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-   -   back at it! (https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=67138)

datsclark 01-10-2011 02:03 PM

back at it!
 
After nearly a year of collecting dust, my -7A is finally back under construction. Thought i'd update VAF with the intentions of staying involved to keep motivated.

I took a few weeks off work over the holidays with the intention of building as much as possible. As I'm sure you all know, Christmas and family obligations ate a few days of building. But I was able to spend almost 10 days truckin along in the garage. And it feels great!

First step was to clean up the shop. Turns out a year of dust isn't too bad. It's figuring out what I needed to start working on took a while. I decided to start on something new, so I built some wing jigs out of cut off 4x4s and braced them (I didn't want to attach to the top) and so I needed to really make some space. Turned out pretty nice:

I remembered being extremely frustrated with the trim tab bends and elevator tab bends. For some reason bending aluminum is something I'm nearly incapable of. A few hours reading a bunch of VAF posts and looking at other builders logs, I came to the realization that I'm far from alone in this. Looks like many people have cut the tabs clean off. Feeling much better about my ugly cut off tabs on the elevator I cleaned those up and riveted the elevator. And thanks to my dad who is great at bending those tabs, I have a nice trim tab too.

The nicely bent tabs and how i riveted it together:


I also wrestled with rolling the leading edges of my elevators. The steel horn makes rolling the edge a real pain in the ***. I cut my rolling pipe in bits so I could roll each section without hitting the horn. We'll see how that goes -- I didn't quite get to finish this yet. For some reason (ie i misdrilled) the geometry on my trim tab hinge won't allow me to mount the tab in perfect alignment of the elevator's trailing edge. I have a replacement hinge clamped in place ready to be drilled. I will then need to learn how to attach and safety wire the hinge, and that's that!

Most of the rest of my time has been spent working on the wings. Nutplates, nutplates, and more nutplates. I'm getting the sense that everything about the wings will be a bit repetitve. I just put in an order for duckworks lights, the safe air 1 kit, and a bunch of other things.

jig:


and with the spars (look at that nice clean shop!):


The plane is back on track. I'm sure i'll be on VAF a whole lot more now!

rv9aviator 01-10-2011 03:41 PM

Wow it must be nice to have a shop and not have to insulate the walls. I knew you were someplace warm. I couldn't believe my sister would leave the front door wide open to let fresh air in when I visited her in Southern Ca. She just laughed and said there are no flies around here. Oh well glad to see you're back to building.

datsclark 01-11-2011 09:23 AM

Heh, it was in the mid 50s recently in the bay area here. And I thought that was cold! Fortunately a 1500w space heater and some work gloves is all I really need to keep warm.

bkthomps 01-12-2011 08:52 AM

those wing stands sure are close together....I placed mine 18" apart and it was just barely enough unless you plan on switching them around when necessary

datsclark 01-12-2011 10:13 AM

yea i thought about that. The posts are 24" apart, which means if i hang the brackets off the outside on both I'm able to have each wing a bit more than 24" apart--almost 30" really. Think that's ok?

Bullseye 01-12-2011 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by datsclark (Post 503266)
Think that's ok?

I spaced mine at 24" and it's just right for me.

http://n999za.files.wordpress.com/20...-018-large.jpg

Tilford 01-15-2011 06:34 PM

Would you happen to have a parts list and the dimensions for your wings jig? I'm an idiot with wood, I'd rather clip my fingernails with a pneumatic squeezer than attempt to create something from wood. Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Greg

Bullseye 01-15-2011 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tilford (Post 504478)
Would you happen to have a parts list and the dimensions for your wings jig?

I don't have a parts list or plans, per se (and I'm not even sure you were talking to me), but I took some pictures and added some commentary at two of my builders log posts.

Started here:
http://n999za...started-building-wing-stands/

Finished the next day:
http://n999za...finished-building-wing-stands/

Hope this helps, let me know if you need any more info.

Tilford 01-16-2011 10:15 AM

Thanks
 
Thanks!

The pictures are helpful. Gives me a good idea of where to start.

chriscencula 01-16-2011 10:27 PM

Maybe others have had success with similar jigs... IMHO, I wouldn't count on the 'single' free-standing jigs shown to hold the wings... Too easy for them to tip over when riveting, drilling etc... Maybe they can be tied together at the base if you're really intent on having a freestanding jig?

Bullseye 01-17-2011 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chriscencula (Post 504804)
IMHO, I wouldn't count on the 'single' free-standing jigs shown to hold the wings... Too easy for them to tip over when riveting, drilling etc... Maybe they can be tied together at the base if you're really intent on having a freestanding jig?

My stands are rock solid. How hard are you pushing on your wings while you are drilling/riveting?

bkthomps 01-17-2011 09:08 AM

i anchored my stands into the concrete floor using threaded studs, it would take a truck and a chain to pull/knock those over

datsclark 01-18-2011 10:24 AM

That is an interesting point. I think it would be doubtful with both wings on there that anything could tip. I suppose if only one wing was on the jig, there might be some small chance of it tipping. I can always buy some strong adhesive and mount the floor panels down to the floor.

datsclark 02-13-2011 10:58 PM

progress
 
Getting back into building finally looks like it's getting somewhere. After 3 weekends of wing rib prep, endless deburring, filing, drilling, fluting, straightening, ad nauseum, you know how it goes... I got somewhere that looks like I'm actually building wings!



Next weekend I have a lot of priming to do :)


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