ORIGINAL: rg1911
Before I get carried away with sanding the bottom blocks, this is what I understand from the plans and from several images in this thread. These images include:
- Side view in Post 108 by Duane
- Post 117 by Bill
- Last image (2 fuselages) in post 120
It seems that the bottom blocks are inserted so they are flush with the bottom curve of the firewall and the two formers. (See my images.)
However, as is seen in the last image I took, if the front bottom block is positioned as described, the entire bottom curve of the fuse, from the first former to the firewall, is going to be removed, as shown by the red box.
Is this correct? I want to make sure because I can't imagine Duane and Jeff getting this wrong when cutting the fuse sides.
The only way I can think of to retain the curve is to glue on some balsa to the bottom front block. But no-one has mentioned having to do this, so I'm stumped.
Any advice will be much appreciated.
Thank you,
Richard
aka Confused in Colorado
Richard;
Look at the first picture. You are correct that the shape of the bottom block must conform to the shape of the formers. To do that, you are going to have to turn that square box into a rounded fuselage. Remember in the article I said one of my favorite times when building the fuselage is the day the fuselage is transformed from box to slinky fuselage. You are going to see vast amounts of balsa disappear...the fuselage ISN'T boxy...as long as you have your balsa thick enough, you won't sand through to nothing.
Look at the bottom fuselage picture in the article itself...that box is turned into the picture below it in a matter of 1/2 hour or so with an electric sander...JUST BE SURE THE BLOCKS EXTEND TO THE SHAPE OF THE ROUNDED FORMERS. It looks like yours are not quite high enough in a couple places. Especially if you use an electric sander, be sure to stop frequently to make sure you're not sanding something you shouldn't
I assume you are going to make the hatches. Tack-glue them in place before sanding so the hatches assume the overall shape of the fuselage bottom. The formers and firewall have two different curvatures, so the hatches make take on a bit of a curved, strange shape, but the key is the side view shape of the fuselage should be maintained. The radio hatch is designed to be FLAT, so you can set the fuselage down on a table to charge the radio etc. The wing covers this, so you don't notice the flatness.
Hope this helps...other thoughts??
BTW-As for the area in the red box...I can't remember (without the plans) whether you lose all that fuselage, or if the block is RAISED toward the front so ONLY THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE BLOCK, (as seen when inverted) remains as the hatch. Refer to the plans, or maybe Bill can help with that. The important thing is to remember to leave enough block so that the shape of the former is preserved all the way across...hope this makes sense
Duane