Waahoo

[Smoke2much]

I will be moving soon to a new place with a garden.  The garden is large enough to have an 8'X5' shed.  An 8'X5' shed is large enough to have a sim pit in it.

Waahoo!

[JBaymore]

Will,

Congratulations!

SO...... my current simpit plan sits on a 5' x 5' footprint.

[JBaymore]

Will,

Don;t know what your budget for a simpit is but.........

I was just looking on EBay at aircraft panel stuff.  There is a guy selling a bunch of Cessna panels (real thing) pretty darn cheap.  You can get the left side main instrument panel (no gauges) for a "buy it now" price of about $50.00 USD.

Here is the link for one of them:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... gory=26439

Take a look.  That's a 182 I think.  There are others.

best,

.......................john

[Smoke2much]

Thanks for the heads up John.  Unfortunately I have no budget whatsoever at the moment.  Oh well....

[ozzy72]

No worries Will, I know a few tricks and'll be happy to help. One small thought err putting all that electrical gear in a shed might not be all that bright, as well sheds are v.slightly moisture traps...

Mark

[Smoke2much]

That's where the layers of plasterboard/dry wall and PVC (ooh err) will come in handy.  If I need too I will get a de-humidifier.  That isn't something that I had considered too carefully though.

Will

[ozzy72]

You'll need it unless you plan to put on an S-6 resi and do the Darth Vader bit

[JBaymore]

Will,

Ozzy has a good point there on the possible moisture issues.  If you install a small electric heater to keep it slightly warm in the cooler months... that might help with the moisture.  And the de-humidifier is likely a good idea too.

Sorry about the budget issues.  Those sets of various Cessna panels right now are a real steal for someone planning a GA simpit.

But if they are there now........ likely similar items will turn up at similar prices in the future.  Or you can just do what I am doing and make them out of 1/4" MDF.  More time....less money.  ;)

best,

...................john

[Smoke2much]

The 1/4" mdf sounds cunning to me.  To be honest I'm more concerned with security issues than with anything else.  We are talking about a back garden shed here.

Will

[JBaymore]

Will,

Hummmmmmm,

[ozzy72]

I personally wouldn't use MDF unless you like splinters!
What you could think about doing is making it out of plywood, and making slots so it pushes together, and some sliding bolts of some sort to hold everything in place. That way if you move again it'll come to pieces nice and easy and fold down into a series of flat panels
So have you got AutoCAD yet Will?

[JBaymore]

Ozzy,

I'm totally confused.

Maybe medium density fiberboard is something different over in the UK.  Here it is the finest grained stuff imaginable.  How one could get a splinter is totally beyond me.  Maybe you are thinking of particleboard or chipboard?  ???

I used chipboard for what will be the sub-floor that will be under carpet and panel supports.  Cheap, and good enough for "underlayment" for houses.  THAT I wouildn't use for anything else  ;).

The mdf here almost resembles masonite in its structure.....  (lot of glue... a little wood dust  ;))...... but is harder and more rigid.  See the cockpit construction threads that I posted for pix.

Another good possibility for the panel facings would be 1/4" luan plywood.  But THAT I think would be a good candidate for splinters.

best,

................john

[ozzy72]

Ah okay John, slightly different terminology methinks. MDF is lots of wood chippings glued together where I come from, and its splinter city unless properly coated, and it chips easily...
Plywood is a multi-layered opposing grain strips like a sandwich. V.Strong and a half-decent piece is robust and won't splinter easily

Mark

[Smoke2much]

I like the Photo' plan John.  Sounds cunning

As for CAD design I am using the OSOPAAHBP system at the moment.  It works for me. (Odd Scraps Of Paper And A Half Blunt Pencil).

The current plan invoves the use of three PC's

1: Master system running FS
2: Slave 1 running guages on glass cockpit. I would love to have the servo run guages but the price is out of my league.
3: Slave 2 running floor wobble system.

I was at Duxford a while back and had a go in a simulator that they have there.  It rocks throughout a range of about 20 degrees and fools you completely.  I should be able to acheive a 10-15 degree tilt at the point I will be sitting at.

Will

[ozzy72]

Will you don't need another machine for floor wobble. Just don't do up the bottom bit properly and have a large lunch