R-Pod MkII Custom Rig Build - VR Enabled

[thunderjolt]

This looks so freaking amazing o.o

Congrats on being so epic!

 

[ericleroi]

Thanks thunderjolt, your feedback is appreciated

With all the focus on the front and the dash, I'd completely forgotten about the right side panel for the seat base:







I'd redone it all a couple of weeks ago and forgotten about it (there have been bits lying around all over the place). I got around to cutting the mesh, acrylic, artwork and backing board:







Just loose assembled at the moment. I'll get the hot glue gun out and then glue and screw it together:

 

[ericleroi]

Monitor hood inner box assembled. Test fit:







I've left room to fit an aluminium bar at the bottom but I cant' help thinking it needs something to perk it up a little - I've bought another sheet of acrylic for a small r-pod logo cutout panel (new Batman pictures in the background ):

 

[ericleroi]

As the main rig build is drawing to a conclusion (as is my holiday), today I will be taking a diversion and start on the accessories:

1. Amp and fan unit:

Shelf 1 - Amplifier
Shelf 2 - Fan
Cable cavity - Hide all the unsightly cables and power strips

2. Mouse and keyboard unit

Shelf 1: Cavity for shoes
Shelf 2: Mouse surface and recess for cup
Keyboard mount - haven't finalised the design on this yet

3. Accessory wall plate

Headphone hook
Hat hook
Glove shelf

The hooks / shelves will be similar to something I made for my PC:

Take some coat hangers and bend them to shape:



Make a backing board and insert the wire into it:



Attach it to the wall:

 

[ericleroi]

Measured, cut and flush trimmed 8 side panels for the amp and keyboard/mouse racks:

 

[ericleroi]

The first side piece for the amp unit has been cut. I don't want to go too fancy with this, the rig needs to be the centrepiece really. A hole has been cut in the side for some interest and also to allow air to circulate.



Rough cut:







Flush trimmed:

 

[ericleroi]

The 4 side pieces have been cloned. Time for some food ...

 

[ericleroi]

Panels attached together (double width like everything else) and beveled:







Close-up:

 

[ericleroi]

Made some shelves and blanking plates:

 

[ericleroi]

Finished cutting all the pieces and have screwed the frame together. The blanking panes are just stuck on with tape for now:

 

[ericleroi]

Did some more work on the hood - filling and sanding to get the edges straight:



Covered in vinyl:



Real carbon fibre arrived:



As did some heat shrink tubing to cover the wire hangers for the wall rack:

 

[ericleroi]

Started on the wall rack. Cut the backing board:



Put the heat shrink tubing on:



Bent it using pliers and craft foam to protect the tubing:



One headphone hanger:

 

[ericleroi]

Filled, primed and applied 2 coats of flat black to the monitor sides:



Also fitted an aluminium bar to the lower section of the hood:

 

[ericleroi]

I'm making panel with - yes you guessed it, an aluminium insert to sit under the wheel base:



The wood will be vinyl'd

 

[ericleroi]

The Wood strips have been sanded on the edges so they are round. This makes the vinyl much easier to apply and ensures it doesn't bubble.

Vinyl attached:



Now to expoxy ...

 

[ericleroi]

The pieces have been expoxy'd and are being held firmly in place with tape whilst it all dries:



This is what it will look like (I'll take a better photo when it's all dried and I'm not as concerned about dropping it):

 

[ericleroi]

Cut some more dash panels - I'll likely modify the layout at some point in the future (Symprojects instrument gauges):

 

[ericleroi]

Guess what this is:

 

[ericleroi]

Here's the dashboard strip I made earlier now in-place:



The last piece is under the wheel shelf, waiting patiently to be sanded down. My wife likes the last piece because that means I can start clearing the house ...

 

[ericleroi]

Monitor hood sides are varnished and ready to attach:

 

[ericleroi]

The back of the monitor hood is complete, just a blanking plate visible from the front to cover. Also just finished up with the initial prep for the dash panels. I've filled, sanded and painted the outer edges so everything is clean. These are covered with vinyl but will have the carbon fibre set in from the edge to make the effect more interesting (besides which, the sheet of carbon fibre is 1/2 cm too short to cover both panels):



A couple of bad pictures due to the lighting:



Front view of the monitor hood/blanking plate:

 

[ericleroi]

Right side seat panel is now attached to the base:

 

[ericleroi]

Compressable high density foam has been used to secure the monitor hood. This sits between the monitor posts and the inside of the hood. It provides a great deal of resistance to avoid the hood being accidentally knocked off. There's no chance that will happen now.



Hood in place:

 

[JogoAsobi]

Mighty spiffy, I must say! 👍 👍
One of the best DIY I have seen, you could sell these.
Let us know how it is to use, have no doubts it will be awesome.

 

[Carson79]

Just awesome!

 

[ericleroi]

Thanks again for the feedback The rig is really comfortable, I spent a lot of time getting the ergonomics just right. I'm now really feeling the need for triple screens with this though!

 

[Nick Moxley]

I CALLED IT!!!!!!! Your Soooo Not done yet. LOL

 

[ericleroi]

You did indeed Nick Also looking at a D-BOX platform but that is a long way off yet.

 

[ericleroi]

I've been waiting for some 2mm plastic card to come and it's arrived. I've used this to create a blanking plate for the front of the wheel stem:

Cut to shape:



Covered (air bubble has since been removed):



Attached:

 

[ericleroi]

Good progress on the wall rack:



















Just need to tidy the top and bottom up, trim the hangers at the back and glue in place