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attackpilot

Active Member
Hello Everyone:

I have bent four longerons (1031 L&R) for the tailcone to date and I still cannot get it perfect. I do not have a vice, and really don't want to have to buy one. The problem is that aluminum angle that forms the longeron is supposed to be exactly even with the side skin (1073) as well as the aft deck (1014) at the apex. As much as I try, the longerons on both sides are about 3/64" higher than the side skins right near where the bend is supposed to be. The longerons are even with the aft deck (1014) though. I have ensured that the tailcone is not twisted by checking its level at several positions.

Is this going to be a problem later on? As much as I hate to do it, I will redo the part. I am not sure how to get a better bend on it than I have though. I have tried to read ahead in the plans to see how this is going to affect things but I really don't have a clue.

Anyone with experience or advice, please help.

Joe Hutchison
RV-10 Tailcone
AH-64D Instructor Pilot
 
Buy a vise. You're not going to be able to do the main and mid-fuselage longerons without one. Besides, once you have one you'll come up with lots of uses for it. They're like $40 at HD or HF.

PJ
RV-10 $40032
Finishing
 
You can't do it with out a vice and a vice is cheaper than buying new longerons. You will need the vice throughout the building process. I used it often to hold parts while I riveted them together. I takes about 2 minutes to do it with a vice. Both came out perfect(After I cut them the right length. It's 98" long not 96".) That's how I know a vice is cheaper.
 
Bite the bullet!

Joe,

I agree with what's been posted. You gotta' have a vise. There will be parts you have to shape with hacksaw and file that will be easier if held in a vice.
 
Longeron bend accuracy...

Yes, it will be a problem. The longerons much match the edge bend of the tops of the side skins, and the bend must occur at the proper location. You really cannot make this bend properly without owning a vise and a rubber hammer. Spring for the right tools now, and you won't be sorry.

Link Mcgarity
RV-10/N41GF rsvd/tailcone
Fmr NCARNG AH-64A driver, frequent Ft Hood attendee.....
 
Hi Joe-
Just to pile on like everyone else.... you're going to try to build an RV without a bench vise? :eek: Seriously, while you could probably do it, why? Bench vises only cost 20-30 bucks and it will pay for itself many times over. Good luck with those longerons though. I only had to do two and that was two more than I wanted to do!
 
I bought a vice

Thanks for all the responses. I went ahead and bought a vice and installed it on one of my work tables this morning. I had been clamping things down to the tables with c-clamps, quick-clamps, etc, with pretty good results until now. I guess it couldn't provide the precise bend that I needed though. I will work on that tomorrow night as I had to go tame the "green monster" of FLIR flying tonight. At least I had a good excuse to my wonderful wife why I needed yet another tool.

Joe Hutchison
RV-10 Tailcone
AH-64D Instructor Pilot

P.S. Fred, I didn't mess up the angle you gave me, in case you were worried.
 
Now that you have a vice, take some scrap aluminum, .032 is fine, and make covers for the faces of your vice so you don't damage any aluminum you clamp in there.
 
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