Superb m8, absolutely superb
DD

So ... If you were, to say, build these for profit ... what would you charge me?




.

Uh ah bomba_stick
[img]http://www.luckyoliver.com/photos/derived//be0leMUWCr25SZadbivJjM.jpg?1171331729[/img]

Grizz thats just SICK.

Speaking of collectives, I was looking at my X52s a while ago, thinking about how to mod the throttle into a collective, when I realized that the JOYSTICK is actually much better suited to collective duty. Its already got a twist function built in, there's piles of buttons on it, its darn near perfect. Of course, it wont look as authentic as Grizzly's work, but hey, some of us aren't that skilled. It also requires sacrificing an X52, but maybe one could be found cheaply on ebay or some sim forums. The only thing that might need modding is the angle of the hats and buttons in relation to the stick... but even as is, it should work beautifully.

Food for thought. If anyone ever tries this, it was my idea first! j/k But you gotta post details of how it worked out.

Trust me, you don't want to know!
Hell, I don't really want to know!.....................and god help me, if the wife ever figures it out! LOL

I finally finished the seat. Time for a couple more pics!

As with alot of my other parts, it isn't a replica of anything in particular. (It's all in the "-ish". )
I review the available data, see what materials I have to work with, and then start winging it!
The deep headrest gives it an ACES feel but the tubular elements, side plates, and lumbar pads are more Comanche............Eh, whatever.

It started out as a high back office chair. The tubular stuff came off an aluminum coat rack. The rest is MDF and hardboard.
The cushions are the originals just re-shaped and re-covered with black auto upholstery. I put in the "crotch notch" and shaved down the left side of the seat plate, to give the collective more clearance.
You can see my knock-off of Kimchoc's sub-woofer turned flight data recorder idea. (From way back on the first pages of this thread.)
It's positioned to port out of the backside opening of the base and bounce the lows off the back wall of the sim. (As well as augment the seat transducer.)
You can see it and the Buttkicker mounting, in the bottom pic.

Just when I think hes finished, he comes up with another masterpiece !!!!

Have you had a test on the kicker in THAT seat?

Masterpiece????
Damn....Thanks but this doesn't mean I have to cut an ear off....does it?



Nope. Not yet. Just the initial tests, on the office chair.
I've been putting off tearing down the old pit as long as I can but I'm at the point where I need to do it. (I need some of it's parts, to start working on the next few pieces of the puzzle.)
My grandsons love flying it and will be over on Easter, so it will stay up until then. After that, I'll be putting the new electronics cabinet together, making any leftover cables, and dry running all of the stuff.

Of course, that's while simultaneously working on the hull, cyclic arm, rudder pedal mod, and fresnel mount.
( <Sigh> I can hardly remember what 6 hours of sleep feels like!)

I'll keep you posted.

Grizzly,

Dude,

That collective rocks! I don't know how many helo mechanics we have lurking around here, or if you are one yourself, but that's simply an amazing piece of engineering. Having worked on a few real planes, I'd say that it's definitely as, or more, complicated than a collective in a real flight control system(minus channel coupling and all that). I love the wiring diagram.

It'd be pretty easy to replicate for anyone with some mechanical aptitude, what with your great pictures and that diagram, but alas, I think I'm just too lazy ;). I just opted to go for the MRVC standard set, which is nice, but I find the pedals to be too short of throw.

I *did* modify the cyclic grip, though, replacing it with an X-52 grip just so I could still use all the functions on my X-52 throttle.

Like I said, it's a good enough setup for me, although it looks like a techno-punk's workstation out of the Matrix rather than a professional pit like that. Good work!

Ok Helo, lets see some pics !!!!!