Made a dry run, with the axles, to see if the landing gear, with a 12" wider width, could be built with the tubing I have. As I see it now... yes ! Also fitted up the one bushing I needed to trim... still needs a little more trimming. Decided to make a simple jig to position the axles at the correct height so that I can make sure they are level. I'll lock them in with my metal jig once they are at the correct height.
.3hrs
Made a simple wood "T" support for the measurement of the axle height.
Aug 26
3.6hrs
Obsessing with making sure that the axle mounts are level and square. OK... they are. Started to cut to size and grind the first tube. Issues with starting that... 'nuff said here.
1600 hours... woohoo !
Aug 27
1.9hrs
Cut and drilled the 3/4" x .o58 x 15" tube for the Stabilizer forward attachment. Cut and reamed the two 3/8" x .o65 x 1.25" bushings that need to be welded onto it. Still need to weld it up.
Aug 29
1hr
(3hrs+) Drawing the fuselage up on DeltaCAD to see how I want to do the stringers. Also spent some time transferring information from the Standard drawings to the R drawing.
Aug 30
1.5hrs
Review of the middle section of the 3-piece wing. Figuring out what has been made and what material needs to be purchased.
Aug 31
3.4hrs
Started to cut and notch the tubing for the Main Landing Gear. FINALLY ! Notched one completely and started on another.
Sept 1
1.5hrs
Tried using my lathe again. Still spinning WAY TOO fast. Hand turned the forward Main Landing Gear bushing so that I could at least bolt that into place so that I can notch the left side gear tubing. Had both Rear Lower Wing fittings already cut and started hammering them into shape. Need to remake these... same problem that I had with the rudder horn... need material in area where bending or it will twist. Printed out two patterns... will cut tomorrow.
Sept 2
5.3hrs
Learning how to make the Rear Lower Wing Fittings. Still learning.
Sept 3
.3hrs
I think I figured out how to make this Rear Lower Wing Fitting. Need to make a new hardwood bending block thingamagig. yeah...
3.8hrs
Notched the second of six tubes for the Main Landing Gear. Feels great ! Spent another 1.3 hours trying figure out how I was going to cut the 58 degree cut in the rear tube for the main gear. Figured that I would make a simple wooden jig to hold it into place. And of course, I needed to be home to create that jig.
Sept 5
3.2hrs
Made a new bending block jig thingie... cut a new blank for the Rear Lower Fitting. Successfully bent both "wings" and drilled the hole into one wing and squared up the bending jig and drilled a 1/4" hole in it. Just need to drill the hole in the other "wing" and then cut and trim grind sand to the correct shape. Another obstacle overcome ! Another new skill learned !
Sept 6
1.3hrs
More work on the first of two Rear Lower Wing Fitting. Drilled the second hole. Trimmed the "wings," filed and sanded to shape.
Sept 7
2.6hrs
Second Lower Rear Wing Fitting completed; start to finish.
Sept 8
.6hrs
Made the simple jig to hold the tubing at the proper angle when I go to cut it for the Main Landing Gear. Pulled all the tools that I'll need tomorrow so that I won't forget anything.
Sept 9
4.2hrs
Figured and cut the angle on the first back tube for the Main Landing Gear. Cut the length a little extra long. I'm creeping up with the notching. It's taking quite a bit of time... but it'll be a beautiful fit when finished. The second back tube will go a lot quicker.
Sept 10
2.1hrs
Finished notching that third tube. Looks... GREAT !
Sept 12-13
NASCAR races - Richmond, VA !
Sept 14
.5hrs
Made pattern and test piece to see if "mirrored" image would work. It does !
3.3hrs
Notched forth tube, beginning to end. YES !
Sept 15
.8hrs
Made the rear caps for the rear Main Landing Gear tube. Need to head back over to Denise's to make the pattern for the front caps for the same tube. Also need to start making the patterns for the straps for the gear.
.3hrs
20 mile ride to make the pattern for the front "cap" on the rear Main Landing Gear tube.
Sept 16
.8hrs
Made the front caps for the rear Main Landing Gear tube.
2.9hrs
Cut and notched the center tube between the two Main Landing Gear legs.
.4hrs
Looked at how I was going to fixture the rear and front caps on the rear tube to hold them in place for tacking them up. Decided that the best approach would be to bring the rear tubes home and make a jig.
Sept 17
2.4hrs
Made a jig for holding the rear Main Landing Gear tube pieces in the right position. Fitted up both the rear and the front caps for one tube. Still need to tack weld them into place then do the other side.
Sept 18
.6hrs
Fitted up the caps on the other rear tube for the Main Landing Gear.
Sept 20
1.4hrs
Cut and reamed the replacement bushing for the front left Main Landing Gear. Cut the two metal ribs for the Main Landing Gear. The two ribs still need to be bent.
Sept 21
3.3hrs
Notched the first streamline tube for the Main Landing Gear. One more to go.
Sept 22
2.0hrs
Notched the last tube for the Main Landing Gear. Now all I need to do is bend the ends of the tubes in and cap the beveled ends of the streamline tubing. Oh yeah... still need to weld it up.
Sept 23
1.0hrs
Review of Delta center section drawings. Review of information posted on the biplane forum. Asked a few questions. Tomorrow I will take stock of the Sitka Spruce I have and see what needs to be ordered.
Sept 24
4+hrs
Review of the Delta center section drawings... figuring out what I need to purchase. Wasn't as easy as I thought it was going to be... 'cause I didn't have all the right drawings in front of me. I now know.
Sept 25
2+hrs
More time reviewing all these "new" drawings. I think I have the list for buying the material now.
Oct 2
4.3hrs
Pull the support tube out of the jig thinking that all would be ok. NOT! Time was spent to get it back to where it was when I opened the door to it today. That support tube has now been trimmed and I'm finally ready to start welding up the Main Landing Gear.
Oct 3
.1hr
Took the one Main Landing Gear foward bushing and lathed it down approx. 1/32.
1hr
Looking over the plans and a few builder's sites to figure out the size of the straps that need to be welded onto the Main Landing Gear. Best idea comes down to me needing to make templates right on the actual gear. None of that trial and error stuff. I'll make them tomorrow or Monday.
Oct 6
.8hrs
Got over to Denise's and was able to confirm and make the patterns for the Main Landing Gear straps. Also thought and decided the steps I needed to take when welding up the rear tube fitting.
Oct 7
1.3hrs
Cut and ground down to size all eight of the straps for the Main Landing Gear.
Oct 8
3.7hrs
Hammered the ends of the front uprights, on the landing gear, into shape (took awhile to do.) Started tacking and welding those same uprights. Tacked the 1" square tube for the rebound pads into place.
Oct 11
N/A
Bought 1/2" MDF so that I could make the jig for the Upper Wing Center Section.
Oct 12
5.5hrs
Started welding up the Main Landing Gear. Welded up the two forward tubes connecting to the axles. Aligned and tacked up the pieces for both rear boxed in bushings. Welded up one of the boxes completely.
Oct 13
1.5hrs
Started laying out the lines for the Upper Wing Center Section jig.
Oct 14
1.5hrs
Pretty much finished up laying out the lines for the Upper Wing Center Section jig.
Oct 16
.6hrs
Cut the two jig patterns for the nose ribs for the Upper Wing Center Section.
Oct 17
4.7hrs
Wedled up the second rear gear box and both rear tube to axle joints.
Oct 20
2.1hrs
Cut the blanks and routed all outside edges of all seven Upper Wing Center Section nose ribs.
Oct 24
1.2hrs
Quadruple checking what I need to buy for the Upper Wing Center Section. I think I finally have it this time ! I better... I've checked it four times.
Oct 25
3.1hrs
More welding on the Main Landing Gear. Needed to fine tune a few of the notches made on the streamline tubing. Welded the cross-tube and the bottom of both streamline tubes to the cross-tube, tacked them to the axles.
Nov 29
4.5hrs
More welding up of the Main Landing Gear. Got to the point where I cut the X-tube in half so that I could finish welding the straps on and the forward tubes to the forward bushings.
Dec 6
3.5hrs
Welded up the front tube to bushing joint clusters. Heated.. heated... heated and bent the straps for those same clusters. Tacked them on. Close to being ready for finish welding.
Dec 12
3.5hrs
Actually spent close to seven (7) hours on the move... accounting for only three (3.) The Main Fuselage is at Whitey's and the Main Gear is at my place. Need to weld up the straps on the gear so that I can re-attach to fuselage and test fit the radial to it... figure out a few things.
1700 hours
Dec 18
1.2hrs
Welded up 95 percent of the first strap around the forward Main Gear bushing.
Dec 19
3.9hrs
Cut the filler pieces for the forward gear attach points. Welded up both completely. Yes!
Dec 26
2.5hrs
Heated, bent, tacked then finish welded the first of two support straps on the x-tube to streamline tube juncture.
Dec 28
1.9hrs
Heated, bent, tacked and finished welded the support strap on the second x-tube to streamline tube juncture. I'll be cutting and welding in four gussets to make the streamline tube to round tube fittings more streamlined. Tomorrow...
Dec 29
1.4hrs
Cut all four gussets for the above job. Welded on two gussets to one of the landing gear.
Dec 30
1.1hrs
Welded on the two remaining gussets for the streamline tube to round tube fitting area.
Dec 31
2.9hrs
Fitted, trimmed, tacked and welded the strap on one of the axles.