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Are YOU a NEW MEMBER? Introduce HERE!

Discussion in 'New users start here - FAQ' started by fermevc, Jun 20, 2009.

  1. rthorntn

    rthorntn New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2024
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    Hi,

    Perpetual tinkerer and total newbie here, based in Sydney.

    Searching for DIY motion simulators brought me here.

    I'm interested in a DIY system for DCS, I have electronics experience and a small wood/metal workshop (table saw, bandsaw, mill & lathe). I have built a few hobby CNC's with steppers.

    I'm thinking AC servos and I'm trying to figure out why all the 3DOF builds seem to use six motors, couldn't three motors be used?

    With aircraft, I should say I don't fully understand the differences between the DOF's, roll, pitch & yaw seem to be classed as 6DOF?

    I have this idea of using a curved rack & pinion for roll and pitch (to get more extreme turn angles) but none of the builds I've seen use this.

    Cheers
    Richard
  2. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2014
    Messages:
    21,018
    Occupation:
    Innovative tech specialist for NGOs
    Location:
    St Helens, Tasmania, Australia
    Balance:
    147,812Coins
    Ratings:
    +10,874 / 54 / -2
    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, JRK
    Welcome @rthorntn.

    Doing some research before getting in too deep is time well spent.

    Bounce your plans and shopping list off members before jumping too far down what can be an expensive rabbit hole, if you get it wrong.

    Use the Search on the Recent page to find similar projects as to what you have in mind.

    You will also find plenty of helpful information in the FAQs: http://www.xsimulator.net/community/faq/

    If something sounds odd then look it up in the glossary: http://www.xsimulator.net/community/faq/glossary-of-acronyms-and-names.66/

    When you are ready please start your own project thread here and detail your project, so members can give support and advice where possible: http://www.xsimulator.net/community/forums/diy-motion-simulator-projects.22/

    Good luck with your 3DOF project.
    • Winner Winner x 1
  3. Trent Richardson

    Trent Richardson New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2024
    Messages:
    3
    Balance:
    39Coins
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino
    IMG_8414.png IMG_8415.png IMG_8416.png
    Hello!

    A dude with way too many hobbies compared to the time I have for them all (I don't have time for them all).

    Love cars, have a project car of my own (89' 240sx), love working on it even if it hates me sometimes, and I love driving it. I got my first sim wheel a couple Christmases ago from my parents and it was a logitech g29, and I've finally decided I'm into this enough to justify selling and upgrading. On my journey, I discovered simulated motion quickly, but i disregarded it because of how expensive prebuilt ones were and I had never had experience with software to hardware development/communication, such as any kind of microcontroller. I've been into coding for awhile, and decided just a few days ago to really jump into this head first because I figured that it wouldn't hurt to try, seeing as though I am extremely interested in this side of simulation driving. Long story short, I put together a quick prototype with an Arduino Uno I was gifted awhile back, I ordered some jumper cables and 2 tiny servos from amazon to throw it together and to my utter disbelief, it actually worked, only after a few hours of troubleshooting some coding errors i made due to it being my first time using serial communication.

    Now that my prototype is complete and working, I'm ready to build the real thing. I've began 3d modeling so I can have a better idea for my plans, however I am stuck on the motor part. I am creating a similar design to D Max's setup, 2 motors in the back controlling arms that move the back of my rig while the front sits on a pivot point. I know he used windshield wiper motors but I was really hoping to use servos. Do you think there is any chance I could use a 75kg-100kg rated rc hobby servo, or is that completely out of the question due to lack of power. I'm pretty lost and this is my next step, I just need to know if it's feasible to go with high torque servos, or if I should just give that idea up and go with motors with a potentiometer, creating a faux servo.

    - Trent Richardson, Kansas!
  4. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2014
    Messages:
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    Occupation:
    Innovative tech specialist for NGOs
    Location:
    St Helens, Tasmania, Australia
    Balance:
    147,812Coins
    Ratings:
    +10,874 / 54 / -2
    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, JRK
    Welcome @Trent Richardson.

    Building a working model is a great first step :thumbs

    High rated RC servos have been used in things like creative G-Seats, which are a way to make sustained forces not normally possible with traditional motion rigs.

    You will find plenty of helpful information in the FAQs to get you started, including a section on G-Seats: http://www.xsimulator.net/community/faq/

    Use the Search on the Recent page to find related projects of interest, it is much easier to follow the project success of other members: https://www.xsimulator.net/community/find-new/posts?recent=1

    If something sounds odd then look it up in the glossary: http://www.xsimulator.net/community/faq/glossary-of-acronyms-and-names.66/

    When you are ready please start your own project thread here, ask any questions you have there and detail your project progress: http://www.xsimulator.net/community/forums/diy-motion-simulator-projects.22/

    Good luck with your project.
  5. Aerosmith

    Aerosmith Active Member

    Joined:
    May 30, 2024
    Messages:
    221
    Occupation:
    self employed
    Location:
    Germany
    Balance:
    1,290Coins
    Ratings:
    +117 / 0 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, AC motor
    Welcome Richard,

    haha, me too.

    As noorbeast said, I'd also suggest to start your own thread even if you don't know what to do, yet. We can answer your questions there and they will be also visible to anybody searching for the same answers. Here in the new member thread they will be lost in the noise, soon.

    I had the (nearly) same idea but have abandonned it, soon.
    Roll-pitch.jpg
    I've planned to use two linear servo axes to get heave and roll and a cable winch to rotate the rig in the pitch axis. However, we finally did it this way instead: Example for 3DOF rig.
  6. AWA954

    AWA954 New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2024
    Messages:
    8
    Balance:
    49Coins
    Ratings:
    +2 / 0 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, Arduino
    Hello, I´m Miguel, I live in Girona (Spain), I want to learn to create my own 3D platform, I hope I'm in the right place, if anyone speaks Spanish, please (I'm looking for friends xD)
  7. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2014
    Messages:
    21,018
    Occupation:
    Innovative tech specialist for NGOs
    Location:
    St Helens, Tasmania, Australia
    Balance:
    147,812Coins
    Ratings:
    +10,874 / 54 / -2
    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, JRK
    Welcome @AWA954.

    Please be aware the the Forum Rulers only allow English: https://www.xsimulator.net/community/threads/forum-rules.9527/

    You will find plenty of helpful information in the FAQs to get you started: http://www.xsimulator.net/community/faq/

    Use the Search on the Recent page to find related projects of interest, it is much easier to follow the project success of other members: https://www.xsimulator.net/community/find-new/posts?recent=1

    If something sounds odd then look it up in the glossary: http://www.xsimulator.net/community/faq/glossary-of-acronyms-and-names.66/

    When you are ready please start your own project thread here, ask any questions you have there and detail your project progress: http://www.xsimulator.net/community/forums/diy-motion-simulator-projects.22/

    Good luck with your project.
  8. AWA954

    AWA954 New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2024
    Messages:
    8
    Balance:
    49Coins
    Ratings:
    +2 / 0 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, Arduino
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 30, 2024
  9. Wasa

    Wasa New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 22, 2023
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    6
    Balance:
    32Coins
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    +0 / 0 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    Arduino
    Hello my name is Wasa and I'm from Spain, for a few years I have a simulator that I currently use an arduino to control a BMW instrument panel, I have us electric pistons of the SMC brand and I would like to make me a 3dof but I don't know where to start,

    thank you and forgive my english
  10. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2014
    Messages:
    21,018
    Occupation:
    Innovative tech specialist for NGOs
    Location:
    St Helens, Tasmania, Australia
    Balance:
    147,812Coins
    Ratings:
    +10,874 / 54 / -2
    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, JRK
    Welcome @Wasa.

    The first place to start is the FAQs, particularly the Design section, just to get a base grounding re helpful concepts: http://www.xsimulator.net/community/faq/

    Next, use the Search on the Recent page to find related similar projects of interest, it is much easier to follow the project success of other members: https://www.xsimulator.net/community/find-new/posts?recent=1

    If something sounds odd then look it up in the glossary: http://www.xsimulator.net/community/faq/glossary-of-acronyms-and-names.66/

    When you are ready please start your own project thread here, ask any questions you have there and detail your project progress: http://www.xsimulator.net/community/forums/diy-motion-simulator-projects.22/

    Good luck with your project.
  11. Mordin

    Mordin New Member

    Joined:
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    Hello,
    For me it started with an introductory helicopter flight (fairly short - 20min.) I received as a birthday gift. I was always fascinated with helicopter flying and would love to get my pilot's license as well. Unfortunately that dream was quickly smashed as I found out the requirements (initial training and ongoing) are so expensive that I could not afford this just as a hobby.
    As the next closest thing I am now trying to build a flight-simulator and came across this amazing forum with all kinds of information in regards to simulators.

    A little bit about myself:
    I live in Orlando, Florida (yes, the one where the hurricane Milton just came through 2 days ago - we were lucky and did not have any major damage to our property) and the recent "new member" Trent said it very fitting to myself as well: "A dude with way too many hobbies compared to the time I have for them all".
    That's how I feel ... and unfortunately I see myself too often start some project only to abandon it at some point as other (more important) things come along.

    Anyways, I will try my best to finish at least some version of a simulator.
    With past jobs I have worked in electronic circuit board design and controller programming, but now I only do this as a hobby. My workshop at home includes many tools, including a lathe and milling machine which I use to build metal parts for various projects.

    So many questions about the design of a simulator (power, size of the physical parts and the electronic interface to the gaming computer come to mind), but I am sure there is plenty information in this forum here for all the different aspects.

    Thanks to the person who created this website and the many supporters sharing their ideas!!
    Martin
    • Friendly Friendly x 1
  12. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2014
    Messages:
    21,018
    Occupation:
    Innovative tech specialist for NGOs
    Location:
    St Helens, Tasmania, Australia
    Balance:
    147,812Coins
    Ratings:
    +10,874 / 54 / -2
    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, JRK
    Welcome @Mordin.

    Many of us started out as you are, with a bunch of passion and many many questions!

    The first place to start is the FAQs, particularly the Design section, just to get a base grounding re helpful concepts: http://www.xsimulator.net/community/faq/

    Next, use the Search on the Recent page to find related similar projects of interest, it is much easier to follow the project success of other members: https://www.xsimulator.net/community/find-new/posts?recent=1

    If something sounds odd then look it up in the glossary: http://www.xsimulator.net/community/faq/glossary-of-acronyms-and-names.66/

    When you are ready please start your own project thread here, ask any questions you have there and detail your project progress: http://www.xsimulator.net/community/forums/diy-motion-simulator-projects.22/

    Good luck with your project.
  13. cstdarknight

    cstdarknight Member

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2024
    Messages:
    43
    Balance:
    253Coins
    Ratings:
    +14 / 0 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, 3DOF, DC motor, Arduino
    CSTDarknight - Location: Alberta, Canada.
    Spent the last year (part time weekends) creating a 2DOF motion chair. After many attempts and tearing it apart and tinkering with it I finally have it working :) so happy. I got it configured in Sim Tools 3 on No Limits 2 (roller coaster game) and WOW in VR it made my wife sick and I can say it is very cool to ride.
  14. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2014
    Messages:
    21,018
    Occupation:
    Innovative tech specialist for NGOs
    Location:
    St Helens, Tasmania, Australia
    Balance:
    147,812Coins
    Ratings:
    +10,874 / 54 / -2
    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, JRK
    • Like Like x 1
  15. cstdarknight

    cstdarknight Member

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2024
    Messages:
    43
    Balance:
    253Coins
    Ratings:
    +14 / 0 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, 3DOF, DC motor, Arduino
    I agree but my wife hates coasters so when she confirmed it was realistic I knew it was working well. Other family members loved it and had no issues ;-)