Diaphragm #7 is now underway
Last Sunday I tore down the jig for diaphragm #5 and built up the jig for #7 and put the first layer on it. Tonight I got layer 3 on it. It is going much smoother than my first one. I seem to know what and how to do it.
Finally!! Diaphragm 5 is out of the jig.
Pete and I pulled the diaphragm out of the jig today and inspected it. Of course, I'm concerned that my method for construction will produce a good part. I found that the width of the strips I used (barely 1 1/16") should really be wider in order to allow for the inevitable slight misalignment of the layers. I used the drum sander I made for it's intended purpose (video posted), to sand the sides smooth and down to the design thickness. The sander worked great. However, when I stopped at exactly 1" thick not all of the strips were flush. There is a little unevenness in a few areas. I'm not sure this is a show stopper, but I must make a decision now on what to do. I could redo the part (about $80 down the drain). If I choose to keep it and make the next one I will destroy the jig for this one in the process. I might find that as I'm much better at doing this now, my next ones will be so much better that I will want to make another #5. If so, it will be about $40 for a sheet of particle board to make another jig that size. It's only money right? Check out the video and builder's log too.
Check this out - a time lapse
Ok.. I made a time lapse video of my working on Diaphragm 5. I added it to the new Videos page on the site... Check it out.
Up to layer 7 now
Well, I've gotten a few layers in now since the last post. With me coaching Sam's baseball it is a little harder to get to the shop. This is a zoom in of layer 6. I think it is going to work.
Layer 4
A lot of activity this week kept me from getting much done. I put on the fourth layer on diaphragm #5 today. It only takes about 40 mins to do one as I get better. If I can just get out to the shop every night for 1 hr I should make some real progress on these diaphragms. Did I mention I was "volunteered" to coach Sam's baseball team this year, again? That will burn some time. Ah well....
I've been invited to speak!! Hard to believe, I know.
Yesterday, I was invited to speak on the history of Lindbergh's trip in the Sirius and my project at the Aug session of the Order of the Daedalians. They are a group of former military pilots. I will be speaking at the Wings Over the Rockies Museum in Denver. I've been told there will be 60 to 100 folks in attendance, all aviation enthusiasts. This should do well to get the word out about my project. I've very excited about it. I already woke up this morning around 3 to start my outline for the presentation.
First attempt at glue up for #5.
Sticky fingers, a break or two to fix in mid glue up, but I've got it glued up. We'll see if this will work. I do feel I need more clamps. Check out the log for picts.
Applied for a Grant at the Awesome Foundation today!!
Check out The Awesome Foundation at awesomefoundation.org. They provide $1000 grants to all kinds of cool projects. You can donate to them in order to help the projects that they support. Hopefully, they will see the "awesomeness" of this project.
Scarf Joint Test Works!!
I tested my scarf joint approach today after letting it dry for the week as I was on travel. It works. So, I glued up a bunch more joints. Check the log for picts.
First parts cut
HI. I spent Friday night and Saturday prepping strips for assembling the first diaphragm (#5). Had to split them down the middle on the bandsaw, sand them with my drum sander (that I built), and then cut the scarf joints with my jig on the radial arm. Pete helped a bit!!
1st batch of wood arrives
Whew. I finally got the first batch of "aircraft grade spruce" from UPS today. It is some nice looking wood. Should be for $36 a board foot. I began tonight by cleaning the shop a bit and then I started making some scarf joint jigs of my own design. They will be used to join two strips end to end and then again into a long strip. Then I will wrap that long strip around another jig in the shape of a diaphragm and glue it up. It should make a nice diaphragm. A diaphragm is a structural part of the fuselage. They are oval shaped. The biggest are about 5ft x 4ft. I'll be making the jigs for the diaphragm bending next. Also, today I received word that the templates I ordered are ready. These templates will be used to trace the exact shape of the diaphragm on the jig. More to come on those when I pick them up on Friday.
Jig complete for diaphragm #5
Diaphragm number 5 is the largest one in the fuselage. I made the jig today. Check out the picts in the build log. I also made a little jig to hold the wood strips while I cut the scarf joints.
Templates are in!!
I had 15 templates made at Denver Woodworking on their CNC router. These will help making the diaphragms. Construction begins.
North to the Orient Route
Hi. I posted a bunch of picts of the route Lindbergh took to China on the History page. Check 'em out.
Builder's log is now connected
It's not much today, but I posted a couple of picts of my shop in order to get the builder's log on-line. As I add construction picts to the log, I'll send out a blog.
I did buy some MDF for jigs today. I think I'll have more time and money in jigs and fixtures to make the parts I need than I will have in the parts themselves.
Thanks for the feedback on the site so far. I've been making tweaks and such.
Webpage up and running
Hi folks, please give me some feedback on this website. I'll be adding my build log page as soon as I get my first order of wood. Then I can start to build a part. Yeah.
First Blog of my life
Hello. This blog entry is mostly to test it out, but it is my very first one. I'm amazed every day what new stuff I have to learn to build an airplane.