Captain Kirk’s Chair Replica (TOS)
One of my favorite builds from college was a replica of Captain Kirk’s chair from Star Trek: The Original Series. I originally made it for a Maker Fair at the ACU MakerLab, combining digital design, CNC fabrication, hand-finishing, and electronics.
Design & Fabrication
I feel I was able to create a exceptionally close replica (on the outside) because of the intense and dedicated work from fans on prop and Star Trek forums. They had photos, measurements, and drawings gathered from the series and museum appearances of the actual prop. I plan on updating this with links and other images I can find when I find my old build notes.
Build Process
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Modeled the entire chair in Fusion360
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Broke the design down into panels for cutting on a CNC router
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Hand upholstered the seat with a lot of help from my grandfather
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Armrests were hand-laminated and shaped to match the originals
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Control panels:
- Laser-cut faceplates
- 3D printed and resin-cast buttons and indicator lights
- Functional electronics powered by an Arduino
Features
The chair includes working lights and sound effects triggered by button presses. It can play Star Trek sounds and music and is set up to act as a keyboard controller for the game Artemis (a game where you play as the bridge crew of a starship), sending shortcuts when plugged into a computer.
Condition & Future Plans
Unfortunately, I lost most of the build photos. The pictures I do have were taken after the chair spent a few years in storage. It’s in decent shape but needs some attention. My plans include:
- Cleaning and repainting
- Upgrading the Arduino to a Teensy for better processing power, sound quality, and a smoother sound streaming experience
- Redesigning the electronics with custom PCBs and stronger connections to replace the early hand-wired, glued, and soldered setup
Since building the chair, I’ve learned a lot more about fabrication, electronics, and PCB design. I’m looking forward to giving this project the overhaul it deserves.
