Random thoughts from someone just a bit further in the process. Spent the first 6 weeks of the project working through a couple of the methods for rib forming and building up the full set of MDF & CA layout and routing templates and form blocks needed for a mixed hydro forming/flow forming approach. That was good mental exercise and got me into the various fora re: techniques & tools. It also got some of the necessary-but-nasty tasks (MDF...ick) out of the way so I could get the shop back in shape for other uses. If you are a woodworker coming to metal-working, lots of common processes and tools... pattern routing, layout, etc., and the usual reminder that time spent on accurate templates is nearly always time well spent. Also a fact that 6", 18", and 36" 5R flex rules from Starrett or other quality measuring and marking too maker are worth every penny of skipped over-priced and over-roasted St@#bucks afternoon slacker-chino coffee drinks. A set of decimal inch 0.010-0.500 radius gauges are also pretty handy to have around in the top drawer of the roll-around.
The sample ribs from that work-up sit in my home office on the picture rail above the wainscotting (I am a teleworker for the day job/guitar repair & build in PM)... great visual centering. Much better than those lame aspirational goal posters you find scattered around the walls of national gym chains.
The thread last week on CAD was evidence that at least a few of us are working through building up 3D models of their projects as a way to transform Bob's old-school engineering drawings - which can vary from sketch-level to full detail - to tools for visualization of the desired article and related processes. Thus far, it's helped me identify a few errors in my template layouts as well as serving as a great adjunct to my morning cup(s) of coffee for getting the grey matter spooled up for the day. I had copies of a couple WWII-era layout and detailed design books around from my college days ('Aircraft Drafting' by Katz and 'A Manual of Aircraft Drafting' by Svenson), so a good guide to the manual drafting practices and symbols that Bob uses...one or the other was usually open on my desk during the first few weeks of puzzling out the drawings.
I keep a hand-written journal of daily progress as well as questions and notes...last thing I do before retiring in the PM. There is also a whiteboard in the shop that gets used for reminders... this AM had reminders to order a half dozen things... already done. Sometimes progress is measured by the number of boxes stacked up waiting for inventory and storage or use. Still deciding on what I want for online documentation... another research topic.
First aluminum order (wing spars and ribs...3 x 4x8 025, 2 x 4x8 032, 1 x 4x12 032, 1 x 4x8 020) arrives Tues... burned through all the sheet aluminum scraps I had around the shop for the test articles. Looking forward to reducing those big sheets to roughed keeper components.
Good luck with the 5... may be my next project after the Patrol ;-) Post progress, please...always something to be gained from reading about someone else's journey.
