nothing wrong with it and it would be better suited for a fire department too have and use. Let's call it, leaving things as they should be (somtimes)...

Now, that I typed the rest of the story about the FTS, let me say why I really wanted too bring up this thread again. It's all about the Public Surplus (PS) website! Yep, I got the FTS from the PS site, along with many other items over the last few years. In fact, this past Wednesday I purchased a total of 11 Florescent Ceiling Light Fixtures that are 24"x24" and are inset types. Also, they came from a closed airport terminal in La Crosse, WI (KLSE). These lights will now be a proud part of the new shed; nothing like having the real deal even for things like ceiling lights...lol.

If you have not checked www.publicsurplus.com out, you should, as they have all kinds of items all over the country for sale at pennies on the dollars from the original costs of said items. You'll find many items you could use in regards too your simulator project.

Best Regards,

John

[Joe Lavery]

Some fantastic buys there John, I wish I was in the USA.
Although I think my wife would have something to say when she couldn't get her car into the garage.

Cheers and regards to Karen
Joe.