Av8torTom

Av8torTom

Well Known Member
I made the first bends in the longerons. I used the bending die and it worked out really well. I getting ready to make the downward bend and twist and I'm looking for words of wisdom/advice...

Anyone??

Thanks,

Tom
 
Sharply?

Make a sharp bend against the end of the vice? I'm thinking it's going to buckle there.
 
Think I got it

Used a rubber mallet. Also clamped the longeron to the vice jaw so it couldn't pop out when I whacked it...



Does this look close enough? It follows the edge within about 3/16th.



Now to put in the twist. The longeron is much more flexible than I thought it would be. How much can you push and pull into position when you assemble the fuselage?

Thanks,

T.
 
Tom any method of bending is good don't overthink it. I hope you have a full size pattern for bend and twist :)





If it's according to the pattern it will match pretty well. Ask Tony :D




 
Tom,
I did my longerons and bent and bent and tweaked until I couldnt stand it anymore. I laid them on the floor and decided that was as good as they were going to get. I put them back in the garage attic, where they stayed until about two weeks ago.

I have my longerons installed and the firewall mounted (today) and, man, those puppies are as close to perfect as they could possibly be. Just keep tweaking until you have that magic 1/16th of an inch I used my digital inclinometer to get the 17-deg twist. I was sure I would have to further twist/bend/beat/squeeze or otherwise abuse my longerons, but that was not the case.

PS: Measure many times...beat once.
 
Lemmingman said:
Tom,
I did my longerons and bent and bent and tweaked until I couldnt stand it anymore. I laid them on the floor and decided that was as good as they were going to get. I put them back in the garage attic, where they stayed until about two weeks ago.

I have my longerons installed and the firewall mounted (today) and, man, those puppies are as close to perfect as they could possibly be. Just keep tweaking until you have that magic 1/16th of an inch I used my digital inclinometer to get the 17-deg twist. I was sure I would have to further twist/bend/beat/squeeze or otherwise abuse my longerons, but that was not the case.

PS: Measure many times...beat once.
Click to expand...

Yeah, like that! Love it. That sounds like a kindrid spirit. Keep working the part until YOU are at piece with it. Never follow directions without knowing why you're following them. Metallurgy and all. You can learn anything on the internet.
 
I too was sweating these WAY TOO MUCH. I laid a chalk line down on the floor. Measured this from that and laid out most of the lines on the floor as well. Thought about buying those dies/jaws but when the Russian came he showed me they were not really needed. We used the vice lined with fridge magnets for protection, rubber mallet, hammered over blocks of wood and Vlad tweaked a degree or two with his knee! :eek:

I was thinking to myself I'll have to order new ones....I got the fuse all laid out and when it came time to set them in place, they fit like a glove!!

Looks like you might already be done. Oh, BTW, TRY to wear shoes as Miles said. Do you know how hard it is to remove an invisible aluminum splinter? I do, ask me how I know.
 
Shoes!!!

Thanks everyone - I think I have them fitting quite well now. The fit to the F-721 aft canopy deck is REALLY close.

Yes, shoes - those are actually my newly graduated son's bare feet in the photo. They taught him a lot in college, but not enough apparently. He got the lecture from me ;)


BTW - anyone like to borrow my bending dies let me know.
 
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