After many(many) months of buying bits and bobs by 'stealth' (ie. Small packages from ebay that are under the wife's gadget radar) my 'pit project has finally gained a bit of momentum.

I was originally going to keep things super-simple and just build a desktop switchbox. After spending lots of time reading through this forum and seeing the awesome creations I decided to go the whole hog and build a full simpit.

I decided I wanted something simple - straight cuts and 45º angles... nice and easy... However, after taking my cut list to the local shop, I discovered I'd used the wrong stock sizes. As I was rearranging everything I remembered Gene's 'pit and wondered 'how much would it cost to have something like that cut on a CNC machine'. I emailed half a dozen suppliers across the UK and got replies ranging from insanely expensive to 'how are they making a profit?'.

CNC it is then!

Being a complete novice to 3D packages I decided to stick to my strengths and use Adobe Illustrator to design the parts. I was a technical illustrator for years, so visualising the 2D pieces in my head wasn't too difficult. I also spent some time creating cockpit training aids for BAE Systems Hawk aircraft - it's no coincidence that some of the dimensions exactly copy the MK109/209 export variant!

I knocked the design up in around four hours! A quick check with the tape measure and done! Emailed to the supplier.

As luck would have it a friend happened to be passing by the supplier and offered to pick the parts (he's registered on these forums as the delightfully named: SHARkeyWards_LeftBollock).

Anyway, here's some pics of the parts that are now sat in my garage (plus a few project pics).

Original cardboard mockup:


Building the sim-room (basically, half a standard UK garage - not very much room at all!!):


A view into the room - cockpit parts on the floor...


More bits (plus the small CNC machine I bought to do the edgelit switch panel cutting/engraving):


Yet more bits:


Couldn't resist a quick dry-fit! (not squared up properly, but you get the idea):

Fantastic job! I can't wait to see how it looks built.

\o/

g.

Looks great! That middle section between legs and its upper frame might need some support though.

Wow thats amazing so far did you make your own design or is it based off of plans. In any case looking forward to watching the progress.

That does look awesome!

How are you going to get in and out of the pit? Does the chair slide back?

Keep going, it looks great so far. Wrong side of the pond but I would have cut your CNC parts out at cost for you, anything to further the hobby. (and an excuse to play with my shiny new CNC table)

David

Many thanks for the comments chaps! I just hope my crummy woodworking skills don't cock it up! I'm ok with a mouse, but give me a powertool and anything could happen!


Yep, there's a box section that'll sit behind there that connects to the computer bay base that isn't on the pics.


It's my own design, I borrowed the shapes of the leg-cutouts on the main panel from a Hawk Mk109, but that's it. I wanted something like Gene's 109F/X but not quite as enclosed and with side consoles. A little bit like Steven190's in the show your pit thread (page 3).


I've got a couple of options - the chair does indeed slide back, I might be shortening the overall length of the 'pit by a whole rib - I've not decided yet. I have my eye on another type of seat that folds completely flat which would work nicely.


Thanks bud! I wish you were closer

The next CNC part is the aluminium plate that will fit over the 18.5" TFT panel to mask the instruments. I'll be cutting the bezels out of acrylic on my machine.

It's been a few months since all that nicely machined wood turned up on my doorstep, so what progress have I made? Not as much as I would have liked, that's for sure. Now that there's a March deadline to work to, I'd better pull my finger out...

Here's the base. It's as simple as can be. I got a sheet of 18mm spruce ply cut to size down at B&Q and bought some 3x2" planks. There's some 120mm locking castors bolted to the underside so I can move the pit out of the way when I need to use my desk (space is limited - thanks to Gene for the idea!)


Attaching the frame to the base. It's designed to break down into three pieces to fit through a doorway, so just screws at this point, no glue.


Another angle, but now the side console decks are in. They fitted perfectly into the slots on the front bulkhead.


The side console structure is all screwed together. Also, the structure for the centre console that supports the flimsy 6mm MDF piece that goes between the knees is attached.


Another angle, with the seat at the correct height (sat on my toolbox for now). I missed out on an ejection seat pan and PSP on ebay that went for £70 - it would have fitted perfectly - gutted! Still looking for the perfect seat - I might end up making one, I've drawn up a couple of designs that I might get CNC cut.

I've made a start on the panels and electronics too. Here's a pic of some translucent 5mm cast acrylic mounted in the mini-CNC ready to be cut.


Here's the result. The acrylic is sprayed black, quite a few coats to stop light leakage, then matt lacquered. It's then mounted back in the CNC to be engraved. The idea is to just take off the paint and as little of the underlying acrylic as possible - keeping that sort of tolerance over the whole face of the llightplate is the tricky part. This is just a prototype, but I was pretty pleased with the result for a first attempt. More thanks to Gene, your site was an invaluable reference.

The aluminium plate, handle and knob were all cut on the mini-CNC and will form the Landing Gear selector. Again, first attempt. I'll be making the bracket again out of thinner aluminium.


I've decided to skin the 'pit in 0.5mm aluminium sheet instead of hardboard or luan - it's arriving tomorrow. I was going to fork out to have it lasercut but that came in at £200, so jigsaw it is then! £28 + VAT, much more affordable! Once the skin is on, the structure is basically finished so it's painting time next.

Very nice work! I wonder what is CNC and where in the UK did you find cutters?

I'd like to build my own pit myself but at the moment, I got no power tools, now room for it anyway, so if things can come ala-IKEA, pre-cut and ready to be assembled, that would be awesomeness!

Same here love to hear more about your CNC. I have quite a few pc.s of white acrylic lying around for a toy like that!