17 August:
Bought the beech plywood for the bottom of the plane/fuselage - real thin stuff that will do fine and look pretty good when sanded and sealed.
I was returning from the Aviation Section of Lowe's when I spotted the big box from Walmart had been delivered - a huge carport canopy that will be a godsend in the project. I'm working in the back yard and without shade. I don't mind the heat, but the tools were getting so hot that a stupid box end wrench actually burned my hand!
So I spent yesterday afternoon putting it up, tying it down, and hanging tarp sides. It's placed where it won't be in the wind, but that didn't stop me from securing it against hurricanes.
22 August:
Based on feedback from the rain yesterday, I put in a longer tarp on the side facing the yard that goes the length of the canopy and rigged up a rain gutter on the house side of it using another tarp today. Now no water will get on the patio or close to my plane (hopefully). I haven't been drinking enough water and had to give it up at that point - the sweat was running down me to where even my pants were soaked!
Went out just before dark and painted the support struts for the horizontal stabilizer in what looks close enough to Horizon Blue for my likes. I left off the part where I had labeled which goes where; I'll remark and paint that bit tomorrow. I probably could tell by length but I'm a bit paranoid to not give myself a way to know for sure.
I found a pulled rivet and replaced it as well as bent back the gussets on the fuselage so they won't show when covered.
I'm going to have to buy a crimping tool for cables, some safety wire, and a safety wire tool. In order to paint the gear I'll have to remove the bungees and axel. Then it's back to the fuselage floor and carry throughs....
25 August:
Rough cut and bent the plywood for the fuselage bottom - waiting for it to dry and hold the curve before sanding and final fit (and then sealing).
In the interest of weight I've decided not to put a floor in on the inside. The floor pans and carry throughs will be enough for my feet, and I want to avoid the problems of putting too much weight on the plane by means of small amounts.
Re-did the horizontal stabilizer struts where the paint "crinkled."
Going to have to wait until I remove the floor to finish painting the fuselage tubing.....
When I say I'm building this in my backyard, I ain't kidding!
Wet the whole mess down until it was soaked and fit to the fuselage:
And clamped.
Originally I thought of a bothersome sort of mold for the fuselage bend, but then better sense took hold. I'll secure it to the fuselage with some conduit bends, washers, and good aviation nuts and bolts.
Note my take on Horizon Blue, which turns out matches "Periwinkle" out of a Krylon can. :p The blue tarps make it look darker than it really is.
And wow, there ain't much paint in a can - ran out, as one can see. Went back over some of it and it looks loads better, and without any signs of runs or crappy areas.
That's the inside of the Wonder Canopy. The tarp to the right that looks all wadded up and crappy is actually a rain gutter that works amazingly well. Two box fans keep the air circulating. The other side of the tarps on the left are silvered - it's actually no hotter inside than outside of the tent.
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