epoxy aircraft seats?

On Mon, 1 Dec 2003 07:46:45 -0000, "karel adams"
wrote:

all this makes for an instructive and interesting discussion, dear
gentlemen
but to my regret it doesn't get me an inch closer to the subject...
BTW I think seats are curvy enough to justify epoxy construction
TIA,
KA


Karel
there are no instructions or plans for aircraft seats as such. each
aircraft plan carries general instructions which most people adapt to
what they think will fit them best.

the corby starlet for instance uses a three and a quarter inch
polystyrene block with a thin temperfoam cushion. seat back is some
temperfoam on the plywood former.
the vans aircraft use aluminium to achieve something similar.
without knowing the position of formers that the seat attaches to you
are not going to produce anything useful.

if you are busting for a demo project to practise the skills can I
suggest making a battery box (these are epoxy/glass on many/most
designs)- you can always give it away to someone building,
or a flight toolbox - you know the sort of thing that you pack your
fly away tools, spare nuts and bolts, lockwire and a spark plug in.
use a piano hinge on the lid one side with the wire permanently in
place and a piano hinge with removable wire on the other side for
opening. with a little care you could make something just about
indestructable.
another project involves getting a worn out 5.00x5 tyre (you'll get
these given to you) and making a set of cool wheel fairings.
make two and sit one either side of the telly.
when the movies get boring you'll soon be thinking of building the
aircraft that sits between the fairings and you'll be off into the
workshop which is where you should be :-)

seats? bleagh, wheel fairings are way cooler to look at.
.....or maybe a set of wing tips.
Stealth Pilot

In article ,
"Larry Smith" wrote:

Aluminum and laminar flow airfoils don't mix either.

Gotta say that I like composites best of all for aircraft. BUT, there
are some very successful laminar flow wing aircraft with aluminum wing
skins. Schreder HP series gliders, most of them anyway, use aluminum
skins bonded to wide foam ribs. This construction method can, and often
does, result in excellent laminar flow wings that hold their profile.

Still, composite is the way to go (unless rags and sticks, or rags and
tubes, or sheet aluminum fits the mission better)

Wallace Berry
N301BW (Glasflugel H301 Libelle, all composite glider)
N5423M (rags and sticks and tubes Stits SA6b)

In article 17byb.356395$HS4.2988006@attbi_s01,
"Paul Hastings" wrote:

One has to also consider the quality of workmanship, composite designs are
generally overdesigned because the designer is trying to cover differances
in workmanship from builder to builder. With aluminum, the same thickness
aluminum will yield the same strength part, but with composites differences
in technique and preparation can yield widely different results with the
same materials and number of layups. Designers compensate for this in the
beginning, IMHO this is the main reason why a composite will weigh more than
an equivilant aluminum structure. This is just a generalization that applies
mainly to amatuer built wet layups, in more controlled conditions(prepreg
carbon, vacuum bagged parts) the composite part can be lighter and stronger
than a similar aluminum part. However most homebuilders do not have access
to low cost supplies, tooling, and an oven large enough to do a complete
fuse, wing, etc... YMMV



It will depend too on the configuration of the aircraft. Fer instance,
modern open class sailplanes that have wingspans in the 24 to 30 meter
(or more) range just could not be built out of aluminum. These things
have fantastically narrow wing chords with wing thicknesses less than
15% of chord. I'm not sure an aluminum wing like that could be made at
all at any weight. You should see the flexing of those big glider's
wings!

On Mon, 1 Dec 2003 17:41:55 -0000, "karel adams"
wrote:


BTW what's temperfoam?

it is a blue foam that is quite tough but pliable. if you press into
it it will gradually yield. when you hop out of the seat it will grow
back to original shape in half an hour or so.

after market shoe inserts are made from it.

I dont know whether you see this stuff in the states but camping
stores here sell a half inch thick rolled up mat which you roll out
under a sleeping bag. it is quite comfortable to sleep on and is
similar in texture to temperfoam.

On Tue, 2 Dec 2003 17:44:14 -0000, "karel adams"
wrote:


"Stealth Pilot" schreef in bericht
.. .
On Mon, 1 Dec 2003 17:41:55 -0000, "karel adams"
wrote:


Well if you think I'm in the US you're quite mistaken
I'm in tiny Belgium, Western Europe.
And where's YOUR 'here'?

perth
western australia

The camping matresses you mention are known to me,
are you suggesting I buy one & cut it up to suit my seats?

why not. you wouldnt be the first to do this.

KA (demanding on the point of comfort)

Stealth Pilot wrote in message . ..
On Mon, 1 Dec 2003 17:41:55 -0000, "karel adams"
wrote:


BTW what's temperfoam?

it is a blue foam that is quite tough but pliable. if you press into
it it will gradually yield. when you hop out of the seat it will grow
back to original shape in half an hour or so.

after market shoe inserts are made from it.

I dont know whether you see this stuff in the states but camping
stores here sell a half inch thick rolled up mat which you roll out
under a sleeping bag. it is quite comfortable to sleep on and is
similar in texture to temperfoam.

Actually Temperfoam comes in several colors depending on its density.
It was originally designed for astronaut couches where one would spend
a long time on it. It conforms to your contours providing even
support. It is great stuff and I have been using it for nearly 20
years. You might look up Oregon Aero.com. They sell it. It aint cheap,
but it's worth it.

Ed Sullivan

In article , (Ed
Sullivan) writes:


Actually Temperfoam comes in several colors depending on its density.
It was originally designed for astronaut couches where one would spend
a long time on it. It conforms to your contours providing even
support. It is great stuff and I have been using it for nearly 20
years. You might look up Oregon Aero.com. They sell it. It aint cheap,
but it's worth it.

Ed Sullivan



Bought mine from McMaster Carr and save a few dollars. They carry the Yellow,
Pink, Blue and Green which go from soft to fairly dense. It is great stuff and
is easy to work with and shape. I did my seats using the Pink, Blue and Green
with beautiful results.

Bob Reed
www.kisbuild.r-a-reed-assoc.com (KIS Builders Site)
KIS Cruiser in progress...Slow but steady progress....

"Ladies and Gentlemen, take my advice,
pull down your pants and Slide on the Ice!"
(M.A.S.H. Sidney Freedman)