Home Cockpit - Planning and Questions

[asboyd]

I am 3d printing mine based on some (amateur) sculpting and web sites. Then I can make silicon moulds to make resin knobs...the hard part is getting the grub screw and collets, but that will happen....

Cheers,

[emerydc8]

The more I hear about 3D printers the more I'm thinking I need one.

[Britjet]

The fuselage is called Corex over here. It's the plastic corrugated sheeting (in my case 5ml thick) which is used to make signs.
Peter

[KaiTak]

Hi Peter and Alex,
Yes, Open Cockpits do have some 747 panels, however, as far as I could see, no main panel which is the first piece I want. Moreover, I think the glarewings are difficult to produce, unless one has a 1:1 drawing or CAD file (I thought of 3d-printing these, but I think the process is too awkward). I came to the conclusion that only FlightdeckSolutions offers both MIP and glarewings, though rather high priced. Before I spend months trying to figure out how to make decent glarewings I think I have to buy at FDS, although the have a lead time of 12 - 16 weeks.

The websites of guys having made 747 sims are either from scratch (taking years to complete) or from FDS, I think.

Going 737 would be much easier, but I love the 747-400 as queen of the skies... Moreover, I think PSX has even more features than ProSim737.

Regards,
Klaus

[emerydc8]

The fuselage is called Corex over here. It's the plastic corrugated sheeting (in my case 5ml thick) which is used to make signs.
Peter

Thanks, Peter. I'll check it out.
Jon D.

[Ivo de Colfmaker]

Hi Peter,
Just to make sure, the overhead monitor and the pedestal monitor are also 27 " ?
It looks like the overhead is  bigger, but maybe it is just an optical illusion?
And all is driven from one pc? That is a very strong machine then.
Ivo

[the mad hatter]

deleted ... comments already coverec

[asboyd]

If you have access to a 3d printer you can find a lot of downloadable files to allow you to print the 747 knobs. I would print one, then cast the others in resin with collets built in. I make a collet using a brass tube (available from model train stores and simply drill and tap a grub screw hole. Before making the mould I insert a screw and make the mould with the screw extending out into the silicone. Then when I cast I can sit the "collet and screw" in place and pour resin around it...Voila a knob with brass collet the correct shape and size for the pot shaft....

You can either colour the resin or as I have just found reading PCPilot, paint the knobs with a hard wearing paint after casting.

Hope this helps...
Alex B

[Britjet]

Ivo - the pedestal monitor is a 24, and the overhead is a 27.
The PC that runs it all is a pretty standard PC - pre Skylake - but it has a GTX 770 and a GTX 970 to allow for all the screens.
It works just fine at maximum fps with PSX..

Peter.

[Ivo de Colfmaker]

Hi Peter,
Thanks, 24" for the monitor that displays the lower EICAS and CDU's
27" for the monitor that displays the radio stack?
Just to make sure
Ivo

[Mark]

Then when I cast I can sit the "collet and screw" in place and pour resin around it...Voila a knob with brass collet the correct shape and size for the pot shaft....

Even easier perhaps... just cast this into your knob:
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/collars/1223448/

Edit - 6mm potentiometer shafts are far more common:
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/collars/1223449/

[asboyd]

Hi Mark,
Did not find these when I was searching around... Have  ordered some locally in OZ to see if they work better.
With my option I can have full length collars if needed on shafts that get a lot of work (heading encoder, alt encoder, etc)

Cheers,
AlexB

[emerydc8]

If you have access to a 3d printer you can find a lot of downloadable files to allow you to print the 747 knobs. I would print one, then cast the others in resin with collets built in. I make a collet using a brass tube (available from model train stores and simply drill and tap a grub screw hole. Before making the mould I insert a screw and make the mould with the screw extending out into the silicone. Then when I cast I can sit the "collet and screw" in place and pour resin around it...Voila a knob with brass collet the correct shape and size for the pot shaft....

You can either colour the resin or as I have just found reading PCPilot, paint the knobs with a hard wearing paint after casting.

Hope this helps...
Alex B

Thanks for the followup, Alex. I don't have access to a 3d printer, but they sure are intriguing. Maybe they will be a household item someday.

Jon

[SwissCharles]

Hi Jon

Not having a 3D printer myself I am using a 3DHub in my neighborhood to print the stuff I construct using 123D Design (http://www.123dapp.com/design) which is free of charge and not difficult to grasp since it is wysiwyg... 

Here are (some  )hubs in Tucson: https://www.3dhubs.com/3dprint#?place=Tucson,%20AZ,%20USA&latitude=32.2217429&longitude=-110.92647899999997&shipsToCountry=US&shipsToState=AZ

The cost (depending somewhat on complexity and material used) seems fair to me...

Just my 2 cts + tax ...

HTH

[Britjet]

Ivo,

Yes the pedestal is a 27" in portrait mode.
Peter.

[the mad hatter]

3d printing is all fine and dandy.. and with anything sim build related there are buts howevers and do-overs..this is a post related ro however and do overs.. maybe things have changed with printers and materials use by said printer... firstly 3d printing was designed to compliment rapid prototypying and as such  is used to test for function etc prior to manufacturing.... 2ndly the materials being used when i used it  some 3 years became brittle over time and developed  some sort of funky film surface .( i used an objec printet).. In short i ended up replacing many small items i had printed... but... its great say for knobs etc as you could use as a master pattern for replication in cold cure resins etc.. I personslly use it for giving an item to a machine shop so they can more accutately quote what i need cncd ..and for the finish on knobs its plastic coating

[Mark]

I have a home 3D printer that I use for my iterative design process. Once I've reached a final design, I sometimes get my preferred supplier to professionally 3D print the final design:
https://www.3dprint-uk.co.uk/

This is a considerably higher quality process than home 3D printing, the final object is a perfectly homogeneous lump of Nylon (very strong, not brittle and easily post-machined with drills & thread tapping tools, etc). They also offer a free polishing service, so the final item has a 100 grit type matt finish. This soaks up primer paint nicely for a final coat of Boeing beige/brown & possibly clear coat.

For those considering getting a home 3D printer... consider trying to find a local SLS nylon printing bureau, more information on the SLS Nylon process is here:
https://www.3dprint-uk.co.uk/machines-maximums-and-minimums/

Note: SLS nylon printing prices are extremely varied, my preferred supplier is the cheapest in the UK by far at 10p per cm3. It also helps that they offer an instant price quoting service through their website. To give an idea of how that price translates - the Packs control knob on the overhead costs about £1.33 to 3D print.

[the mad hatter]

great post thanks Mark i used redeye here on states pleasing  to know things have changed

[Mark]

great post thanks Mark i used redeye here on states pleasing  to know things have changed

I would have thought that with all real parts in your sim, you wouldn't be 3d printing much? Unless it's for support/non-visible parts?

[the mad hatter]

I use RTP for mock up got retro fitting much like what you did for TQ motor