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Well I know I shouldn't but I feel like an ass-umer. I have had problems with my TIG welder and as such decided to switch to gas welding. I did all my trouble shooting of the TIG process except check the bottle of argon. Today was the final check by returning the gas and asking for an uncontaminated bottle. Turns out I had erroneously been given an an argon blend. Hooked it back up this afternoon and wouldn't you know I wasted 3 weeks with no TIG welder because of being given an argon blend instead of pure argon. At least i didn't ship the welder off to tech for service.
I do believe if something is learned then failure is not a complete waste. Man with all the welding experience I have I shouldn't have trusted that guy or at least it should have been the first thing I checked.
:blush:
Jim
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3/24/17, I rocked this today. Got 7 cross tubes notched and tacked in today. Off to an EAA meeting tomorrow and then back to hard weld as much of the new tubes as I can reach. Get the rest when I flip it over end of the week. Sunday I will start jigging up so I can start pulling the longerons in as I head toward the tail. Pictures Sunday night.
Jim
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3/26/17, Last few days work. I have the front 16 cross tubes tacked and welded in on what will be the underside of the fuselage. These will get welded on the upper side when the fuselage gets turned over.
You can see some of the jigging of the fixture in these two pictures. That was actually a process that started with a few 8' 2 X 4 uprights and then transitioned into just tabletop lock-downs. As a bay would get tacked, a square was screwed in locking in the upper and lower longerons. Then the lower lock-down was moved after and raised and narrowed as the longerons past the the cockpit. If you look closely in the first pic you can see how the longerons are coming closer toward the tail-post.
Attachment 6227
The second picture shows a failed tack weld where the top longeron steps down for the horizontal stabilizer and elevator assemblies. Boy I hate in when I start bending some tubing and my tack weld breaks. Guess I should have welded that completely first. I do have a weldment I am going to make on the lathe before I weld in the stern-post and tomorrow I am taking mom to the doctor. Guess I will weld up what I have on Tuesday and make the turning Wednesday. Should be ready to flip the fuselage over by end of the week.
Attachment 6228
Jim
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Hi Jim,
Your doing a great job... I see a lot of great looking parts.
and what might be taken for granted... Your Building Log is gonna help others.
You'll be surprised that it will even help YOU.
Life happens , and sometimes hobbies take a Back seat.
Sometimes, I need to look back at what I did.
I used MIG for Tack welding and TIG for welding...
I always pre heat with a quick start propane bottle.
Those Welding supply houses... Gotta watch them.
I got some Rod at the beginning... It wasn't STAMPED...
I was having a hell of a time... WTF ???
Took it back.. They grabbed an 80 series rod.
Came home with the right stuff and it went smooth.
You have a good balance of pictures in your log.
Everybody loves Eye Candy
And The weight loss.... I'm putting in an 0-235 on my Wittman "Buttercup"
So I'm loosing the extra 20 lbs HA !!!!!
Save weight where you can.
.
Gotta Fly...
JAM
PS Here's a link for homemade tools or modifying some tools.
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JAM, thanks for the props. Try ER70S rod, works pretty good.
Jim
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4 Attachment(s)
3/29/17, I got some lathe and fuselage time yesterday starting off with fabricating the welding jig for the tail area. It was then on to the lathe since I had fabricated the tail post the day before I wanted to have the tail skid mount done so I could have clearance from the longerons for the 1/4" bolt and washer that retains the tail skid mount.
Attachment 6233
Attachment 6236
I also fabricated these 10mm X 2mm X 34mm long bungs that weld horizontally in the end of the upper and lower longeron ends.
Attachment 6234
And finally here is a picture showing the entire fuselage all tacked up after the tail was drawn together. I should be adding weld to all the tacks tomorrow and hopefully by the end of the day start taking the jigging down so I can flip the fuselage over and start welding the other side.
Attachment 6235
Thanks
Jim
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Das pilot der flugzeug
Attachment 6246
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Sorry about the ghost plane pic. Don't all builders do this though?
4/2/17, Bits and pieces and a work in progress this weekend after joining the two halves of the fuselage and pulling the tail together. I did manage to crimp the ends of the lower longerons at the wing pocket. This week those ends will get drilled and act as the jig for the simple wing cover panel. I will show you guys that the end of the week or next Sunday.
Attachment 6247
The second two pictures are the humble beginnings of the control column. Those three cone shaped pieces of steel took a few failed attempts. I usually look at a failed part as a learning lesson and the two cones that are too small schooled me, especially since they were formed by hand on my vice with a smithing sledge hammer. No torch used there baby. There are more pieces to make before I can start to weld them together. The other end of the control stick is coming together nicely. There are normally two gun triggers inside that trapezoidal shape and the left side gets a stand off for an auxiliary throttle. The main throttle I have already made and gets mounted on the inside of the left fuselage cockpit area. Oh yeah, that ovaled piece is called the yoke. I am not done beating on that one either.
Attachment 6248
Attachment 6249
Have a good week yall
Jim
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Beautiful work as always!
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