Chapter 5 - Rick's airplane
 
Chapter 5
 
Fuselage Sides
 
 
  fuselage jigs          forming longerons  
Fuselage jigs:   I used poplar wood.  I wanted a popular plane! Another happy longeron forming person joyfully at work.  December 2004
 
  formed longerons          side jigs  
My curved longerons completed. Side Jigs.  I already had some angle iron which made this an easy job.
 
  side jigs 2          joining the masons  
The order of these parts must be correct.  A puzzle explained by the book. Masonite nailed to forms.  The spacing between is not a problem.
 
  foam side 1          foam sides 2  
Foam 5 minute epoxied to masonite form.  Small strategicly placed spots. Edge foam added.  Joy stick circles and fuel tank window shapes shown.
 
  foam sides 3          Irwin clamps  
Conduit shapes cut into foam. Irwin tools holding things together.  Longerons to pre-glassed foam.
 
  many clamps          spar slot formed  
The more clamps the better.  The 45 degree jigs.  Keep clamps in place. Spar slot is formed and glassed to fuselage sides.
 
  forming conduit          conduit foam form  
Glassing over foam forms to creat conduits for rear of fuselage. Conduits are now put in foam awaiting glass over spar slot and conduit.
 
  circle shaper          aftermath  
Sandpaper/wood tool I made shown in front of a completed fuselage side. Aftermath:  Wow, chapter 5 went pretty well.
 
  Things I learned:

• It helps to look at other peoples parts on their web sites.

• Wait 2 hours before applying heat to avoid bubbles growing in the layup.

• Belt sanders tend to mess up some otherwise nice glass work.

• Hand sanding with some high quality Norton "3X" does great.

• 3x= 3 times faster cut,  3 times longer life,  Coarse 60 Grit.

• Peel ply every part.

• The forward end which one spends so much time trying to get right gets cut out anyway for the canard.  Dang, wish I'd known that.