CafeenMan

I know I'm not the only one who gets aggravated trying to fit sticks - especially when I keep screwing them up. Even so, trussed fuselage sides are extremely strong, rigid and light and far superior to lite-ply fuselage sides in every respect except time.

I've posted a 3-part article on my website that takes you through it step-by-step. If anything isn't clear or if you have questions, please let me know so I can improve the article.

[link=http://airfieldmodels.com/information_source/how_to_articles_for_model_builders/construction/build_warren_truss_fuselage_sides/index.htm]How to Build Warren Truss Fuselage Sides[/link]

- Paul

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Nice article Paul!

CafeenMan

Thanks Mike. THere are times I really wish I had your graphics skills. It would be a lot easier to illustrate some things with a good drawing rather than a photo.

When I start joining the sides, I'll add one more part to the article showing how the diagonal cross-braces go in (opposite top and bottom).

Sense963

My Feedback: (10)

Cafeen, your website is about the best, most informative website on the things I want to know. I'm glassing my fuse on my AstroHog, and may incorporate some of your truss ideas someday. Congrats on a quality site...!

CafeenMan

Thanks Sense963. I keep asking this but nobody has answered yet. Does the Astro Hog have solid sides or are they truss work?

Sense963

My Feedback: (10)

It's solid balsa, like most older Sig designs. Silkscreen slabs you glue 1/4" sq on... Sorry I didn't respond earlier, didn't know you responded...

CafeenMan

Thanks for getting back to me. You're about the 4th person who has asked about glassing a Hog and I always thought they had truss sides.

I wish Sig would update some of their older kits. Their Miniplane, for example, would find an all new set of fans if it were laser cut and the engineering were a little more up to date.

Sense963

My Feedback: (10)

Good luck on that. The days of Maxey Hestor and Hazel are long gone I'm afraid. I believe a larger company bought them out and retained the name. Sig kits are and always will be a "builder's kit" and those who get one are people who don't mind getting a little glue on the fingers. I was thinking about taking a picture last night when I put my stuff up for the day. I looked down at the bench and saw dust, glue, sandpaper and about 4-5 different sanding blocks all sitting around the 2 halves of the Hog wing. Thought about grabbing the cam and getting a shot for ya. You would have loved it. As an aside, your piece on Wermacht was damn funny. My cats don't generally come out to the garage...too cold and not too many comfy places to curl up on.

CafeenMan

Wermacht likes to be where ever I am but not too close. If there's a piece of paper anywhere, that's what he's going to lay down on. Plans, sketches, magazines, instructions, whatever. That's where he thinks he belongs.

I even folded up a big beach towel for him and put it on the bench. If there's no paper, the towel is an acceptable substitute, but roll out the plans and the towel is second choice.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

I've got a World Engines Robinhood 99 kit in the bones and have been around several 99's and 80's but they are mostly scratch built. The truss work in the aft fuslage tends to come unglue'd especially where the diagonal braces attach. They tend to eventually become a bag O Bones in the rear.

My solution to this problem was to make and install thin plywood gusset plates at the intersections of the diagonals.

Enjoy,

Jim

hopkimf

My Feedback: (56)

Good article. One thing I've had a little trouble with is joining the halfs and keeping them symetrical about the centerline in the plan view. I don't have any special fixturing or magnets, etc. Hope that will be covered.

CafeenMan

The only way I know to do it is to draw several lines that are perpendicular to the centerline. Measure to ensure both sides are the same distance from the centerline.

That part is covered if you read the continuation of fuselage construction which basically is another article altogether. It's linked at the bottom of the last page of the warren truss article. Let me know if that doesn't clear up your question and I'll see what I can do to improve the article.

Thanks for the feedback.

- Paul

RGM

My Feedback: (5)

Great site, Paul. Thank you.

CafeenMan

It's been my pleasure. Thank you.

Jim Messer

My Feedback: (2)

Paul: Hope you don't mind if I jump in here with another idea. I dsign/build almost every plane with Warren Truss fuselage sides. However, I start with longerons cut to an angle-iron shape. Then I glue the vertical and diagonal pieces to the inside of the angles, thereby totally eliminating any butt joints. These sides are light and very strong. Attached are some photos to give you a better idea of how I do it. Since this is an educational thread, others might want to do it this way also. If you ever find the time to try it yourself, make it a part of your educational program.

The first photo shows the stringer sides laid out on the building board, with angles up.

Photo two shows the vertical/slanted pieces glued in.

After one side has been completed, then I build the second side right on top of the first. Paper clamps work real good for holding the stringers in exact alignment. This is shown in photo three.

Photo four shows the two completed sides attached to the cabin assembly.

CafeenMan

Hi Jim,

That looks like a good way to get additional strength if necessary. For the small models I build it would be over kill, but I can definitely see where it would have a purpose for large scale birds.

Do you glue pieces together to get the angle or do you machine it?

Jim Messer

My Feedback: (2)

Paul: My angles are cut on a table saw from 2 x 4 material, since I don't build anything but large scale planes. . They end up as one piece. You can do the same thing with balsa - it's stronger and lighter than if you were using square material. It takes more time to do it, but it makes construction a lot easier.

CafeenMan

Hi Jim,

I thought that's more or less how you did it. Either a table saw or router table. Now that I have a small table saw I do a lot more than I used to. It lets me do things that I could have done otherwise but were too much trouble. Plus I don't care so much that I have the right size wood on hand any more. I can always cut something down to size.

Thanks for the tip!

- Paul

WacoNut

Nice thread
I used your tip on your website to build my Sig 1/4 C/W Cub and the fuse turned out great.
Thanks!!
Anthony

CafeenMan

Anthony - Photos?

WacoNut

I have a thread on my Cub on this page with a bunch of pics
Anthony

ubird1

I've been thinking about making angle longerons for a while but was thinking of using strips of door skin material glued up to make the angle shapes for large scale planes with balsa for the verticals and diagonals. I feel fairly comfortable ripping strips but I'm not sure about the 2X4 profess. Thanks for the great photo's.

dirtybird

My Feedback: (5)

Harbor Freight has a miniture powered miter saw that helps make cuts required for this type of construction easy. Its only about $25.

hogflyer

I've got one of these toys from the "Toy Store"...doesn't do too bad a job. Great for 90 deg. cuts, but a bit of a pain on miter custs unless your cutting several of the same angle. A X-Acto miter saw is faster for anything other the 90 deg.