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Ultra-basic cockpit: done!


Eamoe

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You want an ultra-basic cockpit, and all you have is a good quality, but basic office chair. You want it to be easily setup and removed. Here's what you do:

 

1. Think up and draw pieces to cut in 5mm MDF:

 

eamoe_hotas_cut.gif

 

 

2. Quadruple test your assembly by drawing:

 

eamoe_hotas_assemble.gif

 

 

3. Get the cutting done, assemble everything using cyano-acryl glue and attach your assembly to the underside of the seat, using custom-made thumbscrews:

 

eamoe_hotas_underside.jpg

 

eamoe_hotas_front.jpg

 

eamoe_hotas_side.jpg

 

eamoe_hotas_angle.jpg

 

eamoe_hotas_back.jpg

 

eamoe_hotas_top.jpg

 

 

The seat is left totally undamaged, thumbscrews on the underside use the original chair legs assembly's threads in there! And, contrary to what the seat might look like, the setup is actually quite comfortable to fly on! Tucking the stick's baseplate under the seat of my pants makes it just fine.

 

I've been on this for a few weeks now and I felt like sharing...

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Superb, easy to build too and to be honest with VR possibly going to revolutionise sims, basic pits like this are gonna be the norm. This is gonna suit a lot of people. Good show ol' boy.

MSI M5 z270 | Intel i5 7600k (OC) 4.8GHz | MSI GTX1080ti Gaming X 11Gb | 500gb Samsung 970 Evo NVME M.2 (DCS World) | 500gb Samsung 850 Evo SSD (OS and Apps) | 32Gb 2400MHz DDR4 - Crucial Ballistix | Be Quiet Silent Loop 240mm | NZXT H440 case |

 

Thrustmaster Warthog - 47608 with Virpil Mongoose joystick base | MFG Crosswinds - 1241 | Westland Lynx collective with Bodnar X board | Pilot's seat from ZH832 Merlin | JetSeat | Oculus Rift S | Windows 10 | VA |

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I wouldn't call that as basic or simple, as that is fairly complex design with the cuts and joinery. Light weight yes, sturdy possible, but just complex one.

 

Just bolt a 2x4 bottom of the chair, then screw 2x2 pieces bottom of the MDF pieces that are cut to HOTAS sizes, and then bolt those to the 2x4. You only need 4 pieces (1*2x4, 2*2x2, 2*MDF boards) and basic tools like few bolts and finger nuts and the drill to make holes and screwdriver/glue to attach MDF boards to 2x2. And of course a saw to cut those.

 

In my version I made big hole to the 2x2 as you can see, it is so I can easily clamp it to specific chair armrest. The middle position of 2x2 on the board was metered to get throttle and stick to center. And it sized to fit a Saitek X45.

 

bpqj2hI.jpg

 

Your setup is definitely far more modern and styled one, as I like the structure and empty space on it. But just the effort to build something such is bigger than mine second unit for backup quest chair.

And your is better as if you can attach the bottom part to different chairs, then you don't need to rebuild or modify the platforms at all.

 

Great that you shared the design as it just looks very good and gives more ideas for people just to use basic chair and get mountable HOTAS system to it. And that chair you can easily put front of the big TV or so to fly around as well!

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I wouldn't call that as basic or simple, as that is fairly complex design with the cuts and joinery. Light weight yes, sturdy possible, but just complex one.

 

Hey, nice to see your version of an ultra-basic cockpit! I really admire the simplicity of your solution, I just wish you posted a picture of the support mounted on the chair to fully see how it goes.

 

About complexity, I agree, mine is more complex; but you have to admit, it is still very basic compared to some stuff you see on the internet! Incredible custom controllers mounted in reconstructed cockpits, along with Helios "glass gauges", and all that running on 3-screen setups... some of that stuff I can't even dream of! I think putting your stand and mine in the same category still makes sense :)

 

The reason I went for lightweight is mainly because I had no armrest to attach stuff onto, and therefore had to rely on the only 4 threads available under the seat. Also, it was lots of fun to draw and assemble. :smilewink: And sturdiness: I couldn't be sure before I put the throttle on the tray, but it's really solid, with virtually no elasticity at all!

 

Thanks for sharing yours!


Edited by Eamoe
typo
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Nice, Eamoe!

 

Agree, nicely done.

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  • 1 month later...

Smart build :thumbup:

 

Just make sure you always put the stick on the floor when you get up, I'm doing it the same way but left it on my chair in the exact same position shown in your pics:

 

It slid off, hit the floor and perfectly cut the cord in two pieces with the baseplate :cry:

 

I fixed it but it doesn't look as pretty anymore...

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You could unscrew the stick from the base and screw it strait on the seat.

 

EDIT: Very nice job. Excellent craftsmanship.

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