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WholeHawg
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Posts: 2001
Registered: 5-23-2005
Location: Tampa FL.
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Mood: “Moods are for cattle and loveplay, not for fighting!”
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The New Pit
As some of you already know I am working on a revamp of the Hawg Pit so I thought I would start a running thread on my progress. I encourage any
questions, comments opinions or suggestions. Part of the reason I am posting this is to get some extra eyes on the project.
The design philosophy here is more of function over form, I play several flight sims so I needed a cockpit layout that had accommodations for modern
avionics panels i.e. MFDs ICPs etc. In addition to this I play a host of FPS and RTS games and I have found playing anything besides a flight sim
from a cockpit to be undesirable.
With these thing in mind I came up with a design that allow me to use a single computer and monitor for all of the above.
I have mounted the monitor on a “lazy susan” so it can swing 180 deg to face my office area on one side and the cockpit on the other. While this
design is very functional it presents some limitations as to the esthetics of the external design.
These factors coupled with certain limitations relating to my skill as a wood and metal worker, lead me to a design that doesn’t follow any one
particular aircraft past or present. It is a generic sim pit, which could be considered a caricature of several Navy fighters rolled into one.
……..pics and details to come.
\"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to
produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning.\"
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Stanger
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Mood: Need a bubble bath with candles reading a romance book.
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Cant wait to see the pics.  I hope the design for function means a barley
pop holder.
\"Chargers All the Way."\
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Razor
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How about a roll out tray, like you see on many desks for a keyboard, that would slide out in front of you to act as a desk for a mouse pad and
keyboard for those FPS games? It could also double as a map board for your IL-2 and other flight sims. It would be stowed under the front panel when
not needed.
I believe that all of the US Navy planes of WWII had such an arrangement for their plotting boards.
Razor
Air Group 51
Operations Officer
Kick the tires, light the fire. First up is Lead, brief on Guard
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WholeHawg
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Posts: 2001
Registered: 5-23-2005
Location: Tampa FL.
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Mood: “Moods are for cattle and loveplay, not for fighting!”
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It will have a place for a beverage!!! that was pretty much the first thing I worked into the design, infact I am trying to get a mini fridge
installed......no really I am 
Razor.....That is an excellent idea and one that I tried to make work in version one of the pit. The problem was there is just too many knobs and
leavers in the way so the tray has to be like a transformer to fold and unfold in a tidy yet effective manner. I did shoe horn a table-like surface
in at one point to see if it was worth exploring the option further and came to the conclusion that it simply was not suited for anything but flying.
It was wierd feeling like riding someone elses bike ya know?
\"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to
produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning.\"
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WholeHawg
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Posts: 2001
Registered: 5-23-2005
Location: Tampa FL.
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Mood: “Moods are for cattle and loveplay, not for fighting!”
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Here is a shot of the Lazy Susan setup and the currnet break down status
\"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to
produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning.\"
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WholeHawg
Posting Freak
Posts: 2001
Registered: 5-23-2005
Location: Tampa FL.
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Mood: “Moods are for cattle and loveplay, not for fighting!”
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This is the Keyboard emulator. Its a Gamma Ray 256. I tried this and a X-Keys and found this to be MUCH simpler to wire up. X-keys needs you to
solder diodes in to every circuit to ensure that they work, and I would always get fantom switch functions n a word U...G...L...Y... The Gamma ray
rig works like a champ and I didnt even have to solder a thing to get it to work. It works with switches that Make-Break in any order, momentary or
constant contact. Also most rotary encoders, incrimental and absolute (gray).
For those that dont know a rotary encoder regiseters a switch pulse for a certain degree of rotation on a set of contacts if turned one way and a
pulse on a different set for rotation in the opposit direction. This is handy for say a trim control.
You can see my trim control knobs just behind my throttle.
FYI the phone punch down was an idea that I ended up not using but never removed from the board
\"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to
produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning.\"
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Dart
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Registered: 5-10-2005
Location: Portland, OR
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Wow!
Lawn Dart
CAG
Air Group 51 USN
"You fight like you train."
- Motto, U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN)
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WholeHawg
Posting Freak
Posts: 2001
Registered: 5-23-2005
Location: Tampa FL.
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Mood: “Moods are for cattle and loveplay, not for fighting!”
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Now this little guy is pretty cool. Its an LCD from CrystalFontz. With almost no wireing and a brief internet search, I found a software widget that
that would link into Team Speak and display who was on channel and who was talking. it also has a back light . (thats the red an white wire you see
at the bottom.)
\"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to
produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning.\"
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Razor
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It looks like your head is way too far away from the screen for TiR to work well. How the heck do you see anything like a dot from that distance?!!
Great looking pit though. I really like the trim knobs behind the throttle. Just like the real thing.
Razor
Air Group 51
Operations Officer
Kick the tires, light the fire. First up is Lead, brief on Guard
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Flatspin
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What I want to know is how you keep from getting electrocuted! 
"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Such laws make things
worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked
with greater confidence than an armed man." -- Thomas Jefferson, quoting criminologist Cesare Beccaria in "On Crimes and
Punishment" 1764
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Wrench
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Very Cool Hawg!!! Please Keep Posting Pics As the Pit Develops...
Wrench
Air Group 51 USN
One Pass Haul Ass - Greed Kills... |
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WholeHawg
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Posts: 2001
Registered: 5-23-2005
Location: Tampa FL.
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Mood: “Moods are for cattle and loveplay, not for fighting!”
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Razor you are correct again. Which is why the TIR is mounted to an arm that extends from the top of the canopy, (which is removed at the moment).
If you recall last week I said the TIR was out of action, well this is why.
Also one of the Issues I am going to address in the next version is I am going to put the Lazy Susan on a slider to gets the screen closer to me. So
again an excellent observation.
This pic is about 2 years old and was a pre Version 1 beta of the Pit. You can see my old TIR on the boom arm at the top of the pic.
\"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to
produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning.\"
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Razor
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Location: Central Point, OR
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Very cool indeed Hawg! Can't wait to see the finished product. With
the canopy closed, the sound must be awesome inside!
Razor
Air Group 51
Operations Officer
Kick the tires, light the fire. First up is Lead, brief on Guard
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WholeHawg
Posting Freak
Posts: 2001
Registered: 5-23-2005
Location: Tampa FL.
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Mood: “Moods are for cattle and loveplay, not for fighting!”
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Yes the sound rocks with the canopy shut!! I put the Sub right under the seat and crank the base up. The whole rig vibrates when you pull the
trigger!! 
\"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to
produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning.\"
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WholeHawg
Posting Freak
Posts: 2001
Registered: 5-23-2005
Location: Tampa FL.
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Mood: “Moods are for cattle and loveplay, not for fighting!”
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Here we go so far. Got most of the bulk heads up and started running the stringers. I am going to try putting the sheetmetal on next
\"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to
produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning.\"
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Dart
Super Administrator
Posts: 6584
Registered: 5-10-2005
Location: Portland, OR
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Mood: If it's not Scottish, it's craaaap!
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Did you cut all that yourself?
Lawn Dart
CAG
Air Group 51 USN
"You fight like you train."
- Motto, U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN)
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Wrench
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Location: Missoula, Montana
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Mood: Whisky Bent and Hell Bound...
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I caught a glimpse of Hawg working on his project on the web...
All jokes aside  I want to see how the sheetmetal part goes and are you
going to simulate rivits?
My wife is going to hate you, but I just have to have one of my own...
Wrench
Air Group 51 USN
One Pass Haul Ass - Greed Kills...
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WholeHawg
Posting Freak
Posts: 2001
Registered: 5-23-2005
Location: Tampa FL.
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Yes I cut it all my self
I am a little curious how the sheet metal is going to work as well. I did a few tests and I think I can pull it off the way I want but we'll see.
And I am not going to simulate rivets I am going to rivet to the stringers with pop rivets, I found some that dont pull through the wood.
\"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to
produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning.\"
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Stanger
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Posts: 3628
Registered: 4-26-2006
Location: Somewhere on the lake
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Mood: Need a bubble bath with candles reading a romance book.
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That is really nice. Where is the barley pop holder? 
\"Chargers All the Way."\
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Wrench
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Location: Missoula, Montana
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Mood: Whisky Bent and Hell Bound...
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| Quote: | Originally posted by WholeHawg
And I am not going to simulate rivets I am going to rivet to the stringers with pop rivets, I found some that dont pull through the wood.
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I cannot wait to see and learn...
My Pit is still in development - concept drawing...
Wrench
Air Group 51 USN
One Pass Haul Ass - Greed Kills...
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=Cobraj=
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Hi all,
Very nice Hawg!! I have worked with Aluminum for quite some time now and my suggestion would be to get Aluminum rivets with and Aluminum self-plugging
(friction lock) blind rivets. When you buy them buy them with a long grip range about as wide as the wood you’re setting them into. Then use the
Aluminum self-plugging (friction lock) blind rivets with a steel washer on the backside of the wood. Stick the rivet in the hole, slide on the steel
washer and set it! Works nice and is very strong. The washer will displace all the pressure and it will not pull through the wood.
Just make sure your grip range is not to long or to short.
Regards,
=Cobraj=
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=Cobraj=
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Hi,
Oh, and you may want to place a washer between the wood and the sheet metal if it makes an indent around the rivet location when you set it. Try it
without first but if your planning on using 1/4 inch rivets you will have to give it some kind of backing like a washer between the wood and sheet
metal.
Regards,
=Cobraj=
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Wrench
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Posts: 5089
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Location: Missoula, Montana
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Mood: Whisky Bent and Hell Bound...
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Very cool Cobra
Wrench
Air Group 51 USN
One Pass Haul Ass - Greed Kills...
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=Cobraj=
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PS These do breakoff flush and look like a soild rivet which I would assume is the look you would be going for. Make sure you get the Aluminum rivet
with an aluminum stem because a steel stem will crush the wood to much, to strong.
Regards,
=Cobraj=
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WholeHawg
Posting Freak
Posts: 2001
Registered: 5-23-2005
Location: Tampa FL.
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Mood: “Moods are for cattle and loveplay, not for fighting!”
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Yeah I am using the Aluminum kind and I thought of adding a washer to the backing because there is a bit of cracking that occurs when I pop them.
Do you know a good place to get the locking kind? Home Depot doesnt have a wide selection of rivets just steel or aluminum.
\"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to
produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning.\"
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