Materials for cockpit mockup

[Mike Switzer]

I want to build a cheap mockup of my cockpit to check out seating angle, instrument location, control location, etc.

Just wondering what you guys are using to build a mockup. I plan on building the finished plane with steel tube, I was going to build the mockup with cheap wood but the only straight wood I can find in sizes similar to what the tube will be are trim grade wood, and that costs almost as much as 4130. Most of what I am seeing that is cheap in the sizes I would use are filler & spacer stock which is so warped it is only suitable to start a fire with. I thought about using 3/8" plywood but it has gotten pretty pricey & none of it is straight either.

[steveinindy]

Cardboard with a minimal PVC pipe and wood frame worked just fine for the mockup of my LSA cockpit.

[Mike Switzer]

Was that strong enough to actually sit in? I'm not exactly small. I want to make sure the seating position is comfortable for longer periods, as I have some lower back issues, I figured I would sit in it out in the shop while I watch the ball game.

[Auburntsts]

How about particleboard or MDF? Around $20 for particleboard and $30-$35 for MDF (4X8 sheets), but at least it will be straight and not warped.

[Mike Switzer]

That is a thought. I might take a trip to the lumberyard later today. Too hot to be working outside, might as well be working on the plane design in the air conditioned shop.

[Mike Switzer]

Oh, crap - I just realized my circular saw is up in the attic where I was working on putting down a floor. It is already close to 100 up there.

My good sawhorses are up there also...

[Mike Switzer]

Another thing I was thinking about was cutting a mockup out of foam insulation & gluing it together, not sure how well the seat back would hold up though.

It would be a lot easier to cut out.

[Bill]

Oh, crap - I just realized my circular saw is up in the attic where I was working on putting down a floor. It is already close to 100 up there.

Why let that stop you. Here in Arizona, we don't stop working until the temperature hits 110 or so. 100 is no problem and I've already been working in the garage building my homebuilt with the temperature over 100 this year.

[steveinindy]

Was that strong enough to actually sit in? I'm not exactly small. I want to make sure the seating position is comfortable for longer periods, as I have some lower back issues, I figured I would sit in it out in the shop while I watch the ball game.

I worked for both my fiancee and myself. I'm 165 lbs and she's maybe 180 lbs. Then again, our mockup was just intended to sit on the floor and be used for ingress/egress experiments and instrument panel layout, etc. For the seats, we used a standard "conference" chair with padding glued on to the appropriate thickness and the base was simply a milk crate cut to the correct height. Not the prettiest mockup ever but it worked for our purposes.

[Eric Page]

I'm 165 lbs and she's maybe 180 lbs.

And if she reads these forums, you're a dead man.