The Dream continues..

[Andrew 737]

I was just a bit "optimistic" with the 20G (i see) .   And buing anothers dream wount make me (peresonly) happy either.

(sorry to hear that someone is going brooke. it happens also in DK, all the time).

I cant remember Your original estimate, but im surden(sure) it was in that erea ,  (funny to se the old/first treads).

I ,of curse wish you all the best, Frank.

Im looking forward to the "final solution"

Kind regards

Henrik

Hey Henrik

It's not usually about going broke buddy; it's about losing faith in FSX my friend

[tennyson]

Well, today has been a great day. Mainly because yesterday was not.

 

I had to pack out my l/h yokes bottom shaft as there was a little movement in it and I was using it for my roll gear potentiometer set-up.

 

I bought some aluminium tape and wrapped it up, but when it came time to getting it all the way back in, it was so tight.

 

I broke out the big "wally thumper" (small sledge hammer) and proceeded to give it a severe thrashing. Trouble was, the shock was travelling back down my arm and jarring my right shoulder, which I've only just started recovering from all of the jack hammering the floor in the sim room.

 

I had to stop, as the pains were shooting up my arm. So, it was movies and a packet of pain killers last night.

 

I slept on it, took my gorgeous wife up to Mooloolaba for lunch (as she has the day off for the EKKA holiday) and came up with a plan to finish off the job.

 

When I got home, I got stuck back in.

 

This time, tho, I took a block of wood out the back and proceeded to drop the yoke on the block of wood. No shock to me and it did the job. I lined up the bolt and put it back together.

At least the shaft now, is rock solid!

 

That being done I now needed to make a slot in the bracket I'd made for the potentiometer, allowing me to move it closer or farther from the gear on the bottom of the shaft.

Here's a pic that might explain what I mean:

 

 

 

 

The gears have now mated up nicely and the roll pot just needed wiring. Voila, wired up!

 

 

And re-installed:

 

 

Pretty happy with the finished result:

 

 

 

I've also modified the pitch again, so that it has ample clearance from the flooring in it's upper most travel. I popped a coat of paint on the parts and I'll re-install them tomorrow.

 

That just leaves me one last job, the centring mechanisms. I'll probably be starting them tomorrow, too.

 

After I'm finished those, it's just a matter of hooking up and testing the wiring and the position and calibration of the pots. Then it's all go for a re-installation in the floor.

 

I'm hoping that will take place later this week or early next week.

 

 

More to come............

 

 

Frank

[tennyson]

I'd like to let you in on a little secret.

 

I'm currently circumnavigating Oz. Well, that is, myself and 124 passengers.

I'm following Qantas and a few other 737 carriers routes.

 

So far, it's been very lively.

 

We took off initially from Brisbane, bound for Sydney on leg 1. However, I had a forward cargo door pop at 10,000 feet, so had to divert to the Gold Coast. We got down all right, but had an overnight stay while the maintenance crews replaced the main cargo hatch lock.

Next day, bright and early, we were off again to Sydney. This time, it was a straight through flight with no diversions.

 

From Sydney we logged a flight plan to Canberra, but again had an inflight problem with the same door. Declared a pan and we ended up in Wollongong. 

It was a night flight, so the RNAV into Wollongong was a bit hairy.

 

We landed at Wollongong and had the maintenance guys take another look at the door. There is a real problem with it, so we've sealed it up and won't use it now until we get to Canberra. 

The guys in Canberra will replace the door and hinge tomorrow and it shouldn't cause us any more grief.

 

The strip at Wollongong is a wee bit small for the 738, but we managed to get her airborne and my 124 passengers were happy to finally be heading to Canberra.

 

We pulled the ILS35 approach over the mountains. You gotta pay attention in and out of that airport. With an elevation of 1885 feet and surrounding hills of 4000-5000 feet, it's on ya toes time.

 

So, the OzSim bird has been towed to the maintenance hangar and we're off to bed.

Come tomorrow night, 124 souls and myself head off to Hobart. 

 

It's certainly great practice for the upcoming adventures in the sim, thas for sure.......

 

 

 

 

Frank

[cthiggin2]

Hello Frank,

LOVE what you're doing friend.

I'm in the process of building a motion platform for Flight Simming and Racing for the grandsons'.....and I belong to a group x-sim.de that has really been a god-send for me on electronics etc.

I just saw this new thread where a fellow wants to do one for the 737, and has a couple pics of the cockpit..............(Nothing like yours and your detail)

Just thought I would pass them on.  http://www.x-sim.de/forum/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=1158&p=9473#p9473

 

Have a blessed one.

[Iain Emms]

Sounds like your having fun there Frank, well  done my friend.

cheers

Iain

[miloguy]

are there any aussie groups, or fsx  cockpit builder sites out there?

[mra]

are there any aussie groups, or fsx  cockpit builder sites out there?

 

If there is Frank is the Senior Engineer, Designer and Chief Pilot. Your progress and ongoing improvements to your project are remarkable Frank.

[tennyson]

Thanx mra.

 

And miloguy, I'm not sure about oz, but the main forums I visit are in the States.

 

Now, I got pretty busy today, despite the phone ringing off the hook.

 

I re-situated the bottom cog of the pitch gears and now I have sufficient clearance from the floor in the fully up position.

 

 

So, then I started work on the pitch centring device. First I cut some slotted panels from aluminium:

 

 

 

And then I bought a small piece of threaded round stock and mounted it in the tab on the cross tube. The slotted units will be attached and then in turn attached to the double springs. At the other end, I plan on using some more threaded round stock and make it into a T-piece that I can mount and tighten via a nut to secure the tension on either end of the centring device.

 

It's a little complicated, so tomorrow, when I finish it, I'll take a few more pics and it should be all clear as mud....

 

I'm going to employ the same principle for my roll centring now, as well.

 

I'm really very pleased with my progress and can see me putting this whole shooting match back in the base next week, at this rate.

 

Woohoo!

 

 

Now, I'm off to do the next stage of my circumnavigation of Oz, Canberra to Launceston.

 

 

 

Until next time........

 

 

 

 

 

Frank

[flyguy737]

Frank I'm not very up to what tools to do what jobs can you tell me what you used to cut the aluminium? IE Dremel etc? If I know how you do it it is easier to understand. For us dummies

[tennyson]

I'm an old aircraft sheet metal worker, so the idea is, you draw a line, drill as many holes as needed and then cut the middle out with tin snips or similar.

 

After that, it's the files, finally finishing off, draw filing and rubbing down with some wet and dry.

 

There's no magic here, just a lot of blood sweat and tears....whoops, and elbow grease.

 

I do own a dremel and you could possibly do the same job there, but other than a CNC machine, I doubt you could achieve the result quicker than by an experienced filing hand.

 

Now, I'm off to my favourite shop, Bunnings, to buy some threaded rod and some bolts and nuts. Wanna finish off the centring unit this morning......

 

 

 

 

 

Frank

[tennyson]

All done. I have to say, tho, that I'm a little less than impressed.

 

It's all hooked up as per the instruction manual in my head, so it should be honky dory. But the whole thing, even highly tensioned, is still a little vague.

 

I even took it all apart and modified the design by putting a few more holes to increase the tension. This made putting it back together, on my own, a real joy!.......nobody ever said!

 

Anyway, I'm gonna sleep on it. I'll re-evaluate it in the morning and see if it passes muster.

 

Here's a few pics.

 

 

Almost finished:

 

 

 

And finished and tensioned up:

 

 

Lucky for me, all of these tensioned units are under the floor. I'd hate to be around if they start going off. To that end, I'm going to drill and split pin all of the big bolts, so they don't undo over time. 

 

Well, I will focus my attention on the roll centring device now and then I'm done.

 

 

Until next time.......

 

 

 

Frank

[tennyson]

I spent the best part of the day at the movies. I went and took some R&R.

 

There have been a few movies I been hanging out to see for a while and Elisyum was one of them, so I took myself off and saw it today.

 

I loved it, Matt Damon is one of my heroes. And I love futuristic sci-fi stuff as well.

 

So, I got home this arvo and thought I best get back to it.

 

I perused the frame and did some tidying up here and there. I haven't come up with a solution to my roll centring device yet, so I'm gonna keep thinking up solutions that I can incorporate after I've re-installed the frame in the floor.

 

That being said, the move was on.

 

I started by uninstalling the rudder pedals, cdu bay, throttle and side walls. Then I removed the MIP from the shell.

 

After that, I unscrewed the shell from the floor. Moving it off the base was tricky, on my own, but I've done it a few times now and have a method.

 

The shell will fit neatly on the floor along side the base, but only just.

 

I then took up the floor and marked out where the frame will fit.

 

My next problem is that the frame is all constructed and weighs the odd few kilo's. I need to get it into the sim room. Of course, I could pull it all apart and bring it in piece by piece, but where's the fun in that?

 

I suppose I could just make it easy on myself and remove the yokes. Then I'd be able to bring the frame in myself and re-mount the yokes when it's in the room.

 

Here's a few pics of everything pulled apart again:

 

 

And here's the empty shell sitting next to the base:

 

 

I'm thinking of adding a few cross beams before installing the frame in the floor, for added strength.

 

Slowly, slowly.........

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frank

[flyguy737]

hey still looking good Frank. mate if you need a hand at all I'm off work most thursdays and fridays all ya gotta do is ask I'd be happy to pop up to help but no worries if ya don't need mate

[tennyson]

Thanx for the offer, but my son is on his way up for the weekend.

It's about time he helped me out anyway....hahaha

He needs a few hours before taking up the FO's seat.

I've got a problem with one of the HTPC's at home here, so tomorrow I'll be building a new PC. That will keep me busy till Troy arrives.

Frank

[miloguy]

holy cow batman,a full shell!!! holy cow how much more can i say!!

[flyguy737]

no probs Frank just dont strain yourself lifting anything

[Iain Emms]

Looking great my friend.

cheers

Iain

[tennyson]

Yeah, well, the new PC is up and running and my darling daughter is over for a visit. I checked and she bought her muscles, so we are going to take the frame into the base now.

Hopefully, i'll have some pics later on.....

Frank

[woodduck]

Well Frank I could almost guarantee anyone that has been watching this masterpiece from the beginning and with thoughts that they want a clone, would most definetly have had a change of heart by now.

 

It's certainly not a project for the faint hearted, you have shown that you need a massive amount of both practical knowledge and the ability to apply that knowledge for an end result.

 

I certainly love coming here to this topic, you make it very interesting reading.

 

Remember xmas is coming !

[tennyson]

I know John.
But I did breath a sigh of relief this afternoon.

We managed to get the frame out of the garage and into the sim room and sit it on top of the base.

 

 

 

 

I was all anxious and ready to start hacking away and getting that baby in the base. Instead, I took a deep breath, took measurements a few times and then marked it and laid down the tools for the night.

 

I want to double check everything before the next move. I'd like the frame to just slip in the base without any mistakes.

 

And in the back of my head, I have a little dilemma being nutted out....If I put the yokes back on before I lay the floor back down, how will I get the shell back on the base, past the yokes?

 

Hmmmm, I think I'll have to come up with some creative reasoning there. I'll probably ask my wife, she seems to find a way of squeezing the car into tight places!

 

Anyway, I've punched the time clock for the week and I'm off for the weekend, so it's back on my head on Monday.

 

 

So, have a good weekend, guys.......

 

 

Frank

[flyingleaf]

No you Frank have a better weekend. We all know that you'll come up with the right answers. I'll have a large beer now in your honor.

[tennyson]

Ok, so the wifey went off to the gym this morning and I had a bit of time up the old sleeve before we go away, today, so I popped out to the shed for a while.

 

I finished my measuring (four times) and then cut the hole for the frame in the base: 

 

 

 

 

And then I laid the frame in the base to check the fit.

 

Like a glove is the saying....except, that I need to move the beam (pointed to in red) to the top (red dashed line) and fit another beam to add support on the rear (red dashed line).

 

 

After I've done that I can bolt it all in and get on with the rest of it.

 

So, now I'm really off and shall return on Monday........

 

 

 

 

Frank

[tennyson]

Well, I got stuck in today.

 

Got home about 10 o'clock and was down at Bunnings by 10.20am.

 

I bought the timber to finish off the base and got stuck in.

 

I cut and mounted 4 new castors on the supports and installed them.

 

From there I bolted up the frame to the base and secured it properly. it's now one, big unit.

 

 

 

Ive put the front 2 floor panels back down temporarily. When I was at Bunnings, I also bought small sheet of 1/8" aluminium that I will now make the yoke surrounds from.

 

When I've cut 4 of them out of the aluminium plate, I'll go back to the floor and mark them out for cutting.

 

So, that's basically where I'm up to. I started drilling out the aluminium, but it's gonna take a few hours of drilling and filing to get 4 panels the same.

 

 

I'd like to think that I could have the floor all finished and bolted down and ready to put the shell back on by weeks end.

 

Let's see how I go.......

 

 

 

Frank

[NZ255]

Still following, love reading all your updates!

[David TRIGGS]

Amazing ...... !!!

[Remko]

That frame looks so rigid now, you might as well put some motors on the whole thing and make it a motion simulator!

(No!!!! Don't give him any ideas!!!!) 

[tennyson]

I've now cut out two of the four yoke surrounds.

 

Here is one in the vice, being cut out: 

 

 

And here's the finished product:

 

 

So, I've put the yokes back on temporarily, and I'll now use the surrounds to finish the cut-outs on the flooring. Then I can bolt it back down and attach the surrounds.

 

 

I'm hoping to finish off the other two tomorrow and then cut the floor to size and have it all down permanently tomorrow, as well.

 

 

We'll see what eventuates.......

 

 

 

 

Frank

[Andrew 737]

Exciting stuff

[Wolf2grey]

Awesome job as always Frank..........Looks like it is getting closer.......

[Iain Emms]

Grand work indeed Frank.

cheers

Iain

[flyguy737]

top stuff frank how you keep coming up the ideas simply amazing

[mra]

Incredible stuff Frank. Do you ever fell that someone is looking over your shoulder while you work , well we are. Look forward to the next set of photos.

[miloguy]

just a question frank, do you have plans for heating, cooling for pilot and pc's in that set up??

wonder if it would get pretty hot in summer...

[tennyson]

I bought a reverse cycle air conditioner for the room, so I got it covered.

 

I'm not really one for freezing or cooking, I'd rather be comfortable when I fly.

 

Well, I've had another good, productive day. I started out putting the floor panels back down and making the cut-outs for the floor. I then trimmed them and filed to suit.

After that, I marked out my surrounds on the flooring and then made the rubber gaskets that go underneath the surrounds.

 

I'd bought a 1/2 meter length of black rubber from my favourite store, Bunnings, yesterday.

So, I punched the holes out of the gasket and after drilling, countersinking and painting the surrounds, I added them to the gasket and lined them up with the marks on the flooring.

I had to make sure that there was no restriction of travel and that the gasket sealed around the base.

 

Here's the finished article:

 

 

I'm really very pleased with the end result. I still need to buy 2 large hose clamps to go on the bottom of the yokes.

 

Then I cut out the remaining 2 surrounds, drilled and countersunk them and them threw a coat of paint on them. They will be ready for mounting tomorrow, after I get back from the Sunshine Coast.

 

Things are moving along now, I hope I can keep up the pace as I feel like I've really had some momentum over the last few weeks.

 

Anyway, tomorrow is another day......

 

 

 

 

Frank

[tennyson]

_{I know it's unforgiveable, but I've had a few days away from the sim.}

 

_{I gotta head off up the Sunshine Coast again this morning, but I'll be back this arvo and back into it. I'm going to try and pick up my floor covering today. It's a rubber backed checker plate.}

 

_{So, I should have a few pics for later on tonight.}

 

 

_{Until then.......}

 

 

_Frank

[tennyson]

It's been a really busy day.

 

I had to head up the coast again today, so while I was there I tried to pick up my grey checker plate floor covering from Bunnings on the Coast.

 

The problem was, they only had 4 metres and I wanted 6 metres.

So, I took the three metres and looked up another Bunnings on the Coast. There was another store at Caloundra, so I tried there, but they didn't have any either.

 

I headed back home, then decided to check the local store again to see if they'd got their roll in. They hadn't.

 

I then got a bit smart and rang around a few stores. Turns out that the Rothwell store had just got a whole roll in, so I planned a run over there tonight.

 

I then returned to the sim, finished off the second yoke surround and mounted them both in the floor. I marked them both and then removed them.

 

I then pulled the floor back up again to finalise under the floor.

 

The pitch tensioning was irking me, so I pulled it off again and decided to modify it once more, so as to make it a bit more sturdy and maybe more functional.

 

I took it with me to Rothwell and picked up my other 3 metre length of checker plate flooring. as well, I bought some sturdier mounts for the pitch spring assembly and also bought a few springs and stuff for my roll centre device (which I've now hatched in my head).

 

Bought it all home and plonked it in the garage, ready for the morning.

 

It's going to be a busy day, tomorrow. Hopefully, it will also be productive.

 

I didn't get any pics today, but I'll certainly get a few tomorrow.

 

 

Until then............

 

 

 

 

Frank

[tennyson]

It's been a productive day, once more.

 

I started off, removing the pitch centring device and changing the centre bolt for a length of threaded rod. This will allow me to tighten the rod right to the end for maximum tension. 

 

I also moved my sliders to the next hole to achieve maximum efficiency. Then I drilled and fitted the two new bigger and stronger brackets.

Instead of drilling and split pinning all my bolts, I've opted to locktite them instead.

 

It's a bonding solution made for threads that almost welds them together. It should well and truly do the trick!

 

I also managed to install the roll centring mechanism. It works just like a bought one, very functional.

 

All is installed now, next job is to finish off the wiring to the yokes and port them throo some conduit I bought yesterday and then throo the flooring.

I'll also check my continuity tomorrow and calibrate the pots.

I wouldn't want to get the floor down and have to rip it up again.

 

So, instead of a few pics, I've thrown a quick vid together to show off the centring devices. here it is, straight from my youtube channel:

 

 

Hope you enjoy,

 

 

 

 

Frank

[Iain Emms]

A grand days work indeed Frank, I did enjoy watching your day mate well done.

cheers

Iain

[Andrew 737]

It's been a productive day, once more.

 

I started off, removing the pitch centring device and changing the centre bolt for a length of threaded rod. This will allow me to tighten the rod right to the end for maximum tension. 

 

I also moved my sliders to the next hole to achieve maximum efficiency. Then I drilled and fitted the two new bigger and stronger brackets.

Instead of drilling and split pinning all my bolts, I've opted to locktite them instead.

 

It's a bonding solution made for threads that almost welds them together. It should well and truly do the trick!

 

I also managed to install the roll centring mechanism. It works just like a bought one, very functional.

 

All is installed now, next job is to finish off the wiring to the yokes and port them throo some conduit I bought yesterday and then throo the flooring.

I'll also check my continuity tomorrow and calibrate the pots.

I wouldn't want to get the floor down and have to rip it up again.

 

So, instead of a few pics, I've thrown a quick vid together to show off the centring devices. here it is, straight from my youtube channel:

 

 

Hope you enjoy,

 

 

 

 

Frank

Frank

Firstly let me publicly appreciate your tireless efforts; you are a very tenacious man and an inspiration - very much appreciated

Second, the openness (this thread and u tube videos) is surely a demonstration of the highest genuine integrity of a sincere Cockpitbuilder.

Thank you for paving the way for (me especially) us novice builders - written with all sincerity

Thank you

Andrew

[tuisong]

The video is a great idea Frank, thank you. It's amazing to see it all working. You deserve all the enjoyment that is coming your way. In fact I bet you have had a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction already.