This is proper aircraft building - look mom a rib

Okay, I know I have made about thirty parts for this Jodel already, all of metal and still to be finished off. However this is the rib jib for one of the seven rudder ribs. Its the first wood part I have made and to me marks the start of the airframe and that means I have now built the first proper part. So from Idea to first part construction only took about 2 years... lets hope the other parts come along a bit quicker.

The rib is made from 12mm by 6.5mm stika spruce. It is held by three pieces of 1.5mm GL1 birch plywood.

The Jig is consrtucted for a flat piece of pine with the rib dimension transferred to it, covered in plastic and then blocks are used to locate the main structures. Its then glued with Aerodux and clamped.

Nearly there

A lot going on here, the floor is down, and I have constructed two work tables. The one at the back is temporary and is only about 8ft by 2ft. The main table is on the right it measures 4ft by 24ft and will be used to build most of the structures on. It took three days for me to level the table. I could have done it in one but apparently I was being fussy.

The fuselage will fit in the gap on the left of the long table, there is over 20ft x 8ft of space even though it does not look like it.

It's not very tidy as I was in the middle of bring in my gear from the garage. Note to self tidy hangar.

Laying the floor

Once covered I could get on an lay the floor, the floor frame had been completed for over two months and the water proof lining had become a bit of a swimming pool with the rain we had been having. It took two days to bail out the water and for the lining to dry out before I could start laying the floor.

That gate and brick wall you can see will have to be demolished to let me get the Jodel out. Luckly I have pointed the hangar at the exit so no unnecessary manouvering of a 28ft wing.

Back to construction

So after two months off I was able to get back to the construction of the hangar where I will be able to complete the build. It only took me a day to cover the structure and have it secured. As you can see I have now found the camera.

My good lady suddenly realised how big '30ft' was. Like anything else she has got used to it but I think the sooner I build the Jodel and the sooner the hangar is gone the better.

Its not that big!!

Well it looks like a long gap between posts and indeed it is. The summer has been and interesting time for me. the first task to do over the longer holiday and good weather was to construct a larger 'shed' to enable me to move out of the rather cramped garage. I had considered building a brick structure but planning permission would have been a problem.

I then considered a wooden shed, at 30ft by 14ft I was just inside the planning permission but outside of the budget. The quote I got was for over £4,000, way too much so I sought a cheaper alternative.

Bingo I went to visit some other pilots who used what was essentially a large polytunnel to 'hangar' their aircraft in. So a bit of time on ebay and I had secured myself a second hand polytunnel frame for £60. Next the suppliers of polytunnels have a hangar plastic (Its really for mushroom polytunnels) total cost less than £100.

Then the task it to construct it, went well frame erected easily, floor frame was no problem.... then a bent to pick up a screw and my back went.... off work for 3 weeks .... of construction for two months...

Aluminium is nice and soft

2.00

Started on Aluminium which is a lot easier to work with than steel. The problem with aluminium is it can mark very easily. Scratches need to be dressed out to avoid stress fracture points. So work on the aluminium parts should progress faster than the 4130 steel I have been working so far. I think I should have the AL work completed by the end of August. Then on to the building of the Rudder. One question to resolve is do I use any form of protective coating on the Aluminium parts. Two camps don't bother is one and the other is why not.

More soon

of Drill bits and tool boxes

3 hours

A tale of two tasks, It was the best of times it was the worst of times...

best of times: I redid the glass fibre toolbox as the first attempt was not very good. Much better second time around, all smooth and as it should be.. so move on, one more part done only another couple of hundred to go before we start the real build.

worst of times: the moral of this one is keep you drill bits sharp and your metal cool. Had real trouble drilling a 9/16th hole the metal is prone to 'work hardening' if your not careful, I was not careful and made repeated botches. I now need some more metal and sharper bits.

you live and learn.

Frustrating Session

2 hours

aaarrgghhh.

Nothing went right this session, cut some sheet metal and the last bandsaw blade gave up the ghost. Tried to finish off the cut will a grinder. Slipped and marked the metal so that became us. Moved on to drilling some holes in metal. I needed to work slowly and build up to holes just over half inch diameter, two of the four are not going well (work hardending I suspect) so I have stopped that one.

I suppose you have those days and it is best to just walk away from them.

Go back another day and all will be well.....

Laying up Glassfibre

1.30 hours

I took advantage of a warm day, and a warm workshop to do the glass layup of the tool box. Using the mold I made previously I needed to lay down one sheet of bi-directional glass fibre to add some strength to the box. This seemed to go well and although tricky I felt happy with the outcome. I left it for about 3 hours and then trimmed up the fible to the edges of the box.

However when I had a look at the final product the next day I was far from happy with the quality of the finish. I could leave it as is, it is structurally sound but not pretty. For nearly all of its life it will be hidden from view.

I know its there....

So I will redo it, I have enough materials available so lets try again.

Tailplane Control Horn

2 hours

Sounds fun, this is large 'open' U shaped piece of metal that will acts as a control attachment peice for the tailplane. quite simple to make and the largest single sheet peice made to date. I finished this off including the final sanding with 400 grit wet'n'dry finish ready for a coat of zinc chromate primer. Before I prime it I will need to add two 30 degree bends to the control arms. Once this is done I can paint it and then coat it in a two part enamel.

Back at it....

2 hours

I have not been able to work on the project for a little while as I put my back out feeding the fish!!! all is well now, this evening I finished of the flap torque tube assemblies and the are now ready for welding. I also finshed off a couple of support brackets for the flap handle. I should be in a position to have the flap handle components completed in about 2-3 hours. I am finding the steady grinding and measuring quite relaxing, if noisy, to do.

Trying to find a cheaper source of the okoume plywood, I had a quote from France that was the same cost as a UK supplier which supprised me. There is a company in Holland who sell the plywood cheap but they don't appear to have a website so I am going to have to contact them the old fashioned way ; )

thats it for today check back