chistech

Hello All,
Gerry's back working on his Rufe. He spent a considerable amount of time helping me with my Shinden Kai project and then he designs and paints a custom Christmas card to send to all his good friends. He has started sending me pictures again and his text. I have to apologize as I cannot locate he first text for the accompanying pictures. I can tell you the following:

He has a Great Planes (?) wing jig that he has decided to use to build the float. The float is being built from a short kit made and scaled up to .60sz from the original Royal Rufe kit (40sz) by Brian from Royal Farms. Brian just scaled it up and didn't make changes to the slots for formers and stringers so you will see some thin stock added in the areas where the ply parts interlock. Gerry has also added some carbon fiber in places for strength. The original metal rods with the wing jig were not long enough so a trip to the local metal supply house fixed that problem.

Edit: Here is the missing text sent to me from his wife:
After a long spell, I'm finally back in the "RUFE-ing" business. Picked up some 4' steel rods and partical board base since my Great Planes wing-building

jig was too short for this main float. Once the appropriately sized jig braces were glued to the bulkheads, the gluing began. ( Tabs of 1/64th ply were cemented on both sides of all contact areas to fit all notched areas. Though everything was enlarged from a .50 sized Marutaka kit to scale fit a .60 sized Royal Zero kit, all pieces needed shimming up and larger custom ripped stringers.)

For my own peace of mind, 1/2" X .072 carbon fiber tape was epoxied to both sides of all support struts.