Some progress

[geraldmorrissey]

Not much action on Patrol scratchbuilt forum these days. So here's some of what I have been doing. It took me 6 tries to get a good horizontal stab rid #5. With each failure I dialed it in a little. The rib on the left was a winner, now I have the correct measurements to make the second and finish the stabs. Lots of weldiing practice material but kind of frustrating. It takes longer to layout the part then to fabricate it.
Gerry
Patrol #30

[fairchild1934]

Yes- I just had the similar experience making the ribs for the rudder. The hardest part was bending the turned-in edge. The edge wants to hit the brake
when bending that part. Rudder done. Be starting elevators and horizonals soon......
Tim

[SpruceForest]

I found doing the returns with a hammer and oak mandrill was pretty easy. Do the flange bends to get things as close as possible, then fit the mandrill and hammer with block and dead blow. Holding the work is the big challenge, but I have a couple swivel-jaw repair vises in the shop. The other option would be the usual bench-top wedged holdfast. Shot is of the heavier gauge 4130 landing gear closeout rib, but same idea. Hickory/pecan, hard maple, white oak, beech, red oak, yellow birch, and green ash (in descending order of Janka side hardness value from about 1820 to 1200) are good woods for the mandrill.

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