This may sound crazy...but anyone wanting to build a wood airplane must be crazy to begin with...so here goes. :ban:
Has anyone used the cedar strip canoe technique for the fuselage of an airplane before? I recently completed a 16 foot stripper canoe and have had it over rocks and under tree limbs without a dent or crack. It is extremely strong and light weight. about 55 lbs total. The benefits of cedar strip is that you can bend them easily whereas plywood is quite limited. (not too many straight lines on a canoe!) Once the strips are glassed on both sides it is stronger than aluminum and maybe even lighter. (and a **** sight prettier)
For my next project I want to tackle an airplane. I just don't know if it is feasible.
It just doesn't seem to make sense to build a frame out of dimension lumber, then add plywood and or foam, then cover it with cloth or glass, when you could glue up the strips, glass em and be done....with adequate plywood bulkheads of course.
Anyone out there with experience in this technique or with thoughts on the subject?
Has anyone used the cedar strip canoe technique for the fuselage of an airplane before? I recently completed a 16 foot stripper canoe and have had it over rocks and under tree limbs without a dent or crack. It is extremely strong and light weight. about 55 lbs total. The benefits of cedar strip is that you can bend them easily whereas plywood is quite limited. (not too many straight lines on a canoe!) Once the strips are glassed on both sides it is stronger than aluminum and maybe even lighter. (and a **** sight prettier)
For my next project I want to tackle an airplane. I just don't know if it is feasible.
It just doesn't seem to make sense to build a frame out of dimension lumber, then add plywood and or foam, then cover it with cloth or glass, when you could glue up the strips, glass em and be done....with adequate plywood bulkheads of course.
Anyone out there with experience in this technique or with thoughts on the subject?