Just waiting on seat material now...

[Michael Carter]

I primed and painted it this morning and afternoon. I hate prepping for paint work because the prep usually takes longer than the actuall painting does.

I worked for around five hours in the shop doing the prep work and a dust coat of primer for last minute filling and sanding. This morning I did a final inspection and tacked it off and grabbed the rattle cans.

Material is on order and should show up around Wednesday or Thursday of next week.

Hope you all in the States have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend.

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/boeing722/mycrewseat54.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/boeing722/mycrewseat51.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/boeing722/mycrewseat53.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/boeing722/mycrewseat52.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/boeing722/mycrewseat48.jpg

[Joe Cygan]

Awesome work Michael!

[Westozy]

Your finishing of timber is outstanding Michael, I really have to pick your brains on how you do it. I have to make 4 sets of A320 trim wheels out of MDF and want to achieve a black 'plastic' finish on them like the ones Brian Williamson made.

Gwyn

[Michael Carter]

Thank Joe, sorry I couldn't wait for yours. I know with your skills it will blow this one away.

[Michael Carter]

Hi Gwyn, the secret to finishing wood to look like metal is auto body glazing. It's used as a final filler for minor imperfections after bodywork is completed.

The wood soaks this stuff up well and the adhesion properties on wood is better than it is on metal. After an application of glaze coat, allow it to dry for about 20 minutes. Less if you are working outside in the sun with low humidity. Sand that off and look for darker spots that you have filled. Those are still low spots that have to be filled and sanded again.

You shouldn't have much of a problem with MFD as there is no grain to fill. But, MFD soakes up paint so you will have to fill edges and minor scratches. I use Krylon etching primer for all of my projects. It adhears well to wood (and aluminum), sands easily and the fill properties are fair (but it's not considered a fill primer). It sands very well without clogging even on a random orbital sander.

I always use a finish grit of 800 on the final coat of primer and then wipe with a terry cloth and then lightly with a tack rag.

I usually use two medium coats of pain allowing them to dry 15 minutes between coats. The final coat is sprayed very wet to get a smooth and consistant finish. The brand of paint you choose will determine how wet you can spray it without it running or flash drying as it hits the surface. You have to get to know the paint you use and use it consistantly so you can judge how to apply with repeatability.

[Michael Carter]

I forgot to add, that when you finish your trim wheels, mount them on something in your vise that you can rotate them on.

I used an acrylic laquer on mine and they look like glass. Just make sure they are rotating as you hose 'em down.

[Westozy]

Thanks Mike, I've copied and pasted all of that! I was going to make sort of a potters wheel to paint circular parts on, I have a couple of 3 piece 2" thrust bearings in the shed which will be perfect for the job. I'll have a go at the first pair of trim wheels myself to see what result I get, if it's average, I'll sub out the job to a mate who is a french polisher.

Cheers, Gwyn

[Bob Reed]

Hey BSW you using Green or Red glaze?

[W9XE/Project777]

Michael

Your seats are really coming along nicely. Great to see a project that most any builder can make that's on a budget. Look forward to seeing the final product.

Great comments for Gwyn, I am sure others will take note of this. I watch a lot of American Hotrod and I see them using the filler in all there projects. Kind of explains a lot when it comes to the finish.

You can be proud of this work :D:D:D

[Michael Carter]

The glaze is red.

[ivar hestnes]

Michal

Your seat is outstanding. Excellent work. And lots of detailing. I love it. I was thinking of using car seats in my sim, but it is not an option anymore.

Have to replicate the real deal in some kind of way;)

[Geremy Britton]

Ar ha! :D

Gwyn, i am trying to find a decent idea to base my trim wheel on. Basically how are you making them?

Keep me posted on your progress!

Thanks, Geremy

[Westozy]

Ar ha! :D

Gwyn, i am trying to find a decent idea to base my trim wheel on. Basically how are you making them?

Keep me posted on your progress!

Thanks, Geremy

I'm planning on glueing two 19mm pieces of MDF together and then turning them on a mate's wood lathe. This was Brian Williamsons method and his look great. I'm posting updates on the thread - "Aerosim Solutions A320 TQ".

Gwyn

[Geremy Britton]

Cheers! :p

[Michael Carter]

I used two rings cut from MFD as well. Both were cut with a slight angle and a piece of 1/8" plywood was sandwiched between the rings.

The slight angle gives them that Boeing look of the real wheels. After filling and sanding, they look prety close to the real thing. At least from the top.

Another builder with the real wheels sent me the dimensions.

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/boeing722/throttlescrews.jpg

[vidarf]

I might not tell you this now, after all your hard work, but Simparts do sell replicas. And they look pretty darn good! Check my website, under TQ. :)

BTW: VERY good work on that TQ!!!! Impressive!

[Michael Carter]

Yeah, I found that out after the fact.

[Michael Carter]

Michal

Your seat is outstanding. Excellent work. And lots of detailing. I love it. I was thinking of using car seats in my sim, but it is not an option anymore.

Have to replicate the real deal in some kind of way;)


I'd have to agree with you there. After building that outstanding shell, car seats just aren't going to cut it in your sim. ;)

Car seats were never an option for me. I was either going to buy a real one or build a copy. The real ones were out of my budget though, and then it would still in all likelyhood need refirbishment to make it look good. $1400 for a set of Weber cushions and seat covers was also a little beyond my means.

This copy was around $260 including the harness, seat upholstery, and hardware. It would have been more, but I already had the lumber, seat legs, and other assorted pieces and parts.

[Michael Carter]

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/boeing722/727flightdeck2.jpg

[Tomlin]

Michael,

That seat really rounds out your project immensely. Very good work my friend! It is inspirational. I, however, will go the car seat route. The corporate jets have quite different seat assemblies, and so I guess I have lucked out once again on this area of compromise. I really like what you have done and it proves that a great Boeing seat replica CAN be built to satisfaction.

Viarf, in an effort to look at your site to see the replica trim wheels, I noticed the following on your front page:

"NOTE: The image to the left is NOT my simulator!!! Quite a few dudes has emailed me about my "extremely nice simulator". All I have to say about that is: Read the different pages about the different areas of the sim."

THAT is so funny, because I cant tell you how many times I was emailed from different people asking me about my project, because I too had a Flight Safety International B737NG sim photo on my site's frontpage, which did btw have a text advising it was from FSI, not myself! In fact, I had some representatives from two different aviation companies email and ask for a quote for me to build them a sim. Yeah, right. I was flabergasted to say the least!

[Michael Carter]

It beats the heck out of my office chair!

I'm going to have to get this thing on wheels or linear rails/block assembly.

I can't hardly get out of it once I'm in. I can think of worse things though. :D

[Westozy]

It is awesome Mike but does it have the "snooze" position like my car seats? Very handy on those long flights when the hostie wants a cuddle!

Gwyn

[Trevor Hale]

Very handy on those long flights when the hostie wants a cuddle!

Gwyn

Hey buddy.... Don't know bout you, but I would like to know how you get the hostie even into your sim, when she wants work done around the house? Let alone time to see if the seats go back?

[Michael Carter]

It is awesome Mike but does it have the "snooze" position like my car seats? Very handy on those long flights when the hostie wants a cuddle!

Gwyn


As long as I'm strapped in, any position is the 'snooze' position.

[Westozy]

Hey buddy.... Don't know bout you, but I would like to know how you get the hostie even into your sim, when she wants work done around the house? Let alone time to see if the seats go back?

I just steal her wine glass, place it on the glareshield and she can sniff it out from 50 feet away!

[Michael Carter]

It beats the heck out of my office chair!

I'm going to have to get this thing on wheels or linear rails/block assembly.

I can't hardly get out of it once I'm in. I can think of worse things though. :D


I found a company that makes an affordable rail/block assemby that will support the weight of me and the chair.

The rails and blocks are $47 apeice and that includes two blocks per rail, 1 meter long.

If you need them go here: http://www.igus.com/show_dn.asp

I'll be getting the -27 series with the mounting nuts.