Shadow912 Posted June 21, 2019 Share Posted June 21, 2019 (edited) Hi guys'n'girls... Just wanted to share a few pics of the F18 simpit I'm building... Hopefully be of interest to some of you. It will be used solely in VR so its more about the functionality than the looks... (please don't judge me :thumbup:). I've used the plans from the guys at Dogfight Boss and used 9mm MDF board for the structure, 3mm HDF and hardboard for the panels. I have built my own UFC (not as pretty as the 3d printed versions I have seen but a lot cheaper!) and I'm using 3 Thrustmaster MFDs. I have Thrustmaster HOTAS and Slaw rudder pedals. All the switch gear will be controlled by 2 x Leo Bodnar 64BBI. I'll keep updating the thread if anyone shows any interest... Dave - Shadow912 Edited June 28, 2019 by Shadow912 Remove little pics Sinclair ZX81 - 1K RAM - 16K Wobbly Ram Pack - Tape Drive - Kempston Joystick :helpsmilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruman Posted June 21, 2019 Share Posted June 21, 2019 Hey mate. Looking good. Definitly keep em coming (and maybe add larger pics? A bit small to see details.) Thanks :-) Intel I9 10900k @5.1GHz | MSI MEG Z490 Unify | Corsair Vengeance 64GB - 3600MHz | EVGA RTX 3090 FTW3 VPC T-50 Base /w Viper & Hornet Grip | VPC Rotor TCS Pro w/ Hawk-60 Grip | TM TPR LG C2 42" | Reverb G2 | TIR 5 | PointCtrl | OpenKneeboard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow912 Posted June 21, 2019 Author Share Posted June 21, 2019 Hey mate. Looking good. Definitly keep em coming (and maybe add larger pics? A bit small to see details.) Thanks :-) I was just looking at the pictures and you are right... leave it with me :smilewink: Sinclair ZX81 - 1K RAM - 16K Wobbly Ram Pack - Tape Drive - Kempston Joystick :helpsmilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow912 Posted June 21, 2019 Author Share Posted June 21, 2019 Some larger pics... Some larger pics.... Sinclair ZX81 - 1K RAM - 16K Wobbly Ram Pack - Tape Drive - Kempston Joystick :helpsmilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow912 Posted June 21, 2019 Author Share Posted June 21, 2019 Hey mate. Looking good. Definitly keep em coming (and maybe add larger pics? A bit small to see details.) Thanks :-) Check out the new pics :smilewink: Sinclair ZX81 - 1K RAM - 16K Wobbly Ram Pack - Tape Drive - Kempston Joystick :helpsmilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow912 Posted June 24, 2019 Author Share Posted June 24, 2019 RH Vertical Panel Completed the right hand vertical panel this weekend... The lonely looking rotary encoder is the Radar Altimeter setting knob... Sinclair ZX81 - 1K RAM - 16K Wobbly Ram Pack - Tape Drive - Kempston Joystick :helpsmilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow912 Posted June 27, 2019 Author Share Posted June 27, 2019 UFC Wiring Wired up the UFC last night... Although it looks like spaghetti, its because the small looms to the ribbon cable card (bottom right) are laid across the back of the switches... Tested it and its working!:thumbup: Sinclair ZX81 - 1K RAM - 16K Wobbly Ram Pack - Tape Drive - Kempston Joystick :helpsmilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow912 Posted July 1, 2019 Author Share Posted July 1, 2019 So this weekend was spent making the left hand console and 10 individual ribs. As I mentioned earlier, I have used the plans from Dogfight Boss. Their kits are made from foldable stiff board. As I am using MDF and hardboard I can't fold it so I had to the internal walls piece by piece. A bit of a PITA but I'm quite pleased with the finished look and when it gets a couple of coats of grey paint on I think it will suffice! I have added a few lighting dimmers to the right hand panel (I did a VR flight at night and realised that I had to turn interior lighting on! I don't want to have to use the hand controllers or the mouse unless I really am stuck!!) The flood control will be connected to green strip LEDs around the pit to add a bit of ambient light (pics to follow when its wired up). I am only putting in the necessary buttons and switches for VR so hence there are only 4 volume pots on the volume panel (for now). A couple more pics attached....:photo: Sinclair ZX81 - 1K RAM - 16K Wobbly Ram Pack - Tape Drive - Kempston Joystick :helpsmilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow912 Posted July 2, 2019 Author Share Posted July 2, 2019 Left and right vertical panels A few pics of the 2 vertical panels. I've used a series of microswitches to control the wing fold and the parking brake. As the handle is pulled or turned then the small screwhead in the end of the respective handle activates the microswitch. It does mean that I wont be able to 'hold' the wing fold but its a tiny price to pay. But on a carrier its either fully folded or fully spread so no big deal. :smilewink: Sinclair ZX81 - 1K RAM - 16K Wobbly Ram Pack - Tape Drive - Kempston Joystick :helpsmilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JG14_Smil Posted July 2, 2019 Share Posted July 2, 2019 I really enjoy seeing the different building styles and idea's. Thanks for the pics! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick50 Posted July 3, 2019 Share Posted July 3, 2019 Nice! Some simple solutions that look effective` Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow912 Posted July 3, 2019 Author Share Posted July 3, 2019 I really enjoy seeing the different building styles and idea's. Thanks for the pics! No problems JG... I'll keep on posting bits if people are interested :D Sinclair ZX81 - 1K RAM - 16K Wobbly Ram Pack - Tape Drive - Kempston Joystick :helpsmilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow912 Posted July 3, 2019 Author Share Posted July 3, 2019 Nice! Some simple solutions that look effective` Thanks Rick, As I said in my opening post, it will be used only in VR so it is really all about the functionality rather than looks. I'm no engineer but I'm really pleased with my wing fold and parking brake solutions. Just hope they stand the test of time. :thumbup: Sinclair ZX81 - 1K RAM - 16K Wobbly Ram Pack - Tape Drive - Kempston Joystick :helpsmilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow912 Posted July 4, 2019 Author Share Posted July 4, 2019 Started putting things in place yesterday evening... its looking more like a pit! I tried to bend the glare shield over the front panel but the board I'm using is too stiff so I took the jigsaw to it! Again I'm pleased with the way it looks... I've used good old duct tape to join it so it folds.... Needs a coat of black paint obviously! :D Sinclair ZX81 - 1K RAM - 16K Wobbly Ram Pack - Tape Drive - Kempston Joystick :helpsmilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikePotten Posted July 5, 2019 Share Posted July 5, 2019 Great job just started on AV-8B myself please post more always interesting to me???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow912 Posted July 5, 2019 Author Share Posted July 5, 2019 Great job just started on AV-8B myself please post more always interesting to me???? Thanks Mike, I'll keep them coming. Won't be much this weekend as I'm away to Newcastle with an old RAF buddy of mine. Maybe a couple of beers to be drunk... :drink::drink: Sinclair ZX81 - 1K RAM - 16K Wobbly Ram Pack - Tape Drive - Kempston Joystick :helpsmilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikePotten Posted July 5, 2019 Share Posted July 5, 2019 Just landed in Corfu so planning a few beers myself, last msg sent from 28k! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow912 Posted July 9, 2019 Author Share Posted July 9, 2019 A bit more work done last night. The centre console complete with the 3rd Thrustmaster MFD... Sinclair ZX81 - 1K RAM - 16K Wobbly Ram Pack - Tape Drive - Kempston Joystick :helpsmilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow912 Posted July 9, 2019 Author Share Posted July 9, 2019 Great job just started on AV-8B myself please post more always interesting to me???? Are you 'blogging' your build Mike? I'd be interested to have a look... Sinclair ZX81 - 1K RAM - 16K Wobbly Ram Pack - Tape Drive - Kempston Joystick :helpsmilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikePotten Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 It’s very early days for the AV-8 but I’ve built many different simpits in the past both fast jet and heavies but all in conjunction with FSX. So, this will be my first DCS related build. Will gladly send some pics when back off holiday but none with me unfortunately. Thks for asking. Back at weekend will add then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikePotten Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 I use bendy MDF for glair shields etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow912 Posted July 10, 2019 Author Share Posted July 10, 2019 I use bendy MDF for glair shields etc Hi Mike, I thought about that and then I tried the 3mm hardboard. It was ok but still a bit stiff to bend and left me with gaps between the panel and the glareshield. But after jumping back in the sim I noticed that the glareshield on the hornet is not perfectly curved after all but has 'corners'. Hence I took the jigsaw to it :lol: There's still a slight gap but when its screwed down that should disappear... ;) D Sinclair ZX81 - 1K RAM - 16K Wobbly Ram Pack - Tape Drive - Kempston Joystick :helpsmilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow912 Posted July 12, 2019 Author Share Posted July 12, 2019 A load of wiring and soldering has taken place over the last couple of evenings. I decided (as I need the pit to be able to be dismantled) to use CAT5 cable and an old CAT5 patchbay panel for each of the modules. Also as the amount of buttons I was originally using has grown dramatically since I first started planning the project I have ordered a 3rd LeoBodnar BBI64 giving me a total of 192 individual switch connections. Sounds loads but if you remember a rotary controller with a push button uses 3 connections it doesn't take long to fill them up! I have also decided to add to ambient lighting for the pit so I have purchased some green LED strips and a small dimmer unit which I will power from an old PC power supply. I'll be testing that this weekend... The end is in sight!!:thumbup::thumbup::smilewink::smilewink: Sinclair ZX81 - 1K RAM - 16K Wobbly Ram Pack - Tape Drive - Kempston Joystick :helpsmilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow912 Posted July 15, 2019 Author Share Posted July 15, 2019 (edited) Hope everyone had a great weekend.... Shadow here again, from England.... you know us, we are the cricket WORLD CUP HOLDERS!!!!!:clap::clap::clap::clap_2::clap_2::clap_2: Anyway, not a lot done again this weekend but what a difference a coat of black paint makes.... Edited July 15, 2019 by Shadow912 Insert pic Sinclair ZX81 - 1K RAM - 16K Wobbly Ram Pack - Tape Drive - Kempston Joystick :helpsmilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Burns Posted July 16, 2019 Share Posted July 16, 2019 You only wanted to brag about the cricket! As a Pommie in Aus I went down well at work today (I had to sleep off a big night yesterday). Apparently the rules should be changed, the countback on 4's is unfair and should have been wickets and anything else to undermine it. Oh well, all's fair, I did book 100 sheets of sandpaper out of stores when they played South Africa! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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