Building the defiant captains chair-project started

Sulla · Nov 24, 2008

OK. I have always wanted to build the Defiant Captain's Chair. For a while I thought it almost a joke to even think I could do it. I decided to bide my time, crawling through junk yards and scowering ebay expecting to pay $200 to $500.

Then I saw this puppy for a song on ebay! I waited until the end and bought it for my first bid!

I know by pictures and screen shots of the original that the one I bought isn't a perfect match, but I do know it is the same brand, and it's close enough that once it's reupholstered it'll be hard to tell the difference.

Mine is a driver’s side seat. The original captain's chair on the defiant was a passenger seat. The knob on the headrest is on the wrong side, but it will be removed anyways since I plan on making the later versions with the metal thingie wrapped around the back of it.

And the most glaring difference is the number of sections in the back cushions. The original has three, but mine has four. When I get it reupholstered I will have this fixed.

All told I am very pleased for such a good cost. Here are some shots of my chair. Now I need to figure out all the rest of this awesome project…

Here’s pictures of another chair used on the defiant bridge and then redressed for a few episodes of VOY (for reference):

starbuc · Nov 24, 2008

Sulla,
Great find!
I know from seeing your threads about this here and on other boards that you have been looking forward to getting a chair for some time.
Congradulatoins on finding one and getting it for a great price.
Keep us updated on the conversoin. I have always liked that Captain's chair.

Terry

JoeRalat · Nov 24, 2008

Like I said over on my forum....Sweeeeeeeeet

Sulla · Nov 28, 2008

Despite a severe sinus infection, I could not keep from working on this. I drew up the headrest bracket in illustrator and made a mock-up of it out of foam board.

What do you think? Keep in mind; the headrest knob is still on there - that's why the end of the bracket furthest from the camera looks like it sticks out too far. It is lying over the knob

JoeRalat · Nov 28, 2008

I think that over all size is right, but the bottom cutout is too high, I would say about half that. and the center cutout could be a little wider. Its good to get it right with this material so yo can then take it to a metal shop as a template.

Sulla · Nov 28, 2008

Its good to get it right with this material so yo can then take it to a metal shop as a template.

Exactly!

Yeah, the bottom cutout is 1" tall. And I think it's too big too. I think I'll reduce it a half an inch. This will allow me to scale up the center cutout.

I will cetrainly be revisiting it, I think the both the center cut out and the base of the upper 'tounge' should be widened too.

Sulla · Nov 28, 2008

Here's the tweeked head rest bracket - it's a little off center, I know, but it's only taped in place. Sorry for the lighting.

Sulla · Nov 28, 2008

Threw this together for myself. Figured I'd go ahead and share it. It'll probably evolve as I get further into the build.

JediG60racer · Nov 28, 2008

Is that a Recaro Ortho seat? Or is it a Flofit?

JoeRalat · Nov 28, 2008

Yeah sulla the update is better.

Sulla · Nov 29, 2008

Got her all dressed up for a wedding and couldn't hep but put her in The Chair.

Sulla · Dec 3, 2008

I just wanted some input on this one. I am guessing the width of the arm rest to be about 4".

What do you all think?

Sulla · Sep 2, 2009

Well, I lost my original drawings to a spring cleaning this year. I have to re-draw them. But that's OK, I have some new ideas for putting this sucker together.

I plan on using .5" and .75" birch plywood skinned in thin styrene then bondoed and painted. (I used this method on my CNC cut R2 legs - see linked signature below - and it worked out great.) I also think I will use a commercial chair swivel made for boat chairs that can be found in most outdoor type stores.

An I believe I've found an upholsterer who is willing to do this seat for me, though I am still cringing over prices.

Sulla · Dec 25, 2009

Finally found some time to play with my designs. Here's my first set of drawings for the chair base. The image was too big to save in a file format like jpg or png, so I put it up here like this. I have a pdf of this image if anyone wants a copy.

I hope to have this chair dome by end of year 2010 sans reupholstering. That is turning out to be a very hard part of the project.

Eradicator · Dec 26, 2009

Glad to see that this project is still a go! I cant wait to see it done!

Jayshum · Dec 26, 2009

Same here, looking good.

Fetts.Sobriquet · Dec 26, 2009

Love it. Really excited to see how this turns out. I'm sure it will be great.

kevinericon · Dec 27, 2009

Getting a captain's chair is everyone's dream. Good luck with that!!

TECKNOVIKING · Dec 27, 2009

Nice find & so far so good

So this going to be the centre piece in the room once done? Or you having a room done to mimic the Defiant Bridge?

Jason

FuseNova · Dec 27, 2009

You may want to talk with a local car dealer about the re-upholstering. I looked into this a couple of years ago and while my dealer didn't do the work, they had vendors who did. You may get this wrapped in leather for a few hundred bucks.

Good luck!

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