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Randy's Q&As

Discussion in 'DIY Motion Simulator Building Q&A / FAQ' started by Randy, Jun 10, 2021.

  1. Randy

    Randy Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2021
    Messages:
    56
    Occupation:
    Re-tired
    Location:
    Glendale,AZ
    Balance:
    449Coins
    Ratings:
    +12 / 0 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    6DOF
    Hello all. I'm new to all of this. I'm 70+ now and started looking into Sim systems to take the place of my on track time. (less cost,LOL ) Think I was making the kid's feel funny on the track ? So I found this place

    I have building experience with Road Race,Rally,and Offshore Boats. So fabing things should not be a big problem . I even got a 3D printer this week to maybe help with thing although I need to learn how to use it.

    Where is the best place to post questions on getting started ? In-general buy the first rig ? Or just jump in ?

    Thanks for the input and HELLO all.

    Randy
    • Like Like x 1
  2. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2014
    Messages:
    20,461
    Occupation:
    Innovative tech specialist for NGOs
    Location:
    St Helens, Tasmania, Australia
    Balance:
    144,596Coins
    Ratings:
    +10,741 / 52 / -2
    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, JRK
    Welcome @Randy.

    Sounds like you have a good background for building a motion rig.

    You will find plenty of helpful information in the FAQs, in particular check out the SimTools, fundamentals of motion and the design sections: http://www.xsimulator.net/community/faq/

    You can go through existing member projects for specific ideas or inspiration: http://www.xsimulator.net/community/forums/diy-motion-simulator-projects.22/

    Or search for specific types of projects using the Google Custom Search function on the Recent page: https://www.xsimulator.net/community/find-new/posts?recent=1

    If something sounds odd then look it up in the glossary: http://www.xsimulator.net/community/faq/glossary-of-acronyms-and-names.66/

    When you are ready please start your own project thread here, ask any questions you have there and detail your project progress: http://www.xsimulator.net/community/forums/diy-motion-simulator-projects.22/

    Good luck with your project.
    • Like Like x 1
    Last edited: Jun 10, 2021
  3. Randy

    Randy Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2021
    Messages:
    56
    Occupation:
    Re-tired
    Location:
    Glendale,AZ
    Balance:
    449Coins
    Ratings:
    +12 / 0 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    6DOF
    Thanks,new yes, but I'm a old guy in age but new to Sim racing.
  4. Kenshiro27

    Kenshiro27 Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2021
    Messages:
    161
    Balance:
    15Coins
    Ratings:
    +61 / 1 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, Arduino
    Hello, welcome
    A 3D printer will help you make useful parts to capture the rotation of the motors or later make cool options like the dashboard and others. A simracing will never be worth a real lap but it's still really fun. Good luck and good luck for your project
    • Like Like x 1
  5. Randy

    Randy Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2021
    Messages:
    56
    Occupation:
    Re-tired
    Location:
    Glendale,AZ
    Balance:
    449Coins
    Ratings:
    +12 / 0 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    6DOF
    Is their a place with starting plans ? To help with getting a idea for a build ? Been looking around in projects.
  6. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2014
    Messages:
    20,461
    Occupation:
    Innovative tech specialist for NGOs
    Location:
    St Helens, Tasmania, Australia
    Balance:
    144,596Coins
    Ratings:
    +10,741 / 52 / -2
    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, JRK
    Being DIY what you tend to get is a build overview, rather than plans, this is about as close as you will likely get for basic builds, and even so it is a bit dated: https://www.xsimulator.net/community/faq/sim-building-tutorials.48/
    • Like Like x 1
  7. Kenshiro27

    Kenshiro27 Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2021
    Messages:
    161
    Balance:
    15Coins
    Ratings:
    +61 / 1 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, Arduino
    In addition it depends on what you want to achieve, comfort, aesthetics and performance.
    The price and your equipment for the realization
    • Like Like x 1
  8. RandyT

    RandyT Enginerd

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2021
    Messages:
    7
    Balance:
    62Coins
    Ratings:
    +3 / 0 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF
    The first step is to get out your wallet and be very patient :). DIY can be done at half or less of the least expensive, comparable turnkey solutions, but doing things well can still add up in cost. Regardless of costs, this will take time...possibly more than you could ever anticipate. There are sometimes very long lead times on parts, especially when trying to save money. It took me over 3 months to design and build my own custom actuators, with a fair amount of that time waiting for something to arrive.

    If your background is building and seat-of-the-pants engineering, I would say to jump right in. But that means identifying first what you want to achieve with your build, and doing some pre-planning for how to get there.

    After that, some sort of solid modeling software can be a massive advantage in eliminating, or at least greatly reducing false starts. This will save both time and money, and it will also make your 3D printer much more useful in the long run.

    But if you are looking for the quickest solution with as little learning possible, look into buying kits or at least plans for whatever parts of the build you need. This route isn't quite as DIY as designing everything yourself, but it can leverage your existing skillsets and still be a rewarding and cost-saving approach.
    • Like Like x 1
  9. Thanos

    Thanos Building the Future one AC Servo at a time... or 6

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2017
    Messages:
    1,347
    Occupation:
    Electronics Engineer
    Location:
    United States
    Balance:
    2,692Coins
    Ratings:
    +1,043 / 9 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    AC motor, Motion platform, 4DOF, 6DOF
    • Like Like x 1
    Last edited: Jun 15, 2021
  10. Randy

    Randy Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2021
    Messages:
    56
    Occupation:
    Re-tired
    Location:
    Glendale,AZ
    Balance:
    449Coins
    Ratings:
    +12 / 0 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    6DOF
    That's quite the rig !
    • Agree Agree x 1