Boeing 737-800 Next Generation Simulator

[fsaviator]

Ladies and Gents,

I would like to officially announce that construction has begun on my Boeing 737-800 Next Generation Simulator. Not much there right now but that is changing daily.

Visit my website to watch my progress:

B737NG-SIM

I welcome comments on the build and the site. Incidentally can someone tell me how to cut the time back on my intro page. I'm using Network Solutions website builder, but there is no setting for time.

Cheers!

[ivar hestnes]

It seems like you are up for a good start.
I am looking forward to watch your progress

[Trevor Hale]

Warren, this looks great.  I am looking forward to seing how you progress.  In fact I am eager to hear how you enjoy your Throttle when it arrives.  I am curently thinking about getting one of these, and would love to know what you think about it.

Trev

[fsaviator]

Thanks for the kind words.  I'll definitely keep everyone posted.

Thanks for putting the thread in the right board, Trevor.

Warren

[jackpilot]

Hi Warren
Are you sure that you want to chop a full foot out of an FDS shell?

[Maurice]

Hi Warren
Are you sure that you want to chop a full foot out of an FDS shell?

... especially out of the back as this is the section that has the most reinforcements to hold it all together. I think the structural integrity of the shell would seriously suffer with such drastic surgery.

Maurice

[fsaviator]

I don't want to, but I'm left without a choice based on my room.

it's really not as drastic as it sounds.  The shell I'm copying is the wooden shell.  Same idea as the old FDS shell.  I'm thinking I can lose at least six inches of the front as anything in front of the point of the windshield is bonus.  it was designed in the days of CRT monitors.  It's all up to the projectors.  My short throw projectors can cover the gap and project a four foot high image in the limited space left in front.  The sides will be the tough one.  I'll have to get creative on the cant/slope of the side windows to fit the image in.

As for the back, it will be a little tighter to the back of the seats.  I would rather compromise there, than in the actual working area.

Structurally it won't be an issue as I'm going to tie it in to the walls of the room.

It all works fine in my head!  We'll see what it translates out to in reality.

Warren

[fsaviator]

Wow...  hadn't realized how long since I'd posted in this thread...

Here's a link to the newest update on my sim, but if you surf the site you'll see past updates I neglected to put in here:

http://www.b737ng-sim.com/wordpress/2012/05/04/mip-nearing-completion/

[DaveC]

Looks REALLY nice Warren!  I have huge respect for you guys that build most of the parts yourself.  Makes me realize how lazy I am.  Nice work.  Good luck.

Dave C.

[fsaviator]

Thanks Dave.  I won't lie...  there have been many times I've emailed Peter at FDS and almost gone over the edge.  I would like nothing better than to spring for one of their top rate setups.  With a daughter starting college this year, a move across the pond, and a trendy ten year-old girl I just can't afford it.  Hell, I can't afford what I'm doing now.  I justify it by saying that I'm learning new skills, which I am.

Now as far as tools...  I've gotten a lot of nice tools supporting this hobby and I've learned some cool skills such as powder coating, CNC, metalworking, welding, cutting, some nice carpentry skills and all sorts of other stuff.

I am very happy with the way the MIP turned out.  It has many flaws that I can see, but for the time being I can overlook them as I built it by hand.

[jackpilot]

Tons of respect for that Warren.!
Good work!

JP

[Trevor Hale]

I Have to agree, some of us are way to critical of our own work.  Realistically we feel too much pressure from ourselves when it comes to building.  I have built many objects for this hobby of ours, and I am always surprised and interested at the work each and every one creates.

Great Job Warren.

[fsaviator]

  Shucks guys...  you're making me blush.  Seriously though, thanks for the kind words and encouragement.  I will point out that NONE of my build would have been possible without the help of all of you guys/gals here in the forums.

Today I'm trying to get my CNC up and running again.  I fried it trying to install some proximity limit switches.  Decided to upgrade it to USB instead of parallel port as I was fixing it and now my software learning curve has started over.

[XOrionFE]

Wow, nice work Warren.  I have tons of respect for you.  I started by getting a CNC and making my first panels and bezels but quickly got discouraged by the amount of work and so I emailed Peter also but unlike you I gave in and bought his stuff.  Still a lot of work and I still feel far from done but looking at you accomplishment so far done with your tools, mind and bare hands really is impressive stuff.  Looking forward to seeing more.

Scott

[fsaviator]

MIP as complete as it will get before move

Well, finished up what I can and until my CNC is back up, I'm done.  Plugged everything in to see if it still worked.  For the most part, good to go.  Windows did strike back though.  Although I plugged EVERYTHING back into the same ports, on the same network, it appears that the Win7/WinXP networking bug bit me...  one of my systems refuses to play nice with the others.  I'll have to work that.  Here's a pic.



Anyone know how to change the color of the XP taskbar to black?

[MLeavy737]

Warren,
  Look awesome! Really impressed that your building everything from scratch! Reminds me of the old days when thats all anyone did, either buy real parts or build it yourself.. no kits!

keep it up!

Mike L

[fsaviator]

Thanks, Mike.

I did cheat on the yokes and throttle...  It was a matter of time.  Just didn't have the time to build those myself

[MLeavy737]

Thanks, Mike.

I did cheat on the yokes and throttle...  It was a matter of time.  Just didn't have the time to build those myself

I agree Warren, some things just need to be real!  I remember carving out a yoke,vscrapped that pretty quick for real ones

Mike L

[Sean]

Not sure you can change the colour of the task bar (other than those themed ones built into XP). There's bound to be a 3rd party app that'll do it. Otherwise, have you tried selecting autohide from the task bar properties and see if it disappears from view?

[fsaviator]

It's autohiding now, except for the last line of pixels that stays visible so you can pass your cursor over it.  If I can change that to black, then it should disappear into the background.

In all fairness, I haven't tried the method above as I've been too busy.  Hope to give it a try tomorrow.

I did get my seat mounts done today so I hope to also mount the ipeco's to them, then maybe even get the rails done.

[fsaviator]

Well, the packers crated and packed up my sim on Friday.  Won't be seeing it again until probably the beginning of August by the time I find a place to live in Stuttgart, get settled, and have the household good delivered.

Oh well...  A lot of progress made over the last month or so, at the expense of family time, and other projects.  Now I have a couple of months to focus on the kids and our next adventure.

I'll post updates as they happen.  I expect my two Prosimparts radio sets to arrive any day now.  Unfortunately, I won't be able to do anything with them until I have the sim back up.


http://www.b737ng-sim.com/wordpress/2012/05/20/building-has-stopped-for-the-time-being/

[fsaviator]

Forward progress at long last.  I've been putting what I had back together after the move and am finally getting back to the fly while I build stage.

I discovered that the electrical grid in the house I am leasing couldn't handle the load of one computer in the basement, much less my full setup.  the electricians are now running a new line into my sim room which should handle the load.  We'll see.

Once that is done, I can put everything back together and fire up the systems (I dread that as it has been about six months since I had them running and while I have a map of what was connected where, I'm sure there will be issues).

[blueskydriver]

Hey Warren,

Good to hear you're getting back up to speed... Just curious, did you switch your items over for 220volt use or have enough transformers?

I remember the days of transformers for everything when I was stationed in Mannheim. You're not far from there at all; maybe, Karen and I can come visit you someday. I keep saying I want to go back; especially, after spending three years there...I still miss it!

Anyway, how much power are you going to have sub paneled into your sim room? If you plan to live there a good long while get more than what you need. You might know already that we had a 100amp sub panel put in a few years back. Since then, I never worry about power anymore.

Otherwise, please post more pics of your sim and if you get time someday, would you drive down to Sullivan Barracks just outside Mannheim and find out who owns the place now. I think the US Army moved out and it might be the German Army who has it (or got it back) now?

Best Regards,

John

[fsaviator]

Hi John,

Electricians just left.  I now have 3860 Watts of surge protected power across four outlets in my sim room, as well as the original two outlets in the room!

Most everything I have is dual voltage, both household stuff and sim.  Habits and left overs from many tours in Europe.  The few items that aren't I'm just buying new power supplies to keep from running transformers (which I still have plenty of).

I just drove by Mannheim the other day.  There is still some stuff there (not much) but everything else has gone over to the German government.

If you guys decide to come over, look me up!

Well, better get to work so I can get back home and get to assembling

[blueskydriver]

Warren,

That should be plenty of power for your setup. Thank goodness you wont have to fool with too many of the transformers; I had one catch on fire back in '88 in the barracks at Sullivan. Back then guys rotating out would give them to the guys rotating in. The one that caught fire must of been from the 70's, but getting a new one was way too costly, so that is why I had that old thing...sure was a fun night in the barracks when that thing starting burning though!

Anyway, how many tours did you do altogether? Are you still on active duty or how did you get stationed back there; are you a GS now? Karen is a GS here in Wisconsin; she dreams of being a GS in Germany, but with RIF's everywhere, getting the overseas GS is a lot harder these days...

How long will you be in Germany this time? Karen and I wouldn't mind visiting next year or the year after, but it all depends on my daughter who is in college and if she'll be done next year or not. Kids! Gotta love'em.

John