Project ; Desktop rig !!

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by Schweetz, Mar 19, 2017.

  1. Schweetz

    Schweetz Well-Known Member

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    Because I don't have that much space in my house anymore, I moved from a tiny space with an Omega GT rig to a more spacious setup behind my desk.. And this desk isn't spacious at all.. my next office setup will fill the whole corner between our stairs and the kitchen walls. At the end of 2016 I bought myself a G29 and later a G25 shifter.. Now it's time to make my racing corner in the living(kitchen) room.. :D:cool:

    Now, my rig this moment is a desk made from Ikea plywood, more likely a desk for a teenagers bedroom than a serious desk :D My steering wheel and pedals fits well and I've just enough space to move my legs and chair, but I don't have any more space to lay my keyboard somewhere else, or put a glass of coke on the side (sometimes a whiskey) and so on. It's annoying me I've to put my steering wheel away to write or do anything besides racing !

    Our plan here now is to make a desk made of scuffold tubes, a good thick piece of ply wood and in a L-shape.. This image is just an example and my desk would be different.

    [​IMG]

    Now, there's a challenge for me.. I'm busy to design my own L-shaped desk, and trying to find a good and easy 'system' to change from a normal desk into my racing rig ! Because I want to sit in the corner, 45 degrees of each wall and the monitor on a higher table or wall mount, my boyfriend came with a very cool solution. Two triangles for having a 'keyboard' triangle and a 'steering wheel' triangle. But the downside of that idea was how to fit the triangle thightly in the 90degrees corner with a good grip, decent 'look' and most important, a practical solution that works, without any chance the triangle will fall of the tabletop or something.

    Yesterday I probably found the solution for that.. *pictures will be uploaded very soon*

    Three images to show what I've in mind..
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    This is possible by using those couplings ;
    [​IMG]
    Because the bolts/imbus things are on the right side of the tube.. I'm pobably stucked with the system I'd in mind but folding on the other tube instead of the longer tube as displayed in the screenshots.

    Then, another hurdle to take.. how to anchor (?) the tube under my steering wheel to the other side ? I'm not sure yet.. While writing/editing this post I've a new idea, a bit more complex, but hopefully also a very industrial way to secure the triangle and base for my steering wheel.

    Something like a build-in lock system for both sides in the tabletop. Because the tabletop will be most likely a 3 x 15mm plywood, glued and bolted.. I can make 'holes' in the middle layer where the locking-system of the triangle will push 2 pins into the tabletop, in each side..

    I know, my english isn't good, but hopefully enough to undertand.. Can make a 3D design of what I've in mind here.. :)
     
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    Last edited: Mar 20, 2017
  2. Schweetz

    Schweetz Well-Known Member

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    Oh, like in the first screenshot.. The triangle with the steering wheel have some room to slide to the pc (or printer), It isn't necesary to have the wheel on the same spot as when it is in racing mode.. :)
     
  3. Squanchy

    Squanchy Well-Known Member

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    Hi
    I can't say I read all the details but that triangle seems like an extremely ambitious way of doing it. It would have to pivot, lock (and lock strongly, cause you put a lot of pressure on the wheel) and what about the cables of the wheel?? A much easier solution (and one that I tried myself and failed) would be to lock it on a little shelf and that shelf lock into place and just pick up and remove to the side. Much less elegant, but that triangle, I don't know.
     
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  4. CheerfullyInsane

    CheerfullyInsane Well-Known Member

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    The mounting is the least of the problems.
    I think that drawing severely under-estimates the space the wheel takes up.
    I did a few quick measurements on my T500 base, and it's (roughly) 38cm deep, 35cm wide and 38cm high.
    (Not to mention that it weighs about the same as an NSU.....Well, nearly.)
    Granted, IIRC the G29 is slightly smaller, but still.
    Even when it's folded, you won't be able to use the left side of that desk, unless you have a weird fetish for scraping the skin off your knees. :D
    Plus, the whole set-up also moves the screen further back than I'd personally like.
    I honestly think you'd be better off with something like a wheel-stand.
     
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  5. Auzzie

    Auzzie New Member

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    Wow, that setup is amazing. I just have all my stuff on my desk and the wheel bunji corded down lol.
     
  6. Schweetz

    Schweetz Well-Known Member

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    The downside of having a wheelstand, I don't have that much space and the space I had in mind, on the attick, isn't a good solution eather, cold and I've to carry my pc from the kitchen to the attick and back, because my new desktop will have another function as mini factory in the near future, including a 3D printer I expecting in September.
    I understand the problems with the triangle, but I've solution for that ;) Besides the pivot over the horizontal axes, I also slide it sideways a bit to the left. This is calculated and with a 10/15cm slide my leg space under the triangle is 100% free.

    The cables were also a problem, but with a small triangular gap at the end of the triangle.. (do you understand?) the cables are free to go, plug it in and ready to go.
    To fasten the triangle into the desk, there will be a locking system as thick as the middle layer of the desk, which is 15mm. That's the first part to secure the system, also tighten the coupling with a small selfmade wingnut (imbus) would be an easy way to pivot the triangle into rest and race mode !
     
  7. Schweetz

    Schweetz Well-Known Member

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    Update ; One Step closer !

    [​IMG]
    *The orange box is the expecting 3D printer (+laser engraver and CNC machine), dimensions 28 x 28 x 28 cm's
    This weekend I felt motivated to do some re-calculations and finalize the setup, hoping to order the pipes and couplings very soon. The triangle isn't the triangle I've talked about before, this triangle is to calculated the space I have when I sit in that corner (very often). It's about a draw compared to the space I have now below the Ikea desk. Although it isn't that spacious with room to store stuff and my wheel, the leg space is enough, besides that, on the left I've another 10 or 12cm's to swipe the steering wheel under the desk, the idea bout the triangle would be continued, considering strong magnets to hold everything in place as a second system.

    Now I'm gonna design some 'pockets' into the upper layer for pencils, SD cards and 3D printing stuff. Two holes on the left, 1 large hole on the right hand. And for the monitor + usb hub I'll design a new triangle on top of the desk, like in the previous images.

    The 3D printer + extra's I'm expecting this September ;
     
    Last edited: Jun 5, 2017
  8. Schweetz

    Schweetz Well-Known Member

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    I see I made a mistake with some shown dimensions and others are hide.. Also some dimensions have very weird numbers behind the dot, they would be made to a complete number or completed to 5 behind the dot.
    The 127 cm's for example.. That isn't the dimension of the desk, it's about 152cm's by 130cm's when you take the max. measurements. The width of the desk is at each side 50cm's wide and would be 74cm's high. That's pretty high, but I like to have that + I can place my pedals higher in the corner (up to 10/20cm's with stretched legs) and they won't annoy me when the steering wheel is in restmode + when I'm drawing some 3D stuff.
     
  9. Schweetz

    Schweetz Well-Known Member

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    Update ;
    Today I bought some plywood in the diy store. They made it on my given measures and hopefully when I stick the different pieces together, it would look like a L-shaped desk with 3 layers of plywood.. Also bought some very strong and transparant glue and placed the order for the tubes and couplings.. I expecting them on friday morning :)

    Edit 20 - 06 - 2017 :

    Was a bit early at home today and it's quiet hot here so I didn't like to turn on the vacuum cleaner.. but this is what I get when I lay down the jigsaw puzzle.. Pretty damn close what I had in mind :D
    Needs a bit of sandpaper and pre-work before I glue the layers together. In the top layer I'll make some rectangluar holes, 4 x 15 cm's *ish* (2 on the left hand, 1 on the right hand side), I'll design some 3d printed inlay's for pencils, measurement tools and sd cardridges + other stuff I can put there for a short moment *yeah sure* :rolleyes:

    [​IMG]
     
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    Last edited: Jun 20, 2017
  10. Schweetz

    Schweetz Well-Known Member

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    Update ;
    The factory where I ordered the tubes and couplings wasn't able to send my order on time, so I was forced to pick it up myself 75kms away. But luckely I did, because the guy who gathered the couplings made 1 big mistake and if I got it sended to my house, I never could made the desk right away.

    And here it is, almost done with the framework, need some time though to finetune the hight and level of the top and get some protection under his feet, to protect our wooden floor.

    Well let's talk in pictures then..
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Audio :
    For the last 3 years I used a very cheap second hand mini-stereo as my audio set for gaming, radio and every other audio source I needed.. I have given it away to a charity-shop for nothing.

    But I needed something new and because the total price of my desk was less €€'s then expected, we bought a nice bluetooth set from Marley ! It's this thing that will be placed in front of the monitor. (Not my own picture).

    [​IMG]
     
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    Last edited: Jun 24, 2017
  11. Schweetz

    Schweetz Well-Known Member

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  12. Schweetz

    Schweetz Well-Known Member

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    Frustrations + update !

    Hmpprf.. Thank you Photobucket for being so nice (not) to your customers.. :mad:
    Have to find a new place to store my photos for free. And just atm my pc is in summer-rest mode by the changes I making now, the old desk is gone, for good (did some ninja style kicks) and it isn't easy to find time in a normal week to work on the new desk..

    The update part ;
    Now I've glued two layers of the short side of the L-shape together. Last weekend I also glued three pieces together (3 x 50*50) for the two triangles I need. The whole kitchen floor is one gathering of plywood pieces from big to tiny small ones I use for tests and supports. Hope to have a good update this weekend. :cool:
     
  13. Schweetz

    Schweetz Well-Known Member

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    Update
    It's been a while since my last update and there are things to show about the progress !
    Thanks to Photobockut there are some photo's lost, but with Flickr and the progress and real photo's instead of 3D drawings I hope you get the picture ?! :)

    [​IMG]
    It's about 2 months ago I got all the pipes and couplings to build the frame. After I received all the metal stuff, I was in a rush and wanted to buy the best plywood in the diy store and got an employee there who helped me to take the lowest pieces of the stack. At the left I made the same space as on the right, left there's gonna be all the 3D printed stuff and probably also some stuff like fillaments on the wall in the corner. The rectangle shape on the right is the space I've planned for my pc + enough room for a bigger game pace in the future.

    [​IMG]
    Before you glue.. just try the hight (+hight of the monitor, not shown in this picture), the space and the experience of gaming in this corner.. I was very happy with it. With clamps I put the wheel on another piece of wood (3x12mm) and did some laps in RaceRoom. I was more happy than happy. I was over the moon, this idea could work out very well !

    [​IMG]
    Stacked 3 layers (12mm each) of plywood in total 36mm, I had 15mm's in mind, but was a bit to much + it was a kind of too heavy. It didn't feel right. Used a couple of brushes to spread out the glue equally.

    [​IMG]
    A few weeks a go, just after my vacation, I started to paint the wood in a kind of orange/red varnish (lacker?). And with some small pipes a table on the table for the monitor. Also made some rectangle-shaped holes for pencils, sd cards and other stuff. I made a 3D print for it.. but something went wrong in the sketchup > STL convertation drawing.. :confused:
    [​IMG]
    Supposed to be a pencil-sd card box for around 4 sd cards, a couple of mini sd's and a pile of pencils and other office stuff


    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Today I got some time to try out the triangle for the steering wheel + the idea of the folding system. First picture is a moment where I have to use those glue-clamps and the bolds using to mount the wheel at the triangle(?), then, while mounting and tighten the bolds, I discovered I could mount the steering wheel onto the couplings that are carrying the triangle. Does have a solid feel allready and it would get another 2 mounts from the smaller couplings on both sides of the triangle. It's not finished yet as I order some new stuff for the G25 shifter (thanks to LeoBodnar that turned it to a standalone divice). That would be fitted on the left pole of the frame where I placed my pc. The shifter would have enough space to measure it to my driving position + hight of the arm rest of the office chair.

    All the couplings and pipes are above my legs and won't be in my 'way' during simracing. The office chair is in average hight and the desk is nice to lean on while it's in 'office' mode :cool:

    To be continued..


     
  14. Schweetz

    Schweetz Well-Known Member

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    Friday I had some time to pick up some couplings, 1 tube and another thing I can't find the right word in English.

    [​IMG]
    Needs some finishing touch..but it's obvious for every simracer what this thing is gonna do..

    [​IMG]
    Photo is the real world...I've too many stuff on my desk..

    [​IMG]
    This is what it's gonna be like. :cool:

    And in non-racing mode the shifter is hinding under the desk.. The coupling needs to be tighten a bit, but I think of a rubber band , because every time I tighten the screws, I will 'damage' the tube a bit that could harm the ability of folding away the shifter and steering wheel.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    With a few proceedings I can change the desk into the desktop rig. Something different than the GT Omega seat in my bedroom, but I don't have to carry all the computer stuff from the living room to upstairs and back like I shoud do if I kept the Omega seat.

    Next update would be the mounting of the desk to the frame with some screws/bolts + final position of the desk into the corner (still have some space in the back). Then the triangle of the steeringwheel will be mounted and hopefully at the end of this month finally operational :D:cool:

    And still have some research to do to pimp my wheel with a Mustang (Shelby or Boss) look :rolleyes:
     
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    Last edited: Sep 16, 2017
  15. Schweetz

    Schweetz Well-Known Member

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    Not an update, more like a side story, it depends on what I can do to upgrade my gaming pc, Am I going for triple screen or maybe for VR racing (using the psvr headset with Trinus VR) ? My gaming pc is a budget pc, build by Medion and there are some possibilities what I can change about the graphic card I'm using this moment and which card I can probably buy and run to make a decent upgrade at all. !

    https://www.medion.com/nl/service/_lightbox/treiber_details.php?did=7097

    This is the list of all cards the motherboard will accept without errors (bought a new GTX 1050ti and got a Bios error). The card I have is the GTX 550 Ti ! Any recommendations compared to the 550 Ti ?
    My budget isn't that big, but most of the cards are outdated and I can probably buy most of them under € 200,- !

    Any help and recommendation is helpfull ! :)
     
  16. Alex Wurst

    Alex Wurst RaceRoom

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    VR/Triple Screen is much harder on the Processor than on your graphics card, can you maybe send a description of the full Hardware in there?
     
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