Wooden floors

[robbie]

I'm thinking of making wooden floors for my BC12D plane.
Has any one done this? Any comments about doing this?

[dedrekon]

Re: Wooden floors

I've done it.....used a marine grade 1/4" plywood and used the old wood floorboards for a pattern. No secrets, just cut 'em out.

I recently got a set of original metal floorboards from Ian Norgrove, who's rebuilding the original number one Model 20. I'm out of town for the next couple of weeks, but if you should need a pattern, let me know and I'll try and trace them for you.

Vincent

[robbie]

Re: Wooden floors

I've got metal floor now, I don't what was original, but would like to put wooden ones in.
Does it have to be two pieces, cut width way or length way?
Did they come from the factory with metal or wood?
The floors were metal since I have had the plane 1982.

[dedrekon]

Re: Wooden floors

It has to be two pieces, because you'd never get them to fit if it was just one, too much stuff in the way.
Length-wise or width-wise is a good question.....I have 2 TCrafts and one is cut width-wise and one is cut length-wise. The width-wise seems to be a little easier to get in and out. Your floorboards should make a good pattern for you.

Vincent

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Wooden floors

Earlier birds were cut side to side and I have seen later wood floor boards like the metal ones. Either direction should be fine.

Mike

[Peter Collin]

Re: Wooden floors

I cut mine out of 1/4 Birch plywood (2 pieces) 4 coats of varnish on top
3 on the bottom.

Peter

[robbie]

Re: Wooden floors

Peter
Nice job, thanks for the picture.
I looked at home depot today, but didn't fine any good 1/4 plywood.
Can I ask where you got your birch wood.

[astjp2]

Re: Wooden floors

Try a real hardware store like Menards airplane store, and you can use AC grade plywood, mine are cut lengeth wise. Do not get a veneer plywood, it is not as strong as a structural grade. The veneer is only 1/32-1/64" thick and there is only 1 core ply. You want at least 3 plys, preferable 5. Wicks and spruce can send you 2 each 2x3' pieces for a fee, its less than buying a whole sheet. I cut 1 hole for the heel brakes and used .016 for a heel plate and a piece if 1/2" angle at the front to keep the 2 sheets even. you can use T-nuts to put #6 truss head machine screws in but you will need to grind them a little shorter so they dont stick up through the plywood. Epoxy varnish lasts longer than natural, but if you dont mind refinishing in a couple of years then its no big deal. Use a spindle or bench type belt sander to make the edges smooth and a 1/4 round bit in a router to finish it. Good luck. Tim

[N74DV]

Re: Wooden floors

African Okoume with a BS-1088 spec. is what I used on my AirCamper. Looks alot like Mahogany, is as strong as aircraft grade ply and less than 1/2 the cost.

[mulwyk]

Re: Wooden floors

I used 1/4" Baltic Birch plywood from Menard's for my floorboards. Epoxy varnish over traditional spar varnish, .050 aluminum heel plate. The hardest part was getting that 1"+ bow in the center of the plywood.

[mike bc12d]

Re: Wooden floors

My floorboards came out to look things over and clean under them and they were old road signs someone had borrowed.One had been shot with a shotgun you see the pellet marks in the paint. Just some character for the old girl.
Mike

[tawadc95]

Re: Wooden floors

mully,
looks real nice,inspires me to try mine this winter...I like the alum at the brakes.

[pete]

Re: Wooden floors

I used 1/4" birch underlayment for the baggage. Pretty reasonable for a 4'x4' at the lumber store. The only drawback is the green dashes, which I painted over. Wanted to make the front boards out of wood but I have the metal ones and they're still in good enough shape. Those varnished ones look really good.
Pete

[Robert Lees]

Re: Wooden floors

I used 1/4" 6-ply Baltic Birch, from the local timber supplier (but they had to order it). I guess a furniture supplier would have some, or Wicks, who use all sorts of wood for building organs.

Full details of what I did to get the bow are here.

I added some non-slip tape on top of the varnish to prevent going alpha over tango in the wet.

My attempts at art-deco look better than this photo suggests:

[Acroeric]

Re: Wooden floors

I tried the african obeechi with good results. I did add some 1/16 ply doublers in key locations to strengthen it a bit. Here is a photo of mine in the clipwing-

http://gallery.taylorcraft.org/main.php?g2_itemId=26981

I also made my hatshelf and baggage lid out of it.