Scratch Building Class - Norseman Build

[Wingnutz]

Jack,
I haven't started my wing yet as I'm looking for something flat to build it on...that's eight feet long! My building table is only six feet long...so, I'm thinking a piece of pink foam 8'x2'x1.5" supported on a six foot table should suffice for a seven foot wing?

[Papa]

Pink foam is what I used, it will work fine. It holds pins nicely.

Jack.

[Frank v B]

Jack,

I made two of your hinge slotting tools last night after our meeting.  I put red heat shrink tubing on the first inch of the dowel just to colour it and act as an anti-slip grip.  I wrote the brand name on the side "Papa's hinge thingy".

Frank

[Papa]

Great Frank now if you would only hurry up and join the 21st century and learn to upload some photographs.

Recruit Tom to do some for you.

Jack.

[Wingnutz]

My concern about a building surface long enough to accommodate the wing for the bigger Norseman has proved groundless. The wings are separate and end up being bolted to the fuselage and supported outboard by functional struts. There's a hatch to allow access to the mounting bolts so the wings will be removable for transport.
I figured this out afterI'd bought a piece of foam to build a one-piecer. It's been a pleasure building with materials supplied and when you don't have to design the parts and buy materials before you build them! My cap strips all had to be trimmed about 1/8" and I cut bigger holes for the servo cables but other than that...it fits!
I worked on one wing last night until I hit a roadblock. The LE is a 3/8x5/8" piece of balsa and both of the supplied pieces are warped...to the point I think they will warp the wings. Jack suggested finding better balsa and so I'm off to PIN to get their take and probably balsa. I'm not as shy or modest as my classmates, so here 's a photo of wing#1.

[Papa]

That's probably too much to use. I would get another one.

jack.

[Papa]

Hi Guys, My wing is almost complete just waiting for some equipment to install and finish the cap strips. I have added some 1/4" scrap blocks where the hinges are located to increase the gluing area. Just a safety thing.

I like to pin and glue the upper front sheet to the leading edge and for about 1/4" of the front of the ribs. I chamfer the edge that meets the leading edge to increase the glue area. I let that dry and then put glue on the remaining ribs and the front spar.

The weights are a bronze suppository mold from my days in the pharmaceutical industry and the blocks covered in tape are steel engraving blocks from my days in the greeting card industry. The black thing is a fluorescent ballast that quit last Friday.

When I glue i like to brush glue on so I make a glue pot from an old Tim's cup, cut to size and with two notches to stop the brush from falling and gluing itself to the plan because I was not watching!

Finally have you ever been searching for a tiny screw or washer that fell off the work table? I use a small rare earth magnet on my steel rule and when I remove something I just put it near the magnet and it's there when I need it. Also handy for holding pins when gluing.

[piker]

The weights are a bronze suppository mold from my days in the pharmaceutical industry

Eeeeewwwww!

But otherwise, great and interesting tips... I mean... hints, as usual.  Thanks for taking the time to detail your process, Jack.

Robert

[Papa]

Rob lipstick molds were identical just a different shape.

Frank liked my hinge cutter and made his own. See photo.
He ran out of creativity when it came to coming up with a name!

Jack.

[Wingnutz]

Just came from framing the first wing for my Norseman...thought I'd post a picture just to prove Jack 's not the only one building! I need a bottle of throat soother to wash down the balsa dust so if I ramble a bit, you'll know I had at least one.
My directions called for the top TE edge to go on, followed by a couple of cap strips which locate the top LE sheeting. I followed the directions for this part. The root rib is not glued yet. I wasn't sure how to build the TE of the wing between the flap and the aileron...I left one rib full length and added a 1/4" piece from the aileron/flap support spar back.
There are a few mistakes but it looks straight, and I should be able to build the same mistakes into the other side.
Although it's a ways off, I've picked the colour scheme and the graphics arrived yesterday. I'm going to do it up in Queen Charlotte Airlines (QCA) colours and today, a book I'd ordered about QCA arrived...it's called "The Accidental Airline". Apparently no one ever planned to grow QCA into Canada's third largest airline in the 50's
but it happened.
QCA also translated as Queer Collection of Aircraft which certainly fit this rag tag fleet; Supermarine Stranraer, deHavilland Dragon Rapide on floats, Cessna Crane, Canso, DC-3, DC-4, C-46, Avro Ansons and a whack of Norsemen...sort of the original Buffalo Airways.
There's some fascinating history in Canadian aviation!

[sihinch]

Nice livery!

[thehaze]

Looks good. Lots of scratch.

[Wingnutz]

Worked a bit more on the wing today...devil is truly in the details!
Also Googled the real aircraft CF-CRS....the one I have graphics for.
Here's part of what I found
"Sold to Pacific Airlines as CF-CRS on March 27, 1947. CPA Fleet No. 47. Bought by Western Aircraft Sales and Service (A subsidiary of Queen Charlotte Airlines), Vancouver, BC on April 1, 1948. Registered to Queen Charlotte Airlines, Vancouver, B.C. on April 21, 1948. On December 18, 1948, while moored at a buoy at Vancouver, heavy snow accumulated on the tail surfaces causing the aircraft to capsize. Salvaged and returned to service. Damaged in a landing accident at Elk Bay, BC. on August 23, 1951. A precautionary landing was being made due to poor visibility from forest fire smoke. Floats broke away and substantial damage was incurred. Pilot Cedric Mah and seven passengers escaped injury. "
Okay, no winter water flying for this model and no flying near forest fires! The float foam blanks (40") arrived yesterday so this model will be primarily a float flyer...but not from water in the winter!
BTW...the rest of this class is really quiet...or shy ...or modest or something...how about some stories or pictures?

[Papa]

Looks like progress is being made. I'm looking forward to see 6 wings on the 15th.

Mine is finished just needs a final light sanding and covering. And of course servo installation.
I'll do that later when I decide where I'm putting the Rx and stuff.

I decided to move on to the fuselage so I can better answer any questions as they arise.
As you have all noted there needs to be some reconciliation between the instructions and
the drawing. Nothing major just niggley little things. I am using aliphatic glue for the most
part but have used epoxy on the tail and the front end for strength. I have also used corner
braces on all frames. The instructions call for them on the rear frames but I did on all just
for additional strength and security. I know it is unavoidable but I don't like end grain joints.
They are inherently weak.

Jack.

[electroflyer]

     I am so looking forward to this flying season. Given all these modellors/pilots getting down and dirty building and showing their wood skills and craftsmanship. It will be a refreshing change from the off the shelf ARF's. Nice work Jack!