Help with a cheap build

**eitai2001** · 05-25-2009, 08:29 AM

Hi Guys.

I would like to build an eventual cockpit, but am not sure how to go about it or where to start.
I am a student, so do not have the cashflow to buy all these fancy items (even a yoke or pedals is too expensive) ... so I was hoping maybe someone could give me some assistance on what I could do to convert a joystick's mechanism into a yoke and pedals ... I can use 2 joysticks ... I can get cheap logitechs ... and I can build the rest of the yokes and pedals out of wood.

The easiest think to make will be the rudder pedals ... I will use a joystick with a rudder. The second easiest is the pitch movement ... but I'm not quite sure how I would get the roll movement ... because I would have to convert a wheel to the movement of a joystick.

Any ideas?

In future I will get a 15" LCD to use as a glass cockpit panel ... I have a 23" wide screen LCD that is currently sufficient for the view.

Regards

Itai

**jdoon5261** · 05-25-2009, 03:35 PM

By the time you buy all the "stuff" for a yoke and pedal build you can buy a used setup. A Saitek yoke,throttle,and pedals can be found for around $150 total.
John

**eitai2001** · 05-25-2009, 03:45 PM

Its easier said than done here in South Africa ... to try find a second hand version is difficult ... and those are expensive too ... I know of one second hand Saitek rudder set going for roughly $170 ... and its just too much for me ... Wood is cheap. And in any case ... its more satisfying to build your own in the end ... even if it isn't realistic.

**thindog** · 05-31-2009, 07:17 AM

I know what you mean Eitai2001, it seems any hardware in this country is expensive, Im trying to find a reasonably priced yoke, joystick, hell anything, but even the adapter plug for an old joystick to work on a USB port is over a hundred bux. If you find any cheap kit, let me know, what you dont take I probably will, Ill do the same for you. I have seen some freeware regarding building rudder peddals Ill try to find out more and get back to you. Eish flying a keybourd sucks man.

**thindog** · 05-31-2009, 07:57 AM

Hey dude, we both been sleeping go to search in that blue bar just below the page header (its the button next to pilot shop) click on file library search, and enter Rudder pedal and go through the avilable files you will find:

FS2004 tutorial A poor mans foot pedals
FS2002 Homemade rudder pedals and toe brakes
Plans for a flightsim rudder pedals
Rudeder pedal How to build your own
Flightsim utilities Rudder pedal construction

The choice is yours, then go back and search for yoke and you will find these:

Mouse as yoke guage*
FS2002 moving yoke guage*
How to build your own cockpit controls
How to make your own flight yoke*

* Ive downloaded these files will give you feedback on what I find, Its all there and its free. As you are in South Africa try using MTN as a GSM modem on your cell phone. I am using an old broken cell phone as my modem and it costs me about R10;00 a week and if you look through the forums you will see how much time I have spent for my ten bucks, Im not plugging MTN its just that such value for money is worth talking about. Hope this helps you.

**eitai2001** · 05-31-2009, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by thindog

Hey dude, we both been sleeping go to search in that blue bar just below the page header (its the button next to pilot shop) click on file library search, and enter Rudder pedal and go through the avilable files you will find:

FS2004 tutorial A poor mans foot pedals
FS2002 Homemade rudder pedals and toe brakes
Plans for a flightsim rudder pedals
Rudeder pedal How to build your own
Flightsim utilities Rudder pedal construction

The choice is yours, then go back and search for yoke and you will find these:

Mouse as yoke guage*
FS2002 moving yoke guage*
How to build your own cockpit controls
How to make your own flight yoke*

* Ive downloaded these files will give you feedback on what I find, Its all there and its free. As you are in South Africa try using MTN as a GSM modem on your cell phone. I am using an old broken cell phone as my modem and it costs me about R10;00 a week and if you look through the forums you will see how much time I have spent for my ten bucks, Im not plugging MTN its just that such value for money is worth talking about. Hope this helps you.

Howzit.

I never thought to search just rudder pedals ... I used complex search terms and thats probably why I didn't find anything decent.

I have uncapped ADSL, so browsing is not a problem for me ... I just don't have much time at the moment with exams coming up and work.

I currently use a Logitech 3D or what ever it is called as a Joystick. I also have an older Logitech Force Feedback joystick, but I hate the force feedback ... far from realistic for flying, so I am planning to break it up and turn it into a yoke and rudder pedals.

Thanks for your help though ... I will do the same if I find something decent and doable.

Regards

Itai

**eitai2001** · 05-31-2009, 06:01 PM

By the way, take a look here: http://www.mycockpit.org/forums/show...52&postcount=7

This guy gave me a PDF file of a dual control system he made from an old joystick. (I apologise if I am breaking any rules posting this here)

**thindog** · 06-01-2009, 03:41 PM

Im busy trying to get stuff together to build my own full cockpit, only problem is extream shoestring budget, I wouldnt post pictures of it because it will probably not even come close to any of the systems ive seen in these forums. my system is so outdated, it has a quickshot stick mated to a pentium 2 but what can I say... you do what you can with what you got. if you got any old stuff to flog let me know my web address is rorythomson@ymail.com