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Thread: Corben Jr ace build.

  1. #51
    rwanttaja's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by conodeuce View Post
    A side question about wing rigidity: How often do drag-anti-drag rods require tightening? Over time, do things loosen up? Do big temperature changes have an impact? I had a rag-wing Cessna 140 for several years. I don't recall maintenance log entries indicating that sort of work.
    I don't think it happens that often.

    With THAT said, I found a loose internal brace on my Fly Baby a couple of months back. The wing had inspection panels that "kinda" gave me access to the turnbuckles, and I managed to snug it back up again.

    It loosened, and I was concerned that I had a nicopress slipping or other dire event. But I re-tightened it and did a better job of safety-wiring (used brass wire instead of stainless for better ability to wrap tight in a limited area). Checked it several times since then, and it's been holding.

    I discussed the issue on a previous thread:

    http://eaaforums.org/showthread.php?...ing-Techniques

    Temperature-wise, I have noted one instance where hot temperatures resulted in control interference. Don't think it was due to the internal bracing, though, probably the wood.

    http://www.bowersflybaby.com/tech/heat_controls.html

    Ron Wanttaja

  2. #52
    rwanttaja's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by conodeuce View Post
    @Ron: I hope you are planning to go to this year's Concrete Vintage Fly-In. If so, would you mind letting me know which day? I would like very much to see a Fly Baby in person.
    Probably not Concrete, but I should be at the Arlington Fly-In a week prior. Probably on Saturday.

    Ron Wanttaja

  3. #53

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    I'm liking the dialogue. I already have some fittings built for the drag wires. What are some other ways people are fabricating them? I like the stock setup as it requires no turnbuckles.

  4. #54

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    Ron, I'm sure I'll spot you at Arlington. You'll be the only non-RV there. :-) (Not to rag on RV's. If I have a second airplane in me, and any money left, I'd love to build a spiffy RV-4).
    Last edited by conodeuce; 06-18-2018 at 11:32 PM.

  5. #55

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tench745 View Post
    I'm liking the dialogue. I already have some fittings built for the drag wires. What are some other ways people are fabricating them? I like the stock setup as it requires no turnbuckles.
    Your airplane's approach is pretty common. On my airplane, drag-anti-drag rods connect to the ends of a simple bent metal piece:

    http://zoemertech.com/753-compressio...ails_small.jpg

    I'm actually working on those now.

  6. #56

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sam Buchanan View Post
    Ok...I just wasn't familiar with the "trammeling" term even though I've used that technique on all sorts of projects over the years.
    It really should be called "squaring the wing bays" instead of using the tool name (trammel points) as a verb (trammeling) because the same task can be accomplished without using trammel points as you have cleverly figured out.

  7. #57

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    Quote Originally Posted by conodeuce View Post
    A side question about wing rigidity: How often do drag-anti-drag rods require tightening? Over time, do things loosen up? Do big temperature changes have an impact? I had a rag-wing Cessna 140 for several years. I don't recall maintenance log entries indicating that sort of work.
    After installing they require little to no maintenance. It's a routine inspection item during an annual to ascertain they are still taut and doing their job. If they are loose, it usually means the wing has incurred some kind of damage.

    On a side note, you may have noticed the drag/anti-drag wires in your C-140 were different sizes. The ones in the bay near the wing root are much larger dia than the ones in the outboard wing bay as the drag/anti-drag loads lessen from root to tip. Also, if you were to replace the fabric on your 140 wings with aluminum skin, the drag/anti-drag wires would no longer be needed. The aluminum skin would suffice for those loads. Neat stuff.

  8. #58

  9. #59

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tench745 View Post
    Are you enjoying the metal working aspect of the project? I'm at the same stage; after a couple of sessions I'm beginning to develop a little confidence in my technique. The rib building was so pleasant that, when progressing to fabricating 0.090 steel parts, I really felt like a total noob. And, alas, I am.

  10. #60

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    I've done a fair bit of metal fabrication working in theatre, but nothing that requires the kind of finishing that aircraft parts require.
    I always have to psych myself to deal with the noise and mess of working steel, but once I get going it's easy to lose myself for a few hours. It can be therapeutic to get lost in the work. I too feel in over my head occasionally (like every time I pick up a welding torch to practice).

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