Need advice

[parish]

Start with 3 sheets between the former blocks. If you are comfortable, then move to 4 or 5. As Chris said, with 1.5hp, 5 is about the most you want to do. Personally I would probably stick to about 3 though to prevent any mishaps and it sounds like time is on your side. With 5 you are inviting a larger possibility of it grabbing and launching your stuff across your workspace and potentially damaging your former blocks, material, and whatever is in the way when it gets launched.

I used a 1.75 hp (until I burnt it up) and a 2hp router with a table about the same size. I have a Facebook page as well "17jp". Look back about July or so and you will see my setup.

Also like Steve mentioned, do you have a Shop vac yet? You will want one for the absolute mess the router method creates!

[Chris In Milwaukee]

Yep I can see now already this just won't do. I will have to go buy the 1/2inch bit and shank when I get paid.

1/2" shank, higher-horsepower routers get expensive pretty quickly. If you're worried about the cost of a SportAir Workshop, then you're not going to like what a new, better-quality router will cost you. Just for clarification, the attached photo is what we're talking about when we discuss a router's "shank". They're typically either 1/4" or 1/2" diameter in our application.

What you have is fine, just take your time with fewer sheets. You'll do fine. Don't try to overdo it. Just follow our advice (remember, you asked for it), and you'll have top notch parts in no time!

[MNBenny]

What horse power router are people running? Harbor freight has a 2hp fixed based router for $55.00

[MNBenny]

Or is a plunge router is what people are running?

[MNBenny]

What about this for a better router? https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DW618-...ds=router+tool

[Chris In Milwaukee]

That Dewalt is nice. I have a plunge router, but don't operate it as one. Fixed is perfect. Good size, solid machine, priced right.

[Deftone]

I have a 1.75hp router and it didnt miss a beat, so your 1.5hp will be fine.

[Chris In Milwaukee]

I agree. Your dad's router will be fine. But if you're looking to build up your own tool chest, it's a good choice.

[MNBenny]

Hi parish.....yes I do own a shop vac

[MNBenny]

Will this work? Told dad its to thin. Its whats called hardboard20170113_105012.jpg

[MNBenny]

What thickness of MDF do I need, and what size sheet? Might as well as just dip into my flight training money.

[parish]

3/4 x4 x8. One sheet will last you for most of the project. I have used about half of a second sheet.

Do you have access to a truck and a second set of hands? As soon as I got my sheet home I ripped it in half to make it more user friendly. Alternatively, Home Depot and Lowes can rip it in half for you too. We don't have Menards in the Carolinas so I don't know about them.

As for moving money from flight training budget to building budget, I don't know if this is a possibility for you but a few extra hours of work would make you enough money to cover the mdf (40$ish IIRC). When I get called in for overtime, I am always thinking in my head, "more plane parts".

[Chris In Milwaukee]

The typical MDF sheet that most are using is 3/4". It's thick enough to be very stable, as well as provide plenty of bearing surface for the router bit to ride on. That's the reason why the thicker stuff is best. It's also easy to find at any home store (Menards, Lowes, Home Deplot).

Dipping into your flight training money is a decision that you, and you alone, must make. If it was me, I'd be concentrating on flying, not building, right now. If you find that somewhere down the line in this project that building is too much work (many folks do, no shame there), you're out the money you'd have had to continue flying.

But that's just me.

[JimParker256]

I agree with Chris. Accelerated flight training costs you a LOT less money than protracted flight training, because you are flying often enough to not forget half what you learned by your next lesson. There is a reason the armed forces train their pilots by flying pretty much every day possible. The Army doctrine when I was flight instructing was that flying 1.5 hours a day is the "sweet spot" for best learning. You have enough lesson time to work on stuff, but the student never get really worn out. People typically complete their training with a lot fewer than the national average number of flying hours if they concentrate their flying. And if you could get your license in 40-50 hours instead of 70-80 hours, how much money would that save you to apply towards your airplane build?

But the "biggie" to me is that some people simply lose interest in flying after a while. They just don't feel that "spark" that makes them want to fly any more. Could be it's not as "fun" as they thought it would be. Could be it's just too much "regulation" for them. Or it could be that it's just too much "work" to stay proficient, and not worth it to them. I know one lady who took lessons through solo, flew her solo cross-countries, and then quit. She just wanted to prove to herself that she could do it. Never wanted to fly again, not because of fear or anything (and Lord knows she CAN afford it if she wanted to), but had proved to herself that she COULD do it, and that's all she needed to satisfy her "flying itch"...

It would be an incredible shame to be half-way invested (in both time and money) in a Bearhawk build, only to realize that you don't really want to spend your time flying... I know there are people who are driven by building more than by flying, but it would be a LOT cheaper to build a kit-car (or even - gasp - a boat) than a kit-plane, and you'd have that same "sense of accomplishment" from building. Me, I've wanted to build a plane since I was 16, and to fly since I was about 5-6. I got started flying at 20, but didn't get to start building my own plane until I was almost 60. I can't "not build a plane" - it's in my blood. But I've also continued to fly every chance I get...

[MNBenny]

I want to fly. So far I have been in a rans S-7, 172, warrior, Cherokee 140, I have not been in a bearhawk yet. The wood only costed $27. I still have well over $700 for training so it's fine. There are so many freedoms that come with flying that nothing really else comes close. I want to get my license, and own an airplane one day.

I did buy the 3/4" MDF so as soon as Mark Phillips is available I'll be starting to really make ribs.

[Chris In Milwaukee]

Outstanding! We're all interested in project progress. Keep us informed!