Showroom DX - Compact Simulator

Thanks.

I actually use plain common aluminium angle and boxing, so given the small 500mm X 500mm size it is not that expensive. The aluminium plate is seconds off ebay, so work out about $30-40.

The frame is just drilled and bolted together, I used a $60 drill press from Bunnings, a grinder, electric drill and old jigsaw.

I actually did move the front connection bar forward about 50mm ages ago @Rocco, any more would put it in front of the actual seat.

When I get around to it I will move the top rear 3rd DOF connection point further back to the outside of the seat, it has been on my todo list for ages. The rear motor will get warm if you do a long climb out in a flight sim, where it is under constant load.

To be honest I prefer motors that can't be back driven, as I can and do use my sim un-powered as a tactile office chair when doing other things, like VR games that do not have motion, but where the game benefits from built in transducers and audio. But you can use 25:1 in a compact seat shaker design.

Because of the minimal leverage inherent in a compact design it takes more torque to drive it than say a shoulder or foot mount design, so the motors chosen are not over sized, in fact they are necessary.

Despite its diminutive footprint my compact sim does have a pretty good load carrying capacity, here is a friend giving it the Big Boy test:

I am not sure what you mean @chu. Are you asking what it would cost to replicate? If so that depends on what you take into account, though my rig has cost less than the quality peripherals it supports.

I had all the peripherals before I started from my old static rig, so that is the Warthog HOTAS+ Saitek pedals, Clubsport hub + 2 wheels and pedals + 2 shifters, plus the Buttkicker and the cheap Logitech speaker system I used for the on-board sound. I also had the high end DX office chair with built in lumber support for many years, but it is still like new, which is a testament to its quality.

I originally spent AU $109 for each of the motors + shipping and later upgraded the gearboxes. I originally used second hand HP cheap server PSUs, since upgraded to new ones which I got for $50 each, and 3 JRK control board @ $100 each (Arduinos and MMs would be cheaper but would not fit in the compact control box).

I used 2 X 3M lengths of plain 50mm aluminium box tubing, a 3M length of 50 X 25mm box tubing, three cheap 6mm X 400mm X 280mm aluminium second sheets for the seat, base and mid plates @ about $30 each, a 1M length of 6mm aluminum angle, a 1M length of 30mm X 5mm angle iron, some 6mm steel for the motor levers plus collars, an old car tailshaft @ $20, 3 x Hall sensors @ about $30 each.

I recycled the DX chair office chair tilt mechanism for the adjustable heave spring, bought a car stereo amp wiring kit for the shielded wires, some odd bits of other wire and toggle switches, a 3M roll of stick on fake carbon fiber and a bunch of bolts. I re-purposed some things, like the BB Chev billet alternator brackets for rod mounts, the chrome lamp bar for rear speaker mount and used some fancy fans and billet covers.

I also bought a $90 welder, a $60 drill press, a soldering iron and I borrowed a grinder.

There would have been other bits and pieces as my sim evolved from a 2DOF to a 3DOF rig.

They have become somewhat redundant @ferslash since I added the heave knee. Because it moves through a small arc I use that to advantage in how I set the motion profile up for surge, as it actually moves the seat a little forward and back going through that arc.