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Building a 3DoF DIY motion Sim in a 3rd world country. (this is going to be a mission).

Discussion in 'DIY Motion Simulator Projects' started by Chosa4, Apr 25, 2015.

  1. Chosa4

    Chosa4 Chosa4

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino
    Hi everyone. Firstly thanks to every member of this forum for sharing. It has helped me get the courage to build and not to buy.

    I have been wrestling with the idea of adding motion to my Playseat Evolution rig for about two years but could never justify the price of the commercial options available. Living in a third world country (Zambia) means just about everything you import costs you 3 times as much by the time it's in your hands with high import taxes n all.

    Anyway, I recently stumbled on this forum after I decided to have another look at my options. After three days of non stop reading of various posts I came to the decision of going the Arduino/MM path (sorry @bsft I know you strongly preach JRKs and I love your sim and how helpful you are to everyone here. I salute you). I am going for the Arduino route because my wife wants to build some other smaller Ard based projects n play around with the coding, I can't write a single piece of code to save my life.

    So yesterday I ordered an Arduino UNO, Moto Monster, 2 Arduino nanos and a TM1638 for my rev/speeo/shifter dash. Fortunately I have two old Dell servers lying around that I will pull two 600PB PSUs from. I am yet to source the pots locally.

    Yesterday I spent a good part of 3 hours walking from store to store in my city looking for 12v DC motors and to my surprise I could not find anyone that stocked any. How hard is it to find one or 3? Even used ones? I was so shocked. Then I looked around for used truck wiper motors and I could only find one guy that had only one in stock. At least he promised to call me when he gets more stock.
    So I proceeded to hunt for winches, and just as well, only one store had them and they had the 9,000lb ones only. But the cost was waaaaaaaaaay out of my budget for my entire project. They cost about 1,350 US$ equivalent for one.

    So now here is my dilemma. DC motors with worm drives from eBay (I found a seller with Parvalux 24-12v dc 50:1 worm gear motors for 45 £pounds), or new truck wiper motors from a local dealer? At this point the price is relatively comparable. Which motor would you advise for a shoulder mount platform mover rig? It will be a combination of @RacingMat frame type rig with the addition of @Pit 3dof traction loss platform. (I intend to mount my entire Playseat evo rig onto a steel frame platform that sits on a uni joint and that will in turn sit on a sliding platform that will react to the traction loss motor at the rear with a pivot at the front.)

    I will draw up a schematic of the intended design but it will be pretty basic.

    I will definitely need a lot of help with Simtools config and the Ard coding and config once they are in and plugins for Richard Burns rally which I have been playing for two years now.

    Thanks for the motivating posts and for sharing.
    • Like Like x 5
  2. bsft

    bsft

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    yep, draw up a pic.
    with motors, the faster spinning the better. Wipers usually 50-60 rpm, while the 50:1 motors probably about 80-100 rpm at shaft, and they would be stronger.
    • Informative Informative x 1
  3. RacingMat

    RacingMat Well-Known Member Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, DC motor, Arduino
    hello Chosa4!

    good project :)
    your wife is wonderful!!

    prefer metal gears motors if possible
    • Like Like x 1
  4. Chosa4

    Chosa4 Chosa4

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    Occupation:
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    Lusaka, Zambia
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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino
    As promised, here my Sketchup attempts. downloaded some of the parts as I only started using this program yesterday.

    back.jpg ISO back.jpg side.jpg top.jpg back.jpg ISO back.jpg side.jpg

    This is what my current rig looks like.

    IMG_2536 copy.jpg
    • Like Like x 6
    • Creative Creative x 2
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2015
  5. bsft

    bsft

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    looks like a plan!
    • Agree Agree x 1
  6. Chosa4

    Chosa4 Chosa4

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino
    So after one week of waiting I called my UK forwarding courier asking when I will be getting delivery of my Arduino and MM and they say that I should expect to wait another two weeks.
    So now I have to learn to be patient while they deliver my stuff.

    I will now work on re-designing the frame and see where I can make it smaller as I have decided to move my rig from my studio/office back to my home office (which I will be sharing with my wife) so I won't be able to take up so much space.
    It also looks like I will have to start with a 2Dof sim in the mean time to minimize space and budget and also because I am only receiving 1 MM to start with.
    That being said, I will hunt for wiper motors this week and begin making the frame.
  7. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, JRK
    Frustrating but your modified approach is sensible @Chosa4.
  8. speedy

    speedy Well-Known Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, AC motor, Arduino, Motion platform
    keep up the good work :thumbs...
    Last edited: Jul 27, 2016
  9. Chosa4

    Chosa4 Chosa4

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino
    So after that frustrating phone conversation with my courier, today I miraculously got a delivery notice, and two packages arrived. My Funduinos, TML 1638 and 1 MM, but they have not delivered my Arduino Nano. So all I can start on for now is my Shift Light and Geaar indicator Dash.
    I will be checking on you guys in a few minutes if I can retrace that tutorial with the wiring and code for this little funduino (I actually ordered the Arduino Nano but the guy delivered funduino). I am about to give that guy a bad review if he doesn't explain himself properly.
  10. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, JRK
  11. Chosa4

    Chosa4 Chosa4

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino
    Thanks @noorbeast but bad luck just struck. I opened the packages and realised I have been sent the wrong item. The ebay seller sent me "Funduino Xbee Usb Adaptor" instead of Arduino Nano.
    CK-1059-xbee-usb-explorer_00_LRG.jpg
    CK-1059-xbee-usb-explorer_00_LRG.jpg
    The annoying thing is that even if the seller says I return the Items, it will cost me double the purchase price since I had it forwarded to me from the UK and sending it back will cost me more. So the only solution is to get him to send me the correct items or I give him a bad review then buy the correct ones from somewhere else since my situation means any action will cost me for the forwarding service.

    So more waiting continues on my quest to improve my sim experience. The mission gets even harder.
    I hope i receive the Arduino Uno from the other seller and i hope it will be correct then I can try with wiper motors which I intend to buy next week when I am back from my photography assignments.

    In the mean time I will keep an eye out for new developments with other peoples' sims for more inspiration.
  12. speedy

    speedy Well-Known Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, AC motor, Arduino, Motion platform
    Hi my friend @Chosa4 please excuse my English ... I'd like you to search more in Zambia there should be any Radio shack or anything like that around you ... then I guess @FarmBoy is from South Africa as he may help ... there is a lot of sellers out there ... and all countries surrounding you ...
    Good Luck ...:thumbs
    Last edited: Jul 27, 2016
  13. Archie

    Archie Eternal tinkerer

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    @Chosa4 - I have a spare Arduino NANO's (the Chinese fake version) kicking around (and they are tiny).

    I'd be happy to pop one in a padded bag and send to you if you PM me your address?
    Not sure how long it will take to get to Zambia, but it's an option for you.

    IMG_5749.JPG
    • Friendly Friendly x 3
    • Winner Winner x 2
  14. Chosa4

    Chosa4 Chosa4

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino
    Hi @Archie , thanks for the offer. I contacted the seller and he has offered to re-send the correct items. In the meantime I think my other Arduino Uno should be delivered next week.
    Stuff usually takes minimum 10 days do be delivered.
    I will definitely call on you if my items take longer than they are supposed to.
  15. Archie

    Archie Eternal tinkerer

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    @Chosa4 - No worries. Let me know how you get on.
    • Friendly Friendly x 1
  16. Chosa4

    Chosa4 Chosa4

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino
    UPDATE:
    1. MY Arduino Uno finally arrived (late) but fortunately it is the official version so now I can start fiddling with some code.
    2. The ebay seller who sold me the wrong Nano's finally agreed to send me the correct items and shipped them two days ago so i should be recieving those in a week or two together with a set of MotoMonsters.

    In the meantime I am going to try and learn to make a DIY Dash with the Arduino Uno and TM1638 so I will be hitting some of you guys up with some Richard Burns Rally specific setup help for GameDash as my attempts at using what is already in the forum has only led me to a lot of failures and frustrations.
    • Like Like x 1
  17. dmk90

    dmk90 New Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Very interested in this, will be following closely.

    I like your plans, looks similar to something I'm looking at building.
  18. Quertreiber

    Quertreiber New Member

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    Would be nice if this will be posted in this thread, too. I think my Avatar says enough :)
  19. Chosa4

    Chosa4 Chosa4

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    Occupation:
    Photographer
    Location:
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    Balance:
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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino
    UPTADE 2:

    I finally managed to scavenge the scrap yards for a Drive Shaft U-joint for the equivalent of $6 from scrap metal dealers that were ripping apart a car. (couldn't even tell what car it was after what they had done to it with just an axe).

    In my quest to start small in the testing phase, I have been looking around for truck wiper motors in garages and scrapyards, to my surprise, THEY HAVE ALL SOLD THEM ALREADY!!!!!! What are the odds?
    Turns out car wiper motors are in high demand around here as they are used to make Popcorn Machines. So every garage I walked into asking for used wiper motors, I was met with the question "Are you going to build a popcorn machine?".
    Well some guy asked me to come back at the close of business when "the other guy" is around. Sounded fishy. Will see about going there. Another one just upfront told me that selling me wiper motors from their stock of rundown VW Golfs is a waste so I would have to pay pretty much the price an auto shop would sell me the new ones. I walked away with my head hung low and drove off to the scrap dealers, no luck there on wiper motors.

    I can't seem to find those Worm Gear motors that everyone seems to be using on UK ebay (which is my preferred online avenue due a forwarding service that makes it affordable to import certain goods from the UK to Zambia).

    Got some very questionable pots and some toy dc motors to make my first small model scale test.
    Arrived home and there was a power outage. (Story of my life, 3rd world country problems) lol.

    More to come when power is back.
    Last edited: Jun 3, 2015
  20. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, JRK
    There are a number of members trying to find alternate motor suppliers in Europe, particularly as the UK seller of the big worm gear motors no longer has them.
    • Like Like x 1
    • Optimistic Optimistic x 1