Eagler's Nest

General Category => Off Topics and General Interest => Topic started by: docmatt on January 25, 2024, 05:24:51 PM

Title: What I did while taking a break from building my Eagle
Post by: docmatt on January 25, 2024, 05:24:51 PM
I resumed work on my DE today after a break of nearly 9 years! As I was preparing to get back to work, I thought it would be good to start a thread where builders can post pictures and info to prove that they haven’t been just sitting around watching football. So let’s see those kids who have grown up, car projects, motorcycles, houses, and hangars!
Title: Re: What I did while taking a break from building my Eagle
Post by: Chuck in Indiana on January 26, 2024, 04:56:27 AM
Well, since building Bullet.. not much. There's nothing to do on the Lario with the Hunter drone engine I converted to motorcycle use..
(https://static.imgzeit.com/reduced/767df158b30fda98/20230412_171356.jpg)
the Enfield is new, so just normal service..
(https://static.imgzeit.com/large/7b943f61a4a7a3d6/20220910_162429.jpg)
I did overhaul the VW in Mouser I built (gasp) 44 years ago this off season..
(https://static.imgzeit.com/large/292851f553de8000/mouser.jpg) (https://static.imgzeit.com/reduced/292851f553de8000/mouser.jpg)
I was getting bored.
Let me tell you a story.
Many years ago, I was scratch building a Great Lakes
(https://static.imgzeit.com/reduced/0e7dc9fba4c882e9/121-2140_IMG.JPG)
when Bill Lutton came to the shop and asked if he could help. Didn't want paid, just wanted to learn about how airplanes were built. Made a job of it, came very day, brought his lunch, etc.  :) When the Great lakes finally flew away (whew!) what a job.. he helped me restore a Commonwealth Skyranger.
(https://static.imgzeit.com/large/9384e6fa997d6e6e/20230730_124244.jpg)
By this time, a lung disease that he'd picked up in the lab at Delco Remy was raising it's ugly head. I'd run out of projects, and he still wanted "something to do."  :) He was a really good woodworker, and I said, "Why not build a Pietenpol? I'll do the metal work for you." When he said he wouldn't live long enough to finish it, I said, "that doesn't matter. You'll be doing something you love."
So he decided to do it. He built the wing ribs and had the fuselage and tail group pretty well along when my kid bought it from him and took it to Wisconsin. He did some nice work to it, but finally decided that working on airplanes all day and coming home and working on an airplane wasn't as much fun as he thought it would be, so it languished in his basement.
(https://static.imgzeit.com/large/6e35671adf30844b/20231013_170423.jpg)
After Bullet was flying
(https://static.imgzeit.com/large/869c4cc6ddab31f5/20230808_081436.jpg)
I was getting the itch for something to do.. do you see a commonality in all this?  :grin: and thought, "I wonder if I could finish old Bill's Piet project?"
So.
The Kid brought it down, and I've started. Here's the center section progress..
(https://static.imgzeit.com/reduced/c23dc09c9534a8a4/20240123_130933.jpg)
I just finished the rest of the wing fittings on the mill yesterday, so I have "plenty" to do..  :) I hope the spirit of Ol Bill carries on.

Title: Re: What I did while taking a break from building my Eagle
Post by: Dan_ on January 26, 2024, 07:48:40 AM

I was getting the itch for something to do.. do you see a commonality in all this?

Yup, I see when you get an itch you scratch it with some big time quality workmanship...   :grin:
Title: Re: What I did while taking a break from building my Eagle
Post by: docmatt on January 26, 2024, 02:19:02 PM
My son was 15 when he wanted to start a car project. He wasn’t into planes, so the DE went on hold and we started this:
Title: Re: What I did while taking a break from building my Eagle
Post by: docmatt on January 26, 2024, 02:23:37 PM
The project changed directions a couple times and he ended up letting me finish it. He developed some skills and opened his own custom shop.
Title: Re: What I did while taking a break from building my Eagle
Post by: Chuck in Indiana on January 27, 2024, 04:03:36 AM
My kid started on motorcycles, too. He built Yamahas, though.. is that the V4 Honda? He may get into airplanes.. the Kid now runs the shop at Poplar Grove, a *really* big GA airport with it's share of antiques and homebuilts.  :)
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