Frank's Chica build

[Frank v B]

Andy,

re:"Tsk, tsk... "

You set your standards waaayyyy too high.  You are trying to compare my work to your work while you are trying to achieve the unreachable goal of a Pulitzer Prize photo.

Everything in life is relative.  I compare myself to the woodpecker in the Flintstones' camera.  I'm doing really well.

Frank

[Andy Hoffer]

I actually came very close to a Pulitzer with the photos below.  The jury said I just needed to show more discretion in my choice of subject matter and I'd be a sure winner next time around.   

Your very good friend,

Andy

[bweaver]

I am cured. You've done it Frank... 

Your latest posted picture of my own personal eye chart can now be expanded to full screen (can now be easily seen) just by tapping on it, or really expanded by clicking on the expand button.  I could easily see all the letters at 20 feet without the use of optical aids. 

Frank, I hope you remember in the future how you did this. I trust everyone else can appreciate it too for the benefit of looking at Franks future posts.

[Frank v B]

Andy,

Nice photos... questionable subject matter. 

After careful analysis, the CIA would conclude the following:
-Four photos prove I harvest model airplanes.... after years of careful planting     
-One proves I can bend over to tie my shoe laces.
-One proves I defend my territory against all interlopers....duel to the death or until the next coffee break, whichever comes first.  Good thing you always carry a Thermos of coffee.

Other than that, good framing and good colour balance. 
Too bad Pulitzer doesn't stoop that low.

Your buddy Frank

[Frank v B]

Today got back to the Chica build after the Christmas holiday:

Photo 27- shaping the leading edge- glued a 1/4" piece of balsa to the false leading edge to make it a proper thickness.  Before planing it down, make sure you draw a line on the leading edge where you want the high point to be.  This is so you can shave up to the line.  As long as the line is in place, the leading edge will be straight.

photo 28- adding the cap strips on top of the exposed ribs.  Glued and pinned in place.

Now back to the fuselage.

Frank

[Frank v B]

Back to the fuselage:

The photos have had the Weaver treatment ("Weaverized") so they can be seen without a magnifying glass or white cane.

Photo 29- Two fuselage halves.  Yes, Andy, I made a left and a right half.  I used "squarish*" balsa on the bottom edge and large tri-stock on the top.  Reason, I want to round off the fuse top and bottom after it is built.

Note the rubber band at the nose of the right fuse side.  This square stock was a little wider and harder than the left side so it had to be coaxed into place to help the pins.  The pins would have pulled sideways without the rubber band.

Also: I never cut a piece of wood like the tri stock to size until after the glue dries.  In this case it was handy to leave them long to hold the rubber band.  You may have noticed this in the wing construction as well.  The spars, leading edge, trailing edge and wingtips were left long until the glue dried.

Photo 30 - The back end- glued and pinned.

Note the outline of the wing rib on the left fuse half (green dots).  Have decided to cut out one rib hole, make it to fit the wing center section, then copy it onto the other fuse half by putting them back to back, then putting the balsa fuse doubler in place and cutting it out using the hole in the outside fuse.

For the removable wing, I will build the fuse in its entirety, then cutting through the fuse top to make the removable hatch.

Frank

* I called it "squarish" because it was from a SIG bundle of seconds.

[Andy Hoffer]

Whatever Frank does in this and subsequent frames can be trimmed out on his radio!!!

If he had used asparagus rubber bands the fuse would be straight and true the first time.

Andy

[Frank v B]

Andy,

re: "Whatever Frank does in this and subsequent frames can be trimmed out on his radio!!! "

I have (need?) a very special radio.  The trim levers cover 100% throw.

Frank

[Frank v B]

Photo 31- making the formers:  Made the two formers at the back end from balsa and not liteply*  Lighter and easier to trim.  The rest were made from liteply.  I will make the notches for the top and bottom corners in place when they are fit to the fuse sides.

Photo 32- found a laser cut Speed 400 firewall.  Will double it up but at least it has accurately cut vent holes and screw holes.

Note that this is an executive summary of 15 minutes of work.  Bruce would have used 20 steps, with photo proof, starting with "Got up", "had breakfast", "pulled out the fuse plans", "laid wax paper over the plans"  etc.  You know these retired guys.  Their motto is "if you can't be busy, at least look busy"

Frank

* Bruce.... I still cannot follow instructions.

[Frank v B]

Fuse.... cont'd

Photo 33- opened the wing slot so it could slide in.... oops! made a mistake.  Couldn't push it all the way through because....

Photo 34- the servo was in its way.  Remember.... glued in place.

Photo 35- clamped to fuse halves together back to back in order to transfer the wing slot to the other fuse side

Photo 36- magic marker shows the cut line.

Photo 37- cut the longeron slot in the bottom of former 4, tri-stock angle cut into the top of the former.

Photo 38- 1/8" balsa doubler glued between the two formers at the front and back of the wing.  Formers 3 & 4 are glued in place at 90 degrees to the fuse side.  Note the angle of the top of former 4.  This so that when if I crash, the wing can scissor and disconnect.  If this Former were straight, the wing would not pop off..... in theory.

Notice two things in this photo: i) the doubler overlapped the wing slot.  No need to waste time making it match.  Can be cut out perfectly from the other side.  ii) I have drilled holes in the bottom of each former just to get a start.  I never open up formers until the fuse is finished.  The hole is a start for my Dremel drum sander to open it up.
Next step- glue the two fuse halves together.

[Andy Hoffer]

Fuse.... cont'd

I never open up formers until the fuse is finished.  The hole is a start for my Dremel drum sander to open it up.
Next step- glue the two fuse halves together.

I think I'm beginning to understand the sawdust collection in the back of Frank's van.   

Andy

[Frank v B]

Photo 39- The fuse is put together.  I glued the sides together with only two formers in place... at the leading edge and trailing edge of the wing and let it cure (5 min epoxy).  This is so that I can pull the nose and tail end together straight.

I pinned the fuse over a datum line (any straight line) on the board which was the original main spar line of the wing plan.  The center of all formers were marked and the fuse was pinned over the datum line.  The front and back were pulled together and pinned to the datum line.

Photo 40 Two areas were sheeted so that the fuse would stay straight and not rack* while it is going to be worked on for the wing hold-downs and radio/pushrod installation.
Note that the bottom sheeting is glued on with the grain cross-wise.  The fuselage top will be with the grain running lengthwise.

Frank

* a structure like a cardboard box "racks" when opposite corners are pushed inward.  The opposite sides stay parallel but the corners are not square.

[Frank v B]

It's now the New Year!!  Time to power build.

Photo 41- Bottom sheeting in place.  The front is left open so I can fiddle with the motor/firewall later on.

Photo 42- Bottom sheeting at the tail...post emergency call.  I had just put glue on the fuse bottom and started all the sheeting from the front so it would start at the former.  I quickly ran out for two hours*.  Left a gap just to quickly pin the bottom in place.  The small wedge piece was done after I returned.

Photo 43, 44,45- photos of the main hatch to cover the wing.  Made a small former and pinned it in place.  Marked the fuse in ink where the cut line is to be after the whole fuse is sanded.  The white paper in between the front and back Former doublers is 4 layers of wax paper so errant glue will stay away from the gap.

The last photo clearly shows the back end of the hatch will be angled.

Frank

* a customer phoned me from Hawaii that his mother reported the heat was out at the house.  There was ice in one of the toilet bowls!  Our heating guy and I showed up within 45 minutes.

[Andy Hoffer]

...post emergency call.  I quickly ran out for two hours*. 

Frank

* a customer phoned me from Hawaii that his mother reported the heat was out at the house.  There was ice in one of the toilet bowls! Our heating guy and I showed up within 45 minutes.

Hmm.  I wonder if we have a similar problem in our Loo!  Better call Graham... 

Andy

[Frank v B]

Andy,
re:"I wonder if we have a similar problem in our Loo!"

Ice fishing for a cell phone?

....now back to building.

Frank