rec.autos.simulators

        I had my desk set up with a slider keyboard tray where the desk drawer
used to be.  My chair was jacked up so that I barely fit under.  Now I
had to remove the keyboard tray and set the kb alongside of my wheel,
with the mouse on the extreme right.  The game is great, but everything
else (typing, reading screen, etc) sucks. This just ain't gonna last.
        How do you guys have it set up?  Extra wide desk?  Foldaway mount for the
wheel?  Do you just unmount/mount the wheel a lot?

        And on that note:  have any good suggestions for keeping the pedals from
slipping on the carpet?  I've blocked it into place with sneakers, but
there is a better approach, I'm sure.

        Dave

When I raced at my desk I used to take the wheel off when I didn't need it.
You should be able to remove your wheel in 30 seconds or so.  I'd do that if
I were you.

To keep your pedals in place make yourself a pedal support that butts up to
your wall.  The pedal support only needs to be a flat piece of board (I used
MDF) with some blocks screwed across it to ***against the wall and for
your pedals to ***up against.  Alternatively use self adhesive Velcro tape
on the bottom of the pedal box.

Cheers

Phil Lee

Legends Central Admin
http://www.racesimcentral.net/

    If you build it right,  you can incorporate both the regular home use
and the SimRacing use of the computer :-)
--
Michael A. Barlow
currently Acting as  "Head of Marketing"
FILSCA (www.filsca.com)

I've never seen this posted, so I'll share my solution.  Go to your
local home improvement store and get a roll of "gripper mat".  This
is made from a strong nylon mesh with heavy-duty sticky foam
*** molded around it.  It is sold in one version for kitchen shelf
liners and a heavier duty version is sold for lining tool boxes.

Take a sheet of gripper mat and attach it to the flat bottom of your
pedals with glue or double-sided tape.  Now, set the pedals on the
carpet.  I think you'll be amazed at how difficult it is to get them to
slide.  Yet it's easy to pick up to reposition the pedals or to put
them away.

A further tip:  wrap a sheet of gripper mat around the edge of your
desk, from the top to the bottom, between your wheel unit and
the desk.  Then tighten the clamps.  Even when I had a cheap
Thrustmaster T2 with its marginal clamps, this made the setup
rock-solid with no slipping.  I haven't tried it with other wheels
beside the T2 and my TSW, but I suspect it will help in many
situations.

Hope that helps.

Scott Willingham

Jeff
-snipped-

: I basically don't
: unmount the wheel since all I do at the desk is race & check email.

Cool.  :-)

A man with clearly defined priorities.

Dale.

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Yuk... I could never get used to such an arrangement myself. Didn't your
forearms start to hurt from the lack of wrist support?

I mount and unmount the wheel for simming as my computer is stil primarily a
workplace. I need to be able to type and operate the mouse comfortably.

Mine's a smallish desk (115x60cm). On the right is a stack of paper trays
with my mouse/mousepad in front of it. In the center there's a wristpad
followed by my keyboard (I remove the former and slide the latter further
onto the desk when I drive) and a pen tray along with various other office
bits and bobs (ruler, pair of scissors, etc...). To the left and angled
towards me is my 14" monitor and speakers and a couple more office supplies
(calculator, stapler, tape, etc..).

There is, but I got 'm propped up with an old pair of shoes too! ;-)

Jan.
=---
"Pay attention when I'm talking to you boy!" -Foghorn Leghorn.

        I've been thinking of a way to mount the wheel to something that I can
rapidly put into place.  That way, I can remove it without pain and keep
my keyboard and monitor where they need to be.

        Dave

I have my keyboard on the desk itself and use the keyboard tray just for the
mouse and random paper/Pop Tart/etc storage.

When I race I put the wheel on the keyboard tray, crank the chair down as
far as it'll go and go racing.

Best thing about this is that the keyboard is real easy to get to even while
driving so I can type multi-sentence diatribes while racing N4 online pickup
races.

The pedal unit is on the carpet and with its little *** feet (TSW2 stock)
hasn't moved at all while driving, and occasionally won't move much at all
even while trying to move it to vacuum.

Visual aid: http://www.racesimcentral.net/

The main pc has the full size F1 Sim wheel and pedal set-up. This has
two quick release connectors on the desk for mounting the steering
column to the desk. When the steering column is removed, all you see on
the desk are two small round flush mounted brass ferrules, which the F1
Sim steering column bolts onto.

It takes about 5 seconds to bolt it on, and about 5 seconds to remove it
from the desk.

My second desk and pc has the F1 Sim compact connected. This version has
a large baseboard on which you place the pc monitor. The weight of the
monitor stops the steering column from moving around. The steering
column bolts to the baseboard via three quick release screws. It takes
about 20 seconds to remove the steering column from this set-up, and
once removed you still have the baseboard under the monitor.

Sometimes its easier to just remove the steering column and the
baseboard (whilst they are still connected) from under the monitor.

For good pictures of both set-ups go to:

http://www.cix.co.uk/~peterpc/p26pics.htm

8-)

*Peter* -  http://www.cix.co.uk/~peterpc/home.html

Here is my second desk, where I do all of my racing.

http://mo-sbdc.org/slg/pod.html

:-)

It has 2 drawers on each side. the middle has an opening about 28
inches wide. This desk is perfect for racing. The wheel goes on with
no problems. My keyboard is on the left of it and my mouse on the
right. I dismount my wheel when not in use. (BTW, TSW2)

Yes, go to a store similar to Home Depot/Menards. Get some s***wood.
You will need 1 flat piece that's a little wider than your pedals
(mine is 1 inch thick, 16 in by 24 in) for a base. Then get a few
smaller flat pieces (1x4 inch). The base piece shoud ***right up
against the wall (assuming your desk is up against a wall). Then just
mount the pedal asy. to the base piece where it will be comfortable to
use. Mount it with the smaller pieces of wood. I also have wood screws
that go up through the base piece of wood into the bottom of my padal
asy. I doesn't budge while racing!

Hope this helps............

Todd