Nev Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 Looks a good setup there Terry and a nice tail plain too. Doesn't look that much now it's sheeted but I haven't got that far yet, so I know what went into it. I hope mine comes out that straight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Walters Posted October 4, 2014 Author Share Posted October 4, 2014 Nev - agreed it looks nothing - I had to take loads of pics before it looked anything. BUT it is very light ! Don't put your clamps too near the end of the l/e! Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 I'll take care thanks. I'm sure you already know but a little whipe with warm water where it's crushed works wonders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Walters Posted October 4, 2014 Author Share Posted October 4, 2014 Thanks Nev - if you look at the pics you might see the odd wet patch near the tip on the second pic! Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Muckley Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Well spotted Terry i would have missed that thank's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Walters Posted October 6, 2014 Author Share Posted October 6, 2014 Good evening Forumites! After 'jobs' this morning and a run to the local 'dechetterie' (rubbish bins) first thing this afternoon I was 'allowed' nay actually 'encouraged' to go up to the workshop! ! Once the shock had subsided I thought I'd better get on with something: So the rudder was built! Both sides too! It appears straight........... shhhhhh! It's only roughly sanded - some would say that is my normal finish! P/O Fearless would and he turned up later to say so! Just to prove it isn't just a two dimensional trick here's the other side: Like the tailplane it was built in the hand. Danny's tip about getting the ribs at identical heights by fixing one side rib in the correct position then driving a couple of pins through the core both either the top or bottom surface of the previously fixed rib, and, providing you remember which face you used you can line up the opposite rib exactly. It works. By this now it was time for dinner - we are an hour in front of you UK residents! After eating I was excused washing up and drying up - something is going and I haven't worked out where the brownie points have come from or maybe it's something I've yet to do.....'Hmmmmmm!' Anyway - never look a gift horse in the mouth! So back upstairs to start the fin (cue Jaw's theme tune!) -Earlier today I posted on Danny's blog something quite unexpected. The bottom rib on the fin is the only one at a non 90 degree angle to the fin post. I know this because Danny mentioned it earlier otherwise I would have probably rushed ahead and built the fin internal structure and then found out that it didn't fit the plan...... So imagine my surprise when I looked at the cut part, ready to sand an angle and realised that the appropriate end of the fin post was cut at an angle that looked, and turned out to be correct!! That is either a fortuitous error or a really good piece of plan reading by the CAD guy or gal! If you have the cut parts have a look! You can see it clearly on the pic below! Just to prove it isn't me having a 'moment' and forgetting I'd already done it earlier check out the intact laser residue on this pic: Two 'gift horses' in one day - nothing good will come of it - we are all doomed! If the end of the world doesn't come in the next few minutes then there will be more pics following. Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Walters Posted October 6, 2014 Author Share Posted October 6, 2014 OK - so we all are still alive and it looks like I've time to share more pics with you! More Manhattan style building - will I be lucky again? It was reasonably easy to get to this stage: I checked that the ribs were properly in line - I did have to 'alter' rib 2 slightly but the rest were fine. Here's an 'in line shot' - but was it really going to be that easy?? Do you feel lucky?! I then added the triangular supports at the hinge points including the larger block btn rib 1 and the aperture for the lower hinge plate. That was when P/O Fearless turned up to check what I'd been up to and he wasn't that polite about my work! He watched as I struggled to put the first piece of strip along the l/e. There will be three layers but the first is the one that is fixed to the forward end of the ribs and they all want to start acting like drunks on a Fri or Sat night. You now like rubber men! P/O F knew very well what I was talking about! What you can't see in the pic is the box of heavy elastic bands hanging off the left hand overhang to tension the piece of balsa at the end. The right hand end is pinned to the board and after the pic was taken I added a couple of weights to assist. I did have a difficult time getting the ribs to stay exactly upright and the bottom rib to remain at the correct angle! We shall have to see in 'the cold light of day' how we have done. If it's not good then it's no great hardship to do another! That's all for now - about 10.40pm here - we are off to bed! Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexJ Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Hi Terry, I am just about to do the rudder and fin, I've stuck the flat bits together, and MK2ed it. I read on Danny's thread that your bottom rib was cut to the angle, I had just chamfered mine and stuck it on, so I went to check. Looking at the hole the rib came out of, mine looks pretty square, although it is a tiny angle, so difficult to tell, I should have checked before though. POF needs to be careful, if he passes too many negative comments regarding the finish, he might take another tumble off the bench! Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Hi Terry as far ad I am aware a laser cannot cut at any other angle than vertical so i reckon pixies snuck in and chamfered yours. I chamfered mine as we dont have any pixies local CheersDanny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Don't forget that Terry is living in France, the Gallic version of laser will undoubtedly tackle things from a unique and exclusive angle. He will probably find out that everything else is skewiff as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Day Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 That's a sexy-looking rudder Terry, very nice. Your rudder building must be fun to watch. I wonder how many different ways people have tackled that bit? I might try something similar but packing blocks and spacers between the ribs. Not sure what I'll use to dangle off the long end though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Walters Posted October 7, 2014 Author Share Posted October 7, 2014 Alex - looks like Danny has put paid to my thoughts that the angled cut had been deliberate! How strange was that? Danny - spoilsport! It s about time they did have angled laser cutters then. ! Hi Colin - sorry my bits were cut in the UK and ordered from Traplet but about a year or more before Danny came up with this novel form of blackmail to get it built. He knows I suffer from FOMO syndrome. (FOMO = Fear of Missing Out) Nigel - yes it was funny if you like the spectacle of a very late middle aged man trying to use his declining fine motor skills and fading eyesight to get it all sorted! ! I have this morning put some reinforcing blocks under the l/e of the top rib and an angled block on top of the bottom rib. The fin is good so far! Got some more strips soaking/bending as I write to make up the l/e to full depth BUT.... We were going shopping this morning because we need to eat and just before we were going our woodman called to ask if he could come round straight away with the first load. So we are behind but somehow I feel that I've shifted more wood than the rest of you put together already today!! ! Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Walters Posted October 7, 2014 Author Share Posted October 7, 2014 So after the first load of wood was sorted it was shopping this morning at our nearest local supermarket 12 miles each way! Back home, had lunch and just got upstairs and standing at the bench, phone rings! Woodman on his way again with load no2. Back downstairs get changed into work clothes, boots and gloves and off load(by hand) and stack another 4 metres of french oak in1 metre lengths. As it was my turn to cook this evening, Chicken Curry a la Rick Stein I had to finish in the workshop at about 5.30 (4.30pm to you in UK) so only a couple of hours on the Chippie! Not a lot to show but - P/O Fearless supervised the curving of the next layer of the l/e laminate strip. He volunteered for it too quickly. He thought I said " Do you want to help out on a bender?". With his previous experiences you can understand his mistake! Simple isn't it? A spray of water - four pins and you get something like this below. On the left of the fixed l/e edge is the said bent piece of wood ready to be stuck on. Even the poorest sighted amongst you will note that the fin assembly looks like it's just come out of ITU! The good news is that the build is still straight. The bad news is the the top joint didn't withstand handling and 'popped' So I put further reinforcing in before the second layer of l/e edge was glued an clamped on the outside edge to make up the 1/4" thickness required. Close up of the rather organic development of the further reinforcement - some of the pieces were already in place so a jigsaw puzzle solution resulted but so far it has held and is perfectly in line. As the structure was slightly short in height I put a plate of 1/16" on top which also smartened up the fit with the rudder. A little bit of fettling with the rudder has seen the cutting of the l/e to provide the hinge bolt working space and addition of blocks to the hinge arms apertures to strengthen the structures. Cutting of the slots for the hinge arm through the core and, as I had cut the top hinge slot too wide, a narrowing strip on each side on the top line of the slot to rectify that mistake.! Finally a bit of sanding of the leading edge was done. Hope to start on the elevators tomorrow. Terry is a tired boy now! Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Lovely jubbly Terry, soak in the tub will sort the aches and pains, then full steam ahead tomorrow.CheersDanny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Day Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 <newbie advice warning> Hi Terry. If you'd used the sheeting to co to the edge of the first laminate layer wouldn't that have added the necessary extra strength? The final laminate layer would then sit over the under layer and both edges of the sheeting. All helping to keep the top rib in place. I have a feeling that this is Mr F's favoured way of adding sheeting and leading edges so would have gained you extra brownie points too. </newbie advice warning> It's likely that I'm talking out of my bottom though.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Walters Posted October 7, 2014 Author Share Posted October 7, 2014 Danny - thanks. Will you scrub my back? Nigel - Yes I think you are right and it would be the best way - I'm going have to give up trying to do things as per the plan when there are other easier and better ways. Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Blimey young Padawan very observant, false leading edges are truly magic Er Terry.... no to the back scrub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Day Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 I am slowly learning the ways of the Force Master. Edited By Nigel Day on 08/10/2014 08:28:53 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Walters Posted October 8, 2014 Author Share Posted October 8, 2014 Well today started off with good intentions! However, the weather forecast indicated some wet days ahead and I had neglected the garden for the best part of 2 months. Today was going to be fine so the morning was spent mixing two- stroke for the hedge trimmer, getting it started and seriously cutting back some of the bushes and barrowing the cuttings to the bottom of the garden. Two hours of this followed by coffee with SWMBO who had just returned from a 10 mile run (not me Chief - I'm sensible). Getting on for 12.00pm I decide the grass really has to be cut today after all so pump up the o/s/f tyre (which has a slow puncture!) on the motor mower, fuel it up and start on 4400 sq metres of poor quality of 'lawn'. By the time I finished and showered we had lunch at 2.00pm. Got into the workshop at 3ish and caught up with the blogs. Spent about 30 mins working out how I was going to make sure the elevators would be built accurately and drawing a few lines and checking, checking and checking. Eventually I cut three of the four hinge apertures on the elevator cores and then I decided that I ought to speak to Pete B who was recently back from the UK for a catch up chat. Then SWMBO reminded me that I had said that I would clean her car (tomorrow, we are doing what Peter Kaye calls 'Big Shop' in Cahors and you can't do that with 2 months dust on the car can you?). Had dinner and the other half of the bottle of Chianti which I opened yesterday (because it will 'go off''!) and that's the day gone. Promise I'll do better after we get back tomorrow! ! Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Day Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 I like your reasoning with Chianti Terry. Man after my own heart. You don't drink the local plonk then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Walters Posted October 8, 2014 Author Share Posted October 8, 2014 Nigel - Yes - I'll drink aything that passes the 'wince' test! Here in the Lot we have Cahors wine - you don't see it much in the UK although Tescos do one line of it. Cahors wine is neither vin rouge nor vin blanc but indeed is vin noir (black wine) as it is so dark. Like all wine it comes in good, bad, and indifferent but it does have a lot of body - remember the early 1970's and 'Bull's Blood'? It's a bit like that and you get what you pay for in terms of quality. I generally drink spanish wines - Tarragona or Rioja etc Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Walters Posted October 9, 2014 Author Share Posted October 9, 2014 Relax - "Big Shop" went OK this morning and we will not starve this month! Got into workshop about 3pm after catching up with all the threads. Spent quite some time looking at the bits of empannage (tail feathers) so far constructed and decided to finish the hinge boxes in the rudder. That done I turned my attention to the elevators. After Danny's experience I felt I needed to proceed with caution and took a lot of measurements relating to the t/e of the tailplane in order to try to follow it with a decent margin for sanding to the correct profile. Or, to put it another way - bigger is better than too small! P/O Fearless was on hand to take the measurements down and do his best to mess them up but we got there. Then I had a good look at what Danny had done with the elevator joiner and gave myself the target of building the top side of each aileron. That done I popped downstairs to order the elevator joiner and get it sent to my D-I-L's address in the UK where we will be staying from a week tomorrow. All went well and the order was passed. Terry was happy until he got the e-mail later that said - " sorry we don't have stock and we are expecting a delivery in a couple of weeks or so" Aaaargh!! Don't you just hate that! . No-one else seems to have stock either. Anyway unless anyone out there has got one going spare it looks like 2 choices : 1) Wait! 2) Make one myself and put trust in my soldering abilities!(LOL!) So that's a wait then!! ! OK Forumites here's the pic - two elevator top surfaces, two more l/e strips and elevator ends and the remaining 1/4" thick inner end ribs. There's a 'hornless' elevator joiner in the pic but the arms are probably a bit short for safety even if I could make and solder a horn to it. Top structure done - will do the bottom tomorrow but won't cut out the housing for the joiner until I've gor one and bent it just in case the bending doesn't quite follow the cut out - better the other way round eh? I managed to get the four l/e out of an unused part of a 1/4 sheet for the cut parts - nice and light too. All the replacement ribs on all the parts so far have also been 'culled' from the left overs of cut parts sheets. Looks good so far and plenty of meat to hack away at to create the perfect pair of elevators. Whether they will be perfect for this build we'll have to see! See you tomorrow then! Terry Edited By Terry Walters on 09/10/2014 20:29:44 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Hi Terry if its the Flair joiner i am sure i have a two in the garage. Let me know by pm where you want one sending cheersDanny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Walters Posted October 10, 2014 Author Share Posted October 10, 2014 Danny that would be brilliant! Thank you very much. I'll replace it when I get my order through plus postage! It would be easier for you to post it to the UK address and I'll PM you with that this morning. If you posted it here it wouldn't arrive much before I leave for UK anyway. Once again Danny thanks much appreciated. Terry Member No1 Danny Fenton Fan Club!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Hi Terry, There is a thread on here where Peter Miller says you must never use these soft soldered joiners, so be warned...... Thanks Chris for pointing it out to me. It really is very easy to silver solder, and is a very worthwhile technique to master. Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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