Fuselage Jig
 

I'm gearing up to start my 2meter build, and I'm having trouble locating a fuselage jig, like the Gator RC unit. I know Gator is temporarily down, but if anybody knows where I can get a fuse jig I'm all ears. It's looking like I may have to resort to building one. Thanks,
Eric

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

Since I couldn't find one either I volunteered to build one for me and one for my friend.

I just left the local industrial supply house $143 lighter. That is for four 10 foot sections of unistrut for the rails and 20 1/4-20 spring nuts to hold the stations to the rails.

At least the wood for the stations will be cheap.

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

Eric, I may have an extra one in the basement, if you're interested. Email me directly at: [email protected] and we can chat....
Mark

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

Ptec,
Would you please show us the construction of the jig you build?
I'm interested.
Thanks!
JLK

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

Sure.....I just need some free time.

Basically I use unistrut for the runners and bolt them to a 24" wid hollow core door. The stations are 24" wide and bo;t into the spring nuts so they can be moved anywhere within the 79" of runner. We figured it will accomodate a fuse from 1" to 20" wide.

I'll get a picture and post it one of these days.

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

Basically I use unistrut for the runners and bolt them to a 24" wide hollow core door.

The stations are 24" wide and bo;t into the spring nuts so they can be moved anywhere within the 79" of runner. We figured it will accomodate a fuse from 1" to 20" wide.

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

Thanks for the pictures.
What keeps the vertical pieces square and can you adjut the height of the horizontal pieces to allow the fuse to sit dead level to -0- out wing/stab/engine incidences?
Thanks again!
JLK

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

The uprights are bolted horizontally to the cross braces.

As for adjusting the height of the cross braces, yes it can be done pretty esily using allthread and a few nuts. I prefer to use blocks to get the fuse in a 0-0 position though.

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

If anyone wants a jig just drop me a line. I can turn out whatever you want.

Pete

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

Man that thing is BEEFY!!!!

If I could make a couple of suggestions....more stations, about 8-9, and at least 68" long? 72" would even be better, but hard to do. Also uprights for the center to be mounted at each end to pull 2 alignment strings/cables between...

So what would something like that cost? Be careful, I know a LOT of people looking for a fuselage jig :D

-Mike

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

Wow!! You really got nailed with the price of that Unistrut. If you have a Lowe's home improvement center close by, they carry a product in their electrical department called "Superstrut". It comes in the normal Unistrut P1000 series sizes (1-3/4" deep) and it also comes in a size I haven't seen before....it's only 3/4" deep. I picked up 2 6ft. lengths for 12 bucks each. Also, using 3/4" MDF you can make the 3/4" Superstrut flush with the building surface. While there picked up large and small plastic builders triangles to fabricate into jig stations.

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

It is beefy. I bought the unistrut at a commercial supply house and is quite a bit heavier than the stuff at Home Depot or Lowes. The stations are 21/32" ply.

The jig as pictured is 79" long as we mounted it on a hollow core door. My friend wanted to be able to build his Carden on one of the jigs I built for him. I built 8 stations and can always make more.

I was planning on putting a Sears laser level at one end and one on the side.


I'm going to get a materials list and make the next ones out of some lighter unistrut and ply. So I'll have a better bead on price then.

If you want one e-mail me or get my number off Arch......I'm sure we could probably work some sort of deal out.

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

Sweet! I have one for pattern planes, but I need one for the 40% stuff.

-Mike

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

Very cool. Looks like in the near future, we'll have available jigs again!!! (YAY!!) And better than what we had before.....

-Mike

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

The stuff at Lowes is the same gauge as Unistrut, however it may not be rated at the same specs. Unless you're planning to frame up a 747, the Superstrut is more than adequate for our applications. Plus it's got a nice Cad plated finish and the 3/4" depth easily allows you to recess it into your building board allowing the formers and fuse sides to remain on the flat work surface rather than the jig cross members.

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

The only reason Pete used the heavy gage is because at the time we could not get the lighter stuff at are local Home Depot and were in process of building pattern planes. Believe me the next jigs will be with the lighter stuff. Pete did one hell of a job building this jig for me everything is true. I will be building his Black Magic here shortly. Mike I had Pete build the jig so It would except 40% to pattern planes.

Willie B.

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

Hey, cool. Might be helpful for my Black Magic build. I've been looking for more fuse stations for my A-Justo-Jig (remember those?) but haven't had any luck. Without the Gator stuff, the only thing left is to build my own jig - but why re-invent the wheel? Keep me in the loop guys.

John Pavlick

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

Hi

Is it to much to ask to post a picture of the cross stations etc and also a detailed view of the u channel. I would love to order one but it would cost more in shipping than flying over there myself and carrying it home

Thanks

Troy

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

The picture above should answer the questions you have, but barring that feel free to PM or e-mail me and I'll answer your questions. The cost would be quite prohibitive to ship to Australia.

Pete

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

Buddy Brammer from here in Nederland, Texas designed a really nice builders jig/table for pattern planes a few years ago and just recently put together a really nice set of plans for them. Its a 1st class design and very well laid plans with a TON of pictures. He does not do anything halfway. He even has provisions for using projecting laser lines to get everything absolutely perfectly level if you want to take it that far. I'm not sure, but I think he will send you plans in electronic form for little or no cost. You can reach him at [email protected].

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

There is a link on the midcounty rc club website to Buddy's alignment jig station. [link=http://www.midcountyrc.com/columns/The_Laser_Jig.pdf]The_Laser_Jig[/link]http://www.midcountyrc.com/columns/The_Laser_Jig.pdf

It is the best alignment jig for a composite plane I've seen.
For a wood plane being scratch built you would need to add more fuse stations, but what an assembly table you would have when you got thru. :D

Eddie

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

Actually, I think the table was originally designed and built for his Mirage, who was the wooden precursor to the Eagle. Thanks for getting the link to our website Eddie, I TOTALLY forgot it was there.

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

I'm in the process of putting some things up for sale on my site.
Should be some time later today 11/15/06

I have one of the Gator Jigs and I need the room in the basement.

Let me know if you are still looking.

Here's the address to the site. ---> [link=http://www.rcsites.net/bob_nj/index.html]My Site[/link]
Give me some time to get things posted.

Thanks_bob

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

Hey guys,

I am building more jigs as The NSRCA guys have been buying them and I ran out. If you want info on them you can look [link=http://petesrc.home.comcast.net]HERE[/link]

RE: Fuselage Jig
 

Just an update since I have been getting inquiries with the start of building season. I now have a 15 month old son who is eating all my time so my friend Ken Thompson has taken over building the jigs. You can still use the link above and e-mail me and I will forward it to Ken.

Ken is a carpenter by trade and I have no doubt the jigs are going to be as good if not better then I was making.