Started CH4 today!

[killerb1971]

Well....It wasn't much of a start, but its still a start. I got as far as trimming the front seat back and cutting the glass for the first layup before I went to work. I realized I did not have any peel ply!!! Here I thought I was prepared. So I ordered some 1" and 2" from Spruce and it should be here Sat. This is where it all begins. The clock has officialy started!!!! I have 1.5hrs logged so far. Just 4998.5 hrs to go!! : )

 

Isn't this FUN!

[TMann]

Isn't this FUN!

..... it certainly is!

[macleodm3]

It Really is FUN!

[killerb1971]

I looked at chapter 2 pg 5 and it looks as if the IP is supposed to be cut up into 3 sections to fit F28 on the same foam. I didn't notice this untill I had the entire IP traced onto the 2 pieces of foam I glued together. Is it necessary to flip the foam over and re cut the M drawing and trace it that way, or can I just buy an extra piece of foam for F28? The IP just barely fits on the 2 pieces of foam, but it is all there. I have also heard about people needing to add 1/4" to the bottom of the IP to make it fit the fuselage, is this a necessary modification? I don't mind re doing anything, I just want it to be right.

[Kraig]

You can 5-minute epoxy as many pieces of foam together as you need to make a bulkhead. Don't bother redrawing, just add foam as needed to complete the bulkhead's. If you are not familiar with the popular duct tape hinge method of joining two pieces of foam together, check out Wayne hicks site to learn it. Very simple and will be used extensively throughout the build.

 

Also, do add the 1/4" to the bottom of the IP, even if you have to add it with the method above. Also, make the width of the foam between the legholes 3.8" wide, not 3.5". This is from FAQ 4.22 on Marc's site.

 

You should have all these FAQ's bookmarked and go over them well before, during and after each step is completed.

 

Go to this site, www.ttcse.com/cozylinks/ for all your research needs. It is most valuable, probably one of my most used sorces of reference.

 

Kraig

[killerb1971]

You can 5-minute epoxy as many pieces of foam together as you need to make a bulkhead. Don't bother redrawing, just add foam as needed to complete the bulkhead's. If you are not familiar with the popular duct tape hinge method of joining two pieces of foam together, check out Wayne hicks site to learn it. Very simple and will be used extensively throughout the build.

 

Also, do add the 1/4" to the bottom of the IP, even if you have to add it with the method above. Also, make the width of the foam between the legholes 3.8" wide, not 3.5". This is from FAQ 4.22 on Marc's site.

 

You should have all these FAQ's bookmarked and go over them well before, during and after each step is completed.

 

Go to this site, www.ttcse.com/cozylinks/ for all your research needs. It is most valuable, probably one of my most used sorces of reference.

 

Kraig

 

Thanks Kraig! I appreciate the info. I'll make it a point to do more research before I get started from now on. I'll post more when I make more progress.

[rickh]

I looked at chapter 2 pg 5 and it looks as if the IP is supposed to be cut up into 3 sections...

I think I cut mine into five pieces. Glue any number of pieces together, make it look like the [final] picture.

 

If you fear you're gonna bust up the IP foam handling it before it gets glassed, just cut the major holes out. Cut the smaller ones once it's glassed.

 

Do make the IP a bit longer on the bottom, sanding the excess off is trivial to adding additional foam once it's done. Mine came out about 1/4" short at the OS edges, flush in the center. Sand/trim the angles at the bottom corners slightly large too, you can trim them to fit when you assemble the sides... easy. Cut the seat back map and heater duct slots narrow and short, trim to size in Ch 6.

 

The LG bulkheads (F-22 doubler, F-28, and IP too) side edges will get trimmed to a slight angle when you get to installing them, the fuselage curves

 

Yes, bookmark Tom Tugan's site. His links make it *real* easy to drill down to the chapter at hand.

 

Rick

[Cozy1200]

Heads up on F22...

 

Before laying out and cutting F22, flip to last page of CH4. The first photo shows a different method of laying out F22. It shows that it's possible to make F22 out of one piece of foam instead of the plans method of two. It involved more work to micro the pieces together, but at $20 a sheet it is worth considering. I didn't notice the photo until I finished the part.

[killerb1971]

Today I completed the first layup on the seat back. It went great. I had to wait unil today to start it because I didn't get my peel ply tapes until this morning. I made the hardpoint layup last night. It ended up using 25 layers to make the 1/4" thickness. I used the scrap foam from the landing gear cutouts as my gauge, covered it in plastic, smoothed out all the air bubbles between the plastic and the layup, placed a smooth board over it and weighted it down with a heavy flywheel from a big block chevy. It came out great except for one small wrinkle in the very bottom corner from the fold in the plastic. The overall dimensions of the usable smooth part is 10" X 12", so I am ok. It feels great to be making progress! : )

[Neverquit]

Looks like spilled milk. Beautiful.

[macleodm3]

Yes, looks very nice! You do a nice job of keeping your work area clean!