Mobile Driving/Flying Cockpit with Motion and Tactile ( Build )

[LeeHetherington]

Done? That’s funny!

 

[RCHeliguy]

Done? That’s funny!

I meant with this particular upgrade. Trust me, I know better and my wife laughs at me if I ever say that it feels done.

 

[mechsicko]

Installed a new Steel cutting blade.
View attachment 469876

Here is a video breaking this blade in to make the Magswitch plate for my flight stick.

It works great. I just need to install this on my rig and I can call this done!

That looks way scarier than using a miter saw for a simple crosscut. I prefer a bandsaw for these type of cuts though.. buying a Lenox blade for mine was one of the best $50 I've spent.

 

[RCHeliguy]

I very much agree that a dedicated metal cutting bandsaw is the way to go. I could just put a metal cutting blade on my small bandsaw for now as well. However the cut on the table saw is nearly mirror clean! I don't know how often something like this will come up.

I officially released the STL files for people to use. Fabricating the steel plate will be the major limiting factor for most people.

Magswitch Profile Quick Release for Flight Stick by RCHeliGuy

This is a tool free solution to mount my flight stick on my rig when I'm not driving. The magnetic mount system consists of 5 3D printed parts. FrontSupport that fits into both the slot above it and the horizontal slot below it. Tapered End Cap that fits on the end of the profile and has a slot...

www.thingiverse.com

So with that I will be testing this for now. I have 2 spools of Jet Black arriving tomorrow and I can then hopefully print a complete Throttle mount and I plan to reprint the parts for the Magnetic Quick Release with more walls and denser fill, but only after testing it a while as is.

 

[RCHeliguy]

I'm already questioning whether it was a mistake to put it out, but I don't have the time to reshoot everything or edit it to be even close to professional standards. This is an attempt to convey as much useful information as I can in a time frame that I can actually manage.

I expect that they will get better, but please let me know if the production value is so bad that it won't help anyone.

 

[Petterio]

Very thorough starting video! I think the information came through nicely - especially liked when you gave examples of perhaps not so standard uses of different brackets and fasteners in sim rig use.

In future one thing that I think might help the presentation would be if on those stationary shots the camera could be slightly further away to give a bit wider view. Now at couple of points the things you were talking about were visible just on the edge of the frame.

I think it's a solid start and looking forward to more!

 

[NeoGrotesk]

Agreed, great video!

 

[blekenbleu]

This is an attempt to convey as much useful information as I can in a time frame that I can actually manage.

Very useful, thanks!
At 23:35, what are these called?

At 17:35, a quick shot of the configuration being described would help.

 

[RCHeliguy]

I actually included a link to those in the video. Under Cosmetic Caphead aluminum cone washers.

I've got a quick demo of my new Magswitch release working.

 

[sanderan]

I'm already questioning whether it was a mistake to put it out, but I don't have the time to reshoot everything or edit it to be even close to professional standards. This is an attempt to convey as much useful information as I can in a time frame that I can actually manage.

I expect that they will get better, but please let me know if the production value is so bad that it won't help anyone.

RCHeliguy,
Reading your warnings and disclaimers about your video I was expecting a grainy video with shaky camera and horrible and distracting sound. Thankfully, it was just your perfectionist side expressing itself.
Sure you do not have the fancy intro and transitions, or a B-roll with rotating products, smoke, LED color show, Hollywood music in the background and crazy shallow depth of field. However, when we focus on what matters (substance over form), you delivered.
Keep it coming!
I hope that you will make videos walking us through making your awesome accessories and mounts.

 

[RCHeliguy]

RCHeliguy,
Reading your warnings and disclaimers about your video I was expecting a grainy video with shaky camera and horrible and distracting sound. Thankfully, it was just your perfectionist side expressing itself.
Sure you do not have the fancy intro and transitions, or a B-roll with rotating products, smoke, LED color show, Hollywood music in the background and crazy shallow depth of field. However, when we focus on what matters (substance over form), you delivered.
Keep it coming!
I hope that you will make videos walking us through making your awesome accessories and mounts.

The issue is that I actually got pretty good at video a while back. Including key framing, chromakey, and interesting graphics. I've made wedding videos ( shot and post production sometimes hiring a 2nd cameraman ) as wedding gifts, as well as corporate instructional videos and corporate advertising with TV leads SMPTE color 1kHz tone, countdown etc..

I've got video gimbals, microphones, and even an old pro level "run and gun" camera that was once used by news crews in tough locations with XLR plugs etc, but it's SD and I don't have any adapters to use my microphones with the camera I'm using. I used to rent Lectrosonic wireless lavs and use high quality microphones like a Sony Countryman. I was never in front of the camera though.

Currently I have a RRS CF tripod and head and I'm using my Nikon D500 to shoot the video. I have a triple chip HD video camera, but it doesn't shoot as well as my D500 does.

I'm the guy sitting on the window sill with my camera in the picture below, looking at my 10" video monitor.

For the type of video I just shot, I need a video feed coming out of the camera to a monitor what is in front of me while I'm recording, so I can see what the camera is seeing mounted to a tripod over the top of me so I can stay all the way in frame and centered!

 

[RCHeliguy]

I did a little shopping during the last DCS sale and I upgraded to their 2.7 Beta release.

My Index has never looked so good in DCS. I was trying out their F-16 and the cockpit is crystal clear. The HUD is beautiful without any jaggies what-so-ever! The new clouds are very lifelike. At times I seriously feel like I was in the plane. The NLRv3 support for DCS feels wonderful as well. There is just the right amount of motion to sell it!

I may have to spend some time in here for a while!

 

[sanderan]

The issue is that I actually got pretty good at video a while back. Including key framing, chromakey, and interesting graphics. I've made wedding videos ( shot and post production sometimes hiring a 2nd cameraman ) as wedding gifts, as well as corporate instructional videos and corporate advertising with TV leads SMPTE color 1kHz tone, countdown etc..

I've got video gimbals, microphones, and even an old pro level "run and gun" camera that was once used by news crews in tough locations with XLR plugs etc, but it's SD and I don't have any adapters to use my microphones with the camera I'm using. I used to rent Lectrosonic wireless lavs and use high quality microphones like a Sony Countryman. I was never in front of the camera though.

Currently I have a RRS CF tripod and head and I'm using my Nikon D500 to shoot the video. I have a triple chip HD video camera, but it doesn't shoot as well as my D500 does.

It all depends on what your goals are. I have done photography professionally and dabbled in video. It might not be obvious to the casual observer but good production value takes a lot of time and energy, especially if you are a one-man crew as you know too well.
If your goal is to become something like a Youtube content provider and make a career/side job out of it, then you would indeed want to maintain a high professional standard from the start.
However, if your goal is only to help the community and share your knowledge and passion for DIY, then you should consider whether one professionally made video is better than 3, 4, or 5 hobbyist-level videos (good but not necessarily up to your professional standards).

I think that most here would prefer the latter if it means getting more content and depth.
Sure because of your professional experience and what might look like wasting of equipment and know-how by lack of use, you might not feel you are doing everything that should be done but know that we are just grateful for your contribution in writing, for the 3D printer files, and now for the videos who are a big help for those of us who are visual learners. As long as the form is not a distraction, those serious about learning will always prefer more substance over style.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Good points. I'll experiment a bit and try to improve while keeping my post production times reasonable. Hopefully I can find a good balance where I don't cringe when I post content, but still put out information that is helpful.

Compromise and life balance are important and there is simply not enough time in the day to do everything I would like to do.

I also have a copy of Camtasia which I can use to create design videos showing, Fusion 360, PrusaSlicer etc...

For upcoming content I'm thinking about:

Simrig Cabling:
Routing power cables, USB cables and speaker wire,
cable sheathing types appropriate sizes, hot cutting knives, Velcro ties, mounts to profile, Neutrik multi-pole connectors for quick connect of 2, 4, 8 speaker wires.
Mounting USB Hubs and Power strips

Seat Brackets as an attachment point
Mounting seat belts, flight controls, transducers
How to mount profile to seat brackets while not interfering with seat sliders or seat movers.

Working with Aluminum and Steel
Show how to create custom mounts based on your controls.
How to use Angle and plate
What tools you need, and what you can work around.

Cosmetics
Bolt angled washers
3D printed profile End Caps with access for wiring or T-Nuts.
3D printed covers

Simrig 3D printing
Show Fusion 360 building blocks for your rig.
Quick modeling of profile
Standard Bolt hole sizes and clearances
Downloading part drawings to subtract perfectly fitting holes.

I could also go through some of my solutions. At least one person requested this.

Pedal Mounts ( I've had many people ask me about my inverted pedal solution, so I could go in depth and provide measurements and demonstrate how I built the profile inverted frame and pedal deck )
Sliding plates
Inverting Pedals
Ways to adjust angle and position.
Pedal deck height relative to pedals

Flight Conversion
Go through each of my flight control mounting solutions
How to make it coexist with your driving rig.


I would provide links to all the appropriate Thingaverse projects.
All the hardware
All the tools

 

[RCHeliguy]

My Jet Black arrived on Thursday and last night my Throttle mount completed it's long print. It has 6 layer walls so the walls around the 40x40 profile are solid.

I'm sure this was a bit overkill, but there are 4 x M8 bevel head bolts and 1 x M8 socket head bolt holding the profile in place. The profile hole is a very slightly oversized so the profile slides right in without much of any gap.

This was my 3rd iteration. The first print was going to be too tight around the profile and didn't have access for two of the detent grub screws. The 2nd print failed but the access hole needed to be flared out for easy access to one of the grub screws which you can see below works well now.

I think I'm done with this mount. I like how the two knobs and double economy T-nut work. Using the piece of horizontal profile allows fore/aft adjustment. Using the two corner braces allowed me to rotate the vertical profile toward the seat making up for the angle of the bracket and they also allow me to adjust the height of the throttle.

I am considering tweaking the design of the cosmetic cover on the bottom corner of the flight stick mount to include a cable guide to make sure the cable is directed down and doesn't get out into the area where I might step on it.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Added an additional cable guide to the cosmetic cover to direct the USB cable straight down to keep it out of harms way ( getting stepped on or tangling my legs )

 

[RCHeliguy]

Went out for a hike with my wife and came back to a newly printed cover with cable guide.

Starting with a copy of first cable guide on the stick mount, I made the cable slot just a bit tighter(.5mm) before it opens up so it would hold the cable in place. Notice that I used an existing Velcro strap to hold the Stick and Throttle USB cables so they won't interfere with motion or get stepped on. There is enough slack for movement, but then the two cables run down the top of the profile frame slot to the USB Hub. There is more room between the NLRv3's front spring and stick cable than the picture suggests.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Hopefully this is a little better. I think it is centered better

 

[Petterio]

Hopefully this is a little better. I think it is centered better

Definitely better framing on this one picked up a few nice tips for when I'm ready to tackle that rat's nest - nice that you have everything in the video linked in the description so won't have to go hunting for different items (especially handy for a non-native speaker like myself for whom the searching for things you don't know how to spell can be bit tricky at times).

 

[RCHeliguy]

Finishing up some odds and ends.

I had never printed a final set of the light pedal end brackets for myself even though I updated the files on Thingaverse. While the originals worked, I had taken a Japanese saw to them and cut off the bottoms as well as using a hand plan on the corners so my flight pedals wouldn't hit them. The bar ends have no interference issues.

The newer brackets are shorter and angled on the edges so they can be lowered and not interfere with the full pedals. The Jet Black looks great against the red support inserts.

I'm printing a new Cable guide/cover for my USB spool solution, but I increased the thickness of the teeth by 1mm since I had broken a tooth before. I also decided to print it in Galaxy Black. It's printing now.

I made a slight modification to my Neutrik 8 Pole mount adding a slot guide by the bolt hole to keep it from rotating. I'm also printing this in Galaxy Black.

I'm feeling like my rig is getting pretty well polished at this point and I'm just dotting i's and crossing t's, but as I was writing this sentence I just got an idea for something that will be a tiny bit cleaner and slightly faster. It's a small thing, but now I need to design it. LOL!

Edit: Here it is. It's nothing major, but given how I'm routing my flight stick and throttle/collective cables, I don't need to even use Velcro, I can just give them a place to hook and it will be just that tiny bit faster to setup