230 replies to this topic

[ORIGINAL SteelWolf]

Shortcircuit42, on 12 August 2012 - 11:39 AM, said:

Why not have the chair roll out backwards?

Like Turbo's cockpit?
http://youtu.be/kZZHd_dgslw

[Foust]

I had thought about that, and had a few sketches with that in mind. I decided on the hinged side to reuse some of the AB pit I already had, and because I thought having it swing would take less space. May or may not be true, but I had to pull the trigger on a design and that is the one I went with.

Spent most of the weekend away for our 10th wedding anniversary, but I did manage to sneak into the garage to start mocking up the walls.


And mocking up the side.


Remembering why I didn't do so well in geometry.


And after some old fashioned "I think this looks right" I got this mocked up.



Mock up brought to light a few things with the design. First, I am no good at geometry. This lead me to a few hours in front of sketchup designing out the angular frame, while maintaining the angular shape. Second, I did not feel like I had brought the overhead part far enough forward. So I redesigned it ahead a bit more.

I wasted some lumber doing this, which is frowned upon by the finance council, but I think I worked out a design flaw before I got to far into the build. Plus I'll be able to re-purpose most of those sections as supports or braces further into the build.

Hopefully back at it tonight.

[Foust]

Propnut, on 12 August 2012 - 11:47 AM, said:

Sorry if this question has been answered before, but why not use a commercial joystick controller board to connect the Suncomm HOTAS to?

Forgot to answer this.
I was all prepared to use a leo board, but when I tried to contact the company (or Leo I don't know how that works) I did not get a response. I also looked at a uHID device from ultimarc, but that thing is $80

I then went through a phase where I was planning on building a Mjoy16, board and all from components. It was then that I stumbled on the GenericHID. It looked like it would fit the part, and I had not seen anyone else use one for a simulator AND the price was right ~$25.

Plus if it didnt work, I still would still have an arduino compatible board to play with for my 86 Fiero project.

I probably made a bigger deal of the configuration of it that it really was, the GenericHID GUI is really pretty straight forward and like I said earlier had I a nice HOTAS to begin with, the GenericHID (or a leo board) would have more than enough inputs.

And speaking of bringing old sticks into the USB and Hall Sensor age look what I picked up for $5


I. I may have a problem.

[Propnut]

Yes, Leo does seem to drop off the edge of the world once in a while. He responds very well to "Here is my money" but not so well to "I want to buy but I have a question first". I have purchased four of his boards so far but I might look into the GenericHID a bit further if he is in a non-responsive phase.

WOW, nice find! That is exactly what I want to pick up for my Mechpit. I was thinking of buying a Thrustmaster Cougar (I have the Warthog for the office) but the prices on those are a bit silly, even used. I could retrofit an old HOTAS very easily using an aftermarket controller board but have yet to come across a worthy victim....er....subject.

Problem?

[Foust]

Propnut, on 13 August 2012 - 06:34 AM, said:

Problem?

Wife pointed out that I have 5 joysticks in the house right now.....

[Propnut]

Oh no....when the wife starts noticing your hobby taking over the living space you know you are in trouble. My wife is sooooo tolerant of my obsessions..er...hobbies...I am a lucky man.

[Foust]

My office/workspace/mancave is slowly moving into the garage, which has moved our vehicles into the driveway.

Guess that is the cost of being a maker.

[Propnut]

My wife would draw the line there I think. She is very proud of our garage, I went to Germany for the summer (Intensive Deutsch course) and she built me a two car garage while I was gone...kept it secret until we drove into the driveway. When I mean she built it I really mean that she built it herself. I did ask if I could put the Mechpit out there when it was finished.....the response was not pleasant, lol.

I am sort of lucky, my previous career was as a cabinet maker, I own the shop which is on the property but when the housing market turned down business in this part of Michigan hit bottom.

[Teirdome]

This is really cool. Makes me want to get a teensy++ and try doing some of this myself. Great work!

[Propnut]

Ok, you talked me into it. I ordered a Teensy++_PINS card. I might PM you with questions about your matrix.

[Foust]

Sure, PM away. I don't think you will have much trouble though. The worst part was getting the application to install in win7.

[ORIGINAL SteelWolf]

Foust, on 13 August 2012 - 04:51 AM, said:

And speaking of bringing old sticks into the USB and Hall Sensor age look what I picked up for $5

I had those years ago and the thrust master pedals.

Edited by ORIGINAL SteelWolf, 13 August 2012 - 01:45 PM.

[Ranger207]

That. Is. Awesome. I'm sooooo getting one of those Teeney++ boards ASAP. Next step: figureing out where to put all this junk in here!

[ORIGINAL SteelWolf]

Ranger207, on 13 August 2012 - 02:49 PM, said:

That. Is. Awesome. I'm sooooo getting one of those Teeney++ boards ASAP. Next step: figureing out where to put all this junk in here!

I guessing you mean the stuff in your desk area where the Mechpit[i'm ripping off the term i saw above] is going. Totes and boxes and sort it out later. If your meaning junk to be all the controls and devices the easiest i found was to image it like you were in your cockpit as you sat in your desk. Hit imaginary buttons. Make a template to draw on. I'm going to have interior lights. I dont want to put them where i have to lean forward to flip the toggles for them. Shut down over ride button? Big red button in the center of the old desk area. prmary toggles are left and center above the 3 monitors. Lights on the right. Fan control 1 each side of the monitors. Chat buttons are underneath the primary monitor. the 4th center lower monitor will be my current 20 inch monitor for teamspeak and instant message programs or other windows to keep open like my KDR [kill death ratio] web page where all i need to do is hit the F5 button. I'm thinking Eyefinity with 3x24inch or what ever happens to be on sale when i get my taxes back. But i can build the rest before then.
Reactor online=Power strip to the cockpit, fans and lights, and small items.
Sensors online= Monitors, secondary displays and tablet power strip.
Weapons online= still figuring out a functional use. I refuse to have useless switches just to have them.

Edited by ORIGINAL SteelWolf, 13 August 2012 - 08:39 PM.

[CyBerkut]

Foust, on 03 August 2012 - 08:34 AM, said:

I also need to decide if I am going to run my 3 21" screens or if I'm going to go out and get a 32" LCD as the main display. Id have to fabricate a triple screen mount to use the 21's but that cost would be alot less than buying a triple mount or buying a 32" screen.

Decisions, decisions

Well... since that is a potentially expensive decision (especially if you aren't happy with how it turns out), you might want to persuade the Minister of Finance to let you buy the Founder's pack, so that you can see the state of the display option(s), etc.

Of course, the downside is that if you start playing, it will potentially cut into your build time...

[CyBerkut]

Foust, on 13 August 2012 - 04:51 AM, said:

And speaking of bringing old sticks into the USB and Hall Sensor age look what I picked up for $5


I. I may have a problem.

Why yes, it appears that you do!

We have our meetings at the Legion hall on Thursday nights at 8PM. You can probably guess how it goes. "My name is CyBerkut, and I have a controller addiction."

If you prefer fancy coffee, bring your own, as ours is pretty nasty...

As for those old TM controllers... wow... those go back even farther than the Suncom HOTAS. For the mech pit, I'd probably go with the Suncom instead of the TMs. You're probably going to want all the spiffy buttons and hat switches, etc., assuming you get them all into your conversion.

[CyBerkut]

Propnut, on 13 August 2012 - 07:03 AM, said:

My wife would draw the line there I think. She is very proud of our garage, I went to Germany for the summer (Intensive Deutsch course) and she built me a two car garage while I was gone...kept it secret until we drove into the driveway. When I mean she built it I really mean that she built it herself. I did ask if I could put the Mechpit out there when it was finished.....the response was not pleasant, lol.

Tell your wife that I am impressed, and I haven't even seen your garage. That is pretty special!

It sounds like you need to come up with a creative way to incentivize her to build you a man cave add-on.

[Propnut]

Man Cave? I have a 1500sqft shop.....she would just laugh if I suggested it

[Foust]

I have a over populated garage bay, does that count?

I managed to get this done tonight.

[Foust]

CyBerkut, on 14 August 2012 - 04:40 PM, said:

As for those old TM controllers... wow... those go back even farther than the Suncom HOTAS. For the mech pit, I'd probably go with the Suncom instead of the TMs. You're probably going to want all the spiffy buttons and hat switches, etc., assuming you get them all into your conversion.

That mk1 stick is so small in comparison to the suncom. I just could not pass it up for the price.

Do you have donuts at meetings?