Martyn K Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 Hi Nigel If you want to Silver Solder - also known as Hard Soldering, then you will need a small blowtorch. You will also need the special flux and the Silver Solder. I am thinking of using Silver Solder for the rudder and elevator horns which I will fabricate from brass sheet.... Martyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 LOL thats the spirit, you are very wise to wait for us to fall in and fill in all the holes.... seems there are a few. I have just taken a pic of the Jerry Bates plan of the Chippy rudder, now there is a better way of doing it! Rudder number four will be based on a scaled down JB one You cannot silver solder with an iron Nigel, has to be a blow lamp, and not just any either. the temperature required is very high and the piano wire glow cherry red easily. Also you wont be needing 16BA I was just showing you them. They are very hard to find indeed. Just be patient until we iron these wrinkles out Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Day Posted October 3, 2014 Author Share Posted October 3, 2014 Thanks Martyn, Danny, I remembered about the blowtorch after I'd written my last posting. Is there any alternative to silver soldering for items like the elevator horn assembly if I want it to be robust? Sounds not. Ah well, I'll just make sure that my house insurance covers us for acts of incendiary incompetence...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Day Posted October 3, 2014 Author Share Posted October 3, 2014 Don't worry Danny, I'm just trying to beef up my tiny stock of small bolts, nuts and washers when I can. I'm trying local shops and market stalls on the off-chance. Assuming I'm not lucky I'll put an order in on eBay. Oh, and patience is one of the few virtues that I possess but luckily the Barnstormer needs finishing first. It'll be a few days yet before I put glue to balsa on the Chipmunk. The decks are clear, ready for the plan though. BTW, I cut the fin and rudder hinges from the sheet with my narrowest (1/2" and most expendable razor saw blade. By the time I'd finished just those, the end 1" was practically blunt!. Unless I find a source of (very) cheap blades, I'll revert back to the Parkside (Dremmel) mini drill and cutting disc. Edited By Nigel Day on 03/10/2014 09:17:14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 EKP Supplies are the actual manufacturers of all sizes of BA screws down to 14BA if you cannot find them locally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Day Posted October 3, 2014 Author Share Posted October 3, 2014 Thanks kc. I'm happy to use the nearest M equivilent (M2, possibly M1.6) if necessary and I know I can get those cheaply via FleaBay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Day Posted October 5, 2014 Author Share Posted October 5, 2014 Nearly ready to start. Have purchased two copies of the plans and got a photocopy done of both. The photocopy is accurate in most places and in all places where I want to use the copy. I managed to get a reversed photocopy of the wing so that'll make building it a little easier. I have checked the measurements and it's spot on. To make it easier, I've cut out the bits I'll be doing first as it makes it easier to reach them. I can only get to the front of my building board. Hoping to start tomorrow or Tuesday with the fin and rudder - now that the dust seems to have settled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Day Posted October 9, 2014 Author Share Posted October 9, 2014 We're at the bottom of page three (ooh er missus!) and I've finally started. The rudder's looking a little fat - but if I can get away with it, why not him? I'm going to try shaving some off with the expectation that I'll need to start again. You never know until you try eh? The fin has been started too and I'll be (sort of) following Terry's method I think. The leading edge will be done in two layers and both have been shaped as you can see. I have an idea in my head of sheeting both sides together using wood/slow glue (when I've sorted everything else out inside, like hinge fixings and so on) and letting it dry in some sort of jig to make sure it doesn't warp. More on that later - together with my method for keeping the ribs straight when fitting upright. It involves kiddies wooden blocks. I'm off for a long w/e in the New Forest with friends soon more until next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Looking good Nigel, having the rudder too fat means it can be sanded to fit. Not so easy the other way around... Enjoy the New Forest, hope you don't get wet Oh and young Padawan watch out for the speeders Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Day Posted October 9, 2014 Author Share Posted October 9, 2014 Thank you Master. The Force will protect me (from both I hope!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eamonn Fahey Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Nice work Nigel It's easy once you get started. Enjoy your weekend and watch out for the speeders. Eamonn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Walters Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Good start Nigel! On the way now! Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Looking good Nigel, tidy start. You're way ahead of me, I haven't done that bit yet. Nev. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 You're up and running then, not be long now John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Bennett Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 be finished before you know it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Day Posted October 16, 2014 Author Share Posted October 16, 2014 Pics and progress report to follow shortly. In the meantime, how long does aliphatic take to set? Specifically, if I join 1/16th sheets edge-edge for sheeting, how soon can I use the resulting bigger sheet - for sheeting? What guidelines are there for other uses of aliphatic and setting/use times? I have used ali for most of my balsa-balsa joining in the past but have been trying cyano (turn away now Danny - Poundland special) for the fin and rudder structure here and ali only for sheeting and poss the final leading edge strip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Walters Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Hi NIgel, Look forward to the pics. Re aliphatic setting times. If the room temp is reasonable I find that a couple of hours is OK for most non stressed joints with aliphatic but with a pva glue called Velo-Set I can use sheet joints after about an hour or so. Anything which is 'important' I use aliphatic and leave overnight. Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Day Posted October 16, 2014 Author Share Posted October 16, 2014 Thanks Terry. I've always left my ali joints overnight - which obviously restricts how much building I can do at one sitting. With cyano for much of the work now, I don't really have any excuse not to get a move on. I've a clear(ish) day ahead so I'm hoping to get the fin and rudder finished and get much of the tailplane and elevator done too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Day Posted October 16, 2014 Author Share Posted October 16, 2014 As promised, piccies of the scene of the crime The fin's complete with 'sleeves' for the hinge to slot into and one side sheeted. I managed to break off the leading edge stub, hence the 'brace'. The second layer of the leading edge will strengthen it further when I've sheeted the other side. I made the fin using Terry's method, on its back, pre-bending the LE but using the laminated method. The rudder is complete except for the hinge fittings. That's the next job after sheeting the fin. One pin cushion posing as a fin. At least the sheeting joint is neat. After being disturbed by a bit of work this morning, the afternoon is clear - so hopefully quicker progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Looking good Nigel Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Looks tidy to me Nigel John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Walters Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Nice work Nigel - you could be the stalking horse on this one! Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Day Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 Thanks Terry, stalking snail more like! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Day Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share Posted October 18, 2014 Fin sheeting finished. Just the sanding to do with the rudder. Kev mentioned that the core sheets for the elevators aren't equal in size - and don't fit the printed plan. I've checked mine and they're the same, almost. The sheets are identical, to all intents and purposes, but they look the same as Kev's on the plan, with the right-hand one even more out - about 3/32" I reckon. I've decided to fit them from the wingtip in and just live with the difference in the middle. Seems to line up ok with the central ribs in the tailplane. I also moved rib 5(?) by the hinge, along 1/16" so that it lines up with the hinge slot. I'm going to so something similar with the elevator(s). From what I've seen, the hinge point is just behind the leading edge of the elevators. That means moving the hinge centre forward a little. That means I can get the rib directly behind and in-line with the hinge. My elevator rib and hinge will therefore be directly opposite the rib and hinge in the tailplane. Is there any reason why this won't work? The plan shows the ribs not lined up - but that's with the hinge centre point much deeper into the elevator. The tailplane structure is a bit flimsy isn't it? Requires a bit of care when adding the LE and the centre blocks. Elevators started tonight and tailplane ready for sheeting tomorrow. Pics to follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexJ Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Hi Nigel, I had to move those elevator ribs too. The tailplane certainly stiffens up when sheeted, and stays very light. Yours is looking good. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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