Morning all,
So, planning for my rear spar construction after I complete my main spars. Hopefully I'll get started on the assembly of the main spar shortly.
Anyway, my rear spar caps are 1-1/4" x 1/8" x 167". Since I can't get a single piece of metal that long, I'll have to do some splicing, not unlike I did with the main spar. My main spar has two layers of 1-1/2" x 1/8" 2024 that I ripped from a 4' x 12' sheet, and there is a 2-foot overlap that is the splice that makes the spar cap continuous from root to tip (also 167"). I think I'll do the same thing with rear spar using .063" material, two layers with a 2-foot overlap splice.
So now it's a matter of semantics and convenience. I can get a 4' x 12' sheet of .063" and rip a bunch of strips out of it, just like I did with the .125". But truth be told, that was a total PITA. ACS has 1-1/2" x .063" angle material in 12-foot lengths. I can rip that to dimension a heck of a lot easier on a table saw or band saw than with a ferrous blade on a circular saw and fence like I did with the .125".
As usual, however, there is a cost difference. A sheet of 4x12x.063 is currently a little less than $300. I can get about 37 strips out of that sheet, making them about $8 a strip. I don't need 37 strips, but it's an easy calculation since it's the only cut sheet option from ACS. The angle, on the other hand, is a little less than $85 for a 12-foot length, making them about $42 a strip. Pretty big trade off for ease of manufacturing. I'm figuring 12 strips per wing, so that's $100 versus $500.
So as much as I know y'all love to spend other people's money, would you trade time and effort for $$$ if it was your plane?
~Chris
P.S. - ACS has no .063" bar stock, only .125"+
So, planning for my rear spar construction after I complete my main spars. Hopefully I'll get started on the assembly of the main spar shortly.
Anyway, my rear spar caps are 1-1/4" x 1/8" x 167". Since I can't get a single piece of metal that long, I'll have to do some splicing, not unlike I did with the main spar. My main spar has two layers of 1-1/2" x 1/8" 2024 that I ripped from a 4' x 12' sheet, and there is a 2-foot overlap that is the splice that makes the spar cap continuous from root to tip (also 167"). I think I'll do the same thing with rear spar using .063" material, two layers with a 2-foot overlap splice.
So now it's a matter of semantics and convenience. I can get a 4' x 12' sheet of .063" and rip a bunch of strips out of it, just like I did with the .125". But truth be told, that was a total PITA. ACS has 1-1/2" x .063" angle material in 12-foot lengths. I can rip that to dimension a heck of a lot easier on a table saw or band saw than with a ferrous blade on a circular saw and fence like I did with the .125".
As usual, however, there is a cost difference. A sheet of 4x12x.063 is currently a little less than $300. I can get about 37 strips out of that sheet, making them about $8 a strip. I don't need 37 strips, but it's an easy calculation since it's the only cut sheet option from ACS. The angle, on the other hand, is a little less than $85 for a 12-foot length, making them about $42 a strip. Pretty big trade off for ease of manufacturing. I'm figuring 12 strips per wing, so that's $100 versus $500.
So as much as I know y'all love to spend other people's money, would you trade time and effort for $$$ if it was your plane?
~Chris
P.S. - ACS has no .063" bar stock, only .125"+
