Frank's 1/2A Taylorcraft build- stick build

[Frank v B]

The start of the battery hatch. 

The front and back have been glued in and are drying.  One of the hatch ends near the cockpit has been done.  The hatch end is 1/16 less than the stationary part of the hatch.  Will cut everything else once the top has been sanded and properly contoured.

Cut a hole into the main former with a Dremel tool and sanding drum (not visible).  For air circulation and wiring purposes.

Frank

[Frank v B]

Reinforcing the front end:

Photo 15- doubling up on the sidewalls at the hatch so there is a flat space to put the magnets
Photo 16- inserting triangular stock in the nose so the fuse can be sanded round later on without weakening the structure.
Photo 17- attaching the magnets for the cowl.  Have inserted and glued the magnets in the fuse.  The magnets showing are on the outside of a sheet of wax paper.  The blue paint is so it transfers to the wood for the cowl in order to locate where two drill the holes for the  4 cowl magnets.
Photo 18- The paint from the fuse magnets has transferred to the wood for the cowl.  Drill there and it will match perfectly!
When glueing the magnets in place make sure you use wax paper to stop the wood from gluing to itself.  Note: the wood for the cowl is roughly sized.  Easier to sand when magnets are in place.
Photo 19- cowl is held in place to dry

[Frank v B]

Quickly... before the dinner guests come..

Photo 21- making the battery hatch.  Learned from the Corsair that a hatch is difficult to make by bending wood around a frame.  The curve is too tight at the edges.  In this case, I placed two oversize sticks at the edges (port and starboard) and a support in the middle.  Once this dries, the 3/32 balsa hatch top will be inserted between the two edges.  It will only have a very slight curve.   Most of the curve is sanded into the sticks at the edges.  Again, wax paper in place so the errant glue will not permanently attach the hatch.

Photo 22- Comparison of 2 hatch building methods.  A drawing of the head-on view of the hatch method I hated in the Corsair because it was difficult to make nicely.  The method in the Taylorcraft is a thousand times easier.  In the Corsair you had to be accurate.  In the Taylorcraft you sand everything accurate(ly).

Notice in the picture how large and how random the size is of the cowl front.  A larger overlap is easier to cut and then sand than a small one.
You can also see the bottom of the cooling/wiring hole in the main former.

Frank

[Frank v B]

Finished the battery hatch. 

Love the simplicity of the new method.  It took 5 minutes to shape it perfectly. 
Photo 23- shows the middle section pinned until the glue dries.  This was the second layer to help build it up a bit.  The wax paper is so the glue on the tongue and the magnets will not attach the hatch.
Photo 25- added a plywood tongue to the front of the hatch and added magnets to the back of the fuse.  Use the blue paint trick used earlier to locate the magnets on the hatch.
Photo 27- filler added to the hatch which I will let dry overnight.

Fuse off to the side so I can start the wing.

Frank

[Frank v B]

Start the wing.

Am adding ailerons to the wing.  This was a 3 channel design.  To get the size of the ailerons, I calculated the percentage of the span and chord on my E-Flite Taylorcraft.  Drew the ailerons on the plans in black magic marker.  They are 63% of span and 27% of chord.
Drawn on the plans.

Frank

[Frank v B]

Building the first half of the wing.  Port (left) side.  Note: I always build one wing half to completion so I can copy the same mistakes in the other wing half.  As long as all mistakes are symmetrical the plane will fly fine.

Photo 29- The aileron requires 4 of the ribs to be cut. The top 3 ribs in the photo are already cut but not taped. The ribs on the inboard edge and outboard edges of the ailerons are full ribs.  The 4 ribs that the aileron cuts into have to be trimmed.  Have cut the wedges out but then taped the rib together.  The masking tape is to hold the ribs together while building the wing.  The green masking tape is attached in a "U" shape so there is no tape under the rib.  Once the wing dries, the tape will be removed and will dislodge the cut-out so a new leading edge and trailing edge can be inserted.

Photo 30- shows the tape on all 4 ribs taped plus the 2 small trailing edge riblets which will be the ends of the aileron.

Photo 31- the ribs are in place along with the lower main spar.

[bweaver]

@Frank v B , you are now surpassing @octagon , in the 'speed category' with which you build. 

[Frank v B]

Bruce, you are too kind.  Getting senile?   Just kidding.

Cutting and building the aileron:

Photo 32 - removed the tape, cut the ribs along the score lines, installed the new aileron ends at the wing tip and inner edge.  Note that the aileron has not been cut free from the trailing edge.   This is so everything stays aligned.  Also, note the gap of the outboard aileron end piece.  The aileron needs to be smaller than wing slot because it will receive 4 thicknesses of covering.

Photo 33- shows the aileron leading edge installed on an angle and glued in place.  Yes, 5 minute epoxy.  The trailing edge of the wing is cut to length, ready to be installed.

Photo 34- the trailing edge of the wing installed.  Note that it was left wider (higher) than it needs to be.  Will sand it flush after it dries.

Frank

[Frank v B]

So.... I got a reminder from Andy that I better get back to building this plane.  His life must be getting boring.

I have an excuse.  Have spent my spare time on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and yesterday patching 4 storm damaged roofs for customers.  Below is proof.  The photos are of two roofs that didn't quite survive the storm last Thursday.

Frank

[Frank v B]

Back to my real purpose in life.  Getting balsa to fly!

Have been building but not posting.  Built the right (starboard) wing half on the plans while the left wing was propped up about an inch at the wingtip for dihedral.  It only took about an hour to build the second wing half and a hour to do the aileron.

Notice the carbon veil over the trailing edge center joint.

Also, cut through the cowl with a Dremel sanding drum so the prop shaft will fit.  Wanted to be able to remove the cowl front without removing the prop adapter.  Notice the 4 magnets and 2 registration pins.

Frank

[Frank v B]

The fuse is next.  Have to figure out how to attach the wing.  Will use two screws at the trailing edge but am just trying to figure out how to attach the leading edge.

The photos show the doublers at the leading edge and a balsa strip at the trailing edge for the hold-down screws.

[piker]

So.... I got a reminder from Andy that I better get back to building this plane.  His life must be getting boring.

I have an excuse.  Have spent my spare time on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and yesterday patching 4 storm damaged roofs for customers.  Below is proof.  The photos are of two roofs that didn't quite survive the storm last Thursday.

Frank

Am I old fashion, or is this a sign of mass production cost savings?  Where's the tar paper underlay on these roofs?  Also, did they use more than two nails per shingle tile?

[piker]

Oh, and the plane it looking great!   

[Frank v B]

Piker:

re: your post "Am I old fashion, or is this a sign of mass production cost savings?  Where's the tar paper underlay on these roofs?  Also, did they use more than two nails per shingle tile?"

Tar paper is only required 3' upslope the wall line (not the overhang).  Subdivision builders stick to code and that is an absolute minimum.  You and I would put Ice and Water Shield on the eaves, on each side of valleys and around skylights.

re: nails- I handled about 500 roofing insurance claims and was told by our roofer that subdivision houses use 15 year shingles* and 3-nail each shingle because that is the only way they can make money.  The difference between profit and loss is not what they do but what they hold back on.  If your roofer ever says he does subdivision houses stay the hell away from him.

Now back to building with balsa 2x4's.

Frank

* 15 years ago the industry made 15, 20 and 25 year shingles.  Then they arbitrarily changed 15 year shingles to 20 year shingles without changing the make-up.  Roofing and drain/foundation people are the worst cheaters in the industry. 
Acid test: if your roofer gives you a quote, ask him for his WSIB registration and manufacturer's installer's certificate for the shingles he is installing. 
WSIB (Workman's Safety and Insurance Board)The reason: if he falls off your roof while working and he does not have WSIB, you are liable. 
Installer's certificate: every shingle manufacturer has a qualification process for installers using their products.  If you have a problem and your roofer is not certified, your 20-25 year warranty is void.  The reason: roofers usually say they guarantee the installation for 5 years because they carry that warranty and the manufacturer guarantees it to the limit of the shingle warranty.  If it is not registered, you are S.O.L.

BTW - ask a roofer you are considering two more questions: 1) how long they have been a roofer? and 2) How long have you been operating under that name? If he has been a roofer for 12-15 years but been operating under that name for fewer than 5 years... run for the hills.  They declare bankruptcy every 5 years because it automatically voids all 5 year warranties.

[Frank v B]

Back to building.......

Getting ready for the Pilot's Meeting

Photo 76- installing the wing hold-down.  Cut the centre rib, used the cut-out to make the plywood tongue.  The plywood thickness was equal to thickness of the double centre rib.

Photo 77- installed two aileron servos.  Glued to the rib.  Will put a balsa plate around it so the covering has something to stick onto.  I glue aileron servos in place.  If I crash it or have to replace the servo, I will make a removable plate.  A waste of energy if I don't need it.  Note that the ailerons still have not been cut out.

Photo 78- always,always,always lock in servo extension connectors.  I use dental floss and a drop of glue on the knot.

Photo 79- the leading edge tongue glued in place with 1/32 plywood glued to each side of the centre rib.

Photo 80- The slot in the top of the cabin to keep the wing centred.  Note the wing saddle on the left (port) side.  Glued 1/32 balsa to the top to lift that side of the wing up a bit.  Will do it accurately once the wing bolt is drilled and tapped.

Hey Andy... notice how I have Hofferized the photographs by using two sheets of paper and slipping them in the camera field so you can't do the Rorschach test on the paint drops and pen marks in the background of each photo.   Now all you can do is critique the shadows in each photo.

Frank