ABC Mark I cockpit...sweet!

[Sabre]

Still a few finishing touches, but it came together rather nicely.  Cutting the plywood took a couple of hours, sanding a couple more.  Painting took longer than it might have, but I wanted to go with a two-tone color scheme.  I've still got to add a few cosmetic extras, like a sharks mouth on the front, exhaust stacks, and pilot and crew chief names on the side.  I highly recommend this cockpit.  It's comfortable and easy to build.  And it looks really cool sitting in the rec-room:D.  Download the plans here:

http://www.62ndfightingfalcons.asn.au/62ndff/projects/projects.htm

Oh, here's the picture...

[Sabre]

...I'm soooo happy!

[Revvin]

Nice job Sabre

[hawk220]

looks groovin!

where's the cup holder ?

[Revvin]

I think that's the beauty in the design, plenty of space for cups and snacks along the sides of the seat

[straffo]

enougth place for a micro-wave and a little fridge ?

[Zigrat]

i actually mad ethis cockpit before but i had to give it away when i moved (was traveling by train)

its pretty nice though i prefer center mounted joysticks so i made a spot to mount in centrally.

[muckmaw]

Would any of you handymen consider building one of these for a price?

What would you be asking?

I'm thinking of building one myself, but consider I F***** up a birdhouse (It was condemned) I'm wondering if I have the talent.

So what's to going rate on one of these jobs?

(I don't need 2 tone paint, sharks teeth, etc..my wife thinks I'm a freak as it is)

[funkedup]

Sabre are you bringing this to the Con?  I want to build one but I am a big SOB and would like to see if I can wedge my bellybutton into that thing, or if my knees end up touching my chest.  

BTW What is the seat made out of?  Foam or something?

[funkedup]

Zig how did you do the center spot?  If I build one I will need to make a place for a center stick as well as a steering wheel.  

[SunKing]

Good work, I'm having one built right now by a woodworker friend of a friend, didn't want to drop that cash and mess it up myself. hopefully I will be able to bring it the Con if they give me the nod. Mine will have a cup holder coming out of the front above the throttle instead of on the sides. (I'm left handed and  have no needs for the touch pads) Looks to easy to knock things over with your elbows if the drink holder in front of the sticks on the sides. What kinda of store did you get the foam from?

[muckmaw]

You can probably get the foam at any place that does reupolstering, etc.

Or if your me, (Cheap) look around and see if you can cannibalize the cushions from a seat someone is tossing.

Plenty of good trash to be found in my neighborhood.

[Dnil]

Dnil

[Starbird]

Planning on having one cut here at work on the CNC. Drawing it up at home. Finally found a perk for working at a cabinet company.

Planning on getting a keypad or 2 for the sides that I can program the buttons with keystrokes (I have one at work for autocad macros, works great).

Also looking at making a shelf in the center that I can mount my laptop to. I can have maps, orders, whatever going the same time I fly. Could also use it as a moving map or whatnot in other sims.

[Sabre]

Funked, yes I'll be bringing it to the Con.  As for the size of your emphenage, that's not a problem.  This one is built to the standard size, but it's amazingly easy to scale the width of it accomodate a WIDE LOAD .  The nice thing is, all vertical pieces remain the same size, regardless of how wide you build it.  So if I ever expand my, ehem, posterior footprint, I only have to replace about 30% of it.

The cushion is simple foam rubber, such as is used in couch cushions.  I purhased it at a chain craft store called "Hobby Lobby", along with the material to cover it with (not shown).  Total cost  not counting the new tool I bought (remember: no project's worth doing unless you get a new tool out of the deal...especially if your wife requests the project) was around $70-$80 US.

Muckmaw: So long as you have the proper tools, I'd recommend you give it a go yourself.  Measuring, cutting, and a small amount of drilling is all that's involved.  I used a jigsaw and a power drill for most all that, and an ocillating sander for the finish.  If you can find a good price on plywood that's pre-sanded on both sides, use that.