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Showroom Started ordering stuff... Countdown to 2DOF build.

Discussion in 'DIY Motion Simulator Projects' started by Archie, Jan 9, 2015.

  1. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    A great start @Archie, great open workshop you have there but I see the mowing chore is creeping up on you ;)
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  2. Archie

    Archie Eternal tinkerer

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    Yes... Yes it is. It's a Sunday job so will finish off with a mow tomorrow. I hate mowing my yard, it's a steep block!

    Open workshop is a pain! Takes me 40 mins to setup and 40 mins to pack up each time.
    Pole home with no garage... first world problem and all that ;)
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  3. Archie

    Archie Eternal tinkerer

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    Hey guys, just a quick "How to" question...

    I managed to get a tailshaft from a Ford Falcon with two UJ attached (Gearbox End to and DIF end)

    How are people cutting off their UJ's from such a large shaft? I tried to get it under my metal cut off saw but it's way too wide.

    Was going to go at with an Angle Grinder, but figured I'd check on here first :)
  4. bsft

    bsft

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    cheap 100mm angle grinder with cutting blade.
    I measure how high my pivot needs to be allowing for thickness of metal plate, then I cut the tailsahft best I can with the grinder, and weld plate on the ends. Mind you, I do take advantage of the yolk end (diff end) with bolt holes already in it. The other end, I just weld plates on.
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  5. bsft

    bsft

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    Oh and I do drill holes in the plate to allow bolts to go through it.
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  6. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    I used a grinder for cutting as well. It was easier to keep it square by using some rough timber V blocks nailed to a block.

    DSCN3551 (600 x 337).jpg

    Do ensure the uni joint is square on the plate prior to welding, particularly if design tolerances are tight. It sort of sounds obvious but in many sim designs you actually have a bit of wriggle room top and bottom if you are slightly out of square, as you can twist the post slightly in relation to the base and seat boards. You have no tolerance room if the post has to slot into the frame on one end and where the top plate it is attaching to must remain square for other reasons, like on my sim for the quasi surge plate.

    Just a tip, be careful with Falcon tailshafts as alloy was used extensively in later models to reduce weight, which why the tailshafts were speed limited. On the other hand if you are looking for a light post and can weld aluminium then one of the later Falcon tailshafts is a really cheap way to do it.
    Last edited: Jan 19, 2015
  7. Archie

    Archie Eternal tinkerer

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    Thanks Guys... Good to know I wasn't off the mark taking an Angle grinder to it.

    I am about 90% through my frame now, was welding an angle onto the foot mount when my MIG ran out of coil...
    Then it started raining so that was the end of my day.

    Will post some pics of progress next week...

    Next will be the base, UJ and Pedal / Wheel mounts.

    My 7yr old son has taken a real interest in this project, and of course that is great for him, but the best part about that is that wifey wants to encourage his "hands on" skills so I get more time to actually work on the Motion Sim as it's now classed as "family time". :thumbs
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  8. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    That is a real win/win, family and sim time!

    I am looking forward to the photos.
  9. Archie

    Archie Eternal tinkerer

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    @noorbeast - Yes.. keeping things Square was the first challenge I came up against. Making sure everything is lined up when you are working on a glass table and wooden floor with nothing but your wits and a tape measure is quite a challenge.

    Once I had the seat frame on the seat mounting plates I could use that as a reference and with lots of measuring and double checking it all came together. It looks like my original sketchup and there is something very satisfying about seeing an "idea" become an actual "thing"

    Yes.. the sim building sure is addictive. I go around op shops and junkyards with a different eye now!!! :!
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  10. Archie

    Archie Eternal tinkerer

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    DOCS might come knocking....

    but here is the boy (with OF COURSE help from me) welding a 5 cent coin to a bit of Steel HS offcut.

    He actually wants to go back to school to show everyone. He even put it against the bench grinder to smooth it off!!
    image_3.jpeg
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  11. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    Copyright those safety shorts and Tshirt ;)
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  12. Archie

    Archie Eternal tinkerer

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    hahahha yes... Trust me it was the worlds quickest tac weld!! Having him around such equipment makes me nervous as hell but he would not let it go until he had a go!
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  13. shannonb1

    shannonb1 Well-Known Member

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    Easiest way to get a clean line cutting something round like a drive shaft for me it to take a piece of paper, wrap the tube and make sure the top of the paper lines up square. Trace with a sharpie marker and boom, straight line and square to cut.
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  14. Archie

    Archie Eternal tinkerer

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    Quick question on connecting rod lengths.

    Because I have opted for foot mount motors, I have taken @bsft advice and made the front connecting area quite wide at 650mm.
    This gives the frame an angular shape, so the connecting part is much wider than the seat (450mm)

    The recommend CTC for the motor arms is 40-65mm, I see posted about...

    I expect my pivot point to be about 250mm off the floor, giving the total height at the front for the connecting rods @ around 900mm.
    (I've drilled holes all the way up the connecting posts to adjust if needed)

    I lied didn't I... it's not a quick question at all...

    Anyway.. is 900mm connecting rod length a bit too much or inline with what you'd expect??
    Should I angle the motors or be ok with just straight up and down?

    (Pics would help but not in a position to take photo's at the mo...)

    Instead here is a crude drawing....

    Untitled-1.jpg

    Thanks :)
  15. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    How long the connecting rod is depends on the design. @bsft would be in a better position to comment on a foot mount but I know mine are about 355mm, so am guessing guessing you have a pretty high mount point. What is the height of that mount point?

    It is a good idea to angle the rods both in and back. Could you do a rough sketch of the planned relative position of the motors, mount points and rods.
  16. Archie

    Archie Eternal tinkerer

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    Sorry @noorbeast. I gave wrong numbers.... I added the WIDTH to the mount point, not the height. DOH!.

    My mounts are 300mm high (when on the floor) with 8 holes around 3cm apart.

    Reading the forum posts, I'm guessing a 230-250mm height pivot will be enough.

    At it's highest point, my frame would have a MOUNT point of 550mm
    Lowest hole would be about 260mm.

    (All of this is not taking in the heights of motors etc... just rough numbers)

    Those numbers looks much better to me now. Stupid me :/
  17. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    That sounds like the right sort of territory to me, with plenty of adjustability if needed.
  18. Archie

    Archie Eternal tinkerer

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    Yeah, just drew it out and looks better. The rods are away from the frame so as not to catch.

    (Rough numbers)

    image1.JPG
  19. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    I imagined that you had the motors on the inside, any particular reason they are on the outside, as it would take extra space?
  20. Archie

    Archie Eternal tinkerer

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    Seems more logical to have them on the outside, to me anyway.

    Plus looking at my frame they can only go on the outside.

    The base will only really stick out about another 5-10cm. I don't need a massive angle I guess.
    I was going to have the rods go straight up, but they might catch on the low corner of the base at the highest mount point.

    Sorry, it's not overly clear without photos. Assuming the rain goes away I can do some more work on the weekend and upload photos.
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