Will,

Congratulations!

SO...... my current simpit plan sits on a 5' x 5' footprint.  If I can figure that out....you sure can.  With an extra 3' on one dimension.... that gives plenty of room for a projection monitor on a large screen.

Get the CAD program out  .

best,

...................john

PS:  Oh..... and schedule some extra shifts at the hospital for the cash to do it.  

Thanks for the heads up John.  Unfortunately I have no budget whatsoever at the moment.  Oh well....

That's where the layers of plasterboard/dry wall and PVC (ooh err) will come in handy.  If I need too I will get a de-humidifier.  That isn't something that I had considered too carefully though.

Will

Will,

Ozzy has a good point there on the possible moisture issues.  If you install a small electric heater to keep it slightly warm in the cooler months... that might help with the moisture.  And the de-humidifier is likely a good idea too.

Sorry about the budget issues.  Those sets of various Cessna panels right now are a real steal for someone planning a GA simpit.

But if they are there now........ likely similar items will turn up at similar prices in the future.  Or you can just do what I am doing and make them out of 1/4" MDF.  More time....less money. 

best,

...................john

Will,

Hummmmmmm,  good point.

So likely the garden shed has at least one window.  When the shed is new and unfilled with stuff..... take a couple of rakes and shovels and hoes and lean them against the wall opposite the window.

Through the window.... take a picture of the far wall with the stuff stacked up there.  Then make a blow up of that photo the size of the window.  Paste the photo directly inside the glass of the window before you put some wood over it from behind to black it out anyway.

At a quick glance.... it'll look like a somewhat empty garden shed  

Seriously... install an alarm system on the building with a whopping big alarm horn on the outside.  Make sure that all the visual access into the building is blacked out.  And don't tell too many people what is in there.


If you look a the pictures of my simpit in the other threads.... you'll find that the 1/4" mdf board does a pretty good job of simulating metal panels.  It cuts really easily with a hole saw or a jig saw.  Sanding the edges to round them off is a snap.  A little Airbus grey or Boeing brown paint.... and away you go.

The main problem with the mdf that I have found is the sawdust is a real pain in the butt.  It is very light and goes everywhere.  You don't want to breathe much of that crap either...... nasty.  And it is not really strong in a thin section if it gets laterally bent.  Easy to break a fine cut.

best,

.................john

Ozzy,

I'm totally confused.

Maybe medium density fiberboard is something different over in the UK.  Here it is the finest grained stuff imaginable.  How one could get a splinter is totally beyond me.  Maybe you are thinking of particleboard or chipboard?  ???

I used chipboard for what will be the sub-floor that will be under carpet and panel supports.  Cheap, and good enough for "underlayment" for houses.  THAT I wouildn't use for anything else  .

The mdf here almost resembles masonite in its structure.....  (lot of glue... a little wood dust  )...... but is harder and more rigid.  See the cockpit construction threads that I posted for pix.

Another good possibility for the panel facings would be 1/4" luan plywood.  But THAT I think would be a good candidate for splinters.

best,

................john

I like the Photo' plan John.  Sounds cunning

As for CAD design I am using the OSOPAAHBP system at the moment.  It works for me. (Odd Scraps Of Paper And A Half Blunt Pencil).

The current plan invoves the use of three PC's

1: Master system running FS
2: Slave 1 running guages on glass cockpit. I would love to have the servo run guages but the price is out of my league.
3: Slave 2 running floor wobble system.

I was at Duxford a while back and had a go in a simulator that they have there.  It rocks throughout a range of about 20 degrees and fools you completely.  I should be able to acheive a 10-15 degree tilt at the point I will be sitting at.

Will