Anyone considering WOOD for their panel?

jrdalton · #1 04-23-2006, 11:46 AM

Yes, I know, it will add a some weight.

I don't know about you, but I'm tired of the same old aluminum, or worse yet, plastic, panels in airplanes.

Wood just has a warm, natural comfort to it. I am an old wood worker from long before I started my -10 and plan and prototyping some wood panel ideas this year.

Using the right combination of woods it wouldn't be a lot heavier than power-coated aluminum, but you could have the custom look and feel of molded glass - without all the chemicals and smell of glass.

Any thoughts on this? Anyone tried it?

Pirkka · #2 04-23-2006, 01:08 PM

I've considered it in my mind. However I really would only put thin cover which would be somehow connected to the aluminium panel... that should not add too much weight. However my worries are how it should be threated: clear surface at least may not be fun in when sun is coming behind and I like clear surfaces rather than matte. You might try something first and put pics available -- I still have time to wait some years before I have to worry this.

gmcjetpilot · #3 04-23-2006, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrdalton

Yes, I know, it will add a some weight.

I don't know about you, but I'm tired of the same old aluminum, or worse yet, plastic, panels in airplanes.

Wood just has a warm, natural comfort to it. I am an old wood worker from long before I started my -10 and plan and prototyping some wood panel ideas this year.

Using the right combination of woods it wouldn't be a lot heavier than power-coated aluminum, but you could have the custom look and feel of molded glass - without all the chemicals and smell of glass.

Any thoughts on this? Anyone tried it?

Ya Sure U bet-cha. Oh yea there are lots of wood (covered) panels. I believe they use wood laminate or veneer and bond it onto the aluminum. The panel is semi structural and has to be strong enough to support the instruments so keep the aluminum base. Also due to the nature of avionics and instruments you can't have a 1/2 inch thick piece of wood. So the wood overlay has to be not too thick. Good luck, what Ya thinking for wood? Something exotic I hope. Please nothing plan ol plan ol. To find one piece to cover the whole panel another challenge. You will no doubt need to splice it, depending on the wood. I'm no wood expert, but it can be done. If the wood is nice and not common the cost can be very high, but hey what the heck. As you already pointed out a layer of paint will be much lighter than wood overlay, but it sure will be perdy. A quick Google shows a laminate in the typical woods (Cherry, Mahogany, Maple, Red Oak, Teak, Walnut, White Birch) are available in a large enough size to cover a panel in one piece for less than $100. However a defect free high quality piece? It is a nature made product. It is the imperfections that makes it unique. G

I have a picture or two of wood covered RV panels from an airshow. E-mail me and I'll send it to you.

TSwezey · #4 04-23-2006, 02:01 PM

You can buy a 2'x8' piece of veneer for under $50. We bought a piece of Red mahogany. It is only 10 mils thick and you can glue right to the aluminum. Once it is glued , you can coat it with polyurethane. We stuck some clear labels to the mahogany before we put any poly on. The labels we printed on a laser printer. I think we spent a total of $45 to do the whole thing and it came out beautiful! You have to be patient with the poly coats. Thin coats and lightly sand between each coat. The instruments are being installed in it right now so I don't have any pictures.

szicree · #5 04-23-2006, 02:38 PM

These days all the best figured woods are sliced into veneers. You can get just about anything you want: bird's eye, quilted, or fiddleback maple, walnut burl, tiger-striped koa, etc. It ain't super cheap, but you only need a little. I say go for it!

az_gila · #6 04-23-2006, 03:28 PM

Is this what you had in mind??

http://www.pfluegers.com/

gil in Tucson

wingtime · #7 04-24-2006, 09:39 AM

A wood veneer sounds like the ticket. As Szicree said most exotics are shaved into thin veneers.

I was a part owner in a 172 that had what looked like a formica wood grain panel in it. It looked much better than the stock plastic and it was plenty durable, however it lacked the warmth and character of the real deal.

jim · #8 04-24-2006, 03:18 PM

I have a 6 that I purchased and the guy that built it used a wood veneer. The plane was registered in June '03. The panel looks nice but I noticed this year that the veneer is lifting away from the aluminum around the instrument holes. The plane has always been hangered. I don't know if there was a problem with prepping or if this is to be expected over time with a veneer. Just some info FWIW. When I get to the panel on my 8 I will go with a painted panel, I like the looks of that more than the wood.

Ward Johnson · #9 04-24-2006, 10:44 PM

I wish I hadn't looked at that. Sheesh! I am still trying to scrape up for the tools and empennage. There you go, another unbudgeted $100!

I reckon its a good thing I don't have a wife to tell me what to spend my money on!

Quote:

Originally Posted by az_gila

Is this what you had in mind??

http://www.pfluegers.com/

gil in Tucson

Highflight · #10 04-25-2006, 04:41 AM

I was thinking of using a veneer myself because I've ended up with a stack of about 20 "sheets" or so of paper thin Mahogany veneers where each sheet will easily cover a complete panel.

The only thing I've been trying to get a handle on is what kind of adhesive would be needed for long term durability to avoid the exact problem mentioned (delamination and bubbling of the veneer).

I'm wondering if anyone here is in a related business that knows about the adhesives used for bonding wood to metal that will hold up?