Fuselage Side Skin Clamping Blocks

Working in Section 29 beginning the side skin roll. The instructions tell you to build a clamping block out of oak or other hard wood. No problem.

I've cut the clamp block down to size and the yellow faces below. What will be harder is the taper cut shaded in brown below. I can build a taper jig for the table saw to make this cut, but I'm wondering the purpose? Based on the instructions, that angle is never explicitly called out or used - what am I missing. I don't want to spend a few hours making a perfect jig for the perfect cut when it doesn't even get put on the airplane.

Any thoughts? Is there a reason for the taper? Is this just a convenience for clamp clearance during the roll?

I thought the same thing and did not cut the brown shaded areas. Worked fine for me!

Horseshoes and hand grenades

I, too, was all worried about making this block "perfectly" to spec... and I did spend the extra time (with my mediocre-at-best woodworking skills) to make it pretty close to what the plans called for-- only to discover what you seem to have already realized: it doesn't need to be perfect.

Basically all you're trying to do is clamp the skin down tight so you can bend it up and around. You'll need a good assortment of clamps, wrenches, strength, and patience; but as long as your wooden block is solid and at least as long as the bend line, and has a straight >90-degree bend radius, you're pretty much good to go.

Good luck, and 'enjoy' Section 29 (insert Nelson "ha ha" )!!!!

Thanks guys.

Like I said, I cut the lengthwise chamfer no problem. Even that though, I was tempted to try and just use the precut edge from the lumber yard. My guess was that the skin wouldn't clear as you curled it around - but I have no justification for the taper.

Looking at the chamfer dimensions, I was thinking maybe the 1-1/2" chamfer on the mid-fuse vs the 1-5/16" chamfer on the forward skins was kinda like using a metric crescent wrench (29-10). Still haven't procured one of those yet...

I'll press on.