Greetings fellow citizen,

I've seen several threads with awesome simpit builds and I would like to add mine (still in progress) as well.





30.06.2014, now with all cockpit lights
4 white light cold cathode tubes I had laying around from the times before LEDs.
(Can be switched on and off)

10.07.2014 Some fun with first batch of decals. Too bad I can't print white for switch captions.


and the well known "cockpit reflection on visor" shot ;)

05.08.2014: Remade the side panels. Auxiliary USB ports on both and audio panel on the left. Current look below.



What it can:
- HOTAS with pedals (Logitech G940 (out of print))
- Mini keyboard for WASD type games (Logitech G13)
- Full mouse with mousepad
- adjustable seat
- MFDs with buttons and display (Thrustmaster Cougar and 7" USB Displays
- adjustable keyboard (from nearly vertical to horizontal) (Hama mini keyboard and some "telescope-rails?" )
- all USB devices with on/off switch (switchable active USB hub)
- a little quick and dirtry written software that shows me the button bindings for the MFD frames, depending on game running.
- fullfill childhood dream of having a cockpit =)

What it can't:
- save space. The thing will always be a massive block.
- save time. Damn, I've sunk several weekends there....

What it misses (yet)
- final touches on panels to hide rough edges and seams Done
- audio panel (like to have sockets for headset with on/off switch and maybe volumne ****) Done.
- extra USB sockets on front panel to quickly plug in anything else needed (gamepad ?) -> Done
- some decals for decoration Done


Used Materials (mostly from ebay and local hardware store):
- Old car seat (from a co-worker's Opel Zafira)
- beaverage crates as scaffolding
- ABS sheets as covering (2mm thick)
- self adhesive foil for unicolored smooth surface (Oracal 631)
- shelf boards (~18mm thick)
- lots of taping screws and angle brackets ;)

here in a early stage without any covering:



some details of the electronics behind the panels:
I've bought USB hubs which already have switches and LEDs. I just soldered wires to it to extend them to the front panel and used nice metal flip switches.
To keep things somewhat modular, I've used BEC/JST connectors (from RC racing) between the panel and the circuit board.


23.07.2014: Auxiliary panels

05.08.2014: New cable tags to keep some semblance of organisation. Also the mounting of the aux. USB ports.


Material processing
- crate scaffolding
It's always amazing how sturdy these things are while still being quite light. The plastic gives very good bite to taping screws (only make sure to not overthighten them). With a sharp box cutter and alot of force you can cut the thinner parts, but it is way easier to use a small saw.
I've made a big diagonal cut on the top crate for the angled surfaces on the sides:

The crates are fixed with (angle) brackets and taping screws.
The top of the side rows have a shelf board (for smooth surface) attached to it and the front "towers" are connected with a shelf board on top and 2 rails from a shelf system
Attached to the top rail are two handholds (drawer grips) to make entry/exit from the pit easier.

- Covering
I've found the 2mm ABS sheets are very easy to work with. They are flexible but not wobbly if fixed with strategical placed screws.
To bring them in shape I used a box cutter and a metal ruler. Make a superficial cut and then bend the sheet. The cut will widen and then snap in a clean line.
With a countersinking cutter and screws you can fix the sheets without screw heads sticking out.

- Base plate
Again Big shelf boards, fixed together with brackets. One each for left, right and front blocks. The seat needs two boards, due to it's width.
The underside is covered with felt to make the whole construction moveable on my floor without scratching. The boards are cutted to size with a pendular saw and the whole footprint is 1,20 x 1,10 meters.

30.06.2014:
Underside of the top panel with multi socket outlet, cathode tube power box and some wiring

A view of the keyboard tray rails and how cheap & dirty they are mounted =D


And my new coat hanger ejection handle D-ring ;)
Also: Cable duct for the hotas throttle cable and 2nd cathode power box (for lights left & right of the seat)




I like to point out that pit building is not that hard or even necessariely expensive.
I have zero training in craftmanship (keyboard pusher by trade) and consider myself to have 2 left hands.
The expensive stuff are the electronics: HOTAS, USB hubs, switches, wirings/extensions and MFDs. Most of them are optional.
The constructions materials were quite cheap. (crates, some wood, plastics, etc)
The real constraint for pit building is: Do I have the free space to store the damn thing ?