CONSTRUCTION LOG JUNE 2004

C O N S T R U C T I O N L O G

J U N E 2004

Cut parts, cut hinge slot and assembled rudder with all blocks.

Cut ply gussets for rudder.

Cleaned joints and cut gussets for stabilizer.

8hrs

Planed excess glue off stabilizer joints using a couple of small and extra small planes with the blades set to shave a very thin layer.

Cut 1/16" plywood gussets for elevator and rudder.

Added blocks and filler strip to rudder.

8hrs

Glued gussets on elevator and stabilizer.

First sanded the plywood accross the grain about 10 strokes, then cleaned wood with brush and tack cloth, applied a thin layer of T-88 to both parts, let it soak in a little, then buttered more epoxy on both parts, and stapled down gussets.Wiped excess glue.

Assembled stabilizer and elevator to check movement and clearance.

6hrs

PlPlaned joints and glued ply gussets on rudder.Pulled staples off elevator and stabilizer gussets. Drew pencil lines along middle of edges as a guide when rounding them. Cut and glued large center gussets on stabilizer and elevator.

Rounded up and cut all pieces for the 2 spar carry through and 2 bulkheads.

7hrs

Pulled staples off rudder gussets.

Glued together spar carry throughs and bulkheads.

Cut pieces and glued tail fin. Put in larger block to attach braces.

5hrs

Glued ply sides on spar carry thoughs.

Glued cross pieceson bulkheads.

Glued last rib of fin.

Centered it by sighting. Started shaping edges on elevator with planes.

5hrs

Pulled staples off spar carry thrus.

Shaped edges on stabilizer and elevator. Cut templates out of 1/8" plywood.

Checked up and down movement of elevator(25 and 20 degrees).

Decided to add a trim tab to the elevator, as seen on the net. Gene is sending me a drawing.

I did not like the gussets sticking uo 1/16" up from the ribs, so I cut a whole bunch of 1/16" x 3/8" spruce strips out of a good 2x4, and will glue them on top of all the ribs, including the wings. I t will re-enforce the 1/4" rib caps, and give a 3/8" spacing for the rib stitching.

Cut out 10 pressboard squares to use as a jig to keep the sides of the fuselage in place and square . The blueprint suggests to lay the fuselage side flat on the table instead.E-mailed Gene to get his take on this. I went ahead and put the sides up vertically anyway, we will see to morrow.

8hrs

Well, Gene e-mailed me back a laconic :"Fuselage should be built flat on the table". So I took down my vertical set up, laid the side blue print on the table and the right side over it , notched the plywood floor and suspended the left side on the wood squares I built yesterday. I cut all the cross members and dry fitted the whole thing. It worked fine, except that the measurements from the firewall to the floor members don't quite match the blueprint, and it is not clear whether the top longeron is bent at the passenger seat back or instruments panel. I will ask Gene to morrow how critical those measurements are (they are given to the 1/32th).

orked fi

3hrs

   Talked to Chuck at Fisher about my little problems. The top longeron IS bent at the passenger panel, so I added that cross member. The position of the landing gear is not that critical as long as there is 10" between mounting channels, so I left them as per blue print.
   Finished fitting all the pieces dry, bending the front in 1", etc...Planed the rear carry thru to fit . Glue edge of seat brace on, fitted firewall.
   Glued plywood floor and upper cross members.

tworked outfine

5hrs

Fitted and glued cross members in floor.

Fitted rear spar carry thru.

Assembled frame for pilot seat bottom.

Glued seat brace.

tworked out fine

5hrs

Glued plywood pilot seat top and nailed it (for decorative purposes) with 3/4"copper nails(weatherstripping nails from Lowes). I will have to find them by the pound, as I want to use them throughout.

Bent the front longerons in 1" and glued front part of floor.

Glued cross members and blocks .

firewall , sides of boot.

Fitted and glued in brace under pilot seat.

Bent sides untill they touch at the tail, and dry fitted the bulkheads

twoked out fine

8hrs

Took all the clamps off. Turned fuselage up on the table, fit the panel pieces and the back of the seat.

Tried the seat for fit, sat in the cockpit, grabed the broomstick ( that's what we call it in french: manche a balai) and flew a loop... Got a high ceiling!

Dry fitted the stabilizer, elevator , fin and rudder. Looks just like an airplane now!

The tail end looks pretty good, even though the rudder is not round enough for my taste. Think Fokker!

twoked out fine

2hrs

Cut, fit and glued in a bunch ofblocks on the leftside of the fuselage.

Glued top of boot and side 1/2"x1/2" strips.

twoked out fine

4hrs

Bent wet laminations for instrument panels. Left them to dry overnight.

Paid a visit to Buddy Tollison to look at his Classic fuselage and instrument panel. Turns out I had pretty much picked the same instruments from the Aircraft Spruce catalog. He used a throttle quadrant from Aircraft Spruce.

He built up the turtledeck and made a luggage compartment.But that's where the ballistic parachute is going to be.

I liked his aluminium deck with the rounded cockpit opening and removable inspection panels attached with studs.

I also liked his aliminium framed old fashion windshield.

twoked out fine

1hrs

Laminated the 3 instrument panel bows.

Fit and glued front ofboot.

Fit and glued top front blocks and gussets(1/4" and 1/8").

Planed blocks smooth at joints, removed glue spills, and sanded fuselage.

twoked out fine

8hrs

Fit and glued front spar carry thru to floor and blocks on top.

Glued main panel 4" ply bottom.

Cleaned up panels laminations.

Glued laminations to panel faces and back. Planed and sanded edges.

Cut and glued gas tank supports. Fitted and glued front panel corner blocks and gussets.

twoked out fine

8hrs

Added 3/4" spacer at front of panelmount to make space in panel for 4 1/8" deep instruments and a slant.

Fit and glued cabane attachment blocks on eachside below main panel.

Fit and glued crossbars behind seat. Those were tricky to fit because of angles of corners. The corner blocks had to be 3D custom cut out of fat blocks from 2x4's.

twoked out fine

4hrs