REBUILDING MY FLYBABY

What happened?!?!It flies, mate!

2011-10-06T18:28:00.000-07:00

I don't need you people anymore! Go find someone building an airplane....... MY baby is flying!

The short strokes- the last 10%

2011-05-12T10:19:00.000-07:00

Haven posted for a while but that doesn't mean it ain't been worked on. Here is just a little.

Stab removal/installation
best done with stab brackets already on stab with vertical an3s loose. STAB HORN should be installed and pushed past the aligning holes prior to all this for ease of stab to fuselage fit.Pin up cable wire to hold stab in position.
Jam a thin ( paint stir stick) behind bolts to push bolts into fuselage enough to capture with casillated nuts. Tlghten up these nuts and pull out wood. Then use thin special wrench to capture nut heads.

New shoes

2010-11-28T16:05:00.000-08:00

The babe had her new shoes panted . Had to show them off.

Who needs Wings?

2010-09-27T19:16:00.001-07:00

Who Needs Brakes

2010-09-27T19:10:00.000-07:00

A madman designed this bladder type expander tube brakes. Do I look happy?

Lets get some air

2010-09-27T19:07:00.000-07:00

I.m no Picasso...or maybe I am

2010-09-27T19:03:00.000-07:00

Im starting to get the feel for painting with the Stewart system. Its like living with my wife. When you get it right...its sweet.But totally unforgiving of even minor mistakes.

Paint by numbers

2010-09-27T19:01:00.000-07:00

Prop , cowling and windshield.Starting to look like an airplane.

May sunshine-time for wheels

2010-09-27T18:58:00.000-07:00

Im way behind on the blog so heres the last 4 months coming at you.

Paint by Numbers

2010-07-25T04:48:00.001-07:00

The Heartbreak of Painting-

2010-05-31T18:55:00.000-07:00

Went to a sign maker and got some vinyl and transfer paper. Redid the design on the computer and laid it out on the gear leg. The vinyl is yellow so I can see the contrast.
The airbrush was a disaster .Probably good for very minor touch ups but to fill a large area no-no.Cleaned off all the wet paint, sanded the dry area to remove the ridge and shot with my touchup gun. Better.

Back to Work!

2010-05-30T18:53:00.000-07:00

My C-140 has kept me busy but its back to baby now. Lots of work to turn the garage into a paintshop and much prep before this point. Just to get something posted here is the planned paintscheme and the first assembly painted .

HERMAN

2009-12-29T07:23:00.000-08:00

The knock on the door instilled a cold sweat of fear . It was like being chained to a train track and you can hear the whistle of the approaching cho-cho. The man was all dressed in black. His name is Herman . He inspected my work like the cold, heartless bastard he is.. It sent chills up my back.,,,

one down-one to go

2009-12-25T18:52:00.000-08:00

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the basement, gremlins slipped another wing on the frame! At least they hung the finished one neatly....

Filler Coat

2009-12-25T18:47:00.000-08:00

Finally put the first 2 coats of filler on the left wing. The grey Ekofill from the Steward system. Geez-I shud get royalties for the hawking I do for them

Finishing Tapes

2009-12-25T18:36:00.000-08:00

It doesn't mean your finished! These tapes go over the Rib stitching and reinforce the hard corners.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE SEX TO A MARTIAN ?

2009-12-11T07:56:00.000-08:00

Trying to describe how to rib-stitch is like describing sex to a martian. Blank stare with a underlying curiosity. But show him a video and he'll get the idea. Same with the infamous rib-stitch. In other words if you want to see how it's done-go somewhere else. Here is the finished results on the first bay of the left wing.

MONTANA DAVE

2009-12-10T07:02:00.000-08:00

These here pics are for my bud "Montana Dave" who has the prettiest bride this side of the divide. Not much between the ears , montana, but the man knows tools and how to use them.In his spare time he captains a boeing 777 wearing shitkicker ranch boots.

Fabricing the wing , ma man. Two fisted irons finished the tensioning of the fabric.

Sorry, Scott!

2009-11-26T17:14:00.000-08:00

My bud Scott Black invited me to go to an EAA meeting where he was presenting two lecture's

" THE JOYS of FIBERGLASS" and "EPOXY RESIN-THE LONELY MAN'S FRIEND".

I told him it was my birthday and wifey had a special dinner lined up. Now I'm riddled with guilt because I actually disappeared into my shop and started covering the wing

. Yes indeed, I'm riddled with guilt.

I'm on a Roll !

2009-11-05T17:05:00.000-08:00

Time to try using the 2 part Stewart System topcoat. Still a waterborn system but definitely a hard , autobody type paint. Without good ventilation you can see the results on me in the last picture. I'm 22 years old.......

Paint by Numbers

2009-11-05T16:51:00.000-08:00

As winter doth approach the painting season is finished-unless you use some imagination or steal ideas from others. Behold the indoor painting booth. Take one unheated garage and build a child like fort of poly and heat it with electric radiators.Thanks to the Stewart Systems Waterborn technology there was no risk of blowing up the garage while spray painting.

FABRICING THE FUSELAGE

2009-10-11T12:42:00.001-07:00

WING FOLDING

2009-10-11T12:34:00.000-07:00

The whole idea behind the design was to have an aircraft that could stow away for winter or be trailerable. It took a full week to make all the fittings and make it work.

Sitting on me arse?

2009-08-03T15:28:00.000-07:00

Not bluddy likely! Some smart ass said I'm not blogging this summer. To which I replied" Some do while others just blog about it."
Flight controls ready for finish coats and vertical stab fabriced.

Mindless Labour

2009-08-03T15:24:00.000-07:00

It was time to strip the metal parts . A mindless boring job only a half wit could take pleasure in. Unfortunately none of my friends would help.They would have been giggling with pleasure.

WINGS AND BEER

2009-07-20T16:04:00.000-07:00

I had been dreading fitting the wings on the fuselage for weeks. I would rather have had to dress a bipolar gorilla in a tuxedo.Getting the wing out of the basement like was stuffing the tuxedo clad gorilla into a smart car without ruining the press.

Surprisingly the wing support pins went on slick . Minor tapping with a calibrated hammer . landing wires tomorrow.

NEVER ENUF CLAMPS

2009-06-28T07:07:00.000-07:00

What did you think? Wood is held up there by magnetic force? Epoxy glue and many clamps.

Wood Airplane?

2009-06-28T06:54:00.000-07:00

Yes, surprising I actually had to do some good ol' fashioned wood butchering. New fabric formers for the port side.

SODA WITH YOUR GIN,SIR?

2009-06-28T06:44:00.000-07:00

No, that's not snow all over the driveway.That's baking soda from my soda blaster. About 10 kg of powder in ever crack and orifice.....of my body.To say nothing of the garage, stone driveway, dog.You get the idea.

Do it Yourself Brain surgery

2009-05-29T05:57:00.000-07:00

I successfully gave myself a frontal lobotomy after reading the fascinating book "Do it Yourself Brain surgery"...... but I'll defy anyone to teach themselves how to ribstitch. Took me hours of fustration, 50 feet of waxed cord and I buggered my near vision for the rest of the day.Pretty sure I could sew up a cadaver in about 1/2 hour now.

NICE TAIL!

2009-05-07T10:40:00.000-07:00

Just a piece-no fabric yet. Control wires going to and instrument panel installation.

BABY GETS SOME RAYS

2009-05-07T10:35:00.000-07:00

The constant whining " I want to go outside " finally got to me. It was me talking to myself.

Swagged turnbuckle ends

2009-05-07T10:24:00.000-07:00

Only 2 pictures for 2 days work.What you don't see is me crying in the corner after buggering up the 5th crimp in a row. Had to make and install a "jumper" Turnbuckle didn't fit well into port leg.

SOLO LANDING GEAR INSTALLATION

2009-05-07T10:15:00.000-07:00

Bowers said only a fool would try tio install the LG by himself. I am that fool. There is a definite order in which to attach everythingh. Too bad I didn't know that order. It came close to being the first flybaby on skids.*Trick was to pre assemble the gear with loose fit by locater bullets. Attach SB side totally assembled.On port side slip wood into fitting and bash the crap out of it!!! no..no..grease pins , talk soothing to her...then bash the crap out of the pins.

Don't force it-GET A BIGGER HAMMER!

2009-05-07T10:05:00.000-07:00

I tried to persuade a bolt thru the landing gear fitting. Big hammer-bad ideas.The glue joint failed which lead to a replacement as shown.*Note the skill and technique used to drill a hole that goes exactly thru the other side.

ALL DAY FOR THAT LITTLE PIECE OF JUNK?

2009-04-15T18:43:00.000-07:00

Yes.....all day. Original fitting not to standard. Scounge 1/16 metal from Gord. Suck up to Gord and borrow his bending jig. Hacksaw form .....you get the idea. All day for for this superb example of craftmanship.

TEST DRIVE

2009-04-13T07:46:00.000-07:00

Landing gear with fittings, tires for trial fit. Amazing what you discover!. Starboard fitting for gear wire too tight and probable always was.Needs to be filed down. Brtake lines need to be replumbed and relocated. Required bolts are different from plans.

Give me some Skin

2009-04-10T19:23:00.000-07:00

Continuing with the fabricing of the flight controls using the "green" Stewart system of water-born coatings. This is the fill coats; grey UV protection. Excellent stuff to work with-tastes very similar to latex paint.Second job of the week was installing the vertical stab leading edge aluminum. The rotating jig brought tears of joy to my eyes. Im as proud of it as a new daddy. Pics show fuselage rotated to ite side to nail the skin on.

FLYING and LANDING WIRES

2009-04-06T17:31:00.000-07:00

Getting that 1x19 steel wire bent around the thimbles is one sob of a job.This is one homemade tool .

Flying Wires

2009-04-04T16:55:00.000-07:00

Blood looks so vivid on shiny stainless steel. I just wish it wasn't mine. Eay to get finger cuts trying to bend this stiff 1x19 SS cable.

NEW VERTICAL STAB LEADING EDGE

2009-04-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

Out with the old-on with the new.

NEVER ENOUGH CLAMPS

2009-04-04T10:34:00.000-07:00

Clamping capstrips onto the vertical stab ribs .Gotta have some area to attach the new vertical leading edge to.

2009-03-24T18:16:00.000-07:00

Vacuum Forming Aluminum

2009-03-24T17:24:00.000-07:00

Saw this in a website my buddy Russell sent me . How to form a leading edge by sucking the life out of it! Sort of. Pictures tell the story.

Looks Simple-it ain't

2009-03-20T17:22:00.000-07:00

What a pain in the arse aligning and drilling the hinges.

TIME FOR SPRING ! PUT THE CAR OUT.

2009-03-15T16:44:00.000-07:00

My rite of spring is putting my airplane project in the garage ...no matter how much my wife screams at me.

IRONING-IT'S WOMEN'S WORK

2009-03-11T11:24:00.000-07:00

Two days screwing little bitty #4 pk screws over the ribs .Like milking a mouse using these old fingers, crippled by years holding a plow.This was followed by cementing 1 1/2 inch fabric patches over each screw and shrinking the pinked edges. My wife Joanna has done such a fine job shrinking my workshirts over the years I offered her the honor of this mind numbingly boring part of the job. Surprisingly she told me to take a hike.

ANY DORKSTICK CAN USE A SODA BLASTER!

2009-03-08T16:25:00.000-07:00

And to prove the point I invited an aeronautical engineer to try it! Ma main man , Scott Black fit the bill perfectly. Look at the fine stick handling of the blaster gun. The intense concentration as he removes the paint from the delicate aluminum windshield was noteworthy to this journalist. His child like delight at the result was heart warming to see. (It does seem that engineers take delight in simple things). Thanks Scotty-you made me proud!

2009-03-05T17:46:00.000-08:00

NICE DAY TO FABRIC THE AILERONS

HINGES

2009-03-04T09:05:00.000-08:00

THE THINGIES TO MAKE THE FLAPPER IN THE BACK FLAP

THEY SAY AN IDIOT CAN FABRIC

2009-03-04T08:59:00.000-08:00

I AM THAT IDIOT

Thanks Bob!

2009-03-04T08:53:00.000-08:00

Thanks to "tailspin" Bob I have new skins for the horizonal stabs. Here they are being installed.

The Perfect Christmas Gift

2009-02-23T07:09:00.000-08:00

A soda / sand blaster from Eastwood supplies.Nothing like stipping paint to make you feel like a man.

Powder Coating for Dummies

2009-02-23T06:48:00.000-08:00

If you want to know all about it...look it up on the net. I'm very happy with the results.

SPAR ATTACH FITTINGS

2009-02-23T06:41:00.000-08:00

Silly me- Why put all this work into the parts and area holding the wings on.

Why Wood Wings ?

2009-02-22T18:22:00.000-08:00

Because steel wings are too heavy , thats why.

Give Me Some Skin

2009-02-22T17:59:00.000-08:00

SURPRISE ! Leading edge aluminum skin thin as paper thanks to corrosion. Amazing what some jerk leaving a pretty little airplane outside can do to add one months work to my project. If I find him I'm going to reskin him and see how he likes it

ELEVATOR

2009-02-22T17:02:00.000-08:00

Here's a few pics after some work.

Elevator to the top floor

2009-02-21T12:33:00.000-08:00

The elevators proved to be major rebuilds . Once again stipping the fabric made the extend of wood rot and metal corrison visible

IT WOULDN'T FIT IN THE BEDROOM

2009-02-21T11:26:00.000-08:00

I was told by a wise old arab you can achieve hours of pleasure in your bedroom but the damn wing won't go up the stairs! So once baby's fuselage was hung the left wing was located into the basement workshop . It fit's neatly in and I didn't even have to move the cat's litter box.

I can bore people to tears describing all the work but I'll let the pics and video walk the talk.
* every time the cat comes down it had to endure me picking her up and showing her my progress. It's getting pretty fast at "dump-and-run" now.

Sail a Rudderless Ship

2009-02-20T12:06:00.000-08:00

The rudder took a beating out in the wind and rain. Only when the fabric was removed was the extent of the rot seen. Ribs had seperated, plywood had delaminated , and bolts corroded beyond even scrap value. The spar warped by fabric shrinkage and had to be built up.As we speak my lovely rebuilt rudder hangs in my computer room where I can throw darts at it.

Say Goodnight Baby!

2009-02-20T11:51:00.000-08:00

My selfish wife demanded the garage for the winter for..for..a CAR! In the interested in preserving what's left of the marriage I had to come up with a compromise. Her constant whining on how heavy it was hoisting the car up to the ceiling at night wore me down. Baby is now hung from the rafter's of the garage like a Smithsonian exhibit. Had to remove some floor for the tail to stick up into the attic.

RIGGING

2009-02-20T06:01:00.000-08:00

OK-Now that they are on the fuselage lets try to locate them correctly. You only have to rig them if you want to live thru the first flight by the way .For the eagle eyed critics the restoration is just starting. I just was curious how it looked with a tail.

TAIL TIME

2009-02-19T16:45:00.000-08:00

Nice piece of tail! New horizontal stabs had been previously manufactured. Here they are on a trial fit on the fuselage.No one told me I'd have to be able to understand the plans...

STRIP FOR ME , BABY!

2009-02-19T11:08:00.000-08:00

All of the fittings exposed to the outside showed corrosion. Minimum required was a soothing bath in paint stipper . Those fittings that defied my wire brush faced high pressure sand and soda blasting. They soon learned not to displease me when I ordered them to take off their paint.

Bringing Home Baby

2008-06-29T17:57:00.000-07:00

Baby is an all wood, single seat aircraft very evocative of the 1930s. Having the indignity of sitting outside for 5 years then stored for another 10 the requirement for repairs , etc was a given.The first order of busy is inventory followed by a work sheet.