Test fitting the bulkheads on the aluminum
jig. The bulkheads fit snugly but not so tight as to hinder
removing the jig.
A front jig fixture was made up from
scrap 1/4 inch plywood. The supplied square hole plate is on the
other side. Since I didn't want to
take photos of an crooked jig I took
some pains to get it level fore and aft and laterally. There is
plenty of room at the tail for a 1/2 inch square length
of maple to run across on the rear
support. A clamp was placed inside the front support to prevent
the aluminum extrusion from moving.
A triangle is restraining the bar on the
other end.
The jig is above the fuselage top
view, and the triangles locate the F5 bulkhead as the top longeron is
tacked in.
Remember to locate the top longeron at
F5 so there is room for the tab on the top fuselage framing to fit
beneath it.
From F5 aft
the bulkheads can be done in
any order, but the front ones are best done from F1 aft so there is room
for the triangles or whatever type of
square you use.
I did the top and bottom longerons at
the same time, then left and right. The side longerons will have
to be spliced unless you have
48 inch stock, they measure a little
under 43 3/4. Lastly the quartering stringers of 1/8 x 1/4 are
installed. It is better to use flexible
stock as there is a twist from F3 to
F5. There is a "wasp waist" on the top stringers at F5 that will
want to draw out the stringer
between F6 and F7 slightly in reaction.
A little sanding between F6 and F7 will correct that
if desired.
A friend gave me the idea of using
aluminum angle extrusions covered by plastic wrap to keep structures
straight as they are
glued. It is especially helpful on
built up spars but works well for simple jobs like joining longerons
with scarf joints. I get
the angles the same by putting the
companion sticks under a 3/4 square length of hardwood and applying the
end to the belt sander.
(Probably a process everyone else came
up with before me.)
The upper cabin framing has been
laminated and is curing in place. I used Titebond for this.
The inside faces
of the aft ends of the framing need to be tapered to fit in the notch in F5
below the top stringer.
Installing the fuselage keels.
The notches for the landing gear go just in front of the bulkheads
so the wires
will rest against
them. The aft end is 1/8 inch above the lower longeron to
allow the lower fuselage plate to
fair at that point. The landing
gear must be installed before the bottom plate.