stevegauth30

It's possible. The gear fairings aren't connected to the fuse in any way, but the gear themselves may be flexing. That would be my thought.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

I would think you would want a little flex in the gear to absorb some of the shock of a hard landing?

stevegauth30

Me too. but if the balsa is glued to the aluminum, and the aluminum flexes, that's the weak link.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

So the balsa would need to be attached to only those areas that don't flex and be floating in the areas where the aluminum does flex. Got it.

stevegauth30

The cracks would be just as easy to repair. Every 40 or 50 landings. Lol. There just hairline cracks on the joints from the front block to the sides. I'll probably glass over them and see what happens. It's not at the top of my priority list. But, if I can avoid the same thing here, that would be good too.

stevegauth30

Although it's been a ghost town around here, I've been actually making some head way. Just nothing really worth writing home about. I got all of the interior work completed so I can now close up the tail area. I reinforced the area where the vertical and horizontal stabs connect. It seemed like a pretty weak way to connect them. I also mounted the two servos in the cabin for the rudder and elevator, ran a Nyrod back for the elevator and a pull pull on the rudder. Also made up the tailwheel assembly and mounted that as well. One more thing I did was made and installed gussets at all the connections in the fuse and got the wing retention bolts done. For that I used T nuts and 10/24 SHCS. I can now close up the tail and run all of the stringers. After that, it's on to the finishing stage. Oh yeah, after a lifetime of sanding that is. I should have something worthy of pics soon.

flyingagin

Well you actually did a lot there Steve. All those time consuming little chores, that have to be done, period

Wish I could say I had made some progress on something, anything at all. But no.

Ken

stevegauth30

It was over the last week or two.

flyingagin

Still some of those little jobs can consume the time. And there are a lot of little jobs. I know you are still a working stiff, with lots of hours, a family. And a new place has a honey do list that can tickle the satellites in orbit.

I am hoping to actually get some build time real soon. Heck every time I say that something else here at my mothers breaks. There are still more mice to kill. But I have help there. Our little Shih Tzu is a darn good mouser, maybe her favorite game. As well as has saved from I don't even know how many Chihuahua ankel bites. Mother's dog is just plain local in the head.
Yesterday was paint and re floor a closet (because of muse damage). Hey did I say I really really hate the living h*ll out of mice?

Found my rib templates for a trainer I built last year. Going to add training wheels to it (tip polyhedral panels to plug in) It has been so stinking long since I actually got to fly.
So I am just going to make the time period to work on building.
I got my AMA for next year and by golly I am going to get some stick time in. Will order a 2.4 module and Rx for my old Futaba 7uaf. No more Rx dying after takeoff. (I held out half from last paycheck and the rest on the 3rd.
I say you have lots of water sites to fly from. Well I think I found a place to float fly not even an hour away from here. And looking at google maps I know there are more. So got to build some floats.

Ken

Oh uh hey take a look at what my crazy mind is dreaming up here.

TomCrump

It sounds like you got quite a bit done, Steve.

If possible, I'd like to see what you did with mounting the stab and fin.

stevegauth30

Sure Tom. I wanted to add something solid for both stabs as it was only relying on the sheeting to hold them in place. I did what I could without adding much weight. For the H stab, I added two cross pieces of 1/2"X 1/4" balsa on top and bottom for a surface to glue to and to keep the balsa sheathing from flexing. And on the V stab, I added the same size balsa on either side of the leading edge post, and will get the tooth pick treatment after its installed. It will also make the top sheeting much stronger. I didn't feel too comfortable not adding something.

stevegauth30

While I know it's not a nessecity, and some guys do and some don't, I added pushrods tubes for the rudder pull pull. If I ever need to change the cables, or repair them, I'll be thanking myself for it. I can now mount the V stab, sheet the tail, and fire up the micro table saw and cut the side stringers. I also removed the previously installed top stringers as they got pretty banged up during construction. I'm getting close to the end of phase one and the start of phase two. The finishing phase. Next week, after some last minute Christmas shopping, I'll start ordering the rest of the materials needed. Cowl, pants, paint........ I also have to check my supply of solartex. I think I may still have a 10 M. Roll of natural. If not, then I may try the Stits poly lite covering system. If not on this one, definitely on the next.

TomCrump

Thanks for the pics. I wanted to see how you went about it. I did something similar to my Vega.

flyingagin

Steve ]you mentioned a" fire up the micro table saw". I think you said it before, But I just can.t remember. What are useing?

Ken

stevegauth30

El CHEAPO little 4" Chinese model. Equivalent to harbor freight. Once I ditched the cheap plastic fence and guard and clamped a piece of extruded aluminium to it, I started using it a lot. Works great, especially for the price. Somewhere around $20.

flyingagin

I have a really old no longer made Dremel 4" table saw. I still have the oem fence and miter. Don't know why as they extremly bad junk. But I do like you do. I can get new aftermarket parts for it, just ain't had the spare $ for it.
But I do like it a lot for model work.

Ken

stevegauth30

Works great for balsa and up to 1\8 ply. Not enough snot for much else though. My switch is acting up and needs replacing.

flyingagin

Yep that is about what mine cuts. I keep thinking I want to get build a miter sled for mine

Ken

stevegauth30

Mine has one, but I don't care for it. Its real sloppy. For miters I have a small miter saw with a fine finish blade.

flyingagin

When doing stick fuse I often make jig for disk sander to set angles. Mighty fine fits by repeatedly taking just a tiny hair more.

By the way, hows the family and the new house? Still cranking out the extra hours with the job?

I have been busy fixing things here at my mother's. Now that we are here, seems every thing is breaking, needs fixing or something. She Just had her German Shepherd pup neutered (55 lb pup), so I am seeing to him and starting to train him. I told her that was the easy part. He is a really bright boy. The hard part was going to be training her. I was only partly kidding.

So I got my build desk set up with a shop light above it (needs 1 more), but it is loaded down with bench tools. I have maybe spent 2 hours trying to do airplane stuff. Heck I used the band saw for some base board trimming. Work a charm too. I had to refloor a closet that a nest of mice had ruined. I think between me and the dog I have killed around 30 of the little ^%(*(*%$#@(**s

Ken

stevegauth30

We're doing good Ken. Still getting settled in, but good. Same here, a lot to do. It's never ending. I have to prioritize what gets done. And still try to make time to work on the Mr. M. I'm also bringing new life into an old cowl for a super skybolt. It was either that, or spend the $40 on a new one. I already had the glass cloth and resin and paint, so....it's almost ready to prime. Just need to get some white primer.

stevegauth30

Mr. Mulligan update;

I got the back section sheeted and is ready for stringers. I had a heck of a time getting the rounded area under the rudder to line up with the rudder. After three re-do's, I'm finally happy with it. I can now shape and sand the V stab and rudder. I really haven't done any sanding up to this point, so I think before I go any farther, the entire fuse will get rubbed down. I'm not a big fan of sanding, so .....
ill also get the rudder hinged and the stab glued in. After that is the stringers. Very slow, but progress none the less.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Slow progress but very much worth the time in looking at the results!

flyingagin

That looks good Steve.
I ain't non to partial to sanding myself. But there are those who love it, but then they are a little off in the head.

Ken

stevegauth30

Thanks guys. We now have top and side stringers installed.i guess now is as good a time as any to start sanding.