Problem:   Can't clamp my Logitech Momo steering wheel on to my desk

Solution Difficulty:  Straight forward

  This problem frequently happens when the dimensions of the edge or molding of a desk is too wide to accommodate the clamping mechanism steering controller. Ideally you want a sturdy and stable horizontal surface on which to mount the controller. In this article we construct a removable mount for the steering wheel using basic parts from your local hardware store.

  The desk we'd like to mount the controller to is a custom built wooden item which has a Formica top, a small piece of molding and approximately 1" of wooden "facing" beneath it. The problem is that the Momo wheel's jaw is only open by about 3" which is much to narrow for our desk. To fix the problem I purchased a 1' x 6" x 1/4" piece of laminated shelving board, four 3/4" bolts, nuts, and two washers for each bolt. I also found two metal "kick stop" brackets for an exterior door which are bent in a Z pattern and two 6" metal C-clamps.

  Our C-clamps will hold the kick stops to the desk and our shelving board will mount on the topside of the kick stops. We can then clamp the controller to the shelving board and tighten everything down for a secure fit. To remove we will simply loosen the C-clamps and remove the apparatus.

  First start out by drilling two 3/4" holes in the shelving board. I recommend tapping out the holes with a smaller bit and then progressively working your way up to the larger bit. This will help minimize splitting and cracking in the shelf laminate. Next put one washer on the bolt and insert it down (i.e. with the bold head on top of the shelving board) through the board and through the kick stop bracket. Next add the washer and nut to the opposite end of the bolt and tighten.

  Now take the c-clamp and clamp the bottom end of the kick stop bracket to the desk. This is the trickiest part since you have to hold the shelf and tighten the clamp at the same time. I don't recommend using the quick clamps since they have a tendency to slip and could cause the shelf to break free during an "intense" gaming moment. If you are worried about messing up the desk you can slip a piece of foam rubber or wooden shim between the C-clamp and the desk. Now simply tighten down the clamp until the shelf is secure. You are now ready to attach your game controller and to get your game on.

  A few words of caution about this setup. First the bolts that attach the shelf can have sharp edges so be careful if you have small children in the house. You can wrap a small piece of electrical tape around the end and threads to help prevent scrapes. Also if you’re like me you may not want to remove the shelf when you are finished gaming. This shelf is study enough that you should be able to leave it in place all the time, though you may need to occasionally tighten the c-clamp if your pads or shims compress. In fact because of the dimensions of this shelf it makes keyboard tray or place to rest your arms during those marathon surfing sessions.

This article contributed by ERSWeb
Read more by this author at http://ElectronicRealitySolutions.com