Newcomer / Intro HOTAS desk mounts (your suggestions)

JoeBiden

J
So i'm new to the whole HOTAS thing. I talked the wife into letting me buy an x52 pro for an early birthday present. After setting it up, I was disappointed. Not in the x52. They fit my needs. But how they sit on the desk compared to me. I'm 5'6" and most of that is legs. I felt like a kid trying to sit at the adult table.

I cannot, and will not, spend the money they are asking for some poles and and a few plates to sit around my office chair. A full on rig, with chair and switch panels and a cockpit may happen in the future, but thats also expensive and requires a lot of room. So i went looking for desk mounts. And didnt find much.

I came across two. Once by a company that does not seem to be in business (cannot remeber the name) and Monstertech. Everything Ive seen about the Monstertech mounts is extremely positive. They are monstrous sized for sure. May even be a touch over built for what they are used for. Ive never had one, so I dont know. The price is a bit rich for my blood anyway.Two mounts would cost more than my x52 pro setup.

So I'm going to build them myself. For those of you that didnt see my post introducing myself, I run a small business. I do custom work including design, prototyping, and small batch production. After a few nights of research, Im positive I could build 2 mounts for less than one of the Mmonstertech heavy duty mounts. Similar in style, but expandable. And for the cost of two Monstertech mounts, I could make and entire system. Including both mounts, a switch panel, cup holder, turn signals, and heated seats for those times when your run silent :). Actually, I may make the cup holder.

Im new to using a HOTAS. I have a basic idea of what I need in a desk mount.

But what I want to really know is: If you could just have the perfect desk setup for your gaming controllers, what would you want it to include? What features would make your time gaming more enjoyable and your life running around the galaxy easier?

I already have a basic design. I'm doing a proof of conceit this week, as long as time allows it. I'll post pics when its done. I look forward to any and all ideas and inputs into this!

Thanks for your time.
-JoeBiden
 

ViperSixAlpha

ViperSixAlpha
Just as an alternative option to the custom setup you're working on. I have borrowed an idea from another dude on the interwebs. You take two concrete blocks, a precut piece of plywood, and use construction adhesive to glue them together. They're stable but still mobile, the weight of the blocks keeps them in place and you can screw your HOTAS right to the plywood. They end up actually being the perfect height and you can have one on either side of your chair. I had some plywood on hand, the adhesive and concrete blocks cost me $5-10. Been using this option for over a year with no issues.
 

Para Handy

Para Handy
The best option is to first read up on what people say about the various HOTAS and work out that if you want to have them on your desk then the Warthog leaves you like riding a motorbike with monkey-bars, the saitek are not much smaller and the CHPro and the TM HOTAS-X and newer 16000FCS are just about perfect size.

However you have bought already and now you must suffer! ;)
 

Jeffers

Jeffers
I've got mine stuck to my desk with blutack, does the job fine. I've never had any problems with them coming loose, even during evasive manoevring.
I have them either side of a compact keyboard, which gives me the correct spacing.
I also have foam blocks on top of my chair armrests which brings me up to the correct working height for the Hotas.
 

HurstLlama

H
MalcYorks said:
The best option is to first read up on what people say about the various HOTAS and work out that if you want to have them on your desk then the Warthog leaves you like riding a motorbike with monkey-bars, the saitek are not much smaller and the CHPro and the TM HOTAS-X and newer 16000FCS are just about perfect size.

However you have bought already and now you must suffer! ;)
Click to expand...

Steady on, Mr. Yorks. I have been using the Warthog Hotas on my desk for nearly two years, having bought it for the Cliffs Of Dover(CloD) flight sim, and have never had any issues, ergonomic or otherwise. Furthermore, let me say that unlike ED, when flying a Hurricane in serious mode on CloD it is hands on all the time and I have flown many multi-hour missions without feeling strained or even uncomfortable.

Of course, with any computer operation one has to make sure that one's chair is at the correct height and angle, the controllers (keyboard, mouse, joystick, whatever) are in the correct position, and the screen is at the correct height. Failure to do any of those will result in muscle strain and in the end visits to the osteopath, or even the physician (if one is daft).

The Warthog is a very fine controller with impeccable sensitivity on the stick and throttle and more buttons/switches than I have ever needed. It ain't cheap but for someone, like me, who spends 4 to 8 hours a day "flying" (either on ED or CloD) it is damn good value for money.
 

Para Handy

Para Handy
HurstLlama said:
...............
The Warthog is a very fine controller with impeccable sensitivity on the stick and throttle and more buttons/switches than I have ever needed. It ain't cheap but for someone, like me, who spends 4 to 8 hours a day "flying" (either on ED or CloD) it is damn good value for money.
Click to expand...

Remember my comments were in response to the OP's remark re sizes.

Yes the Warthog HOTAS is very well made (well apart from that awful pinky switch on the throttle) but you cannot deny that it is huge, bulky, heavy and takes over a desk (both stick and throttle). I couldn't crotch-mount it (as the stick button placement really requires) and frankly found the stick too tall for comfort, even allowing for the awkward buttons. I was in military aviation (engineer, not aircrew) and I don't think I ever felt a stick or throttle as stiff as the warthog, although the build feels like the "real deal".

One of the things I really like about the CHPro Fighterstick is that it has the same buttons as the Warthog (except for the push-down on the bishop's mitre) and yet has them all in very comfortable positions and is of a height that suits me.

If you are tall enough and have large enough hands (or have a sim-pit I suppose) then the Warthog is no doubt the bee's knees, for me the advantages of the CHPro Fighterstick make it my preference. That is why I reverted back to the CHPro setup after buying a Warthog HOTAS (having tried it in a friend's sim-pit) and returning it after a couple of weeks trying to get used to it.
 
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wrmiller

W
I am fortunate to be of a size (6'3") that has my Warthog setup located perfectly on my desk. My forearms are parallel to the floor when I have my hands on the sticks. My monitor is on a 5" riser to get the center of the screen to eye level.

As an engineer and later a engineering manager I've always been big on ergonomics for people who sit for hours in front of a computer screen. I always made sure my people had their screens and keyboards properly located (even if it took a special desk or table) to prevent injuries. It's just common sense.

@HurstLlama: I'm glad you mentioned Cliffs of Dover. I'd forgotten about that sim during the early days when they were working out the bugs. I'll have to give it another go, thanks. :)
 

DerDzvero

DerDzvero
Those metal things seem nice, however quite pricey IMHO.. also don't know if the mouse and keyboard won't be too far away from you that way since they will remain far behind..
On material: I don't think aluminium will be sturdy enough- perhaps steel is better? At least I put quite some weight/load on the joystick and throttle during flights (well Il2 clod is not ED, but still...).

This is the type of desk I have- just be careful that you need enough space between your legs on pedals and lower board
http://graznak.com/wp-content/uploa...dern-new-2017-office-design-ideas-970x970.jpg


A normal cheap PC table with a pull out / detachable keyboard/mouse extension, on which I have mounted the controls - works same way as those metal brackets.From left to right, I have throttle, joystick and mouse, but the keyboard is behind on the main desk unfortunately. Still thinking over a better positioning and better ideas though.
 
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Toffa

T
Mounts?

Where we're going.... we won't need mounts....

9iB6CFp.jpg


Toffs
( '-')7
 
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DerDzvero

DerDzvero
That's too high for my sitting position. But then again some people like riding choppers like Harley so I guess it all depends on... ship's size ;)
 

wrmiller

W
RadioActiveLobster said:
I built my own.
Click to expand...

Nice! But they're not steel, are you sure they are strong enough? (just kidding) ;)

I'm having similar ideas, but mine will likely be made of 3/8" aluminum plate as I choose to work in metal instead of wood. I like the quick clamps, and may use something like that, or I may just go with threaded rod similar to that found in a c-clamp but with a nice knurled on the end. :)
 

RadActiveLobster

RadActiveLobster
wrmiller said:
Nice! But they're not steel, are you sure they are strong enough? (just kidding) ;)

I'm having similar ideas, but mine will likely be made of 3/8" aluminum plate as I choose to work in metal instead of wood. I like the quick clamps, and may use something like that, or I may just go with threaded rod similar to that found in a c-clamp but with a nice knurled on the end. :)
Click to expand...

These things are very solid. I overbuilt them.


That said, I'd have preferred to make them out of aluminum as well but I don't have the tools to do that and I'm too cheap to pay someone else to do it for me. I did have the tools to do it in wood pretty easily and since it's held together with screws I can always easily take it apart and change the design around if I need to.
 

domaq

domaq
When I started playing ED, I too purchased an X52 Pro. Mine was mounted on this Kensington adjustable keyboard platform HERE. It allowed for raising and lowering the height as well as adjusting based on seating position. Maybe you can take some ideas from this?
.
Looking forward to see what you come up with OP.
.
After my X52 Pro died, I purchased the Thrustmaster T.16000m HOTAS system which now just sits on my desk comfortably. The keyboard platform is available in the UK if anyone wants it.
 

BigBANGtheory [VR]

BigBANGtheory [VR]
The Monstertech design is good imho, would I buy them for the X52 system? No, not worth it they are basically there to serve Warthog owners. Now if you could build a similar system yourself for your X52 then yes that does make a lot of sense.

What I would do is first and foremost consider how the joystick would be mounted for a side position (like an F16 cockpit) or a central position (like a helicopter or F18) so that you can interchange them for your preferred position....

Imho the best option is to start with a sit/stand desk system and go from there, Sim pits and chair mods are only good for Sim use not dual purpose work/PC gaming
 

wrmiller

W
RadioActiveLobster said:
These things are very solid. I overbuilt them.


That said, I'd have preferred to make them out of aluminum as well but I don't have the tools to do that and I'm too cheap to pay someone else to do it for me. I did have the tools to do it in wood pretty easily and since it's held together with screws I can always easily take it apart and change the design around if I need to.
Click to expand...

I have a pretty decent home/hobby machine shop at my disposal, so making them isn't a problem. I'd like to make something that can pivot under the desk when not being used, but I haven't done any design work yet.

These stands are just one more thing on my rather large list of 'projects' I'm working on. :)
 

mikekim

mikekim
my warthog hotas stick sits on my desk, and as long as i don't go mad with crazy manoeuvres it seems to be ok.
I also have a CH pro throttle and thats stuck to the desk with 4x small pads of velcro to stop it moving.
 

D.G.Cerberus

D.G.Cerberus
Doesn't solve the height problem in the OP but might be useful for some of you out there...I have my X52 Pro attached, using the provided sucker pads (Which are normally hopeless) to two polished marble table "mats" . The marble slabs are heavy enough not to move and have felt feet themselves. And the suckers, once I attached them to the marble a year or so ago, are still as strong now as when fitted.

I did this as a stop gap solution initially, but it works so well that I had to go out and buy more marble slabs for the Dining table!
 
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