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Thread: Building a Nieuport 11...

  1. #21

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    Rinse and repeat until they're all done. Sort of scared me, as it only took about an hour, including cutting the flange gusset from stock, bending and crimping it. And ten minutes looking for my Sharpie (yep, in my pocket the whole time).

    To make the turtle deck gussets, once again I relied on CLA* materials. In this case, a foam project board that was used as a BB Gun target and a back splash for some painting project or other.

    I cut a rectangle of it, put it long ways and measured how high each tube was from the two crossmembers where I wanted them, then cut them down into a step pyramid shape to ensure I was on:



    Then it was a matter of cutting circles in some of the beech plywood I used for the flooring:



    Cut in some V notch stakes to ensure they fit:



    In this case I cut a little shallow so they'd sort of snap in place.

    Draw some very accurate lines between the notches:



    Cut with a jigsaw along the lines, sand, and secure on the tubing with some nylon covered clamp thingies using 1/4" inch bolts, washers, and locking nuts.

    A few notes:
    CRA = Crap Laying Around. Never underestimate its value.

    Turns out that the technique used here is a case of independant discovery. The KC Dawn Patrol guys did the exact same thing on turtle deck supports when they re-did their Nieuports back in '93.
    Last edited by Frank Giger; 07-16-2020 at 08:14 PM.
    The opinions and statements of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.

  2. #22

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    Last fooling around with the stupid turtle deck.

    I placed a plywood section placed inside the front metal gusset with cutouts for the tubing. Really weird that I got the cut right the first time; it fit snugly and is firmly in place. Bent down the flange (like one does for gussets on the fuselage) a little as well.

    Test of strength was simple - I sat on the top of it as if I was hanging out on the ramp trying to look cool. Not a wiggle.

    The back two support gussets got a relook as well. The long tubes weren't laying naturally, having a sort of hump and sag to them; their lines weren't running straight. Fortunately it was a case of too much wood, and a little trimming here and there got them running true.

    I also went from a sort of arch across the gusset to a slight concave smile from tube to tube to ensure they won't show when covered.

    An old table cloth went over the turtle deck and was tightened down for a line check. Tubing runs straight and true and it looks a helluvalot better. Impossible to tell where the gussets are with the cover and they are supporting the tubes rock solid.

    Done. Any attempt to improve on it will most likely mean disaster, so I'm putting a big check mark by it and moving on.
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  3. #23

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    (Lots of little stuff done that doesn't much matter, mostly QC of work)

    13 October:
    Finally got a day off* and so started to tackle the cabanes.

    First, a nice clean workspace:



    The gear legs are fishmouthed to match the longeron, so....



    I fired up the sander and did the same with the cabane strut:



    Test fit:



    Holy smokes, it's square!



    Establishing the precise location of the gusset:

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  4. #24

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    And, like always, I realized that I needed a better way of marking to be sure!



    One of my problems with the plans is that the measurements are from securing bolt to securing bolt, so I came up with a solution.

    First, mark from bolt line to bolt line:



    Then remove the gusset and mark where the cabane strut ends.



    They're even on both ends, so just replicate that.



    Mark the strut for length:



    Use the super special manual aluminum separation securing jig and cut to length.

    Note the super special manual aluminum separation tool next to the 'lectric drill.

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  5. #25

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    Check measurements - okay! Mark length on the other strut to make sure they're even:



    Make a "don't exceed" fishmouth line on the second tube:



    Pretty much on the numbers!



    Big test:

    They're all the same length and the fishmouths match up with the longeron okay. To ensure I'm not katywhompus, I stood them up by themselves and they balance 90 and 90 degrees on all four ends.



    Measure and drill the rivet holes on all eight gussets. The cable and longeron bolts won't be pre-drilled, as they have to match both sides exactly:

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  6. #26

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    So much for a clean workspace!



    I was just realizing that I have lost the eight eye ended bolts for the cable (the package compartment for them is open, and no doubt they're somewhere in the environs of my truck, the house, the shed, the garage, etc.) and took a break to visit Aircraft Spruce. Little suckers are expensive!

    * And then my boss calls to say two people called in sick and would I like an overtime opportunity? Well, yeah, I gotta pay for those bolts somehow...but since I work the night shift, I need to move up nappy time.
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  7. #27

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    Here's the Expert Jigs for the front cabanes:

    First, line up the strut and the gusset to the marks and put down a 2x4 piece of scrap at the end of it, screwing it into the work table.



    Put down a piece of scrap on the other end, and it's done for one side of the cabanes!



    Little dots help to keep me straight as I made holes and riveted!

    Put one side in, turn it end for end, do the other end on the same side.



    On the other sides, I just replaced the little piece of scrap with a 2x4 stub at the end of the gusset line, drilled and riveted.
    Check of completed pieces:



    And, through the magic of time delay, they're suddenly painted!

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  8. #28

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    16 October:
    Rear cabane gets started.

    The first is just like the fronts - tubes are fishmouthed for fit onto the longeron for square.

    I must say I was rather pleased with myself. They're standing balanced on these sleeves around the longeron that rotate freely.



    Bending the first of the rear gusset fourteen degrees....

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  9. #29

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    19 October:

    Got some work done on the airplane!
    First, time to bend up the other gusset:

    Then came measure and draw. I'll spare the pics of drawing stuff out - everyone knows how to do that!
    What I needed, though, was something to stand in for the longerons. The plans say to "match fuselage" which makes sense, but I was at first lost on how to translate that to a jig.
    My solution:
    Measure fuselage from center to center (easy to do, just make a mark on top of the longeron and measure from point to point).
    Find something the same diameter. Turns out my crappy, falling apart wooden broom has a handle that matches. Woot! It's a little shorter now.
    Measure and draw ends, make a box, split the middle upwards for where the gusset goes.
    Put a block on the top where the gusset stops (once again there's a "bolt line" for height, so it's one inch higher than that).
    Put the broom handle sections on the corner, ensuring they center on the crosshairs.
    Simple, huh?
    Anyhow, then I rough measured how much to take off the spars, giving myself a little extra, trimmed them, and ran out of daylight!



    Tonight I'm gonna double check my angles for rivets on the gusset where it holds into the spars.

    Tomorrow I'll lock down the jig with some 2x4's, drill and rivet.

    Then paint and put the cabanes on!
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  10. #30

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    (Yesterday)
    Got some work in today - talk about an emotional rollercoaster!

    First, a quick check of the jig - measured the angle of one strut -



    And was really pleased to see the other matched.



    Locked everything down in place:



    Including the top gusset!



    This sort of professionalism and exactness isn't often seen, I know, but hey, somebody's gotta set standards around here.

    I ran into a conflict between plans and reality. The plans for the gusset use the full scale N17 measurements (my gusset is smaller than the 1:1 picture provided), so the angles didn't quite match up. I figured as long as it hits the center at the right height and they match in angle and it's close it would be okay.

    Lots of drawing on the gusset before I just said to heck with it and locked the sucker down.



    Flipped it over and did the other side.

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