My thoughts after 5 Years with my DIY Sim Rig

Pros, Cons, and who should build their own DIY Sim Cockpit
📝 Download my build guide here: simrig.kametrick.com/
🔨 Tools Required: docs.google.com/document/d/1J...
Chapters
00:00 Why you should listen to me
01:23 Are DIY sim rigs ACTUALLY a better value?
03:34 The tools you need to build a wood cockpit
04:31 That other precious resource people undervalue
04:55 The SERIOUS trade-offs when you build
06:03 The double edged sword of DIY simulators
08:50 Mobility and Rigidity
09:24 Performance of DIY Rigs vs Aluminum Profile Cockpits
11:10 Can a wood cockpit look GOOD instead of cheap?
12:38 Who are DIY sim cockpits for? Should YOU build one?
✉️ Tandem Talk Newsletter: join.kametrick.com/
Drift Techniques, Behind The Scenes, and Bonus Content Inside!
📚 Drift Technique Tutorials-----------------------------
Drifting 101: • Drifting Tutorial for ...
How to Steer with the Throttle in Drifting: • How to Drift: 4 Techni...
Left Foot Braking and Decel Techniques: • How to Drift: Brake Te...
Build Sim Tandem Skill Solo and Offline with a Ghost Car: • Build Tandem confidenc...
How to Drift Without Spinning Out: • How to Drift WITHOUT S...
How to do a Backwards Entry: • How to Drift: Backward...
How to do a 360 Entry: • How to do a 360 Drift ...
How Drifting the AE86 Trains the Driver: • Real Drifter Explains ...
How to Tandem Without Crashing: • How to Tandem Drift WI...
🚗 Follow KT ----------------------------------------------------
Newsletter: join.kametrick.com/
Discord: / discord
KZbin: goo.gl/S2o8sW
Instagram: goo.gl/EFggGc
Twitch at: / kametrick
Facebook: goo.gl/NCjEAh
💻 Recommended Sim Drift Gear (affiliate links)
Sim Accessories
Powered USB Hub: amzn.to/44SNc4c
Wireless Mechanical KB and Mouse: amzn.to/3I1scyk
Steering Wheel Quick Release: amzn.to/3BkngAT
LONG Quality DP Cables: amzn.to/3LQE9I8
Cable Management - Double-sided Tape: amzn.to/3W0RT8c
Cable Management - Hook and Loop: amzn.to/3Bkq3dn
🛞 Gear Drive Wheel (I don't recommend)
Logitech G923: amzn.to/3BlFBha
🛞 Belt Drive Wheel
Thrustmaster TX: amzn.to/2Om08tS
Thrustmaster T300: amzn.to/3b8tO7q
🛞 Direct Drive Wheel
Moza R5 Bundle: amzn.to/3py1EP1
🦯 Handbrakes
No name budget option (they're all the same): amzn.to/3I5fb78
Moza Handbrake: amzn.to/3Oa3ujn
Thrustmaster Handbrake: amzn.to/42U8QDr
⚙️ Shifters:
Logitech Shifter: amzn.to/3I2OdN6
Thrustmaster Shifter: amzn.to/395onV4
Fanatec Shifter: fanatec.com/us-en/shifters-ot...
Moza Shifter: amzn.to/3MjeREc
#Drifting #HowToDrift #AssettoCorsa

[@KameTrick]

📝 Download my DIY sim rig build guide here: simrig.kametrick.com/

[@aaronjenkinson]

Combined with the vid where you built it, this is SO sick! 👍

[@bookac]

Does the application for the build guide still work? I applied but did not get the email.

[@wall_k]

@@bookac me neither!

[@sul-7518]

me to plz fix it

[@PhiloReitzel]

gonna chime in with everyone here, that I did not receive the email, but am extremely interested in your build plans! Thanks for this video!

[@eddyd.105]

I'm started sim racing/drifting around 4 years ago on a logi strapped to my desk. I had so much fun and within a week had made well over 20+new friends with similar interests. Fast forward to now I've got the moza r12 a diy wood rig designed to look like a old arcade racer with a functional center console and triple screens and vr depending on how I'm feeling that day. Best part is you where the one that got me into sim racing all those years ago! I thankyou and my wife hates you 😂 jkjkjk she even jumps on it from time to time.

[@KameTrick]

Haha that’s rad, glad to hear you’re still sending it in the sim!🤘🏻

[@cleanname4439]

20 new friends! How?!?!?

[@eddyd.105]

@cleanname4439 Easy there's hundreds of discords related to assetto corsa, 90% lobbies just say hi in chat and people will respond, calling people out for a friendly competition, etc.

[@nospoon4799]

I wish my wife jumped on it from time to time.

[@evane389]

u should totally post a video or short showing off ur sim rig bc from what u describe it sounds sick asf

[@run_stop_restore]

Another Tip regarding aquiring a seat: FIA for race seats is only valid for 10 years. A lot of Race Teams are literally throwing away their seats because they cant use them anymore. If you have a local Team, just ask if they have some over. Got my Recaro for 50$.

[@mutha_fnmikey2325]

I built a wood rig 3 1/2 years ago for DD2, V3 pedals, podium shifter and Fanatec Ebrake after seeing the video of your being built. Still using everything and works perfectly.

[@stevek7760]

Here in Australia, I'm a Boilermaker by profession. Not too sure what the profession is called in the US, possibly fabricator/welder. I designed and built a fully adjustable steel sim rig. 8020 rigs are great for what they are, but with a custom fabricated sim rig there are no compromises. However, being a professional I had the tools and resources available, most of which the average person will not for such metal fabrication works. Thats why this timber (lumber) option is great for the average DIY person, as timber is more workable and accessible. Even if you aren’t the best DIYer, I implore you to give it a go and build your own custom rig. Because if you put the effort in, chances are you will end up with something much better than the flimsy cheap ‘n nasty options out there for less cost- just like @KameTrick says. Give it a go!

[@ericdaniels5358]

In america, we call them functioning alcoholics 🤣🤣🤣

[@MrRealeyesrealize]

I built mine after seeing yours. It’s been perfect. Once I got a button box I made a middle console that fits into it perfectly

[@no.7893]

It's certainly one area where having a dad whos a carpenter and has more tools and materials just sitting around than you'll ever need is exceptionally useful. I don't have the space to make a dedicated sim setup so I just had to integrate the pedals and gear shifter into attachments to my normal pc desk. but it works surprisingly well, and I've even got a nice foot rest on top of my inverted pedal platform.

[@Sgt.Snoopy]

Bro I've missed your videos. hope all is going well. You were a big part of me getting into sim drifting. Thank you 🙏

[@Daz555Daz]

I'm still using my DIY wooden sim rig 4 years after I built it. Mine is essentially a copy of the most common layout you see in aluminium profile rigs (base box, goalpost for the wheelbase, deck for pedals) but made from 140mm x 40mm timber. It's screwed and glued in some places but bolted together in other places where I was concerned I'd need adjustment in future. I did sand and fill my rig before coats of paint and lacquer and it is practically impossible to see that it is made from wood until you get to touch it and actually knock on the wood.

[@lukea3072]

Appreciate the sim build inspiration! I started off by drilling holes into my basic 6 foot desk from Ikea to mount my wheel base to, built a simple pedal frame/stand out of wood to mount my pedals to in a way that they don't slide on carpet, added an adjustable monitor desk mount for a single ultrawide curved monitor, and use a chair that sits next to me to clamp a shifter to.

[@halcyoncarnival726]

Awesome and comprehensive build vid! One thing I'd like to suggest the the 4:15 segment; another potential option is joining a local makerspace if you don't have access to tools, don't want to make a mess in your home during fabrication, or live in a space where loud power tool sounds could get neighbors calling in on ya'. Makerspaces are sometimes not worth the cost of membership, but some are amazing as they are filled with people ready to advise and mentor with their own fabrication expertise, generally have access to LOTS of standard and specialty tools, and can not only offer a space to complete your build, but can give suggestions on how to make it more modular and portable (since you'd definitely need to take it home when finished). When I started off with welding and working with steel projects, my local makerspace was super invaluable for learning how to work with a new medium I was unfamiliar with and took all the space/tool variables out of the process.

[@phineas59]

This video's well planned and presented, and provides a reasoned and objective overview RE considerations involved in buying vs building a rig. Well done!

[@lewisgordon1490]

My diy rig build got put on hold for winter, but I have all the supplies ☺️ My plans include building it very low (directly on 2x4's) but elevated for ease on entry & I will have storage space for 12, 12"X17" clear storage boxes from Home Depot 😁 My only expense was buying a used bucket seat from the salvage yard for $100 (a bit much, I thought). I happened to have all the wood for the rig & the base will be from pallets. I personally like the look of wood, so I'll stain it a dark color instead of painting it black. Current plans are to make the seat height the same as I use w/ my desk but I'm considering adding one or 2 layers of the storage boxes (6.5" or 13" higher). And 2X12's for the uprights, mounted w/ bolts for easy disassembly if needed (the left one slanted @ 13 deg for easier entry) and 4 heavy duty steel shelf brackets ($7 each) I bought to stabilize my last desk that was getting very wobbly. Also putting it right against the wall w/ a bookshelf built behind the monitor from broken down pallets If you can combine your sim rig as a storage device that makes up significantly for how much space it takes up.

[@franckchalut]

I use a custom diy wood sim too, I love that its infintly customisable, you can get really creative and replicate your real car mesurements. I used 2x6 and 2x4 with 3inch deck screws. If you already have wood laying around its a no brainer, like me I had some left from building my house deck. Im not even looking at a metal rig, I love the raw wood look and the feeling of doing it yourself. I even did a inverted setup for my fanatec pedals. Nice video Kame ! ✌️

[@jaayro]

My dad made us one with wood and a salvaged honda civic seat from the scrapyard LOL. It's actually super comfortable and has all the adjustment of the seat, it's awesome!

[@pn109a]

Incredible quality video. I had already decided when I'm through strapping my wheel to my computer desk I want to go the DIY route for a cockpit, but I feel like this is a much more thorough explanation than I could come up with myself, as well as being very nicely filmed and edited. Thank you!

[@KameTrick]

Glad I could help! Scoop up the PDF guide when you're ready, even if you decide to put your own spin on the design (I generally encourage everyone to do so with any DIY project) it will give you a good starting point :)

[@alecmillea4539]

This was an absolutely fantastic video! Best one I’ve seen covering all aspects of diy rigs! I built my own out of 2x6s and it’s lasted me about 4 years of upgrades and modifications. Rigidity can be drastically improved by using parts of profile rigs like a wheelbase front mount or aluminum profile pedal tray. Gt omega has great affordable options! Only thing I would add to this video is that from my experience in mostly open wheel cars in iracing using around 16nm of torque. Because of the sharp peaks I’m fighting in racing compared to drifting which is smoother on the wheelbase I found that over time whatever fasteners I use wear into the wood and it start to creak and move under load. I’m very experienced in diy and engineering, it’s simply a matter of woods compressive strength. It all bolts together strong and solid but after extended use the constant vibration and peaks make the fasteners wear into the wood and it loses its structural integrity. Best way I found was to use m8 carriage bolts and locking flange nuts as opposed to regular deck screws. Deck screws just pulled through the wood over time. With the carriage bolts you can go around with a 13mm wrench and crank them down to make up for the woods compression over time. For reference the bolt heads and nuts are now about 1/2” sunk into the 2x6s after 3 years of use. I’ve got an aluminum profile rig on order and waiting for delivery. I don’t regret for a second saving my money for other things over all these years. A DIY rig is all that most people will ever need. It’s only since having 200kg load cell pedals and a 23nm dd base that over time it fails.

[@KameTrick]

Thanks for taking the time to watch, share your opinion and all this extra info in your comment, I’m sure it will help someone make an even better rig than my first attempt 💯

[@alecmillea4539]

@@KameTrick Thanks for taking the time to read my comment and reply! I’d highly recommend the GT omega Prime front mounting bracket for your set up. It’s a 15mm aluminum plate that looks like a dashboard. In Canada I got mine for around $90usd. Most solid wheelbase mount you can get and it’s compatible with basically any profile rig if you upgrade in the future!

[@chappy0690]

Just buy a cheap cockpit for the the amount of money you spend on materials, plus you don't get splinters or have some ugly wooden frame spoiling the look of your expensive rig.

[@alecmillea4539]

@@chappy0690 lol dude I built mine out of wood I had and if you know what you’re doing you won’t get splinters 😂😂😂. The wood would’ve cost me $15 if I bought it. The screws, nuts and bolts less than $20. My seat was out of a Porsche from a junkyard for $40. I had $75 into a rig that rivals a sim lab P1x in rigidity and basically looks like it. The main reason I’m upgrading to aluminum profile is for better longevity and because I can afford it now.

[@robertt9342]

Awesome that you shared this. Somethings I have learned from this video I need to remember when I attempt a DIY wood rig: - Modularly. This allows for disassembly, replacement of sections. Will increase costs. - Design with the idea of upgrades/replacements down the road. Build the sections to allow for easier adjustments when dealing with upgrades. For example the wheel deck being between the uprights can allow for it to be lowered without cutting. - Add removable cross members to help with rigidity. This will also help support the top two items.

[@JesperSandersen]

Your original videos on a DIY wood rig inspired my own build in a big way, and I'm happy I did it. I put a floor on mine, and have bass shakers hidden away underneath. My main learnings are these: - You will make adjustments and probably won't get everything positioned right in the first attempt. Build your rig in such a way things can be moved forward/back, up/down. Maybe wait with painting until you've gone through an iteration or two. - You will most likely need to change stuff when you upgrade. For me it's main been wheel deck going front flat to angled and having to move base forward or back. Handbrake and shifter also have taken several attempts to get just right. - Not sure how typical this is, but the seat I got (from a VW Golf) was asymmetric. I sit maybe 4cm to the right relative to a center measure from seat rails. This affected my build significantly, i.e. wheel base is mounted with an offset to the right to compensate. - Seat and pedals on rails is fantastic, both for when someone else gets to try, or if different wheels have different lengths. Fanatec formula wheels are shorter than hub based wheels for example.

[@KameTrick]

I love how many people are commenting who either build a copy of or were inspired by my original DIY build video. These are great tips, the comments section for this video adds just as much value as the vid itself 🏆

[@brkinwrx6200]

I got my seat for my rig at the pick n pull for $35 just gotta pull it out yourself. It’s also fun getting to go and see what seat fits you best. Also take the passenger side as it’s probably been used less than the driver seat

[@ThatSkaterGuyy]

I'm not really into woodworking, but today I made some quick car ramps from leftover pallet wood and thought, I wonder if I could make a sim rig. I have one of those folding chairs that you did not recommend in this video and with a Moza R9 and Logitec CSL load cell pedals and the thing is constantly flexing EVERYWHERE. Unfortunately, I no longer have the budget for a nice aluminum rig. I found your first wood rig video from years ago and thought it looked great (especially since it handles your 20nm wheel), then I saw you posted this video just 3 days ago! I think it's a sign! I'm going to go for it! Hopefully, this will give increased consistency and feel through the pedals and wheel! Thanks!

[@zachgrabow9541]

On the paint/dusting the desktop, get matte black house paint (latex) and apply it with a roller. If you used rough plywood just keep filling it with paint and you’ll definitely see a difference and you’ll be able to clean it up easily

[@yokai8896]

Yeah I was thinking cans of build primer but probably roll on paint would be better

[@guaripolo69]

Hell yeah! Love seeing a kame trick video. Miss sim drifting with you during the friday bashes. One day hopefully i can get back into sim racing.

[@FrenchyAU]

a neat tip for the design process for making a wooden rig is to try build the plans in a simple CAD program like tinkercad, its an extremely basic browser based CAD program that i used to design the plans for a sim seat base for my setup which consists of an old bmw seat and a podium for a shifter and handbrake, you can place simple cube models and very easily scale them to match the dimensions of the planks or whatever else you're using and you can use that to lay your plans out and see if maybe something looks too high or low or even just to roughly work out exactly how much wood you need, different lengths needed etc

[@Ryies12]

This is legitimately one of the most helpful videos I've ever seen on KZbin. Thanks!

[@vrdrifters8237]

Dude just hopped to say I'm glad this video did well - don't stop creating!

[@vincentsama]

Great video! Your production value and video quality has really improved since you started the channel.

[@Frankestein01nl]

Heh, great tutorial... Started building my rig in 2005, after i saw an australian friend of mine put something together with his father... in 2018 i actually went and bought a Obutto Revolution seat (and guess what, it's not as comfy as my personal built one... and talking about my own built rig: a friend of mine wanted it, so it's still in use today!!!) Have a great RIg! Thanks for the video!

[@michaelstockwell9776]

Funny this should pop up as a suggestion. I bought my 1st wheel just over a year ago and almost immediately put together a DIY cockpit using an old but quite comfy xrocker gaming chair for the seat and a couple of lengths of 2x4 and some off cuts of ply wood that I had knocking around. I say funny this should come up as my g920 decided to die on me the other day so had to get another wheel. I decided I should go for a slight upgrade as I've really got into racing now. As I'm a console racer options are rather limited so went for a TS-XW wheelbase with T-LCM pedals (couldn't wait for fanatec delivery times for an affordable DD wheelbase). When I built mine I realised that adjustability for future rig changed was essential and built that into my rig and it definitely came in handy when changing wheels. As for the finish the issue you have was caused by how you painted it. As a carpenter I did it properly and primed undercoated and the glossed (in a really nice deep purple) the rig and after over a years worth of use its still as smooth and shiny as the day it was finished. So basically it's how much time and effort you're willing to put into it as to what results you'll eventually get.

[@TheRobMozza]

Wonderful, factual & helpful video there my friend. Tactical too, love it 😂 Your looking great and production has taken a huge step forward, congrats 👏

[@neonnerd1364]

I opted to build my own cockpit. I paid $100 for wood and had 2 seats with rails in storage. I cut everything with a $20 jigsaw from harbor freight and used my $20 drill from harbor freight too. The best thing about diy is if you want to customize or add extra stuff it's super easy to do it.

[@chiawildy563]

8:19 nostalgia from Initial D. Thanks for your sharing.

[@Gullideggel93]

I built my first rig out of wood in november 2023 first for my super old Driving Force GT wheel. Then switched to the 5nm Fanatec CSL DD wheel. Worked pretty well, had no problems with bending or vibrations. But after getting the Boost Kit to 8nm my wood rig started to bend and make scary noises so I switched to an aluminum rig in Feb 24. Pretty happy with it. But wood was an easy and simple way to begin with sim racing. Now I got my rig for life, constantly expanding.

[@heavydamon]

When I started off I bought a pre build stand for 80bucks for the equipment to hold I now build a small diy arcade table nothing to fancy looking just working from material that was over. I made it so it fits directly around my wheelstand for storage reasons and so I can have a monitor on it so I can use it also not from directly in fron of my pc. It was annoying to move it around all the time. As a plus I can also use the arcades buttons and sticks in a sim. All i can say is diy is worth it and if possible should be done for ones need especially if the space is limited.

[@gov451]

The largest factor that pushed me to choosing an 80/20 aluminum setup is resale value. For any reason in the future, I know I can sell the cockpit on the secondary market and recover quite a lot of the original cost as they hold their value over time very well.

[@haraldjohansen1867]

Plus they are so easy to work with and have almost limitless expansion possibilities. I bought a GT Omega Prime rig and I'm super happy with it.

[@markthibault8579]

Great video. I picked up a used Miata seat a few years ago, built my own base for it out of 2x4s and use it with a wheel stand. One is hard pressed to find a more comfortable seat for simracing. My next step is to make my own rig once and for all.

[@KrogPog]

this was a super good vid never seen your stuff before but you were very informative and well though out. great vid

[@jakeed09090]

hahaha man this is ridiculously high production quality youre really great in front of the camera. My gear needs a new rig before I can use it again, might just have to pick up some wood on the weekend.

[@stephankruit3850]

i am using a DIY wooden rig now for years, one other plus to mention is that you can choise your color instead of black, mine is white and used also plastifide wood so cleaning is easy, also made a wooden monitor stand , it saved a lot of money. Nice chair from the auto gravejard for 30 bucks with rail. sits comforteble. And i am proud of my rig , so satisfying.

[@MrTechblackdog]

Hey Kame Trick, Have ever thought about 'rapping your sim rip'? I like using 'Felt & spray glue'. Other things that can be used are 'cabinet liner', 'wallpaper', 'Used carpet', spray 'truck bed liner' & old car head liners. Tin* & furniture tax if you want a steam puck look. *copper aluminum any metal. Also 'Polyurethane' that is used on wood floors.

[@AugustoADP2001]

One thing I'm doing in my build is have a few 8020 parts, such as wheel stand and a side mount. While the rest of the build is still really cheap, you get to replace fixed equipment much more easily. Unfortunately, in my case I couldn't come up with a solution for the seat and pedals. That's life, I guess. Started my build a few days ago and was using your initial video as a base. Thanks so much for the update!

[@briancrumpacker]

Very well done! This is the only video of yours that I've seen, having just clicked on the thumbnail to see the wooden frame. Your information, presentation and editing are top notch! If you're happy enough with your setup and willing to spend a little bit more, you can find furniture grade pre-finished plywood for your top which will dust off very easily. Also, an alternative might be a few coats of the right paint to finish with a smooth surface. Either way, great video and great ideas. Cheers!

[@KameTrick]

Good point, I was a newb at the finishing aspect of "furniture" building, so I figured I'd just send it and learn as I went. If I ever build another wood rig I'll definitely take your & others advice (lots of folks have have helpful insight/critique) to get a better final surface :)

[@theshawnmccown]

My seat is from a Dodge Intrepid. So conformable I'm working on powering the driver seat since it has electronic controls for seat tilt, movement forward, back, up and down. I working on designing my own rig and wanting a way to have the same features for the pedals and wheel. When I have guests over, easy adjustability would be a big plus.

[@Hawk767]

I built mine out of 1/8in square tubestock. Used the whole project as an excuse to buy a cheap welder and learn to weld(poorly). Was a lot of fun. Its definitely a heavy piece of kit, and I didn't get the seating position even close really, have just recently started making mounting changes and adding wooden pieces to adjust position of the pedals/wheelbase, but it absolutely came out cheaper than anything I could have bought for the size/layout including the tool purchases. I'd absolutely recommend if going with something metal to account for more universal fit/mounting for different pieces to make the ease of adding new bits in the future easy. I was in the position of needing to refit the seat height, the last thing I wanted to do was disconnect everything and lug the rig back out to the garage for a cut/grind/reweld session. I had a lot of moments during the whole process of just wishing I'd bought a purpose built/modular kit, but in the end my wallet is a lot happier haha.

[@javierfonseca-sg7ku]

Thank you so very much for the plans!

[@aidan6029]

My dad built me one many years ago out of wood and angle iron. It's great, and I'm still using it. For the seat, I used the one out of my car when I replaced it with a racing bucket.

[@stephenmac23]

I finally pulled the trigger on my first real build. I started on a wheel stand lite and Logitech, but I wanted to upgrade to a real rig. Bought the next level GT racer cockpit but returned it because the pedal plate was fixed. Current setup Simlab GT1 EVO Moza R9, FSR wheel Simlab XP1 pedals Very happy with it so far!

[@esvedium]

A friend and I both bought Logitech wheels a several years ago, we spent an afternoon in his garage with some 2x4s, OSB, a box of decking screws, and 2 old seats that were in his parent's basement from an old conversion van build. We both still use them frequently, he added a handbrake mount to his, we both added different shifter mounts, and they're both still going strong. I'm a huge fan of DIY sim rigs in general, and have helped 2 other friends build theirs since I built mine. Probably not for everyone, but for the vast majority of people, they're a far better first option!!

[@cjd82187]

Exiting to see this video. I used your videos on building it as inspiration to the one I've made right after COVID, its well over 3 years old now and I slowly add new things to it from time to time. For the seat, I bought a cheap-ish "racing" seat from Jeggs which had rails. I'd never use it in a real car but for my sim rig its fine. I made my upright and wheel deck adjustable in height and angle which was a pain in the ass but if I ever do get a different base (using Fanatec DD2) its only a few bolts to adjust it a bit (stole this idea from a different video when doing my research).

[@MosukeKodoSan]

There is a mid ground for diy and off the shelf alloy rigs. I have a very "unique" space to fit a rig and pc desk in, so I went the CAD alloy extrusion route. I designed it to fit in and be a really good use of the space and then sent the 80/20 lengths to a company that cut and shipped them to my home. It was just under £500 shipped from Germany to the UK but is more intricate and specific than any off the shelf option, it's also more than strong enough for any direct drive wheel. The draw backs are it took hours of measuring and CAD, then a few extra hours to build as I didn't have instructions only a tape measure to figure out what went where

[@KameTrick]

That's really neat, there are a few guys in my discord community who did something similar and their results look great. I may try to make a build tutorial on other material types (PVC and cut-to-spec aluminum profile) someday

[@user-cn2it4lk6d]

nice video and deftinely looking forward to a full aluminum setup soon!

[@thec0rqi]

this is such a well made video, really captivating and educational - maybe i'll build my own rig soon!

[@MrMoralHazard]

I ordered myself some aluminum profiles and seat rails, got a used bucket seat for cheap and 3d printed all the corner brackets etc. Overall it was somewhere around 350€, is rock solid, adaptable to new gear and looks pretty nice as well. Since I ordered the profiles cut to the correct length already, the only special tool I used was my 3D printer. However you can also get around that by just buying metal corner brackets for around 50€ on top.

[@brapgarage]

Hell yeah, bro. Good to see a post again!

[@Hoop27]

Built my wood rig darn near a decade ago and still use it for $40 of 2x4's and MDF. If I want a new mount for something it's wood! Just drill a new piece on . Easy. Picked up two car seats online for free. No I'm not a carpenter at all but I had basic tools. Wasn't hard to do. I will push back on one thing though. My rig is HEAVY! 🤣 Good video!

[@vortersle]

I have built both racing and flight cockpits based upon your earlier videos. Better Than Great Stuff! My Thanks.

[@SomeNameHere]

For Seat, if you are unlucky and its hard to find. You can go to a Place like IKEA or similar. In the PC Desk/Chair section they should have something similar to DXRacer if you wanna go cheap. When opting for descent Quality, than get a GTRacing Chair, they start at like 100$, you can ignore the Waight limitations and stuff, since they are about the Gas-Piston. Instead you dont install the "feetpart" get a Steelplate if needed and Threat it to a Railsystem instead.

[@skydayang]

great video kame, i just received the moza r12 and i plan on making a sim cockpit out of tube steel, I have limited space and im gonna use nuts and bolts so i can dismantle it when not in us.

[@GetDrifty.]

Okay I've made my own rig without a tutorial with just a hand saw and a drill, my opinion 100% worth it, all I need is a car chair thing, I want the rails too for adjustability but that's a working progress

[@rsturba]

about the dust, use a brush, large paintbrushes or wallpaper brushes are good. I know it can put some of the dust back in the air but its better than nothing

[@katesmiles4208]

This posting has inspired me to make a games console to incorporate my pc etc with my exercise bike. 👍

[@CJdriftZ]

Had a diy for years! Totally worth it!

[@odkdsjf]

Regarding the removal of dust, others options are sealing the lumber or covering with another material such as plexiglass.

[@intheshitter]

Ive mentioned this in other diy sim rig videos, but if you're going to buy a used car seat, go for a passenger seat because they have way less wear and tear and are also cheaper.

[@edteach3r]

Excellent build! I had to build my own rig five years ago as my wife would not allow me to bring “the monstrous monolith” into our home. She actually did me a huge favour as I enjoyed designing and building my own rig out of 2x6 wood and painting it in a John Player Special livery. Despite it consisting of triple screens, it is low profile and quite discreet. Best of all, it cost me less than $100, including an adjustable sliding IKEA chair. The low cost allowed me to add a ButtKicker, which is essential, in my opinion. I now love my unique rig, and it has accommodated two wheelbase upgrades since. Currently I have a Fanatec Podium DD and it as solid as a house. The only thing is that the pedal plate creaks under severe breaking, but that just adds to the immersion when driving vintage cars. 😂 I thought it would serve me for a year or two, until a sleek, affordable rig came around, but I think the old gal is here to stay.

[@robcaseyire]

What adjustable ikea chair did you use?

[@edteach3r]

@@robcaseyire I used an IKEA POÄNG, and built my rig to extend alongside it on both sides (i.e. on the outside of the chair) and added aligned square blocks to the legs of the chair that slide on the floor. So the chair sits snugly inside the two beams of the rig that extend towards the back. Then I made a simple wooden beam that runs under the chair to lock it in place on the two sides of the rig. It is not very sophisticated, but works really well for getting in and out of the rig, and for changing the distance to the steering wheel if you swop wheels. Once you have your preferred position, you just drop the locking beam in place. If you want further adjustability, you just add more stops to the IKEA chair's beams that slide along the floor. I have carpet, so the chair slides easily, but I you could add felt sliders to the bottom of the chair if you have wooden floors. I hope this all makes sense! I find the chair so comfortable and never get tired, even after a few hours. I painted everything a semi-gloss black and added a few stickers (particularly JPS 🙂) and it really looks the part.

[@shaneWARs1]

You can buy square metal with holes pre drilled at lows and home depot for the pedal and frame wheel stand . Also if you have a next level wheel stand you can bolt it to it for about 140 bucks

[@talon1706]

My first rig was similar. My first seat was my swivel fishing seat out of my boat. GT Omega Art cockpit now.

[@numberyellow]

I pulled my seat from a car i was sending to the scrappers. Not only is it more comfortable, and cheaper than one of those racing seats, but i think it adds a bit of authenticity to the setup, that adds to the immersion...It feels like a real car seat, because it IS a real car seat.

[@justinfitzpatrick5502]

I made mine out of wood and painted it black. When I clean it I use a dry paint brush and a vacuum at the same time, it works pretty well at getting the dust off. Still looks good to me!

[@andaro.77]

I would make my custom rig work on rails *everywhere.* but the casters at the bottom, those would just lock. Need to adjust the wheelbase height? Unlock a rail, lower or raise the wheel, and lock said rail again. Want to change to a RHD setup?* derail the shifter and handbrake, swap positions (assuming you'd want the handbrake closer) and remount on the left side of the rig to emulate a UKDM or JDM setup. Want to bring the wheel closer? (for example, shorter arms or a non-deep-dish wheel) Move the seat closer, no need for the wheel mount to be on a rail. You get the point. I think it's amazing. *another way to make the setup easy to RHD would be to use heavy-duty clips instead.

[@w9s992]

You are finally back!

[@X1AN1023]

One of the many advantages of having a family of engineers is the amount of tools you can use, my first ever DIY being inverted pedals costing less than a dollar cuz I needed wood screws, the wood the the rest were sitting outside

[@bitekiful]

3rd year into sim racing, spent my first year at a desk then I made a wooden rig. I wanted a profile extrusion rig but couldnt afford it. I bought a gtomega monitor stand which is black extrusion, it cost me £150 because it has the right lengths for what I needed. Then I've bought further black extrusions from aliexpress and I've slowly been swapping out the wood for aluminum. A great way to save whilst waiting for a delivery from aliexpress for another piece. I'm 90% extrusion now and it's cost me £297 so far and I guess another £100 to finish it. So I got my perfect rig for £400. Best thing is I get a lot of feedback through the rig now compared to when it was all wood.

[@farfarad89]

you could build a hybrid version of a diy rig to make it adjustble. So you could use adjustable metal parts and set them on a wooden frame/base.

[@ppprime98K]

Nice video, one thing i would sugest to the dust problem is that you should stick PVC tiles to the desk surface and then paint it black, or some type of sealant like a varnish and then painting black!

[@SnoopDoggyDoge]

It might help to vinyl wrap the wood to help keep it easier to clean, Also marketplace is great for finding entry level Logitech wheel and sim setups, you can usually get a full G923 with stand and shifter for 200-250ish (at least my area in the NorthEast) Otherwise great video and perspective!

[@dempa3]

Very good video! I need to figure out how a solution where I can transform my desk and office chair in to a rigid sim rig, and back, for space saving purposes.

[@Keisuke42]

That's wicked. I build a small desk just for my computer. Looks similar.

[@michaelstephenson7264]

I built mine over a year ago and I have never looked back. Might upgrade to a nice aluminum one in the future, but I'll never NEED to.

[@okami803]

Good to see ya again dude

[@guybarros]

I dont sim race, nor am I going to build it but damn this was a cool video! I really enjoyed your style and content. subscribed and am checking out the rest of your content.

[@IGIVEWELLz0r]

you can also add something on the top layer of the wood like a fake leather or some plastic

[@tonystreet3574]

Im a seasoned sim racer, i built my own rigs for years then bought a next level racing gt track for about £600, i had it as a permanent or fixed set up for about a year, then i took it apart put it in the shed and went back to homemade, i have cup holders, vr headset storage, bass shakers, carpets and excellent cable management, if you have some diy skills and a few tools i would always recommend saving money on building your own rig and investing the money saved on a decent wheel and pedal set. Stay away from wheelstands and foldable rigs because they are All flimsy

[@gitrekt-gudson]

I agree with everything you've said. Way I look at it... good sim racing gear can be costly, but nowhere near as costly as running a real car, and it's generally a one-and-done purchase (aside from the odd breakage that comes after hundreds of hours of use) unlike a real car that will have nearly constant maintenance costs. A low cost DIY rig can also make it easier to justify the cost of higher tier wheel bases and accessories lol

[@Alex-vz2jz]

I built mine with pallets and a wooden chair. Since i play in VR looks don't matter. I used a pallet to mount my Rx7 chair, Flight Stick(Flight stick is used as a handbrake), and shifter too it. So i sit pretty low to ground. The chair is used to mount the steering wheel, its a chair that isn't used anymore and i placed weights on top of the chair so it doesn't move around. Again since i play in VR looks don't matter and everything works just fine.

[@EmoDKTsuchiya]

What a beast of a channel

[@tech8438]

Quality. nothing else to say good job!

[@dilutedskew]

Hey Ben! Do you remember what video it was where you went over how to do the free cam in Assetto? F7. Please let me know. Thanks!

[@KWHCoaster]

I've never been overly satisfied with commercial the cockpits I've seen. Either looked too flimsy or pricey. Eventually I just made one with some 1-1/2" ABS pipe (the black plumbing pipe), ABS fittings, 1" pine panels (for wheel, shifter & pedal decks), U-bolts and 3/8" bolts to fit my Logitech G25 wheel and Rocker gaming seat. And I can adjust the Rocker seat and it stays in position. The wheel deck also serves as monitor deck for a 32" 2K monitor. I used to park it in front of the 42" HDTV. I use a Logitech X-540 5.1surround sound speaker system for audio and the Rocker seat has audio in. Pleased with the result, the tubular frame looks cool and is solid, zero flex. Only tools needed are a electric drill, hand saw, wrench and ABS cement. I got all the materials at Home Depot and Canadian Tire.

[@KameTrick]

I might try an ABS build someday--just to see how well it comes together. They look neat and I bet they're even lighter than wood which is a plus.

[@dezolatestation]

as diy user ( even the wheels too) the diy things always fun to me

[@MonsterCryke]

Can I use an Office Chair/gaming chair too? Or do you recommend a bucket seat?

[@JonathanAvesar]

You can use compressed air to dust rough wooden rigs. I built my own rig as well and am lucky to have an air compressor but understand that most people don't

[@rossstewart9475]

I wonder if more of one's Time budget on the paint might help with the cleaning issues? Maybe some painted on oil or acrylic based paint rather than a rattle can?

[@SankarshanGhosh]

Finally a Kame Trick video!

[@richysracing9524]

good vid my guy big up

[@oktc68]

Doesn't have to be aluminium to be rock solid, I don't have space for a full rig, and use a non folding wheel stand made from steel, it's absolutely rock solid, there's no movement other than the FFB and I can literally stand on the brake pedal. Have to say that had I space for a full rig I think I'd still probably buy one, as who knows when you'll spot a bargain piece of equipment and change a component? Plus I'm not a gifted woodworker and don't have the tools or space for assembly. I found your preference for triples over VR interesting and would like to more on your thoughts on this. (I recently added a 21:9 Ultrawide QD OLED monitor to my setup which is about as much as I can fit into my space) interesting video, thanks for posting.

[@williamsaloka9043]

I built a rig a few months ago. Cost me practically nothing( 11.00 for some hardware) Awesome gaming/racing in the livingroom. Can't beat that!

[@BenFilley]

A few 8ft 2x4s a 2ft X 4ft sheet of plywood, a circular hand saw, a drill, a bucket of 3” wood screws and a seat off a trashed Chinese sim rig from Facebook. Been using it for 4 years now. Not the prettiest thing I’ve ever built but I’ll be damned if it ain’t stable and effective. Only complaint is having to drill new holes if I change hardware. Took me about 4 hours to build, having no plans laid out ahead of time.

[@pipelinewill]

I came here to like your video for making it out of 2x4s instead of buying junk or expensive stuff. Didn't watch it but it looks like mine and I like it

[@racekar80]

Going from a wood rig to a professional aluminum extrusion rig was one of the best things that improved my driving. The wood absorbed a lot of the vibrations of the wheel and pedals, your already missing the G forces and you need all the other sensory inputs.

[@KameTrick]

Agree, not having g-forces like you in the real car is bummer. I think profile is the way to go for max performance, but I'll be happy if more people get into sim racing, which means budget inspiration is a net positive even if ppl upgrade later. I'm looking forward to trying an aluminum profile rig--I suspect it will be similar to how my driving improved once I got a bucket seat and 5 point for my car--higher quality info /less distractions from sliding about led to more composed & higher quality driving.