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another process improvement noted.....

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  • another process improvement noted.....

    Hi again all...
    Just started on the 2-nd half of the nose ribs. Found another change in technique which seemed to help a lot.
    For the first half of the nose ribs I just finished- after the rubber pressing--- I would bolt on the thick plywood
    backup plate and finish folding the outer flange over with a little dead rubber blow hammer. Then I would take it back
    to the bench and mash in the fluts. Then I would use the RV'ers corner bending tool in between the fluts. After that i
    would bounce back and forth between fluting and cornering and checking for flatness on the table and running a small
    machinist's square down the flange. I would cycle through those things 5 or 6 times before everything came in good.
    Then on about half of the ribs- at the end o that cycle I would have some "potatoe chiping" left over on the flat surfaces
    when I would lay it in its back on the table surface. I discovered I could work that out on a rubber pad using a rubber tipped punch.

    Now- here is what I tried. Just for an experiment--- I tried switching the order of two of the steps. Once I was done folding the flange
    with the dead blow-- removed out of the form-block---backup plate sandwich, then I took it to the bench. But THIS TIME---
    I put the outer flange into the cornering tool and went down both sides- giving it a bump about every 1/2 inch with overlaping
    hits--- WITHOUT having to only work between the fluts. This means I was able to over-bend 100% of the length now.
    Then I used the pliers to flut it at the marked locations.

    The difference seemed to be like night and day. It looked like in just those two steps I was able to get the thing to 90+% of
    where it needed to be. -- as opposed to having to cycle through 5 or 6 times the other way. AND--- as an added bonus ! ----
    this new way seems to be eliminating just about all the residual potato-chipping when I lay it down on its back to check for
    flatness.

    I am still seeing that little "S"-wave where the back-up plate isnt supporting it--- so before I continue I am going to make a new
    backup plate that has less open unsupported margin there in that area. That should fix that problem.

    I feel kind of stupid to just be figureing out how to do this when I am half way done---- but I guess thats what the journey is
    all about. I tell myself I can incorporate that into all the other ribs. I am definately going to make a short video where I
    show making a nose rib all the way through with no editing. If I can show perspective builders how easy it is and encourage
    them to begin---- that would seem like a blessing to me. I remember one builder who gave up on his project because he couldnt
    seem to master the flush riveting process. That kind of broke my heart to see that--- knowing if he had someone there to show
    him how to do it and what parts of the technique to adjust-- im sure he could have been doing great flush heads in about 30 min.

    If I can con my camera man to helping me I may have that done soon. If that could help someone or encourage them---
    ("well-- if HE can do it-- then I know I can...." ) that would be a blessing to me !

    Tim



  • #2
    Sounds like a great idea! Little techniques like that will be very helpful for those of us with minimal experience!
    Almost flying!

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