My fantasy rig (for now)

After seeing so many threads of alu-rigs i decided to give it a crack myself.

3D program: Google Sketchup (dead easy, pretty much all the parts exist as 3d models)
Renderer: Keyshot 3 (looks SICK)

Parts used:
80/20 on Ebay
45x45mm is the only pieces used for now, just started.

(wood is just to get some nice contrast)




As you can see it´s just the start, materials used for the looks are some wood and Titanium.

Will update when there´s progress, still haven´t decided on a few things.
 
And some further progress, last update for today i think.
Need my fix of formula 1 :)

I just love this renderer, i´m using less then half the potential of it and it still looks incredible.


And another update, slowly but surely i´ll get there :) can´t wait to start on triple screen stand etc.
I think it will be dirt cheap this one, will put up measurements and stuff later.




Another update, keyboard/mouse tray and my computer case.
 
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Decided to go another route, similar to what Adrian Britton is working on although i just had a crazy idea that might look pretty damn cool.
(still keeping the above one though for near future)

This is what i got so far, looks like a 5 minute job but i´m learning Sketchup as i go and you often gets stuck with weird crazy stuff so you have to do some reading why it happens etc.

 
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Back on the basic version, had to make my own screens as well, with side screens at a 45 degree angle.
Added holes for VESA mount which will be custom as well.

I think it´s a pretty good solution even though both stand and wheel are fixed to the same rig. This way the vibrations has to trickle all the way down and then up in the stand which should make any wobbling non-exsistent.




Wheel i found on Sketchup, it´s horrendous but the wheel diameter is correct at least.
It´s even asymmetric for some reason and mostly incorrect.
Triple stand i haven´t started on yet, got some ideas though.
 
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Thanks :)

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If anyone already have a rig with a seat and those seat sliders, if you have any measurements laying around i would be happy to take them!
Hard to gage just how high the seat will be.

Got some ideas for the pedal stand as well. Aiming for complete modularity to really maximize the ability to get the driving position exactly as you want.
 
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Looking great, quite sturdy I think.

I do suggest you add a diagonal line somewhere to make the side posts even more sturdy. What would also be nice is a way to adjust the rake on the wheel plate.
The monitors should located higher than they are now, the top of the wheel lines up at over 50% of the height of the monitors, I think you should do some real life measuring to see what is comfortable for you :)

edit:
althought the topic title says fantasy, it doesn't look all too expensive at this point :)
 
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Good points, definitely something to keep in mind with the diagonal profile etc.

As far as screen height that can be changed when you build the rig.
Both vertically and horizontally, i just have to make sure the screens will fit with each other.
My middle VESA mount will be slightly further outwards so you can tuck the side screens behind the middle screen.

Yea good point again, i have some ideas for changing the rake of the wheel plate, reason i made it horizontal was because of CSW and T500 are a perfect 90 degree angle like an "L"
with the bottom and the face of the wheel rim.

But i know G-series wheels and the "lower" fanatec ones are not that so i´ll try and come up with a good idea there.

Thanks for the input!
 
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Thanks :) And right back at ya, wonderful rig you have, looks stellar!

Yea Google really broke some ground here with Sketch up, of course it´s not Solidworks but i think in a couple of years there won´t be much of a difference really.

Also great that 80/20 and other companies pretty much have turned their products into virtual ones so you can just play around and know everything is correct from the start.

You can even download a plugin that allows you to see the total cost in realtime.
And another one i think where you simply press the button and it makes an order for you.

Really great to work with this sort of stuff as it keeps the brain active and stimulates it.
Also uses this as my soundtrack as i work, usually don´t listen to this but man it´s nice to listen to while you work.
It´s great because it doesn´t retract from when you have to think as there´s no real lyrics so you can sort of do calculations in the head despite music pumping in the headphones.

http://soundcloud.com/sunsido

Update, triple stand is coming along nicely. Notice the middle VESA is slightly "longer"
0,5cm extra just to help the sidescreens get behind the main screen.




Things left to do are:
  • pedal stand
  • holder for computer
  • better solution to the wheel plate to enable rake
  • brackets and some strengthening for triple stand (like diagonal pieces)
 
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Thought i was gonna go mad for a second. Made the VESA stands, then when i line up the screens i noticed they were 100x107,5 lol

Thankfully the music kept me calm so i redid them, this time more efficiently as well so i guess it was better in the end.
Also noticed while rendering that i forgot to do the holes........music please... :)

 
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And another update, this time pedal stand almost finished.





Wheel stand will be completely re-done, got some nice ideas for that.
Have to make my own ´45 brackets for the angled pedal-stand-profiles.
Not sure how to tackle the triple stand with brackets just yet but also got some ideas for that.

Even Quasimodo will find a comfortable driving position in this lol.

P.S. you might also notice there´s two different types of alu-profiles...
One is fanmade and the most correct (base/wheel stand) while the 80/20 products are simplified to put less stress on computer.
 
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That's some pretty good modelling, I'm pretty impressed. I'm definitely not that quick using Solidworks. I've yet to try Google Sketchup but I've seen a few people do awesome things considering they have little to no modelling experience. I paid $300 + 4 months of night schooling for a beginner course in Solidworks (it was super worth it, but I don't have much spare time to keep up the progression).
I think the 8020 is the best idea anyone could come up with, simply because of the ability to make minor adjustments on the fly (pretty much). Every time I get in the MDF cockpit i want to move this and that 1 inch here and 1/2 inch there. You can think for hours and hours of your hypothetical cockpit, but as soon as you get racing you start wanting things completely different than you originally thought.
Anyways, just my 2 cents.
Also, I agree with the Derek Speare (weird, why didn't it highlight his name?) getting those pedals finished ;) I'm going to want a 2 pedal set-up, and I just bought a 32 button board this afternoon so get that going too... :thumbsup: P.S. You should just let me win the DSDFTW contest next time...:rolleyes:
I've lost track of what I was writing about in the first place...
 
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Oh, one more thing. I don't know if you discussed if already but you should (need to) make the pedal mount height adjustable.I don't know what type of racing you do, but I definitely wish my pedals could be higher.I'm at a point of making a whole new cockpit with my new measurements and seating angles and having my other one for my friends to play in in a more relaxed GT position.
 
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Thanks, sketchup is perfect for this sort of stuff, 3 days of trial and error and im starting to get the hang of it, but when you get stuck google just solves that as well :)

And yes pedal stand is adjustable in height, length and rake :)
Complete modularity is the goal for the rig, from mini cooper position to something more formula oriented.
If i were you i would go Alu instead of wood.
As you say there's always things you wanted differently so all you have to do is bring out one tool and you can change everything within minutes.

_
found two cnc-operators in my city, if they do jobs for civilians then i can create a bracket that will hold the arms and fix them to the stands so i kill two flies in one hit.
Can't even sleep now lol, brain is constantly thinking about solutions :D

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Another update, pedal stand is fully complete, went with all wood instead of having two alu-profiles, seems it will hold with a 2,6mm thick kitchen-...something. :)
Also made the wheel desk a bit thicker and is now fully adjustable in terms of rake as well.
Just some strengthening of the triple stand, brackets for it and holders for the computer and it looks like i got myself a rig.

Edit: don´t worry about the brackets being on top of the pedal plate, i plan on running bolts through them so i kept them on top for easier adjust-ability.
Pedal plate can also be raised considerably if one fancy a more F1 style layout.



 
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