DR-1 (Sands): Builders Group - Page 55

Dogtail2 · 9 May 2005, 02:27 PM

Nice to see you here emcknight. Sorry to hear about the Tornado. I just took another look at your machine on the Sands website.Beautiful. Hopefully this forum will inspire you to get back on track.

Im in the process of mass producing wing rib parts. Those curved nose web fillers are tricky. I tried trimming to contour with a router bit with a bearing on top, but it tends to grab and throw the piece across the workshop! Any ideas before I resort to file & sandpaper

Jim Bruton · 9 May 2005, 06:42 PM

there are a zillion ways to make these i suppose. Consider:

1 - using tin snips to cut them out.

2 - cut the straight back edge, then cut clode to the outline with a bandsaw or handheld jigaw (recommend bandsaw). then use a bench mounted belt sander to bring the contour down to the actual outline. if you can, grip several together to bench-sand, will go quicker and more likely guarantee that at least several are exactly the same shape and size.

3 - shipping the whole thing to China. :P

Dogtail2 · 10 May 2005, 01:14 AM

Thanks jim,

Not sure about the tin snip idea, I think it might split the wood.-were talking about 3/16 plywood here.
There is no way my bandsaw will go round those tight curves.Maybe I can get a very narrow blade to fit my machine.
My belt sander has too large a radius for the inside curve.

Shipping to China sounds attractive right now

Jim Bruton · 10 May 2005, 05:30 AM

Know what you mean about the bandsaw blade and tight radii. I went out and bought a basically good bench bandsaw- a Ryobi, not too expensive. The blade that came with it couldn't make those tight turns- I saw the blade twisting and wondered when the whole thing was going to break. FInally it did. I went to a shop that sold GOOD tools and bought a premium blade- as thin as possible, so as to make the turns. It worked! Get as many teeth per inch as you can find, and get as good a blade as you can afford- you will be amazed at what you can do- sometimes you feel like you are doing scrollsaw work. After a few of these, you will get good enough to either hold the outline really well, or you will just fast cut so close to the outline that a quick hit on the bench mounted belt sander will bring it home for you. By the way, the tin snip idea is only for the web of 1/16"- anything more is definitely too thick, and even using the snips, you need to pay attention to what's going on with the edge of the wood. Sharper is better.

Jim Bruton · 10 May 2005, 05:33 AM

I love your idea for ordering the spar material just a little longer to save time and effort where attachnig reinforcing to the scarf areas is concerned. Fritz and I are getting ready to order our spar material from Wicks (3 to 4 week lead time, btw) and we would like to follow your example. Could you share with us exactly the change to the spar order module you made? We just want to copycat that and then I'll ask some more questions!

Thanks WorldCruiser!

Jim

worldcrusier · 10 May 2005, 06:54 AM

Sure,
My home computer is cursed with the 'home search assistant' virus and it will take me an evening to get rid of it. I'll bring the info to work with me tomorrow.
On the nose pieces for the ribs, I cut as close as possible to size with a wood band saw then, using a 3/4" MDF pattern, finished to size on my router table. I drilled three holes in the pattern to match 1 inch wire nails and tapped the nails into the nose piece to keep it from moving under the pattern. The router bit will bite into and throw your piece if it is trying to remove a lot of material, so try and bandsaw cut as close as possible. Also, will cause problems if you go the 'wrong way' around the pattern.
Reed

10 May 2005, 09:29 AM

There is a old friend of mine that I used to fly Red Baron 3D with a couple of years ago that was building a Full Scale Dr.1 from the Sands plan. He sent me a pic of it and it was all framed up bout ready to cover. Well life hit and he had to put off on the tripe for quite a while. Over the past couple of months he started up on it again and got it covered. I asked him about it yesterday and he said its very close to completion and it is covered now, Needs to be painted " trying to hint out the Berthold theme, if there is a scheme of one, theres one on red baron 3d)..............He had a engine for it ( dont know what type or size) but got antsy and so it for a Harley.......I think he kinda regreted that mistake :P..........Ill try to get some pics of it for yall. From what I remember of it he said it took him 2 years to get itto where he had it a couple of years ago. Wish me luck on getting pics!!

Jim Bruton · 10 May 2005, 10:37 AM

Feared in Combat,

I would also be interested in who he sold it to- can you get us a contact? I have wondered how many partially finished projects never get finished and- if we could find them- could save us a lot of time...

Best,

Jim

emcknight · 10 May 2005, 11:12 AM

Dogtail,

Thanks for the encouragement. If there is anyone out there who is willing to send me a complete set of rib parts and peices, I may start again. I dred the thought of cutting all those parts again. The gluing up isn't bad, I just don't want to go through the manufacuring again.

Eckward

Jim Bruton · 10 May 2005, 11:19 AM

Hmmm... makes me think about what we could work out. I have all my own ribs but am getting ready to help a co-builder friend make his, in exchange for help with my welding. Is there some type of creative solution here? =-)