Author Topic: Fuselage (Read 7083 times)

Chuck in Indiana · « **Reply #45 on:** June 15, 2025, 04:51:03 AM »

Quote from: Brock on June 14, 2025, 06:11:53 PM

With the Engine mount finished it's time to build a seat. Today I dusted off the seat aluminum and using a technique posted by someone on the forum (Chuck ?) I scored it with a dull (too lazy to change the blade) box cuttuer. After four passes I was able to cleanly break it off on the edge of the bench. I cut the sheet down to 48". the length I'll make the strips, to start with.

Not me, I have a shear.. seen in the back. I made the strips longer, too, after reading of people feeling they were not settling back into the seat. While I have your attention.. I did what Les and others did, and used a compression spring and skateboard wheel to save the weight of a conventional spring, fork, and wheel. I was proud of myself for saving all that weight, but came out nose heavy and had to eventually add a couple of pounds of lead in the tail.

You have now reached a major milestone. Shortly, you'll be able to sit in it and make airplane noises. This is what they sound like..

https://youtu.be/JSEjqPidpJo?si=7yl639NBxbmu2y47

Brock · « **Reply #46 on:** June 18, 2025, 05:58:29 AM »

Well, the seat is finished except for sizing. Too bad I have to sit in it in order to find out if it's low/high enough but that I can't sit in it until it's fixed in place. To be sure the horizontal strip ends don't become a snag issue I did two things. First, I widened the seat to 9 vertical strips so that with an odd number each side comes out the same. Next I lenthened every other strip (the ones that end up on the top at the sides) so I could bend them over before riveting. Used solid rivets and bucked the tail with the heads on a metal plate.

Brock · « **Reply #47 on:** June 18, 2025, 07:02:00 PM »

Two steps forward one step back - here we go again.

I tried measuring twice and cutting (er, drilling) once but it didn't work. First I sat against a wall with helmet on then placed a peice of tape on the wall at the top of my head/helmet. Then I added two inches (too much, I'll just be sure to cinch the lap belt) for turbulence. Measured from the top (torque as I think someone called it) tube down to the seat. When it was all done and said I drilled and bolted in the seat. Final part was to confirm what a nice job I did by getting in the seat and verifying it made sense. Nope, didn't even pass the sniff test. No way do I need 6" of space above my head (I'm 5'10") but I do need another two or three inches below to clear the elevator cable (should have installed that before the seat. Ha, Live, Laugh, learn, rejoice, rinse and repeat.

Chuck in Indiana · « **Reply #48 on:** June 19, 2025, 04:04:49 AM »

Not to worry. You have the time consuming part done. I conventional riveted also, but only clecoed at the attach points until I had the entire control system finished and working. Then, I asked the Lovely Assistant (tm) to come out and look at my butt. (!)

Dan_ · « **Reply #49 on:** June 23, 2025, 02:21:42 PM »

That thing is looking good!... MVP.

Brock · « **Reply #50 on:** July 24, 2025, 07:18:50 PM »

With the tailwheel now all but done it's time to move onto the control tube. So off with the seat to make access. Change the blade on my bandsaw (I have two identical bands, but cutting 4130 takes off the sides of the teeth, thus I save the nice one for aluminum and the kinda dull one for steel, seems it's the heat that does the cutting). Next I cut two 3/4" X 3/4"x 1/8" squares, drilled a 1/4" hole in each then took them to the sander/grinder. Cleaned everything with a SS brush and acetone. Fixed the two tabs with a threaded rod and clamped them in place on station 2 & 3. All ready for welding when I return to the shop.

Brock · « **Reply #51 on:** July 31, 2025, 05:47:15 PM »

Made some progress today on the control tube. I'm thinking I'll mount the rear pulley on the same 4130 ring as the control horn. Speaking of which, I might have made more progress, today, but wanted to first look up how long others have extended the control horn. Should be easy to find info.

pappyadkins · « **Reply #52 on:** August 01, 2025, 10:01:48 AM »

We'll see what others say, but I added 1 1/2 inch to mine...

Brock · « **Reply #53 on:** August 01, 2025, 07:01:00 PM »

While finishing up the rear pivot/aileron-lever/rear-pully (now a big combo unit, pictures tomorrow) I discoverd a BIG UH-OH. One of the four aileron pulleys, on the landing gear bracket, is not going to mount the way intended. One of the diagnal tubes is in the way (see pic). Now I had a thought, happens sometimes. How could I have gone about the build, having never built a LE, and not run into trouble like this. It's not like the plans say "Hey bozo, be carful when welding in those brackets as the pulleys are going to need room to fit". Ya don't know what ya don't know. Ufda!

I've some ideas on how to fix this, gonna take a bit of work to make it look nice. While I'm fix'n this pulley issue, could someone tell me how many degrees from horizontal you struts are. I want to make sure the other pulleys will allow the cables to get around the fuselage as designed. Thanks

Brock · « **Reply #54 on:** August 02, 2025, 01:55:50 PM »

Well, this part is kinda a Swiss-Army-Knife, it does everything but fly. Oh, but it will do that too, one day. It's a hinge for the control stick, a control horn for the aileron cables, an elevator cable pulley (top), an elevator cable (bottom) guide. It slices, it dices, and if you act now we will include a second one for free! Oh, sorry, got carried away.

Added 1.5" to make it the same lenth as my 6" scale. That's measured from the center of the tube to the end of the horn. Haven't yet drilled the 3/16" hole. No doubt there is a reason the pulley is not standard at this location. Hope it doesn't come back to bite.

pappyadkins · « **Reply #55 on:** August 02, 2025, 05:15:35 PM »

Looks great....

Brock · « **Reply #56 on:** August 04, 2025, 07:28:55 PM »

Torque tube .... Check
Control Stick .... Check

Feels good to have these done. BTW - there is a measurement error on my knapkin drawing. That 3"s is from the single hole (center) to the middle hole. Not the second hole on top as drawn. The 3" location was chosen as it would put the cable close to parallel to the torque tube (based on the pulley and it's location). Just for looks.
I chose 3.75" for the pivot point as I was trying (for no reason in particular) to get the fwd stick angle to equal the aft stick angle. In reality I doubt the stick will ever need to move very far, just a guess.