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

[RCHeliguy]

My design process feels muddled these days.

This morning I decided that I wanted to create a cleaner flight stick mount and I assumed I would make it out of aluminum.

I started with the stick base and aluminum in front of me and I iterated through a few designs. Then I drew on some aluminum angle, took lots of measurements and settled on an approximate design.

Then I decided to model it in Fusion 360 to double check my idea. Then I thought maybe I could 3D print the parts before I cut them out of aluminum to make sure everything fit properly.

Then I thought why don't I see if I can just print the mount and skip the aluminum entirely. So my printer is now busily making this part for me and I won't be spending the rest of the morning in my shop, cutting, drilling, shaping, polishing.

 

[sanderan]

This morning I decided that I wanted to create a cleaner flight stick mount and I assumed I would make it out of aluminum.

I started with the stick base and aluminum in front of me and I iterated through a few designs. Then I drew on some aluminum angle, took lots of measurements and settled on an approximate design.

Where do you get your aluminum? Especially the one used to mount the Buttkicker and other items to your seat and Sparco bracket.
I have a table saw, a drill press, and a miter saw that I use for woodworking. I plan to get the aluminum blade that you showed in a post a while ago.

P.S. ‘I have been following your build journey with a lot of interest for some time and your mix of tactile (Buttkicker LFE + exciters ) and motion with the NLR motion V3 under a NRG Prisma with the silver Sparco brackets is the exact foundation that I want to use for my own setup.. I am currently going over a lot of what you shared and I hope you will be willing to fill some of the gaps and offer your advice as I modify my own rig..

 

[RCHeliguy]

Where do you get your aluminum? Especially the one used to mount the Buttkicker and other items to your seat and Sparco bracket.
I have a table saw, a drill press, and a miter saw that I use for woodworking. I plan to get the aluminum blade that you showed in a post a while ago.

P.S. ‘I have been following your build journey with a lot of interest for some time and your mix of tactile (Buttkicker LFE + exciters ) and motion with the NLR motion V3 under a NRG Prisma with the silver Sparco brackets is the exact foundation that I want to use for my own setup.. I am currently going over a lot of what you shared and I hope you will be willing to fill some of the gaps and offer your advice as I modify my own rig..

I would HIGHLY recommend getting a deburring tool if you don't already have one. After you get a clean aluminum cut with that blade you are planning to get, you want to use this to take the sharp edge off. It works remarkably well and holds up. I've been using the same one since I started this rig over 2 years ago and it's still going strong. It works well taking the brim off 3D printed plastic too.

Noga NG8150 Heavy Duty Deburr Tool, with 10 S10 blades (Original Version): Knife Blades: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Noga NG8150 Heavy Duty Deburr Tool, with 10 S10 blades (Original Version): Knife Blades: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

You will also want an auto-punch.

Amazon.com: NEIKO 02638A 5" Automatic Center Hole Punch | Adjustable Impact Spring Loaded Puncher Tool : Everything Else

Amazon.com: NEIKO 02638A 5" Automatic Center Hole Punch | Adjustable Impact Spring Loaded Puncher Tool : Everything Else

www.amazon.com

These are good too.

Amazon.com: Pica 150/41/SB Ink Deep-Hole Marker Blue (3 Pack) : Arts, Crafts & Sewing

Buy Pica 150/41/SB Ink Deep-Hole Marker Blue (3 Pack): Markers - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

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I get my aluminum here.

Stock Car Steel & Aluminum - Charlotte, NC - Stock Car Metal

stockcarsteel.com

Don't expect the aluminum to arrive without dings, sharp edges , oil on it, and possibly not perfect 90 degree cut edges, but the price is right and delivery time to me with it just one state over is fast!

I'm glad you are finding this thread useful, and I'll try to help if you have questions.

 

[sanderan]

I would HIGHLY recommend getting a deburring tool if you don't already have one. After you get a clean aluminum cut with that blade you are planning to get, you want to use this to take the sharp edge off. It works remarkably well and holds up. I've been using the same one since I started this rig over 2 years ago and it's still going strong. It works well taking the brim off 3D printed plastic too.
...
Don't expect the aluminum to arrive without dings, sharp edges , oil on it, and possibly not perfect 90 degree cut edges, but the price is right and delivery time to me with it just one state over is fast!

I'm glad you are finding this thread useful, and I'll try to help if you have questions.

Thanks, this is very helpful.
I have added all the recommended items to my shopping list. I will create another thread in the near future so as not to clutter this one.

 

[Petterio]

Here is a walk through video I made this morning of the conversion from racing rig to flight rig.

Thank you for this - I'm in process of adding flight sim controls to my sim rig so this video is an excellent resource in figuring things out!

 

[RCHeliguy]

The 3D printed Virpil CM2 mount came out well, feels solid and is a lot less bulky than what I had before.

One more iteration. This version is a bit more symmetrical and includes a USB cable holder.

The profile looks so much cleaner that I've added a cosmetic cover for the bottom that is printing now.

@HoiHman It's not magnetic, but I thought I would start with a guide that would help position the stick mount. Step 1, ease of alignment.

 

[RCHeliguy]

I released this. It should be good to go.

Profile mount for Virpil VPC MongoosT-50CM2 Base by RCHeliGuy

Update 5/1/2021 Include CoverwithCableGuide which is a replacement for the sheath to keep the USB cable directed down so it doesn't get stepped on. Magswitch quick release is in another Thingaverse project. Update 4/22/2021 Included the Guide and the cosmetic Sheath if you end up with an...

www.thingiverse.com

I think the cosmetic cover looks good The guide is printing now and I'll let it print my final version of the mount over night.

 

[Petterio]

I released this. It should be good to go.

Profile mount for Virpil VPC MongoosT-50CM2 Base by RCHeliGuy

Update 5/1/2021 Include CoverwithCableGuide which is a replacement for the sheath to keep the USB cable directed down so it doesn't get stepped on. Magswitch quick release is in another Thingaverse project. Update 4/22/2021 Included the Guide and the cosmetic Sheath if you end up with an...

www.thingiverse.com

I think the cosmetic cover looks good The guide is printing now and I'll let it print my final version of the mount over night.
View attachment 466895

I was wondering, is all of the base's weight supported by the 3d printed bracket or does the seat take some of it as well?

 

[RCHeliguy]

I was wondering, is all of the base's weight supported by the 3d printed bracket or does the seat take some of it as well?

The seat pad I use in flight mode is memory foam, so it doesn't support anything.

This feels very stout, I'm not worried about it and that is just with PLA. If you were worried about abuse, you could use PETG. I did use 6 perimeter walls and 2mm top and bottom layers so it does feel like a rock.

 

[RCHeliguy]

The guide makes a huge difference, once I get it started and push it back, everything is nearly perfectly aligned and putting the bolts in is very easy!

This is how the stick mount looks now. I'm very happy with how it looks.
I did just kick off a long 14 hour print for the final (I hope) version of the main mount piece at the top. The cover at the bottom and red end piece are final.

 

[Petterio]

Thanks, I have the same base waiting so the timing of this was rather splendid. I'll be adding your design to my next order to a local 3d print shop

 

[RCHeliguy]

@HoiHman
Is this what you were thinking? Two 150lb. magswitches would probably do the trick and then it would just be push, Click, click, done

Magswitch MagJig 150 (Set of 2) - - Amazon.com

Magswitch MagJig 150 (Set of 2) - - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

 

[HoiHman]

Actually i was thinking something more like this :

Ringmagneet 20 x 9,8 x 5,1 x 5 mm met boor-/verzinkgat (noord pool) Epoxy

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You use 2 or 4 magnets to instantly click the flightstick in place and a (latching) bolt to secure it.

Alternative you can also design and 3D print two connecting pieces that are held together with the magnets.

For example: 2 sets of 2 cilinder shaped connectors that slide into each other with a magnet at the top of one and magnet in the bottom of the other one. This will result in very rigid construction, that's still easy to remove.

If you are using magnets that are too strong you will have troubles trying to remove the flightstick.

 

[RCHeliguy]

If you are using magnets that are too strong you will have troubles trying to remove the flightstick.

The link was to magnetic switches like the ones that I use in my shop. You turn the knob 180 degrees and go from almost no magnetic attraction at all to not being able to move the magnet without brute force.

So it would require that you flip two switches, but otherwise the stick would just slide in and out as needed.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Have the final version printed now and it looks much better from this side now. The cable guide will work as intended and overall I'm happy with this piece, so it is finished.

 

[RCHeliguy]

I decided to create a quick video to show how this goes together that I can link to from my Thingaverse page.

 

[RCHeliguy]

I'm considering creating videos showing how to use off the shelf parts to build things, sharing proven solutions, working with aluminum, techniques for getting a perfect fit, Fusion 360 tips when working with profile and designing 3D printed parts, basically something that answers questions I periodically get that could help enable other DIY'ers building a rig the way they want it. I think that it might even be worth creating separate YouTube Channel from my personal channel.

I think this could be a fun creative outlet for me and it might help some people who have the urge to build something, but aren't sure or have questions. I like the idea of showing people how to do things themselves, rather than just displaying my creations.

Thoughts?

A blank canvas...

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvUnjmTuH2Yso9Fr0riKvHw

 

[Petterio]

I'm considering creating videos showing how to use off the shelf parts to build things, sharing proven solutions, working with aluminum, techniques for getting a perfect fit, Fusion 360 tips when working with profile and designing 3D printed parts, basically something that answers questions I periodically get that could help enable other DIY'ers building a rig the way they want it. I think that it might even be worth creating separate YouTube Channel from my personal channel.

I think this could be a fun creative outlet for me and it might help some people who have the urge to build something, but aren't sure or have questions. I like the idea of showing people how to do things themselves, rather than just displaying my creations.

Thoughts?

A blank canvas...

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvUnjmTuH2Yso9Fr0riKvHw

Subscribed I think there would be need for something like this - especially considering your skills in developing your own rig, I think it would help quite a few people along their journey to their dream rig

 

[RCHeliguy]

Subscribed I think there would be need for something like this - especially considering your skills in developing your own rig, I think it would help quite a few people along their journey to their dream rig

Thanks! I have my first subscriber!

Well, I put my ugly mug out there and pushed up a quick channel intentions video.

I may have to come up with some pretty stuff when I start putting content out. I think I'll try to get the first video out this weekend.

Edit: I thought better of putting a rough video like that on a new channel and will wait to post something more polished.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Couldn't leave well enough alone, so I designed a matching Virpil Throttle mount to go with my stick mount, so it all looks pretty

It will be ready in the morning.