Scrap-Build: Engineering the Flight-Rig - Part One

Hello STEM fans, yet again, my caring duties have kept me quiet, but not for long, I want to introduce the Allotted Introvert. That's me, by the way. With my hands on an allotment, I want to build and discover.

My Core-Rig!

As a keen 'virtual-aviator', I wanted to create a rig that would allow me fly with a stick that sits in the correct position, but also allows for it in VR. Having the Saitek X45 in a proper location will make the immersion into VR a lot better and not apply that confusion when we have to reach for the mouse  without our real-world sight. If you haven't tried this, I suggest you go into a headset and see how your orientation gets confused!)

Bits and Bobs!

The Build:
Taking the initiative of attaching the shaft beneath my office chair, I set about pulling an old bicycle maintenance stand, apart. The clamp would attach, I could then use my appalling welding skills to attach additional bits. The parts I used, were:

An assortment of parts...

• Upper section, and clamp, from a maintenance stand
• The top-pole and plating from a crafter's side-table
• The swing-bracket-plate from a satellite dish

Tools:

• Small arc-welder
• Matt-Black Spray-Paint
• Allen-Key
• Clamps

Fixed on and ready to weld...

To begin with, I placed the top sections together and clamped it to a parasol-pole, this worked great. I then welded the satellite bracket to the left-end of the horizontal pole. and added the upright table-post. (This is where my welding really shows its poor grace!)

Swing-Bracket...

Bringing it together, I drilled the new holes to offset the plate and sprayed it all up. It looks fine now, and at this point, I am ready to attach the flight-stick and throttle to it. I will post the look of this asap, and show it working on a vlog-post.

Check-out Part Two, to see how I have changed it, further, and get a better shot of the end-result.

Be happy, get building!

Gavyn, @beingSTEM