Next order please

[Cozy1200]

I'm considering working the next few chapters out of order, so bear with me for a sec.

 

I'm currently working through Chapter 7. I have most of the supplies for CH8 & CH9.

 

I didn't order in the landing gear hoop. It's rather expensive and heavy. I couldn't see spending all that money (GST & shipping) to import it. I plan to work on it once I ship the project home. At the current rate I think I'll have up to CH9 completed in another few months.

 

So.... I'm contemplating my next order. I figure since ASS typically offers a discount during OSH, that I might as well order some more stuff.

 

First Thought...

My main concern is shipping the project home, both the state of construction and size. I really don't want to have a chapter partially completed then have to ship it home. For example, I don't thinking shipping a half completed canard would be a good idea.

 

Another thought...

I think Chrissi recommend to do all the internal fairing, covers, and systems while the tub is on the rotisserie. It's a lot easier than working over the strakes and on your knees inside the tub.

 

The next chapter would usually be the canard and then the nose. But for my next order, I'm considering working on CH 16 (controls) & CH 24(Covers & Fairings). That should add on another 100 hours or so that should take me through my assignment here.

 

So my long-winded question is does this sound reasonable? Any foreseen problems to working out of order?

[TMann]

Many on the CSA group seem to favor building the center section spar as early in the game as possible to give it as much time as possible to cure.

It seems as though it would be pretty rugged and would ship well.

[Cozy1200]

I have considered it as well. It would kind of be like the canard. If it was done & packed well, the it would probably ship fine. But shipping the jig with a half finished spar would probably be an issue.

 

I appreciate the feedback.

[ZUCZZ]

Depending on the amount of storage space available ...

 

Easy storage:

Main Spar

Canard

Winglets

Wings

 

When the wings & Winglets go together it becomes bulky, yet mine hung vertically in the workshop and we managed to work around it without too much headbanging

[JTest]

I have considered it as well. It would kind of be like the canard. If it was done & packed well, the it would probably ship fine. But shipping the jig with a half finished spar would probably be an issue.

 

I appreciate the feedback.

G'day

 

I agree with TMann on this one. If you get half done you will be finished with the jig. I recommend you buy extra UNI (I got 100 ft) and DO NOT use Urithane foam, finish the Spar, but DO NOT mount it until you have mounted the wings on the spar ( I have been told it makes it easier to get the wing(s) level and correct). You then mount to the tub and have one level part to attach although it is a bigger part, but it removes the problem of one wing level and one wing not....

 

Good luck!

 

Jeff

[steve]

i think doing the straik bulk heads would be easy (and cheap).

then when you get home you could start the jig and then fuel tanks.

the nose, for the most part would be easy but the top(i think) should be contoured as one from the tip to the canopy sides. so you would or mite need to wait.

all the cs stuff is fast and easy.

but the girls do all the work, all you do is pay for it but you could spend a day or two installing it.

look at the girls page on how they did there straks, kinda cool

i mired them but went one step farther and didn't flip the plane,but i glassed one side of the tank skins to insure no leaks in the foam

[Cozy1200]

I would definitely not attach the spar until we move home. There's just so many uncertainties, I'd hate to ship it home half done. That's why I'm leaning away from the spar or canard.

 

If I get the controls system half installed and have to ship, no big deal.

[Big Steve]

You could put your nose on and the nose gear. You spend most of the time it seems building stuff for the fuselage. The wings spars and canard I would not want to ship around to much they are also big and bulky. You could also build your turtle back it would fit in the container with the fuselage when you ship it home. I am not going to build my strakes or attatch my turtle back until I am almost done I will build everything else. Once you put the strakes on the game changes your shop shrinks and you are always ducking under them. build on STeve

[TMann]

Yeah ..... I'm waiting to see how it works out with my spar clamped to the fuselage. I believe I will still be able to get the fuselage out of the basement with the spar attached. I don't think it will fit out the door with both strakes in place. I might be able to get away with one strake but the geometry of both will have to wait until I relocate it to the garage.

[rickh]

I have considered it as well. It would kind of be like the canard. If it was done & packed well, the it would probably ship fine. But shipping the jig with a half finished spar would probably be an issue.

 

I appreciate the feedback.

You don't use the jig for any length of time... Trim the foam, weld the bottom on, laminate the inside, weld the pre-glassed forward face on, done. I'd say I used the jig for 15% of the build (finished the last 4 ply UNI layup tonight).

 

Other than the exterior of the end bulkheads (1 ply BID), it should survive all sorts of man handling.

 

Do the spar. If time, do the landing brake. I'm thinking controls may get munched during shipping.

 

Rick

[JTest]

G'day

 

I checked you Web site and see you have not built the headrests. They are easy and will only take a weekend or so. They also can have the seatbelt hardware installed and shipped.

 

If you don't do the spar that is....

 

Jeff

[Cozy1200]

I haven't ruled out the Spar yet. In fact I was just checking on it.

 

I would agree that Urethane is out. It's just too soft to work with. A few power tools like the router can machine other foams to a nicer finish.

 

What type of foam would you use instead?

[Big Steve]

Dmchaplin said:

 

I would agree that Urethane is out. It's just too soft to work with. A few power tools like the router can machine other foams to a nicer finish.

If you dont use urethane for your spar remember that the inboard part of your spar is gas tank. Urathane does not disolve in gas. Wing foam does. Do not I repeat do not use wing foam in your spar it could ruin a lot of work. I used the urethane in my spar it worked great. Your spar does not get bumped in the build stage like your nose does so using urathane is no big deal. I did not use urethane in the nose because I knew it would be exsposed for a long time and would get all dinged up. Dont use wing foam in your spar. Build on STeve

[JCPJCP]

While I have no experience building a Composite Aircraft itself,

have built composite fin antenna's for high performance military aircraft.

 

A neat foam we used was "ROHACELL", which is a high temperature polyimide (sp?) plastic. Polyimide is the same plastic family as Kapton, which is used to make flexible circuit boards.

 

Can be CNC machined, vacuum bagged, high temperature/pressure autoclaved, etc. We used with Epoxy-Kelvar prepreg materials.

 

Depending upon the density, had a very high crush strength.

 

May be a little pricey, as it is made in Germany.

 

JCP

[Lynn Erickson]

While I have no experience building a Composite Aircraft itself,

have built composite fin antenna's for high performance military aircraft.

 

A neat foam we used was "ROHACELL", which is a high temperature polyimide (sp?) plastic. Polyimide is the same plastic family as Kapton, which is used to make flexible circuit boards.

 

Can be CNC machined, vacuum bagged, high temperature/pressure autoclaved, etc. We used with Epoxy-Kelvar prepreg materials.

 

Depending upon the density, had a very high crush strength.

 

May be a little pricey, as it is made in Germany.

 

JCP

good stuff but about 3 time the price of divinycell. I used 3 lbs. density divinycell for the spar. harder to carve then polyurethane but holds it shape much better.

[JTest]

I haven't ruled out the Spar yet. In fact I was just checking on it.

 

I would agree that Urethane is out. It's just too soft to work with. A few power tools like the router can machine other foams to a nicer finish.

 

What type of foam would you use instead?

 

G'day

 

I screwed up and used Urethane (per plans) but wouldn't do it again. The stuff is a mess and it breaks way to easy. The point that it is the back of the fuel cell is important to remember. I would use the same foam material as the fuselage sides (also part of the fuel cell). It costs a little more, but it will hold up better. I didn't know this until I had already completed most of the spar. I am now done so... it is per plans, but this issue has been discussed in several CPs and Central States articles I have read....

 

I have lost my tech advisor to a move and I am building w/o an advisor.... So I am lerning by doing and re-doing in some cases. You can check out my ideas in my posts last couple of months.

 

You will need about 80 hours to complete the spar up to mount from my experience. Mine took about 100 because I tried to remove the foam from the jig and it broke up due to micro sticking. Lesson is not to remove it until the plans tell you....

 

Hope this helps.

 

Jeff