Flyin' Pine
Wood Aircraft Construction
Wings and Things Begin.
After putting my Horizon project on hold for 7 years..... I had to do some repairs to my Fisher 303. I had some vandalism to the wings and the elevator needed some tlc.
That got me back in airplane-building mode, and the next thing you know, I am shopping for Sitka Spruce down in Boston for spar caps.
On November 11, 2013 I consructed a 4x16 work bench in my $900 tractor trailer body I found on CraigsList. It's 40' long and makes an o.k. workshop.
TIP:
On the ailerons, drill 1/16" hole on either side of the plywood ribs, and use craft wire to pull the ply up tight while the glue dries, and add some little blocks of left over 1/4" rib cap material at the glue joint. This make a very secure joint and adds no weight.
TIP:
Do not do what the instructions say regarding the top layer of "X" cross bracing and just glue it on top of the bottom layer. This results in a very weak joint.
Simply glue the top "x" just inside the lower one, into the same groove.
At the spar, little pieces of rib geodetic make great verticals to hold the "x" pieces in place and can be glued and left in, if desired.
TIP:
Carefully glue just the lower lengthwise edge of the plywood nose. The next day, wet only the outside of the 1/32" ply, helping it expand and make the curve. I used a spray bottle and kept it damp for 15 min.
Ratchet straps did an excellent job of pulling the nose skin in tight, along with spring clamps and scraps of pine to adhere the top edge of the skin.
It is now January 23. In about 10 weeks I have completed both wings along with their ailerons and flaps working from scratch.
Funny...this wing is 2' shorter than the wings on my Fisher 303.
It feels really strong. I am very happy with it.
TIP:
Clothes pins screwed to the wall are terrific for holding plans for easy viewing...
or notes from your wife wondering where you were....
TIP:
Two average "thin kerf" 7 1/4" saw blades mounted together with teeth alternated, make a perfect groove to fit the metric plywood used for the spar web.