Tack welded both rear strut attach fittings. Ground down and fitted the upper former for station 49.o6. Tacked it into place. Had to grind off tacks on one side and re-attach (it was slightly off)
Mar 25
1.2hrs
Finished welding up the rear strut attach brackets.
Mar 26
1.3hrs
Start working on the turtledeck. Seeing if the plywood would bend to the shape. Figuring out how I'm going to do what I have designed.
Mar 27
1.7hrs
Drilled all eight holes in rear strut attach brackets then reamed them to 5/16".
Mar 29
2.7hrs
Re-made the rear 2-piece turtledeck former (station 137.5).
Mar 30
3.3hrs
Cut-off the former at station 89.49 so that I could reform the lower section. Tack both it and the new turtledeck rear former onto fuselage. Cut off the former I had at station 133.o. Started forming up what the final shape of the turtledeck will look like.
Mar 31
3hrs
Re-worked the former at station 105.o. Easily put in over six hours on this.
Apr 1
1hr
Cut forward turtledeck former. Turned out to be a test piece on homebuilder's grade ply. Should have added height to it in order to make an angled cut. See blog.
Apr 3
1.2hrs
Used aircraft grade 1/4" plywood to cut the center and the rear formers for the turtledeck. Looks good.
Apr 4
1hr
Figuring out what I need to do with the upper wing fuel tank. Make a mock-up of it to sketch out the location of the pieces.
Apr 5
N/A
Reviewed the plans and made a list of what I need to do. Thought long and hard about re-making the outer metal ribs for the upper wing fuel tank.
Apr 6
2.7hrs
Decided to re-make those two metal ribs for the upper wing fuel tank. Cut the blank, cut the shape, filed the sides and bent the first one in about two hours. Cut the blank then cut the shape for the second one.
Apr 7
1.3hrs
Finished the re-make of the two upper wing fuel tank outer, metal ribs.
Apr 9
1hr
Figuring out and confirming the size of the upper wing fuel tank.
Apr 12
N/A
The last three days I've been reviewing the upper wing center section drawings. Tonight I pulled out the pieces I have. Test fitted what I could. Saw what I needed to do. Made a To-Do list. I think I'm ready now.
Apr 13
1.8hrs
Measured, cut and cleaned the ends on 10 of the tubes for the upper wing center section. Still need to cut those .120 tubes.
Apr 14
1.3hrs
Cut the 7/8 x .12o tubing for the upper wing center section. Went over to Whitey's to put them in the lathe to cut down to size and square up the ends.
Apr 15
1.3hrs
More work on the upper wing center section. Re-cut one of the 20 13/16 inch 3/4 x .o35 tubes. Fit the end caps on to both 20 13/16 inch tubes. Review of plans again.
Apr 16
1.8hrs
Measured and cut the (8) pieces of aluminum "L" brackets for the center section of the upper wing. Then squared off by filing.
Apr 17
1.2hrs
Marked all the aluminum "L" brackets for hole locations.
Apr 20
3.2hrs
Fitting up the wing brackets for the upper wing center section. Need to plane down the spars to fit the brackets.
Apr 21
1.3hrs
Planed down the forth and final spar build up for the forth and final wing bracket on the upper wing center section.
Apr 22
1.3hrs
Sanded the edges smooth on the first of four upper wing center section wing brackets.
Apr 23
1.5hrs
Sanded the edges of the second upper wing center section wing bracket.
Apr 25
1.4hrs
Sanded the edges of the third upper wing center section wing bracket.
Apr 27
1.3hrs
Sanded the edges of the last upper wing center section wing bracket.
Apr 30
1.4hrs
Reamed out all the 1/4inch holes on the upper wing center section wing brackets.
May 4
1.5hr
Put the paper pattern up to the forward former on the turtledeck and saw it was slightly different. Re-made the pattern and then traced it onto the ply I just received.
May 5
2.2hrs
Made jig to sand angle on front turtledeck former. Rough cut and sanded to size that former.
May 6
2.4hrs
Cut the saddle gussets for the turtledeck.
May 7
3hrs
Working out what I'm doing with the turtledeck. Think I'm changing it up again. Making an additional former for station 130.o. Thinking now of just making a box frame with the stringers and then make a baggage comparment separately.
May 8
2.5hrs
More work on the turtledeck. Cut down the wood former at station 105.o. Modified and cut out the wood former for station 130.o. Figured out what I'll be doing with it... finally.
May 9
1hr
Traced and cut out the front false former for the turtledeck. Thinking out the details...
May 10
2.8hrs
Made additional saddle gussets for the turtledeck bulkhead. This included making a dual saddle gusset for the stringers at the intersection of the upper and lower halves of the turtledeck.
May 11
1hr
Worked on forward bulkhead for turtledeck; made additional saddle gussets and marked for alignment of gussets when glueing up.
May 12
1hr
Glued saddle gussets to forward turtledeck bulkhead.
May 13
2hrs
Drilled all (32) 1/4inch straight as arrow match-drilled holes into upper wing center section spars for wing brackets.
May 14
1.8hrs
Cut a new 2-piece false former for the turtledeck bulkhead. A lot of tweaking.
May 15
1hr
Spent an hour preping and glueing up false formers to turtledeck bulkhead.
May 17
1.3hrs
Made the pattern for the floor of the turtledeck. Marked pattern on 3/32 ply. I'll route it out tomorrow.
May 18
1.6hrs
Routed the floor for the turtledeck.
May 19
2.9hrs
Routed the openings in the turtledeck floor.
May 20
2hrs
Worked on cutting the former supports for the turtledeck. Re-made the most rearward former (was a little too thin).
May 21
1.5hrs
Cut additional former blocks. Cut the angle on the front block. Glued three into position.
May 22
2.1hrs
Glued the additional former blocks onto floor of the turtledeck. Drew up the pattern for the baggage door opening (after a lot of deliberation).
May 23
1.3hrs
Figuring out the ply lay-up for the turtledeck. Thinking I need to run stringers underneath the ply for support?
May 24
2.2hrs
Figured out the former for the inside of the baggage compartment. Cut it out of 1/4inch ply and test fitted. Still need to route the "inside" out of it.
May 25
1.9hrs
Made the pattern and cut out the oepning in the former that is inside of the baggage area. Also cut the first of two former blocks for the former I'm working on.
May 26
1hr
Cut and glued on the final former block on the turtledeck baggage compartment floor. Started playing with the vertical tail to see what looks right. Need to weld the metal ribs onto tail group so that I can see what I need to do with the stringers in that area.
May 27
5.4hrs
Quite a few things done today; tweaked the leading edge of the vertical tail, cut the mounting plate for the forward part of that leading edge that will be welded to the plate I also made for the rear turtledeck former, repositioned the rear turtledeck former and tacked into place, fully welded this former and the metal bulkhead former. Re-made a rear wood test former for the bagage compartment. After figuring out the shape and cutting the test piece... it works so I'll be making it out of actual aircraft grade ply when it arrives.
2400 hours !!!
May 28
1.9hrs
Welded on the mounting plate for the forward edge of the vertical tail leading edge. Sized, cut, pounded to shape and mounted the forward vertical tail post. Fitted and cut to size the leading edge of the vertical tail.
1.1hrs
Re-shaped the test former and did a test fit.
May 29
.5hrs
Made the paper pattern to make the plywood pattern to route the hole for the baggage door opening.
May 30
1hr
Cut out baggage door opening jig then routed out the baggage door opening. I then sized it up on the fuselage. Checked to make sure that the test former I made the other night (for rear of baggage compartment) worked.
May 31
.5hrs
Routed new former for rear of baggage compartment.
2hrs
Spent all this time messin' with trying to get the right shape for the final wood former for the turtledeck. Close... but not there yet.
Jun 1
.9hrs
FINALLY figured out pattern for last former for turtledeck. Transferred to wood. (still need to cut out wood pattern)
Jun 3
1.5hrs
Routed out last turtledeck former. Notched formers in baggage area for attaching spanning supports for the plywood covering.
Jun 4
2.3hrs
Notched for forward notches on the bulkhead of the turtledeck and cut the two spruce supports to length. Cut out two paper patterns for the saddle gussets that will go on the rear of the baggage compartment; extra glueing support for the spanning supports.
Jun 5
2.3hrs
Cut the two front notches in the turtledeck bulkhead former. Cut the two rear saddle gussets too.
Jun 6
3.2hrs
Cleaned up the notches in the baggage area bulkhead. Cut one of the saddle gussets for the forward stringer attach area.
Jun 7
2.5hrs
Re-made the first spanning support saddle gusset (1hr) then cut the first test saddle gusset for the second then made the finished gusset.
Jun 8
3.3hrs
Notched and fitted the spline/backbone into all the turtledeck formers.
1hr
Put the angled edge on the spline.
Jun 9
1hr
Started trimming down the former support blocks - cutting the angles on the them.
Jun 10
1hr
Trimmed angles on turtledeck former blocks to conform to the ply covering.
2.1hrs
Began making patterns for the turtledeck's ply covering. Discovered that I need to make in four pieces; the front top and front bottom, the back top and the back bottom. Made ply tests for the bottom starboard side.
Jun 11
1.2hrs
Made first, final turtledeck plywood covering and fitted up to turtledeck.
2hrs
Made second, final ply covering for turtledeck and then routed the former doubler for glueing up the front edge of the back ply pieces.
Jun 12
2.3hrs
Cut and rough fitted the lower, back ply covers for the turtledeck baggage area. Glued former doubler together then glue front and third former on turtledeck.
Jun 13
1.4hrs
Needed to rethink some things. The turtledeck is back a little too far and gets in the way of the forward attach of the stabs. Cut down the length of the turtledeck. Need to cut the welds on the rear metal turtledeck former and move forward.
Jun 14
1.8hrs
Re-made the rear wood former for the turtledeck. Cut and fitted the former block for the same former. Glued in the second and forth formers.
Jun 15
1.5hrs
Re-made rear wood former. Yes AGAIN (notch at top was too large). Glued on both the rear former and the ply just in front of it.
Jun 16
2.2hrs
Needed to shave the sides of the spline (with chisel). Cut and fitted back corner block for rear former of baggage compartment. Started gluing in spline and spanning supports.
Jun 17
.8hrs
Gluing up more of the turtledeck.
Jun 18
.7hrs
More gluing on the turtledeck.
Jun 23
1.4hrs
Glued in spanning support forward saddle gussets. Trimmed and sanded down rear spanning supports, sides of 4th and 5th wood formers, added filler to front end of splne trimmed down rear of base.
Jun 24
3.2hrs
Cutting, fitting up and gluing on of the base glue blocks for the lower ply on the tutledeck baggage compartment
Jun 25
1.2hrs
Glued and clamped on first ply cover; front, bottom starboard piece.
Jun 26
1.2hrs
Un-clamped the first ply cover. Aligned, glued and clamped the second ply cover; foward, lower, port piece.
Jun 27
.8hrs
Fitted and glued on rear, lower, port ply.
Jun 28
1.2hrs
Fitted and glued on starboard, rear ply.
Jun 29
1.8hrs
Figured out and cut the ply patterns for the remaining four upper pieces on the turtledeck baggage compartment.
Jun 30
1.8hrs
Cut the four remaining ply pieces for the turtledeck. Fitted up and trimmed to size one of those four to the turtledeck.
Jul 1
1.9hrs
Trimmed and fitted the remaining three ply pieces.
Jul 2
.4hrs
Had time to go do and look at the turtledeck to figure out how I was going to clamp the forward, upper, port ply.
Jul 3
.5hrs
Glued and clamped/nailed forward, upper, port ply onto turtledeck.
Jul 4
.7hrs
Glued and clamped on forward, upper, starboard ply.
.8hrs
Started sealing inside of turtledeck with L-26 sheathing epoxy. Solution thickened before I was able to finish.
Jul 5
.9hrs
Glued and clamped on rear, upper starboard ply.
.9hrs
Glued and coamped on rear upper port ply.
Jul 6
.9hrs
Needed to go back and re-glue what I just glued. Apparently the block I used to hold the ply against the spanning support didn't curve to the shape of the turtledeck and it didn't glue to one section of the support.
Jul 7
.6hrs
Sanding excess glue and trimming final mounted ply.
1.9hrs
Made mounting tabs for turtledeck.
1.6hrs
Aligned and tacked mounting tabs onto fuselage.
Jul 8
.5hrs
Welded on all eight tabs.
1hr
Figuring out the location of the stringers on the turtledeck. Placed them on the startboard side to see how it will need to fair into the tail. Looks good !
Jul 10
1.4hrs
Figuring out the tail end of the turtledeck stringers; how they will merge and how I will connect them to the fuselage.
Jul 12
1.4hrs
Messin' with the stringers for the turtledeck. Still trying to figure it all out.
Jul 13
3.3hr
Figured it out. I'll be capping the back with a tail cone for a smooth transition. Had to see where I would end the bottom stringer (just before the horz. stab)... things like that.
.9hrs
Staring at the fuselage figuring out more stuff.
Jul 14
.9hrs
Cut and fit ply for tail cone.
.6hrs
Glued on ply (coated inside of ply with T-88).
Jul 15
2.1hrs
Made pattern for tail cone inner cap (to keep the stringers in place).
Jul 16
1.7hrs
Attempting to make a quality tail cone inner cap. Three down... none are a keeper.
Jul 17
1hr
Made the tail cone inner cap... for a forth time. I'm happy with this one.
Jul 18
1.9hrs
Began cutting and fitting the first layer of stringers on the starboard side of the turtledeck.
Jul 19
1.9hrs
Cut and fitted the first layer of stringers on the port side. Still need to do the doubler stringer on both the port and starboard sides. Cut and fit the second layer of stringers on the starboard side.
Jul 20
3.3hrs
Figured out and cut the first of two sets of the double-stringers. Made the ones for the starboard side.
Jul 22
.7hrs
Cut and fitted second set of double stringers for the turtledeck.
Jul 23
1.5hrs
Work on the turtledeck stringers. Cut both 2nd layer stringers for the starboard side then adjust the others on the starboard about 6inches shorter. This will allow a better turtledeck to fuselage curve.
Jul 24
1.5hrs
Cut the remaining second layer stringers for the turtledeck's port side. Also cut and fitted the port side spline to tail cone stringer.
Jul 25;
2.1hrs
Final layout of the starboard side stringers. Laid down the first layer. Will let it sit over night. Give it a day to make sure I'm happy with it. Figured out and drew up the pattern for the metal former that will support the stringers between the rear wood former and the tail cone.
Jul 26
1.2hrs
Laid out the stringers on the port side; final lay-up. Will glue up later.
Jul 27
3hr
Making spacers for the top turtledeck stringers. The bow tht they make lift them off the plywood. Formed the triangluar former for supporting the rear turtledeck stringers. Figured out how I want to make the vert stab cross brace.
1.2hrs
Made the jig and cut the pieces to make the vert stab cross piece.
2500 hours !!! I was suppose to have been done by now.
Jul 29
1.6hrs
Welded the vertical stab cross piece. Dismantled turtledeck so that I can align and weld on the leading edge of the vert stab and vertical stab cross piece.
Jul 30
2.1hrs
Aligned and tacked on the leading edge of the vertical tail. Had it real close a few times... wanted it closer. That's what took so long.
Jul 31
1.9hrs
Working on the vertical tail: welded the top, front tube to former, vertical post complete, leading edge to vertical post partial, bottom metal rib aligned and partial weld, cross brace support aligned and tacked.
Aug 1
1hr
Trimmed, fitted and welded on the top metal rib to the vertical tail.
Aug 3
2.6hrs
Worked on the stand-offs for the turtledeck stringers. Needed to figure out where the horizontal tail mounts would be and needed to figure out the stand-offs to work around those mounts.
Aug 4
1.8hrs
Put the stringers back on the turtledeck to figure out the additional stringer supports I need to make. Which... is ten, similar to the ones I made for the fuselage stringers in the tail area.
Aug 5
1.3hrs
Figuring out the stand-offs for the turtledeck rear stringers. Drew them up on DetaCAD. Will print tomorrow.
Aug 6
2.2hrs
Cut out, ground down and filed smooth 10 stringer stand-offs.
Aug 7
.5hrs
Bent the stringer stand-offs to form bracket that the stringers will attach to.
Aug 8
1.8hrs
Modified the stringers on the turtledeck. I added additional pieces of 5/16inch cap strip where they need to attach to the stringers. This will allow me to pin/bolt/tie the stringer on and have plenty of room to do it. Also started figuring out how the two stringers coming off the spline will "flow" into the spline.
Aug 9
1.4hrs
Working out the spline to tail cone transition. Also cleaned up the additional wood pieces I glued to the stringers last night.
Aug 10
1hr
Notched the two upper stringers; the ones from the spline to the tail cone.
.6hrs
Made supporting bracket for above stringers from a 5/8inch retangular tube. Just right for the 5/8inch tube.
Aug 11
1.3hrs
Welded on stringer bracket. Finished welded a few of the small metal formers I had previously tacked in place in the tail area.
Aug 12
1.5hrs
More tweaking of the two upper stringers on the vertical tail. Also made and glued a saddle bracket onto the third wood former on the turtledeck.
Aug 13
1.2hrs
Aligned and tacked on 1/2 of the turtledeck stringer stand-offs.
.8hrs
Aligned and tacked on the remaining turtledeck stringer stand-offs. Now to finish weld them.
Aug 14
1.2hrs
Finished welded the 10 stand-offs I aligned and tacked on yesterday. Aligned and tack on the two stand-offs for the double-stringer.
Aug 15
1.9hrs
Made a few brackets to hold the double-stringers in place on the stand-off... then discovered I had made two extra small stand-offs that I used on the metal formers in the tail cone area. Used them instead. (duh!!!) Aligned, tacked and welded both on the stand-off.
Aug 16
N/A
1.3hrs - Sanded the inside of the turtledeck. Undoing the crap that built up when I tried using the L-26 sheathing resin.