1/2 scale Sopwith Tripehound

ProfLooney · 12 October 2009, 06:41 PM

well I started work on the tripehound so figured I would start my thread.

ProfLooney · 12 October 2009, 06:42 PM

Model of what the finished plane will look like. (Photo Courtesy of Alan Yendle)

ProfLooney · 12 October 2009, 06:44 PM

Well all my ribs have been cut and are due to ship this week so I thought I might as well get started.

I have gotten 4 - 6" x 1/2" x 48" Aspen Boards from Lowes to make the struts with. Tonight I started on the inner struts.

I got them cut out and then took the belt sander to them to match them up.

ProfLooney · 12 October 2009, 06:48 PM

Well I got back from dads with his draw knife.

For those of you youngsters scratching yer heads wondering what a draw knife is, the first pic is of an old belguim draw knife dad let me borrow.

The cool thing about using a draw knife on these struts is that more than likely thats what the craftsmen used to shape the struts on the original airplane.

As you can see a draw knife is basically an 8 inch wide hand plane but uses 2 handles to "Draw" it to you and makes for some really nice curly cues hehehe

As you can see from the second picture I got the shape pretty close just need to spend some time hand sanding the edges in so that they are all even. From the end view it looks thicker than it actually is.

For the most part it is a knife edge but I didnt want to go all the way to the end and chance taking a large hunk out

ProfLooney · 12 October 2009, 06:50 PM

Here I have routed out the outside of the Struts I still have to do the inside and sharpen my chisel so I can smooth out the bottom

womenfly2 · 16 October 2009, 01:38 PM

She will be big! How did the 1/3 scale Sopwith Tripehound turn out? Any picture's or video's to post of it?

Good building!

ProfLooney · 16 October 2009, 01:47 PM

the build just started. what I posted is where I am so far. Right now I am just doing menial stuff like sanding the shape in so not much of interest to post unless ppl like seeing curly cues and sawdust lol.

tomorrow I will start drawing out the outer struts. I got word my ribs should be here early next week that they and the plans got shipped today

Lyle · 16 October 2009, 01:57 PM

Hey Joe, a drawknife is like a spokeshave in that everybody scratches their heads until you see it in action.

That is one useful tool for the purposes you have found for it.
Sometimes antique tools are the only ones that will do the job.
I'm pretty impressed with your strut, glad you found some straight lumber at Lowe's--not an easy thing at Home Depot!

Also a great color scheme you've chosen.
Lyle

Chock · 16 October 2009, 02:27 PM

Yup, I'd call it a spokeshave too. I think they were actually used for making the scallops on the spokes on old wagon wheels, for which they would undoubtedly be useful, hence the name.

That's going to be a big model. Good luck with it.

Al

ProfLooney · 16 October 2009, 04:04 PM

well the big ones like that I call draw knives. spoke shaves to me are the tiny versions used on corners of furnature and stuff with a blae 1 to 2 inches long. but im prob not as old ans you old farts so i could be wrong

On a side note I got contacted by the Rolls-Royce Aerospace company today from the UK. and they interested in some of my bristol fighter stuff as they are located in the old Bristol Aircraft Company site and next year is the 100th anniversary of that company and they want to build a full sized bristol to celebrate the company )))

I guess im getting there with my plansets hehehe

one day will do a set for full scale when I get my factory drawing collection built up