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Ideas on cheap building and design

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Canuck Bob

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2009
Messages
132
Location
Calgary, AB
This is an extension of my thread on Cantilever Spars.

I am rebuilding my Bowers Fly Baby, built in the 60's and from this experience have some firm ideas about building and designing in wood and homebuilding in general.

Optimized wooden structures built carefully are wonderous light. Bolts, metal fittings, 1/8 wire and turnbuckles are heavy. My tail feathers are so light and even overbuilt according to the plans. But when attachment hardware and all the fittings are added they almost double in weight.

In my design all tail feathers will be one piece and cantilever with the stabilizer sitting below the rudder as in modern practice.

All hardware will be stainless in wood structures.

All bolts in wooden structures will be bushed.

Wings will be simple geodesic wooden structure like the Cygnet. That wing has root fittings, strut fittings and captured hinge nuts. No compression tubes and expensive drag wire assemblies and no large expanses of plywood.

All washers will rest on 1/8 macarta pads bonded to the wood. Bolted assemblies crush wood. The oversize washers are too small.

Fittings are required anywhere there is large compression loads.

If anyone wants more input on wooden design in light of my experience rebuilding a 40 year old plane please ask.

One note the aircraft primary structure is sound, rot free, and not a single glue joint has failed from original construction with resorcinol nail clamped construction. A few added repairs with epoxy have shattered in shear. All joints were checked with a magnifying glass and a razor blade probe.
 
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