Hardware & Technical Where to put HOTAS so it's comfortable?

Jarius

J
Since having my X52 Pro on my desk is too high up, I tried my hand at building a floor stand for it, but I just can't find a comfortable way to set it up. I made it in a way that lets me adjust height and position until I find what works, but everything I've tried so far either feels either like it's tearing my arm out of my socket, or like I don't have as fine an amount of control on the stick as I should have, so targeting things is next to impossible. That last one might have something to do with the fact that the way I put it together to make it adustable also causes the stand to wobble significantly, though. I'm more or less out of things to try at this point and can find very little information online about where this thing is actually supposed to sit, so does anyone have any pointers? At this point I'm kind of lost.

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Since I can't find the edit button, I'll have to say in a new post that I didn't mean I can't target things so much as I'm not able to keep my weapons trained on a target very well. It's late at night and I seem to be a little too tired for accurate phrasing.
 

Jake Savage

Jake Savage
Many players. Myself included have the hotas mounted at the end of the chair arm rests, using vesa mounts.
Velcro strips on the bases of your hotas will firmly hold them in place.
That way the hotas is in the same position as you see it on screen, useful when playing in VR.
Hope this helps.
Fly safe cmdr.
 

Hooplah

Hooplah
With my 29.5in/75cm desk height I added a sliding keyboard tray at 26in/66cm then just raised the office chair a little with the hydraulic lift lever. Works for me without any stress. If wide spacing is preferred one can also rest the elbows on the armrests while holding the joystick and throttle.
 

Jarius

J
I forgot to mention that due to lack of funds I'm limited to the materials I already have, which are a sheet of particle board that's been cut up into several pieces already and a small amount of pvc pipe. The armrests of my chair were also too high up and too uncomfortable to rest my arms on while using this thing, so I had to remove them. So far the most comfortable place to put it seems to be on either side of me at about seat level, but it's still not really comfortable.

Is there any actual research out there about what the best positioning is from an ergonomic standpoint? Due to my limited resources, I can't afford to keep building multiple things that may or may not work; I just want to try to get it right in one shot.
 

Magic Man

Magic Man
I use a pair of small tables from Argos (about £15 each iirc) - fitted with castors (some locking). Puts the throttle and stick at a height alongside me so that my elbow to grip is parallel with the floor (no armrests on my seat)
I also have both stick and throttle angled out from me at about 20 degrees for comfort.
 
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Drew Jagwa

Drew Jagwa
For more stability how about looking in a charity shop for a small light table about 3' x 2'. Cut a semi-circle into the long side so you can pull it closer around you, cut down legs to suit height or add blocks to raise. If it is just below PC table then it can be pushed under and out of the way when not in use.
table.jpg

Alternately, Errantthought has a great guide here for table extension which could be made from timber offcuts
 

anfieldmarauder

A
What about an adult feeding top - I have one I used before I bolted my Warthog set up to my chair...if you know any Pysiotherapists or Occy Therapists they can tell you where to pick one up....rest your 'top' across the arms of your chair (or tri, to fit on your lap) and use heavy duty velcro to hold hotas in place. That's how I started...but like most I wanted my hotas right at the end of my chair arms so I had some supports cut by a friend, bolted them to the chair and I'm extremely pleased with their positioning now.
 
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