New Plans Built Plans Holder

[Hercpilot]

Wanted to introduce myself in the plans-built sub. Currently wrapping my head around the scale of this endeavour! Will definitely take any input/feedback moving forward. I do have some sheetmetal experience but no real tube and fabric experience to lean on. We have some active EAA chapters nearby with some great Tech Counselor types with extensive commercial/military airframe and powerplant experience that I will be engaging! Thanks in advance!

Justin Walker
OKC, OK

[rodsmith]

Welcome to the forum! You will find all kinds of help here. As an owner of a mostly plans built Bearhawk, I can tell you it is a big project, but totally doable with enough determination.

[sjt]

You did not say which plans your have.

Alaskabearhawk pointed me to an Art ProFolio
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009R8XD..._b_fed_asin_title_15&th=1

Probably your goto place for aluminum is just north of Dallas Tx
Aircraft Spruce - CENTRAL
215 Fairway Dr., Ste. 100
Roanoke, TX 76262


I found a 10 foot brake at an EAA chapter. Keep an ear out for which chapters have a 10 foot brake. Also consider chapters in the Dallas area.


This is my favorite website for learning from B-Spot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALZ91l4iUtk&list=PLWY4f_BKuRl7UzNJb7MycGhk uhxiVyrIC



The router table is the most useful item in the beginning. I have a 2 hp router that has been modified to be used upside down.
a4.jpg a5.jpg
I also bought from amazon a 1/2" upcut spiral bit

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012JF0DA?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_ti tle_2

I eventually bought a 1/4 upcut bit
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B096HD7753?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_ti tle_1&th=1


Your router will not survive unless you wrap in plastic and minimize run time.
a6.jpgIn truth this is my second router. Guess what I did not do to the first router.


In general buy aluminum 12 foot sheets.

Although you start with enough .032 to make a template
a9.jpg


a7.jpg a8.jpg This is the glue you need to attach mylar to .032 sheet.


Find a source of high quality MDF. I went to a cabinet shop to get 1 inch 4 by 8 foot sheet - "usually not exactly 4 foot"
Only use Lowes 3/4 if you can not find better.


This I what starting plans builds looks like:

mdf.jpg


This orange hammer is the only tool you need from habor freight
hammer.jpg You will be tempted to buy the pneumatic nibbler. It will not be useful.




Also, do not listen to me. I buy every tool I can find.

My only real expertise in the group:
I can attest as to what a useless piece of crap some tool turned out to be.

This is my number one most hated tool:
a10.jpg

[alaskabearhawk]

Welcome Justin! There are a bunch of resources available to you as an EAB builder. Looking at it as a series of smaller tasks instead of one HUGE project helped me sort things out. One bite at a time...

[Hercpilot]

Thanks for all the initial "getting started" advice! Keep it coming!

Should have mentioned it initially...I decided to build the B model.

[huntaero]

Welcome to the forum have fun

[geraldmorrissey]

Good to have another scratch builder going at it.

[sjt]

Keep your eyes out for one of these. It requires a drill press.
bore.jpg



This is the most dangerous tool you will ever use. Sometimes I claim the most dangerous tool is a router - but this is the one that will get you. When you are using it there will be chips and dust everywhere.

If you have a nice drill press you will have set it to slow speed. That is what fools you. You think you are fast enough to reach in and brush away debris. You are not fast enough. Something to do with tangent velocity : V= R * omega


The advantage of this tool is you can cut lathe bits to the shape you need. This picture is for cutting the lightening holes in the spar web.

What I think I would have prefered to do was cut my mdf forms with a different shaped bit. You can make a die to press the flange in and also the mdf form to receive the die with the correct spring back.

blank.jpgmdf form
These holes are cut with above tool. What I would have done differently is made a lathe bit to cut a 55 degree?? recess for forming lightening hole flange.

This picture shows that I used a router bit. Router bits only come in 45 degrees. 2024 aluminum has an 11 degree spring back.
I only use 1 inch mdf not 3/4 mdf. The thicker mdf allows for cutting a flange on both sides to make right and left versions of ribs.
If you can not find 1 inch material then others have suggested going to Lowes and gluing two 3/4 mdf blanks together. Home Depot mdf is not very good.
Lowes Is a little better. A cabinet shop will have the good stuff form making counter tops.



Like many builders I used a press
p.jpg


Instead of those expensive pieces of rubber I would have made a mdf die with the matching shape to the above form. It would have required a different shaped lathe bit.
If you have access to a wood lathe you would make the plug (die) on the wood lathe. You would also incorporate the correct bend angle.


If you get Eric Newtons manual, (page 13 of the wing manual) then you will see he used plugs presumably made on a lathe. You would not actually need a wood lathe, just a grinder to make the correct
shape lathe bit.

[Hercpilot]

Thanks for all the feedback! I'm tracking on almost all of it!

Question about the rubber forming technique...I have a 12 ton press. Any idea if that's enough for the elastoforming? I do have a 30A durometer pad.

[sjt]

In general 12 ton probably not enough unless you use mdf dies like Eric Newton .

If you cut the mdf with a circle cutter it is the same operation to cut a small mdf circle to use as a die - just with the opposite angle.

aluminum 2024 springs back 11 degrees. A 45 degree chamfer will not make a 45 degree flange.
Just use a second piece of mdf scrap big enough for the die.

You could even use table router to route a 45 onto your ~5 inch circle.
If you grind a lathe bit to the complement angle for the mdf form you would not need a router or wood lathe.

Bob just uses a stick to form the flange.

[sjt]

If you do not like your neighbors get a blower fan from an old HVAC system.


f.jpg

I have two.

Just open the garage door.
Turn on the fan .
Turn off the fan.
Close the garage door and run away.


Someday the front of my house will be an industrial waste site. I am going to pretend I do not know how it happened.


Also, If you live in the south, the oak pollen gets all over the neighborhood cars. No one will know it is mdf dust and not oak pollen.

[sjt]

You can use a press and a piece of rubber to hold your form block still while you smack it.


In the picture to the side is a wood dowel.

I scallop out my mdf form and use the wood dowel to impress the flute at the same time I form the 90 degree edge h.jpg

[sjt]

Desert Bearhawk years ago recommended this vise.

Back then it was $60 I think it now is $80 with free shipping

https://www.sears.com/craftsman-6-in-bench-vise/p-00951856000P?sid=ISxMP3xSOxGGxDTxSURF&gQT=1

It has reversible jaws for holding metal without damage


v.jpg

[brady.blake55]

Another great vise is the Vevor. I’ve become a Vevor addict due to stupid Tik Tok ads. I got this one.

https://www.vevor.com/bench-vise-c_12005/vevor-6-5-bench-vise-w-360-swivel-locking-base-two-way-jaw-ductile-iron-p_010738195556

I even bought my welder on Tik Tok. A multi process that does lift tig for $200. It’s a solid welder even though the price point would make you think it’s crap.

[sjt]

The sears vise has jaws that can be reversed with a smooth side - allen screws hold them in place.

Whichever vise you get you need to avoid marring the aluminum.

[sjt]

Someday you need a vise with smooth jaws to joggle a lip.

I ground a piece of 5/8 keystock to go with the vise. (Grainger)


Also got this idea from DesertBearhawk (although I think he accidently got hold of Tool steel - keystock is better for this job)

joggle.jpg j.jpg jj.jpg
https://www.grainger.com/product/5VV11?gucid=N:N:PS:Paid:GGL:CSM-2295:7BE6NS:20500801:APZ_1&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwK CAjwn6LABhBSEiwAsNJrjriIRkxvlNcrCVWWdyyEjb51dJIrQA Iwlcb1D0nwg1L9UFKgv0YHuRoCvBoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds




jaw.jpg

You will also use a vise to bend 4130 steel

[sjt]

I use a 20 ton press. It is very handy for bending 4130.

b.jpg



c.jpg a.jpg


h.jpg 2.jpg 1.jpg

[SpruceForest]

Plenty of YouTube vids, written material, and discussions here on the forum. The attached will get you going on using a router to mill the rib press blanks, a 20 ton Harbor Freight air-over-hydraulic press and rubber press technique to get the ribs mostly done, and a VAF-designed flange tweaking tool to wrap up. Lots of ways to throw money at this, but it seems to me that the process as described in the docs attached is a 'best bang for buck' if you want a better than factory rib.

Consider getting your wing spars formed before doing your rib tooling. It is time consuming to tweak all those ribs because your spars came out .125 narrower than your ribs (e.g., spars .063 narrower; ribs .063 fatter). Easier to make the press and forming tooling - to include rib joggles - the right size to fit your spars than the other way around.

On routers... consider picking up a 2.25 hp router that is easily disassembled and cleaned, such as the Dewalt DW618PK at about $220 for the motor and a fixed and plunge base. Take-out food container can be trimmed up to cover the upward facing cooling vents for aluminum work and the EVS has a thermal cutout that should help prevent burning the motor up if you decide to tape over the vents per Stan's suggestion above

Link to vid on finishing off the 032 ribs by flow forming and hammer work... note the Proto tapered nose hammers... worth the price. The 025 ribs will rubber press both lightening holes and flanges close enough to desired angle to finish with the VAF flange straightening tool, but the 032 stuff is best done with flow forming/hammer or hammer. Note: you do not need the fancy bench for flow forming/hammer work... a sturdy 10.5' (8.5' for 4B/5/LSA) plywood and 2x assembly bench will get you through all the prep for the wings as well as handle the ailerons and flaps. If doing a Patrol or LSA, a 34" table width will let you add on another 6.6' - 8' module and built up both wing spars and the fuse.

[Hercpilot]

Thank you....good stuff!

[sjt]

When ever possible (on sale) buy clamps from harbor freight
d.jpg d.jpg 1.jpg You will never have enough

[Hercpilot]

Have a 30% coupon at HF! Generally speaking....what size/sizes do you recommend?

[sjt]

I have a bucket of the two inch clamps
and a bucket of what they call "6 in. Quick Release Bar Clamp"


The bar clamp come with the protective covers
You will have to do something for the two inch clamp


Not practical to buy them with coupon. You will have to wait for them to go on sale.
Coupon applies to single item.