Started on my Simpit. I have about $30.00 in materials including the seat, so far. Thought I'd share some pics:


This is the back half section with only the seat mounted and the rear speakers mounted in a testing location. Subwoofer under the seat. Just the beginning.



Heres the front half I built the other day fitted up to the seat portion.. you can see the location of the CH yoke. I built the front half tall so that I can place 2 monitors one over the other. The second lower monitor will have the "panel" displayed on a 17" LCD. The top monitor will have the outside the cockpit view displayed on a 17" LCD with a Fresnel Lens in front of it. Setup for FS9, racing sims, flightsims.

alright! Are you following a design on some website?

I just been looking at pictures from the Simpit site on SimHQ and linking to some others. I think each pit is sort of personal to the guy using it. I had to combine the features of a flight pit with something I could use for racing too.
I've just been winging it after thinking about it for about 6 months. Got the seat first. It sat here for almost 6 months. Then one day in about two hours, built the back. That sat here for about 2 months.
Then thought about it alot more and decided on the two monitor placement. About the same time I wanted a large screen but the cost of a 21" monitor is just too much for the average Joe. So I bought a Fresnel lens ($56.00);

http://www.simcockpitsystem.com/Detail.bok?no=18

and that led me to about the dimensions I have now. I built the front half in about two hours after ecieving the lens. I have no plans, just building as I go along. Tape measure, ruler, saw, just start cutting. I use the "if this is here, this HAS to go here" type of building method.
Funny, I took measurements just the other day for eyesight to lens distance and floor to height distance based on a mock-up. I went out to cut it from the plywood and changed all the dimensions right on the spot. Wasnt even close to what I spent days on mocking up. The goal was to stay within the one sheet of ply for the front monitor half.

We made a very inexpensive UH-60 sim trainer by using this and a table with three 1280x1024 lcd screens. Wasn't for me personally, for a client. But I did enjoy it.
http://www.flightlink.com/hardware/rotorwing/index.html

what was the config on the 3 LCD's?

cool, Forgive me, but I must interject even at the risk that you already know or are aware of the issues, but just in case...

You need to put "uprights" on each end beneath the cross members that hold the seat, or risk pulling the fasteners out, or tearing the ends of the cross members, or both.

Also something broad to stabilize the legs connecting the lower so that it does not "sway".

Don't know how much building you have done, etc., so forgive me if you already know this. It's just so cool looking, and would be a shame to wreck it, and maybe you, lol, in a catastrophic structural failure.

hmm... i see no heli config?

how looks your colective? ;-)

I agree with "unforgiven".

I gotta tell ya, as an Architectural Millwork Engineer (someone who designs custom cabinets for a living for very high end homes) I'd be concerned about the thickness of the side panels on that unit. They're carrying all your weight, plus the weight of the seat and the subwoofer. How thick are the side panels? They look awfully thin to me.

How is the stretcher below the seat attached to the side panels (screws, dowels, brackets)? You definitely need something below that stretcher (and one in the rear also) that will transfer the load (your weight) directly to the floor for maximum support.

10-4, message recieved and understood.
this is basically at the "positioning" and measurement stage. Not the final. I have to take it all apart to move it up some narrow stairs to its final destination. So I am leaving most of the final bracing to be done after I get it there.
The sub woofer sits on the floor. I plan uprights for the points directly below the seat "rail". The back has 1/2 of the panel installed and that gives it the stable side to side. Just the beginning my friends. It is a most difficult planning job and you cant get to far ahead with final building until you have all the parts layed out with the correct comfortable distances. I am all stop until the 17" monitor comes in so I can fit it for the lower monitor section. Then, once thats done i can fit it to the Fresnel lens, then that will give me my final heights. Once a test "sitting" is done, I can brace up and paint up.
The real tough part is how to make life easy enough when switching from racing mode to FS9/Il2/Lomac mode to EECH mode. Damn that part is killing me. There is just no easy solution to all 3.

Mapi, How about this Deal ?
Making a extended helo stick and collective. But I wont get to that until later in the spring.

Patience my grasshoppers. Wish you guys lived in the neighborhood so we could work on it together on the weekends. and drink lots of beer. after the building. eheheehe

nice Kimchoc, good price. I am happy with my x45.