Community Event / Creation HOTAS & Keyboard Mount

[unwantedsoldier]

Shortly after I started playing elite in Beta i picked up a Saitek X55 Hotas and have been looking for a solution for mounting it for some time. Anyone who has looked into this has probably found there is a major lack of prefabricated solutions out there for purchase. So i had to come up with something on my own. My first attempt was a custom keyboard tray that was wide enough to fit the X55 as well as my keyboard and mouse and the perfect height to work with my chair. This worked for a while until one of my cats decided to use it as a landing platform. to put it simply it didn't end well (for the tray, the cat is fine). So i decide this time i would mount the X55 directly to my chair. Check out the full gallery below for step by step pictures that show i went from this.

To This

HOTAS & Keyboard Mount Gallery

This is still a work in progress i plan on painting everything so it blends with the chair better. I also need to modify the pipe flange plate where it attaches to the armrest so i can get the other two screws in place.

 

[unwantedsoldier]

I decided to take a second crack at the Joystick and throttle platforms. I wanted to make the able to serve a dual purpose. I used aluminum channel edging and a aluminum sheet to make the joystick platform double as a mouse platform for when I'm not playing elite.

Next i need to do the same for the throttle platform as well as build a set of brackets that will let me quickly attach and detach the joystick and throttle.

the imgur gallery has been updated with the work log pics.

Enjoy.

 

[unwantedsoldier]

One more update for tonight.

I cut down my old Xtrac XXL Ripper mouse pad to work as inserts in the keyboard tray as well as the joystick/mouse platforms.

 

[unwantedsoldier]

Completed the throttle platform upgrade. all that remains is to create brackets that will lock the Throttle and Joystick in place when they are on the platforms. Though even without them being physically attached to the new platforms they are quite stable. atleast as good if not better than having them on a table (or my previous keyboard tray)

Once that is done i will disassemble everything and paint it. I'm gona go for a black and red theme to match the chair. Im thinking ill paint the trim pices red and all of the flat surfaces (witch are covered by the mouse pad material) black along with the galvanized pipe.

 

[Cataclysm72]

How did you fix the mounting to the chair?

 

[unwantedsoldier]

How did you fix the mounting to the chair?

To attach the arms to the chair I simply aligned the flange plates holes on the diagonal to the arm rest mounting holes. I needed to bore out the holes in the flange plates with a 5/16th bit so that the screws would fit


When I take everything apart to paint I will but cutting away the highlighted parts of the flange plates so I can get the second row of screws into the arm rest. Originally the chairs armrest were held in place by 4 screws. The plate as is is blocking two of those holes.

I hope that answers your question.

Thanks for the Reply.

 

[Cataclysm72]

Thanks that helps!

My problem is that my chair has wheels. I'm planning to build my own rudder controller so a chair with swivel wheels won't be the best option.

In short: the only option for me is to buy/make a proper simpit. Sigh.

 

[unwantedsoldier]

Thanks that helps!

My problem is that my chair has wheels. I'm planning to build my own rudder controller so a chair with swivel wheels won't be the best option.

In short: the only option for me is to buy/make a proper simpit. Sigh.

My chair came with wheeled casters then i found these on amazon

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001MS70J8?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00

it makes the setup work so much better because i don't have to strap the chair to the desk when i use my pedals. the chair can still swivel left and right wich i have found isnt an issue with using pedals and allows me to turn the chair to get in and out of the desk as opposed to rolling back. I have been considering building a platform that attached the pedals to the chair as well.


Currently my pedals are mounted to a board that is cut to length to allow them to use the wall to prevent the from sliding away while being use

 

[Cataclysm72]

My chair came with wheeled casters then i found these on amazon

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001MS70J8?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00

LOL, even without the shipping that makes them half the price of my current chair.

 

[Enride]

That is one seriously badass setup mate!
And such a nice and neat fix for the hotas mount

Grade A job!

 

[unwantedsoldier]

That is one seriously badass setup mate!
And such a nice and neat fix for the hotas mount

Grade A job!

Thanks!! It definitely has turned our far better than i had hoped or expected.

 

[unwantedsoldier]

Decided it was time to do some upgrades to my Keyboard as well during this project. I Purchased the Rosewill mechanical keyboard i have been using over 5 years ago and it has held up extremely well despite the abuse i have put it through. One thing i have always wanted to do is black out the key caps. I picked up a blank key-cap set off eBay for $20 us this week and order a key-cap puller and Blue o-ring dampeners.

Before


After


The Imgur gallery has been updated with the keyboard pics as well.

 

[Enride]

Decided it was time to do some upgrades to my Keyboard as well during this project. I Purchased the Rosewill mechanical keyboard i have been using over 5 years ago and it has held up extremely well despite the abuse i have put it through. One thing i have always wanted to do is black out the key caps. I picked up a blank key-cap set off eBay for $20 us this week and order a key-cap puller and Blue o-ring dampeners.

Before
View attachment 58171

After
View attachment 58172

The Imgur gallery has been updated with the keyboard pics as well.

Thats slick!

Are you happy with the dampeners?
I have a cherry mx blues keyboard and while I love the sound it makes, I still decided to try a set of dampeners.
They quiet the sound a bit and made the keystrokes shorted but the overall feel just felt off so I ended up removing them again.

At least the keyboard got a well needed cleaning