Building a 737 shell and base... which material is better ?

[Nick1150]

I am waiting for my 737 MIP, MCP, EFIS, etc.... to arrive.

I am thinking that the next step is to build my base and shell in order to attach 3 projectors on it...

Which materials would you prefer for a light and possibly easy DIY construction ?

Thanks,

Nick

[jnr641802]

Hello Nick due to extreme space limitations my 737 shell needed to be moveable ,maybe once per year,so it had to be lightweight and only big enough to cover my peripheral vision.So I made a lightweight frame using just enough 45mm x45mm wood for structural strength,as this thing is never really going to fly (only in my head.....)and doesn't need overbuilding.The outer/inner skin was clad in 3mm hardboard with a reasonable curve built into it so that it loosely resembles a 737 nose(excluding radar dome).When it needs shifting a few feet my wife (yep I'm very lucky,she has also donated our dining room permanently) and I can slide it around easily.I am sure there are some much more authentic materials used by some builders but I reckon the shell structure has cost me no more than £60-70.

hope this helps a bit

regards Jim

[Nick1150]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for your answer :D

Can you please post few pics so I can understand how light your construction is ?

Thanks

Nick

[jnr641802]

Hello Nick I will have to find out how to post a picture first...so don't hold your breath!.I have not gone down the usual route for the mip/monitors structure i.e ply/mdf sheets that you commonly see,but made a simple lightweight frame for that part then attached it to the rest of the structure.For space reasons I only have fwd windows and one side window left/right side correctly scaled with perspex windows and the shell extends back a further approx 12" from the side windows where I have a blackout curtain across the back of the shell to prevent me seeing the room.The room is only 9'x 9' so I use a short throw projector (9' wide image) plus 37" lcd for left /fwd view.I am awaiting delivery of a small aircon unit as it gets very warm in here with doors to the room closed ( wife can't sleep through 'pull up pull up' all night long with doors open:). I found the structure the easy part,the electronics is another story.....I will try to post an image.


regards Jim

[Nick1150]

Thanks Jim,

Just a hint... when replying to thread in the bottom you will see attachments button. Hit that button and you can browse the picture from your PC ;)

:D

[737NUT]

Are there any wood kits or plans out there?

[Neil Hewitt]

I'm building a shell at the moment and I've gone almost exclusively with planed pine softwood for structural framing and plywood sheeting for surfaces. A small amount of MDF is going in there too. I was going to build exclusively in pine and MDF but even today's less dense MDF is 30% heavier than the equivalent volume of exterior ply and I need to keep the weight down as it's in a first floor room and I was worried about the floor loading. And of course MDF dust is a health hazard which is best avoided when you can.

Load-bearing structural timber is 44mm x 96mm (roughly 2" x 4.5") pine beams. Load-bearing sheet is 18mm (3/4") ply, other surfaces are 6mm (1/4") ply. It's fairly lightweight and strong.

Will post some pictures once I have enough progress to be worth a thread.

NH

[Steve A]

Are there any wood kits or plans out there?

I'm looking too :roll:

[mondo50m]

I do not know if they still do, but FDS used to have a structure kit. I think it went for about $700, did not include the bolts, just the framework.

Milt

[Melnato]

Hi Milt,

The Ply 737 Skeleton Kit is no more.
The new All Metal Shell relpaced it a few years ago...

Nat

[jnr641802]

Hello Nick as you requested this is my first attempt at posting images here so anything can happen....

The frame was temporarily clad in cardboard sheet as a template for the hardboard and is surprisingly strong more than able to take multi projectors etc.

I too am awaiting delivery this coming week of an mcp,efis ,radios so I will remake the mip and the unscaled and wrongly positioned screens but it was fun using the sim / repositioned mcp etc while building which is in my opinion important to keep the interest going,in fact I might have been happy for quite a while flying without the hardware(mcp efis etc) as it is still totally immersive.

I hope the pictures are of some small use but I suspect probably not...

regards jim

[Nick1150]

Great pics Jim,


Thanks for sharing... You proved that one can build a shell with pennies :D

[flatlandpilot]

Nice setup Jim,
youre way of working with a frame and carton is good way to get nice "dimensions" fast.

maby you like these pictures from Irving (and the rest of this very nice site (http://www.angelfire.com/il2/aphs/))
http://www.angelfire.com/il2/aphs/irv8.jpg
http://www.angelfire.com/il2/aphs/irv9.jpg

[jnr641802]

I think I need to buy a bit more cardboard and sticky tape......;)


regards Jim