Just did this tonight for my X56. Well done mate, I followed your instructions and it went well. As others have said, I just screwed the square tube to the underside of the desk. Thanks legend!
Thanks for the video. I was able to mount my X56 system to my desk. One thing that was different in my setup was my desk has a hollow core as yours appeared to be solid core. Instead of the galvanised steel I used 30mm aluminum (also from Bunnings), as I was conscious of the weight being secured to the hollow core. I used a screw at the front of the desk(where there is a small solid piece of desk) and one in the end of the 30mm section and used Liquid Nails along the entire section. Perfectly strong now with no issues. As such I didnt need to rivet an additional section. To access putting the screws in the 30mm section to the desk, I used a 10mm drill bit on one side which then gave me access to the inside of the square tube where I drilled a pilot hole and countersunk so the screw would be flush inside the square. The 25mm now slides in and out easily with just a little tension to hold it in place.
This is a really great idea and instruction video, and I found all the required materials at Bunnings as stated. One improvement I made was to use the three-pronged plastic connectors that you can also get, at the back corners, and put the normal ones at the front, so there is a rectangle of tubes rather than just the two rails sticking out. Did that because I also found that you can buy the ConnectIt tube with a lip on it (meant to hold glass shelves etc), and so now the VKB Gladiator sits in there, cannot move sideways and is easy to quickly remove if I want to take off the baseplate to switch out the springs for helicopter flying etc. The four screwholes in the base plate are also able to still take zip ties, to fix them to the rectangle's tubes for even greater stability. Plus I didn't have to worry about end caps that way! 😄
Brendon, great idea. If you didn’t want to have to purchase the angle length and keep the cost down even more, you could drill an 8th inch hole through both sides of the box tubing, then a half inch hole to enable a countersink bit to fit through to countersink the internal hole for a countersunk screw to be flush with the internal tube and screw straight to the desk.
I'm currently looking into making my own mount set up and this video hits the spot! Advancing the idea a little, I'd like to make the assembly retractable, either by unlocking from the bottom desk and having the controller portion swing and lock into the very back underside of the desk, and relock to hold it in that retracted state. Or more elaborate, using a hydraulic soft close cabinet assembly to retract to the unused underside of the desk. As I'm watching and reading everyone's homemade designs, I believe the hardest achievement I'll encounter is keeping the rigidity in its in-use state. It will require more articulation points. You did an awesome job on this. While the concept is simple, you've made something very effective that doesn't exist in the market even still. There are a couple popping up but they seem to all have traded stability just to slide a couple feet away and still take up productive desk space. Well done!
I'm wondering if you've managed to set this up. I had been thinking along the same lines (but ended up purchasing pre-made Virpil mounts). Would love to see what you managed to do!
thx mate, I'm going to build one myself. my joystick and throttle won't fly around my desk anymore, but there's still my skill issue. so if anyone wants to target practice in DCS on easy mode, find me there.
just one comment, instead of using some angled connection to keep rectangle part screwed to the desk, simply screw the rectangle part directly. Just make larger hole at the bottom for screw and screwdriver to comfortably go in, angle the mounting hole and you saving time, space, material and it will be more sturdy.
As he stated if it’s convenient enough you should by from a metal supplier as they can sell you exactly the lengths you need at a cheaper price per meter than Bunnings as it is
@brendonv101 Yeah will see if needed. Ive used your design im just going to weld 2 at right angles and use a the same tubing with a gap and screws at either end so about 450 mm slide.
![Joystick HOTAS Table Mounts DIY! [Machining Drawings + Links in Description!]](/img/n.gif)
This is the cleanest and cheapest HOTAS deskmount I've ever seen. Outstanding Sir! I'll begin mine tomorrow!
Just did this tonight for my X56. Well done mate, I followed your instructions and it went well. As others have said, I just screwed the square tube to the underside of the desk. Thanks legend!
Thanks for the video. I was able to mount my X56 system to my desk. One thing that was different in my setup was my desk has a hollow core as yours appeared to be solid core. Instead of the galvanised steel I used 30mm aluminum (also from Bunnings), as I was conscious of the weight being secured to the hollow core. I used a screw at the front of the desk(where there is a small solid piece of desk) and one in the end of the 30mm section and used Liquid Nails along the entire section. Perfectly strong now with no issues. As such I didnt need to rivet an additional section. To access putting the screws in the 30mm section to the desk, I used a 10mm drill bit on one side which then gave me access to the inside of the square tube where I drilled a pilot hole and countersunk so the screw would be flush inside the square. The 25mm now slides in and out easily with just a little tension to hold it in place.
This is a really great idea and instruction video, and I found all the required materials at Bunnings as stated. One improvement I made was to use the three-pronged plastic connectors that you can also get, at the back corners, and put the normal ones at the front, so there is a rectangle of tubes rather than just the two rails sticking out. Did that because I also found that you can buy the ConnectIt tube with a lip on it (meant to hold glass shelves etc), and so now the VKB Gladiator sits in there, cannot move sideways and is easy to quickly remove if I want to take off the baseplate to switch out the springs for helicopter flying etc. The four screwholes in the base plate are also able to still take zip ties, to fix them to the rectangle's tubes for even greater stability. Plus I didn't have to worry about end caps that way! 😄
Brendon, great idea. If you didn’t want to have to purchase the angle length and keep the cost down even more, you could drill an 8th inch hole through both sides of the box tubing, then a half inch hole to enable a countersink bit to fit through to countersink the internal hole for a countersunk screw to be flush with the internal tube and screw straight to the desk.
You most definitely could. Just have to make sure the screws will clear the slip tube.
Finally found someone doing what I have been wanting to! And also in Aus!! Thanks mate.
I'm currently looking into making my own mount set up and this video hits the spot! Advancing the idea a little, I'd like to make the assembly retractable, either by unlocking from the bottom desk and having the controller portion swing and lock into the very back underside of the desk, and relock to hold it in that retracted state. Or more elaborate, using a hydraulic soft close cabinet assembly to retract to the unused underside of the desk.
As I'm watching and reading everyone's homemade designs, I believe the hardest achievement I'll encounter is keeping the rigidity in its in-use state. It will require more articulation points.
You did an awesome job on this. While the concept is simple, you've made something very effective that doesn't exist in the market even still. There are a couple popping up but they seem to all have traded stability just to slide a couple feet away and still take up productive desk space.
Well done!
I'm wondering if you've managed to set this up. I had been thinking along the same lines (but ended up purchasing pre-made Virpil mounts). Would love to see what you managed to do!
thx mate, I'm going to build one myself. my joystick and throttle won't fly around my desk anymore, but there's still my skill issue. so if anyone wants to target practice in DCS on easy mode, find me there.
just one comment, instead of using some angled connection to keep rectangle part screwed to the desk, simply screw the rectangle part directly. Just make larger hole at the bottom for screw and screwdriver to comfortably go in, angle the mounting hole and you saving time, space, material and it will be more sturdy.
is there a way to make vkb gladiator a center config with the grip offset?
Great idea. Thank You very much! Greetings from Poland
i like your sidepiece on top of the speaker
Nice mate, off to bunnings now to do my mounts for my HOSAS + stuff
As he stated if it’s convenient enough you should by from a metal supplier as they can sell you exactly the lengths you need at a cheaper price per meter than Bunnings as it is
Life saver mate. Just about to mount a wood slab and could not figure out what to do with this. wondering If I could also put it on sliders.
Sliders would be a pretty neat idea. Just need a locking pin.
@brendonv101 Yeah will see if needed. Ive used your design im just going to weld 2 at right angles and use a the same tubing with a gap and screws at either end so about 450 mm slide.
Yeah welding is better as there's more clearance in the tube. Will need a locking bolt for sure. Enjoy. :)
Really clean build mate, im glad i came across this as the other ones ive seen are just as much if not more and a whole lot uglier
What a smart guy!
Does it ever slide out when you pull back?
Nah it's solid.
What cab you do if you have zero tools?
buy a mount
Smart, simple and awesome, THX.
You have a design flaw, the screws that go under the desk will end up getting lose in time.
You would be better off using clamps.
Wheres the desk from 😊
Sorry late reply. Desk top is actually from Bunnings in the kitchen area. Drawers are IKEA.
looks good
Very good
it's maybe cheap, but looks not realy clean for me.
You could always follow a similar concept but make it more sleek and "clean".