Book Idea: "Homebuilder´s Solutions"

[AchimEngels]

Hello fellow Homebuilders!

Today I was working on the jig for our Fokker D.VII fuselage and was thinking about this and that.

You for sure know the situation when you have to get something done and do not know at all how to get it done. Or even worst when you have ordered a special tool or a machine for some sort of work and it has not arrived yet. Sometimes one is that impatient that the work need to get done although the tool is still not available.

Today was such a day and I had to create a very simple method to get the work done nevertheless without quality getting lost. Of course it was much more work and much more time consuming, but I thought by myself that it would be the perfect way to get things done cheap!

Now to my point:

What if we put together all such experiences and developed methods to get things done without all the most expensive tools and machines and do create a book including all that.

It would be the perfect guide for any home builder and would allow him to focus on the purchase of materials instead of tools and machines.

If there are some out there who would contribute their experiences in form of some little text and images, I would go and do the book in the same way I do the other publications of the Fokker-Team-Schorndorf on CD-Rom.

I am also open to any suggestions in this field.

Let me know your thought´s, even if you can not contribute something just let me know what you think about the idea.

Best

Achim

[wolfenbill]

It's a damn good idea Achim but perhaps more suited to the Canvas Falcons website which is being set up to be more oriented to actual construction techniques for WWI aircraft.

[AchimEngels]

Hello,

Yes, and I still have to post the idea there, too. But the site still has to grow. William is doing a very good job on it and it comes along quite well.

If people like you throw in their coin into this book idea we could well put something together and offer it on this website and/or at Canvas Falcons so that everybody would profit from it. It could either be sold or even shared as a free downloadable file, but this last thing is more difficult, since it would cover quite a number of images for illustration which will blow the file the file up.

A friend of mine, Michael Aten, is working on a Wright Glider repro and he is doing a lot in steam bending wood. He offered to write something about it, so this article might be one of the first.

I have another one finished some time ago about "How to construct an airscrew the simple way". I do not know if you have read it in Leonard Opdycke´s "WWI Aero, the journal of the early aeroplane". This book could be very interesting and useful.

Actually I thought it would generate more interest, but unfortunately it did not, so perhaps I will be forced to do it on my own to see it coming into existence.

Contributions are welcome!

Just give it a thought. Would it not be fun to work altogether on such a project. This is a very easy one and could become one of the first "Aerodrome Projects" where members are invited to participate. It would also be a very nice way to share our experiences.......

Achim

Ups, it does not make a whole lot of sense to talk about the Canvas Falcons website without directing people to it, doesn´t it? So check this out:

http://www.canvasfalcon.com
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[Brad]

Achim,

It depends on if this is "authentic" WWI construction or homebuilts in general. I can contribute several things on ultralights or "sport" class aircraft, but next to nothing on the "authentic" versions.

I'll be happy to write up several rib construction methods, including plywood, "built-up" truss ribs, (wood AND aluminum) plywood with caps, and foam with plywood capstrips. (for ultralight guys, the foam is by far the simplest and cheapest... and you MAKE the tools for very little cost.)

I could also write up the fuselage construction method that I worked out for ultralights based on the old Fokker method that you are using. The cables are all tensioned during construction, and there are NO turnbuckles except the single one used to tension each bay prior to nicopressing the ends of the cables and trimming. It saves a LOT of money on a typical fuselage for an ultralight.

I could probably come up with a few other things.

Brad

[AchimEngels]

Hi Brad,

This one should not become just my project, but rather more one of the forumities here.

So why should we limit our selves with just one view of the things.

I think most of us would agree if we would try to cover all things related to the construction of men carrying aircraft, regardless if 7/8, ultralight or authentic.

We could split the whole thing into several (parts of the book like chapters) so that the reader won´t be confused.

It could become a general guide giving hints for the cheapest and simplest, but yet not stupid way to get things done.

Best

Achim

[William]

Dear Achim et al,
Thank you for your kind words about our website. We are still struggling to get all functions up and running at the same time. I feel like an entomologist with all the bugs we are chasing, I need only a butterfly net and straight-jacket and will be in costume as well. Hopefully it will all be sorted out very soon and we'll list it on search engines ASAP.
Best regards,
William

Although I am not building a replica, just dreaming : I think the book would be an excellent idea, and i for one would definitely look into it.

cheers,
jbs

ps keep up the enthusiasm