Hi Everyone! Please bear with me. New updates are being posted here now!

Bruce's Spitfire

Bruce's SpitfireBruce's SpitfireBruce's Spitfire

Bruce's Spitfire

Bruce's SpitfireBruce's SpitfireBruce's Spitfire
  • Home
  • Current Progress
  • Sept 2022 to Aug 2023
  • May to September 2022
  • March to May 2022
  • Jan to Feb 2022
  • Nov 2021 to Jan 2022
  • Oct to Nov 2021
  • July to Sept 2021
  • Jan to July 2021
  • Builder's Log
  • More
    • Home
    • Current Progress
    • Sept 2022 to Aug 2023
    • May to September 2022
    • March to May 2022
    • Jan to Feb 2022
    • Nov 2021 to Jan 2022
    • Oct to Nov 2021
    • July to Sept 2021
    • Jan to July 2021
    • Builder's Log
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • My Account

  • Signed in as:

  • filler@godaddy.com

  • My Account

  • Sign out

Signed in as:

filler@godaddy.com

  • Home
  • Current Progress
  • Sept 2022 to Aug 2023
  • May to September 2022
  • March to May 2022
  • Jan to Feb 2022
  • Nov 2021 to Jan 2022
  • Oct to Nov 2021
  • July to Sept 2021
  • Jan to July 2021
  • Builder's Log

Account

  • My Account

  • Sign out

  • Sign In
  • My Account

Builders Log - October to November 2021

Beginning of Two Week Building Binge!!!

I've taken two weeks off work and my friend Arild has come up from Washington for the duration to help me.  The plan is to get the wing spar completed, and hopefully to move on to working on the ribs before the time is up.  We are planning to work several hours every day for the next two weeks. 

  • October 2 2021 - 2.0hrs - 3859.5 total.  Arild finished cleaning up the all-thread.  I cut the 2x4 pieces to length for the clamp cross pieces and started drilling the through holes in them.


  • October 3 2021 - 21.0 hrs - 3880.5  The hours look crazy, but I'm counting both of our times.  We each put in 10.5hrs - so 21 total man hours of work done.  Arild doublechecked all my measurements on the jig and marked the rib positions and rib stiffener locations on both sides.  I finished making the vertical clamp cross pieces and started installing them.  Arild joined in and we worked on getting the rest installed.  We're about 2/3rds of the way through with them.


  •  October 4 2021 - 11.0 hrs - 3891.5 total.  We finished the clamps and cross braces and decided to re-drill all the holes in the braces to be larger so they would go on and off the all-thread easier. Covered the bottom of each with packing tape and labeled them and corresponding reference points on the table.  Arild re-checked his measurements on the rib locations.  Cleaned up a bit and started planning how will support the pre-steam bent pieces during the glue application process.  Finally managed to shove the extra laminates under the table out of the way.  Has been a real annoyance having to step around them all this time.


  • October 5 2021 - 11.0hrs - 3902.5 total.  Planned and built some supports to hold the laminates during glue application.  Determined material needed for large laminated blocking between spar beams and setup for glue 14ea pieces of 25" long laminates.  Decided to wait to glue until we had more time tomorrow.  Determined what type of clamp blocking we wanted for the big laminate glue jobs and cut 32 pieces from MDF.  Started covering them with packing tape.


Vertical clamp

Gluing seven laminates together for landing gear blocking in spar

About 2/3rds of the vertical clamps built and installed

About 2/3rds of the vertical clamps built and installed

Gluing seven laminates together for landing gear blocking in spar

About 2/3rds of the vertical clamps built and installed

Gluing seven laminates together for landing gear blocking in spar

Gluing seven laminates together for landing gear blocking in spar

Gluing seven laminates together for landing gear blocking in spar

  • October 6 2021 - 14.0hrs - 3916.5 total.  Finished covering the MDF blocking. noticed something that looked like a crack in one of the laminates.  Have had them stored clamped together since they were steamed.  Unclamped and inspected all nine laminates with high powered magnifier and very bright light.  Turn out that seven of the eight bends in the lower four laminates have cracks in them.  Not good.  I had gone to very great lengths to have the spar made from laminates with no scarf joints.  Not going to happen now.  That's a LOT of time and effort down the drain.  Did some estimates and I have plenty of material on hand to scarf in new sections and re-steam them.  There's no doubt that they cracked because of the way I was clamping them.  All of the upper five laminates are fine.  Decided it will be better to forge ahead with gluing the good laminates and work on the scarf joints while the others are drying.  The store called and the West System 209 hardener came in.  Went and picked it up along with more 206, cabosil, and other supplies.  We are now ready to start gluing.  Decided to do a test run on the laminates that make up the gear blocking using the new 209 hardener. Glued two sets of seven laminates 25" long.  We worked out a bunch of details on how to apply thickened glue, vertical clamps, blocking, etc.  Was a good test.  Left them to dry overnight.


  • October 7 2021 - 5.0hrs - 3921.5 total.  decided to not remove previous glue job from clamps yet as the new hardener needs 24hrs. Built a new scarfing jig with a 15:1 ratio and did a test scarf.  Not really pleased with the result or how long it takes to do it.  Will try making a test scarf with the belt sander tomorrow.  Arild did quite a bit of research into the flap motor and actuator part numbers and availability.


Large crack in laminate #9

This ugly combination of clamps and boards is for the center blocking

Typical of the cracks in laminates 6 through 9

Typical of the cracks in laminates 6 through 9

This ugly combination of clamps and boards is for the center blocking

Typical of the cracks in laminates 6 through 9

This ugly combination of clamps and boards is for the center blocking

This ugly combination of clamps and boards is for the center blocking

This ugly combination of clamps and boards is for the center blocking

  • October 8 2021 -8.0hrs - 3929.5 total.  Cleaned up a bit and setup for gluing the first two upper laminates together.  Coated bottom side of #1 and top side of #2 with a coat of thin epoxy, then with a coat of thick using a roller.  Takes a TON of glue.  Clamped everything in place then scraped off most of the squeeze out.  Used the scraped off glue to glue the two sets of laminated blocking together.  There was no room in the jig for it so we had to rig up a double set of clamps to hold everything flat.


  • October 9 2021 - 19.0hrs - 3948.5 total. Cut up the original laminates #6 thru #9 to remove cracked sections. Spent quite a bit of time working on a jig to create very clean and precise scarf joints at 15:1 angle.  Did a test scarf, then did the first for the pieces that will replace the bad ones. Did a lot of planning and measuring and came up with a way to create all the ones we need.  Removed last nights glue job from clamps. Sanded down surface that will be glued next. Cleaned glue from table and patched up jig as needed. Cut laminate #3 to exact length and glued to finished #1 & #2 pieces.


  • October  10 2021 - 18.0hrs - 3966.5 total.  Scarfed one end of a laminate with handheld belt sander and used the hand sanding jig to smooth it out.  It takes forever and is not that good of a result.  Researched other ways to make scarfing jigs and built one for the 8" sanding disc.  Changed the sanding disc out in preparation. Haven't had a chance to try it yet. Spent a lot of time remeasuring the remaining laminates and planning scarf joints to insure we will have enough material, and the scarfs will be properly located as well as properly spaced apart from each other.  Removed upper laminate beam from jig, prepped for next laminate glue up. Cut laminate #4 to precise length and glued onto upper beam.


Looking down on the jig with 1 & 2 glued, clamped and drying

Some of the left over glue removed by scraping squeeze out off

Looking down on the jig with 1 & 2 glued, clamped and drying

Laminates 1 & 2 being glued together

Some of the left over glue removed by scraping squeeze out off

Looking down on the jig with 1 & 2 glued, clamped and drying

Some of the left over glue removed by scraping squeeze out off

Some of the left over glue removed by scraping squeeze out off

Some of the left over glue removed by scraping squeeze out off

  • October 11 2021 -14.5hrs - 3981.0 total.  Worked on the scarf jig some more.  Got it closer, but finally decided I need a larger belt sander to do this.  Went and got a 4" wide belt benchtop sander.  Haven't set it up yet. Finalized plans on how to use remaining material to make new scarfed sections for lower four laminates.  Cut them to length, marked, and set aside to be scarfed.   Had to take table saw outside to allow room to trim the edge of a 17' piece. Removed last night's glue job from jig, cleaned up for tonight gluing.  Marked #5 for final length, cut, glued in place with laminates #1 thru #4.  Clamped in jig to set up.  Its taking a lot of glue.  Have almost used up one of the cans of 209 extra slow hardener.


  • October 12 2021 - 11.0hrs - 3992.0 total.  Got out the new belt sander and adapted the scarf jig I had made for the 8" disk sander so it would work with it.  Took a lot of tweaking, but finally got it to work.  Makes perfect 15:1 scarf angles in the laminates.  Put scarf angles on all the joints on laminates #8 and #9.  Removed clamps from yesterdays glue job and cleaned up a bit.  Laid out for gluing the scarf joints using the spar jig.  Works great.  Glued the scarf joints on Laminates #8 and #9.


  • October 13 2021 - 12.5hrs - 4004.5 total.  Spent some time cleaning up then removed clamping from last nights scarf joint glue ups. Found we had clamped one of the MDF clamping blocks with the wrong side toward the work, so no tape to protect it, which meant we had glued it to the laminate!  Had to carefully cut and sand it off.  Sanded down all the scarf joint glue areas.  Setup steamer again and steamed and clamped laminates #9 and #8 again (the new ones).  Sanded the scarf angles into laminate #7.  Its ready to be glued together.


  • October 14 2021 - 8.5hrs - 4013.0 total.  Glued the two scarf joints in laminate #7. While it dried I sanded down the large hunk of laminated material that will be used to make the landing gear blocking.  Got out laminate #6 and checked its width.  It had some problems they way it was cut at the wood supplier.  We had already run it through the table saw to get it close to size, but I spent some time checking it and hand sanding it to the correct dimensions.   Once #7 dried, removed it from jig and glued and clamped #9 and #8 together in jig.  Cut #8 to final size.  Used "normal" speed 206 hardener.  We were able to get it done working quickly before the glue started to set, but it was getting thicker much faster than using the 209 did, which required us to use about twice as many clamps to get the same amount of squeeze out.


  • October 15 2021 - 18.0hrs - 4031.0 total.  Removed clamps from last night's glue job. Removed lower beam from jig and cleaned up squeezed out glue to prepare for next gluing. Returned to jig. Steamed laminate #7 and clamped in jig against lower beam.  Steamed laminate #6 and clamped against #7.  Let them cool and dry for a few hours then glued both #6 and #7 in place in jig with #8 and #9 at the same time.  It was a very big glue job so we used the 209 hardener to give us time.  That's it.  All the laminates are glued.


  • October 16 2021 - 0.5hrs - 4031.5 total.  Dropped Arild off at the airport this morning so he could head back to Seattle.  Waited till glue had set for 24hrs then removed clamps and popped lower four laminate beam loose from jig.  Spent some time putting away all the clamps.


All five of the upper laminates glued

Laminates #8 and #9 glued and drying in the jig. Lots more clamps because of quicker thickening with the 206 hardener

All five of the upper laminates glued

Scarf jig and new 4" wide belt sander

Laminates #8 and #9 glued and drying in the jig. Lots more clamps because of quicker thickening with the 206 hardener

All five of the upper laminates glued

Laminates #8 and #9 glued and drying in the jig. Lots more clamps because of quicker thickening with the 206 hardener

Laminates #8 and #9 glued and drying in the jig. Lots more clamps because of quicker thickening with the 206 hardener

Laminates #8 and #9 glued and drying in the jig. Lots more clamps because of quicker thickening with the 206 hardener

Two Week Building Binge is Over

My friend has returned home and I'll have to go back to work on Monday.  We got a lot done while he was here, though far less than I had hoped, due to the cracked laminates and having to make and glue scarfs into all four of the lower ones.  Still, everything that really needed two people has been done. Thanks Arild!

All 9 laminates glued and loose from the jig

Upper and lower beams sanded, tapered, and back into the jig

Tapering the shorter inner laminates on upper beam

Tapering the shorter inner laminates on upper beam

Upper and lower beams sanded, tapered, and back into the jig

Tapering the shorter inner laminates on upper beam

Upper and lower beams sanded, tapered, and back into the jig

Upper and lower beams sanded, tapered, and back into the jig

Upper and lower beams sanded, tapered, and back into the jig

  • October 18 2021 -1.0hrs - 4032.5 total. Lifted the completed laminates up into the braces that we used for gluing them together.  Makes it easier to reach them to start sanding the tapers on the shorter laminates.  Also will need to sand off all the extra glue.


  • October 19 2021 - 4.0hrs - 4036.5 total.  Cleaned out and filled in a gap between a couple of the laminates that was found while cleaning up extra glue.  Have now sanded three sides of the upper laminates, including finishing up the tapers on the upper beam.


  • October 20 2021 - 2.0hrs - 4038.5 total.  Sanded down 4th side of upper laminates.  Positioned back into jig.  Set up lower laminates to be sanded down.  Started on laminate tapers.  Finished the first one.


  • October 21 2021 - 3.5hrs - 4042.0 total.  Sanded taper in all remaining lower laminates. Sanded all four sides of lower beam. Removed plastic sheeting from jig and cleaned up a bit.  Positioned upper and lower beams back into jig.


  • October 22 2021 - 4.0hrs - 4046.0 total.  Marked and sanded down tips of upper laminates to allow them to fit together at the tips of the spar with the lower laminates.  Took quite a while to get that done. Triple checked the centerlines on the upper and lower beams and clamped into final position in the jig.  Started laying out the center blocking .


  • October 23 2021 - 5.5hrs - 4051.5 total. Glued center blocking together all except outer edges so it can be removed from the jig to finish shaping. Made up oak blocking pieces for wing attach points.  They will need to be laminated together.  Cut down gear blocking pieces to rough size and started laying out for will the will go and planning how to shape them correctly.



Laying out the center blocking

working on gear, wing attach and center blocking

working on gear, wing attach and center blocking

working on gear, wing attach and center blocking

working on gear, wing attach and center blocking

working on gear, wing attach and center blocking

Center blocking sanded to final shape - dry fit

working on gear, wing attach and center blocking

Center blocking sanded to final shape - dry fit

  • October 24 2021 -4.5hrs - 4056.0 total. Pulled glued center block out of jig. Trimmed with band saw and sanded to final shape with 3"thimble sander.  Sanded oak pieces around edges to prep for gluing.  Found a couple of spots on the back side of the jig to use for gluing oak together.  Prepared areas on jig then glued oak pieces together.  Clamped upper beam into exact position on jig blocking and started laying out to form the gear blocking.


  • October 25 2021 - 3.5hrs - 4059.5 total. Removed oak blocking glue job from clamps.  Sanded off extra glue, cut and sanded to final shape.  One each side for the wing attach points.  Traced outline onto one of the gear blocking pieces.  Cut and sanded to shape.  It fits in the spar now, but still needs the lightening cutouts.  All blocking pieces are still dry fit at this point.


  • October 27 2021 - 0.0hrs - 4059.5 total.  Finally broke down and bought a decent bandsaw.  Had to put it together.  Weighs 200 lbs not counting the base.  No one to help so used a series of ropes and ratchet straps to lift it up onto the base.  Had to go buy some wheels for the base.  Its mostly assembled now, just need to go through all the setup and adjustments.  Should help quite a bit.  The old bandsaw was almost unusable and the blade would twist with the slightest pressure causing the cut to turn.  Hoping that a working bandsaw that can actually make accurate cuts will save me a ton of sanding. Especially making all the blocking for the spar.


  • October 28 2021 - 0.0hrs - 4059.5 total.  Spent about 2 hours continuing to setup and adjust the new bandsaw.  Almost done.



Oak blocking pieces being glued together

Both wing attach blockings done, working on gear blocking

Have to get this square block into that curved hole...

Have to get this square block into that curved hole...

Both wing attach blockings done, working on gear blocking

Have to get this square block into that curved hole...

Both wing attach blockings done, working on gear blocking

Both wing attach blockings done, working on gear blocking

Both wing attach blockings done, working on gear blocking

  • October 29 2021 -0.5hrs - 4060.0 total.   Finished setting up the new bandsaw and made two cuts on the gear blocking.  Amazing what you can do with the right tools!  Works great!  This is going to save me a lot of time and effort.  Also- big news to me - was able to coerce Rick the machinist and welder to come over and look at the plans and the Navion landing gear and help come up with a plan to start moving forward on making the landing gear.  We have a plan that means the Navion gear might be usable with a few modifications.  I will need to make a mockup spar section so we can experiment with the angles on the pivot point.  The gear legs need to angle forward about 16 degrees, and outward about 5 degrees when down and locked, then they need to swing up at a slight angle to fit behind the spar.  At least we finally have a plan for the gear now!


  • October 30 2021 - 7.5 hrs - 4067.5 total.  Trimmed and sanded second gear blocking to shape including crescent cutouts.  Pulled first gear blocking piece out and made up some pieces to scarf onto the edges where I didn't like the fit.  Glued those pieces on.  Will need to refit this one once its dry. Started making up the rib stiffeners.  Made it out to rib#6 on both sides and have made up one diagonal for each side so far.  Had to laminate some pieces together vertically for a blocking location near the wing attach blocks.  Have those glued, clamped and drying.  So far nothing has been glued into the spar itself yet.  Just making up and dry fitting everything.

First two cuts with the new bandsaw - Perfect!

One of the Navion gear legs taken apart. We have a plan!

One of the Navion gear legs taken apart. We have a plan!

One of the Navion gear legs taken apart. We have a plan!

One of the Navion gear legs taken apart. We have a plan!

One of the Navion gear legs taken apart. We have a plan!

Starting on the rib stiffeners and diagonals

One of the Navion gear legs taken apart. We have a plan!

Starting on the rib stiffeners and diagonals

  • October 31 2021 - 4hrs - 4071.5 total.  Removed vertical blocking from clamps, cleaned up and fit into position.  Sanded down glue on 1st gear blocking piece, with its new scarfed on pieces, trimmed and final sanded to shape.  Much better fit now.  All blocking is finished from center outwards to rib #6 - still need to put in lightening holes.  Still just dry fitting everything.


  • November 1 2021 - 1.0hrs - 4072.5 total.  The plans show diagonals in the center areas on part of the drawings, but not in other parts.  Decided to go ahead and put them in, just to be sure.  Made two for the left side.


  • November 4 2021 1.0hrs - 4073.5 total. Made up two more diagonals for the inner right side and  two for between rib station 5 and 6.  All of the rib stiffeners and diagonals so far have been 1/2" and they all still need lightening holes.  All of the remaining rib stiffeners and diagonals are to be made from 1/4" stock.


  • November 5 2021 - 2.0hrs - 4075.5 total.  Finished marking the centerline of ribs 7 through 22 on the upper and lower beams on both sides.  Ready to start making the rest of the rib stiffeners and diagonals.


  • November 6 2021 - 7.0hrs - 4082.5 total. Spent about an hour clamping the upper and lower beams in final position so any parts made to fit, will be the correct size.  Made all the rib stiffeners from rib 7 through 21. Rib #22 doesn't really need one.  Also made remaining diagonal bracing.  Starting cutting lightening holes.


  • November 7 2021 - 3.5hrs - 4086.0 total.  Laid out and cut all lightening holes in rib stiffeners and diagonal braces.  Used hand router with 1/16" rounding bit to trim inside edges of all lightening holes.  Hand sanded half of the pieces.  Still need to sand the rest and make up the hardwood blocking for the tie down points.

All blocking out to rib #6 done - still need lightening holes

All of the rib stiffeners and diagonals made. Now need lightening holes.

All blocking out to rib #6 done - still need lightening holes

Six more diagonals added

All of the rib stiffeners and diagonals made. Now need lightening holes.

All blocking out to rib #6 done - still need lightening holes

All of the rib stiffeners and diagonals made. Now need lightening holes.

All of the rib stiffeners and diagonals made. Now need lightening holes.

All of the rib stiffeners and diagonals made. Now need lightening holes.

Copyright © 2024 Bruce's Spitfire - All Rights Reserved.

Powered by GoDaddy