Chapter  6    Fuselage assembly                                                    Next   Previous   Home

                         

                        

                                         

                          

In this chapter all the parts we have made are accurately assembled   into a “Tub”.

Good fit, square corners, plumb bulkheads are vital. I installed my Seat back 1” 

aft of plans location…good move, I could use more. I compiled a  list of issues  that I have 

ran into due to this mod, you can find it  here.    

                                                                                                                                 

     In these pics the tub is jigged square and plumb then clamped up. I used the Wayne Hicks method here with one modification; I used 2

accurately cut 2 X4’s to set between the tub and my table. This eliminated the need to cut a slot in the table for the Instrument panel.  Also

note my table top is removable from the base, I made it that way with this step in mind.

    

                                                                                                                                     

                    

Next the LGB’s (landing gear bulkhead) are added, Pilot holes for 

the MLG (main Landing Gear) are  drilled using jigs to  keeps things

honest. Again, square, plumb and  accurate as possible.

 

                      

Next the Fuselage bottom is fabricated, glassed, and then installed on the tub.

Here the tub is ready for the bottom to be set in place.            You are looking at the tub bottom; you can also see the           Heat duct that runs along the bottom of the tub.

                                        

                                                                           

Here you can see some of the structural taping that is done to secure all the parts. The BID tapes are laid up on 4 mil plastic, 2 plies of BID, epoxy, and then another layer of plastic.  Heat from a hair dryer and firm pressure on the squeegee will remove excess epoxy.  This is also know as the “Poor man’s vacuum bag method”  Guide lines are drawn on the plastic, then the tapes are cut using the Famous Dritz scissors seen here….they don’t look that nice anymore.

                                         

One tip I would pass on, paint the surface to be taped with epoxy before applying tapes and peel ply. Make sure the air is worked completely out of the transition area along the tape edges.  This makes them almost invisible and seals them down properly.

 

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