Posts: 201
Joined: 10/3/2007 From: Scott AFB,
IL, USA Status: offline
Well the landing gear rails are in place and epoxied. They are fun to install, as none of my landing gear pieces are drilled to match the template. So I went ahead and just lined up the two braces, and left out the center brace (made of balsa). Once this is all set up and hardened. I've got some 5 ply 1/4 plywood, left over from another project, that I'm going to make the center brace out of, then cut some 3/4 pieces and run along side the 1/4x3/8 basewood. Once all that is epoxied in place, I would think any kinda of landing that would break that, would destroy the plane anyway, reguardless of 1 piece gear or not.
The biggest problem is having the gear seperated (in two pieces) , and nothing in between them acting as a stiffener. A hard landing and they'll fold. I think my plan will take care of this problem. Here's some photos, but the extra bracing hasn't been added yet.
Posts: 201
Joined: 10/3/2007 From: Scott AFB,
IL, USA Status: offline
Grotesquebass: Look in my pictures showing the landing gear first attached. They go on both sides of the 1/4 x 3/4 balsa brace on F3. Also if you look on a side view of the fuselage plans at the bottom of F3, right about the landing gear plates you'll see them sandwiched in there as well.
Update: Landing gear has been mounted minus the 1/4 balsa plate that goes between the landing gears plates. Instead I made up my own middle brace from 1/4 ply, along with two 1/4 x 3/4 ply rails. I placed them underneath the plate and used 4 blind nuts / 4 addtional 6/32 x 5/8 bolts, to suck everything together once epoxy was applied. So in addition to the Bottom former F3 1/4 x 3/4 balsa brace, which is sandwiched on either side by the 1/4 x 3/8 basswood sticks, then on top of those is this 1/4 ply landing gear rail brace (instead of the balsa intended to go there).
That will total 1/2 inch of ply wood running across the bottom of the landing gear. I'm pretty confident that if that breaks apart on a hard landing, there will probably be bigger items ( engine, fuel tank, wings, etc) laying around on the ground as well like confetti. With that said, I think it would be wise to build a removable cover over the landing gear, instead of sheeting it completely up and not having access to it. Just incase something goes wrong.
Posts: 634
Joined: 9/25/2004 From: lexington park ,
MD, USA Status: offline
thanks alot man i see it now duhhh lol i am going to do the same thing your doing with your lg and cancel the tnt ones(save me 60 bux) and instead of bolting it on i am going to epoxy sice that whole area gets sheeted
_____________________________
"I've got a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell"
Posts: 201
Joined: 10/3/2007 From: Scott AFB,
IL, USA Status: offline
Grotesquebass : I'll say one thing for your photo's, that's the cleanest, and most comfortable work shop I've ever seen! hah! hah! I'm stuck in a garage.
Posts: 201
Joined: 10/3/2007 From: Scott AFB,
IL, USA Status: offline
I couldn't resist sitting the wings on there and seeing what she would look like. I've got the front Firewall area completed. Still filling some gaps from the earlier 1/8 gap incident, so that the inside of the cockpit will look nice and finished. Next step is to eat dinner, and place the triangle stock in the stab saddles, and fit/glue the horizontal stab.
I can just see this thing coming in for a landing and those big flaps just a hang'in and the landing lights down and shining. I'll have good dreams tonight.
Posts: 634
Joined: 9/25/2004 From: lexington park ,
MD, USA Status: offline
quote:
ORIGINAL: jaaron01
Grotesquebass : I'll say one thing for your photo's, that's the cleanest, and most comfortable work shop I've ever seen! hah! hah! I'm stuck in a garage.
now u see why i have 2 weeks to get as much done as i can the wife gets home lol spare bedroom hahah
_____________________________
"I've got a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell"
*Now for those who have not started their build here is the bottom right wing panel with cap strips applied and ready for the flap and aileron build. Quite frankly I'm enjoying this build and look forward to the challenge of replicating a FACTORY style Stinson finish which the 'Reliants were noted for-'
Bringing it out to the field or perhaps even a club meeting will be a pleasure indeed.
Posts: 643
Joined: 10/14/2005 From: Austin,
TX, USA Status: offline
If the landing gear are not tied together no amount of mounting surface stiffening is going to prevent excessive movement and cracked fairings with such a small surface and so long a moment arm. Here is an inexpensive way to tie the two gear halves together. Bolt two of these made from aluminum to each gear half with two bolts on each leg. They don't have to be this fancy, any piece of scrap aluminum angle will do. Whats important is the flange. That creates the stiffness and prevents rotation of the gear legs. This is known in the truck industry as a "guppy belly tie plate" because it prevents the ladder frame from widening and twisting under excessive loads.
Mike
< Message edited by CrateCruncher -- 12/3/2007 2:24:50 PM >
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RE: 07 TopFlite Stinson build - 
