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Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) Fuselage Construction Types (Read 17957 times)
Sky9pilot
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Re: Fuselage Construction Types
Reply #17 - Jan 4th, 2021 at 4:09pm
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Another ladder style fuselage jig illustrations from Tom Hallman and his Maxfliart videos from a screen shot.

Here's a similar technique by Dave Mitchell using Horizontal Keel construction. From FACN Mar/Apr 2013
  

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Re: Fuselage Construction Types
Reply #16 - Dec 28th, 2019 at 10:19pm
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I just found another fuselage jig that I hadn't seen before.  It's very similar to the lader style jig but uses a ventral keel shape to build the formers on for accurate alignment.  I found this on HPA used by Prosper/Stephen in the building of his P-47 Razorback..."Little Brown's Natural Metal Jug": Natural Metal Jug  The pictures are pretty self explainatory so here's the pictures...
  

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Re: Fuselage Construction Types
Reply #15 - May 22nd, 2019 at 2:21am
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BOX CONSTRUCTION UPDATE
Here's an update on fuselage box construction done with rectangle formers to align the sides
for the addition of the cross members.  I used the former patterns to cut out the foamboard/balsa/cardboard rectangles. I used this construction for the Ace Whitman Jack II plan.  I left off an additional 1/16" from the top and bottom of the rectangles to allow room for the cross members (1/16" SQ) so the glue doesn't stick them too, making it easier to remove them later.  The former pieces are then cut out to add to the box fuselage to give the fuselage some shape with stringers. 
I want to add that in making the rectangles I used steel machine squares (a good square will do) to make sure the sides are square or your fuselage sides won't be square to each other.  Then make sure you measure from the top of the side to the top of the rectangle on each side to make sure the fuselage sides are aligned accurately.  You can still build crooked fuselages if you don't take care to square up each rectangle to both side of the fuselage box.  Once you're satisfied it then becomes easy to add the cross members. 
One other note...make sure your cross members are flat with the top and bottom of the sides.  If they are twisted, when you add the formers it will tilt the formers at the angle of the cross members sides.  Don't ask how I found out that little jewel!!  Embarrassed Cry Shocked
Here's a couple pics to illustrate the rectangle formers for side alignment.
Fuselage with formers added and rectangles removed.
Tom
  

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Your attitude will determine your altitude!- John Maxwell
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. Jn 8:32
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Sky9pilot
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Re: Fuselage Construction Types
Reply #14 - Feb 5th, 2018 at 8:16pm
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Kittyfritters posted this picture of truss type fuselage construction and I wanted to add them to this section.  Thanks again KF for the pictures.

Here's a couple more pictures of the ladder former fuselage construction, where the formers (circles or shape cut from sheet balsa) are glued to the ladder steps using a solvent glue like Duco that can be released with thinner/acetone freeing the formers from the ladder structure.

Tom
« Last Edit: Aug 3rd, 2018 at 8:56pm by Sky9pilot »  

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Your attitude will determine your altitude!- John Maxwell
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. Jn 8:32
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Re: Fuselage Construction Types
Reply #13 - Jan 23rd, 2018 at 3:02pm
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THE HALF SHELL CONSTRUCTION...
They say a picture is worth a 1000 words... here's a picture of Thymekillers P-40 build on a CU (Cook Up) thread here on S&T...
As you can see this is very similar to the keel and former construction except that the formers are applied 1/2 a side at a time.  then the stringers are added and once the first side is completed, the  have shell is lifted from the board and the other side formers are added and  then the stringers to complete the fuselage.  Care must be taken to keep the fuselage from warping , giving you a banana shape!!!!
  

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AlexADWhalfshell.jpg

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Re: Fuselage Construction Types
Reply #12 - Jan 23rd, 2018 at 2:41pm
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KEEL AND FORMER STRUCTURE
The keels are  usually suspended between a jig structure that allows the formers to be placed on the keels without touching the building board...here's  a picture of the Koutney P-51H showing this construction method...
The keels and formers suspended between 2 inch sq  wood blocks as a jig.  The keels are held by temporarily gluing balsa sticks 1/16 X 1/4 inch to hold the keels level through the construction process...
Pic#5 shows a more professional jig for keel construction.


Once all the formers are added to the jig upright the keels (dorsal and ventral and horizontal are added.
Then stringers are added next. Add stringer to one side and then the other/opposite side.  Once you have several stringers on each side, then remove the fuselage structure from the jig  and complete the stringers on the on each side. When complete the temporary sticks are removed by applying some acetone to the glue spot on the keels and remove the temporary stick.... Once they are removed any additional stringers can be added...here's a pic of the Bf-109F...

The ladder type of construction is similar to the above techniques.  I used this technique on the Dash 8 construction:


Tom
« Last Edit: Jun 10th, 2018 at 2:22pm by Sky9pilot »  

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Your attitude will determine your altitude!- John Maxwell
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. Jn 8:32
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Re: Fuselage Construction Types
Reply #11 - Jan 23rd, 2018 at 10:04am
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THIS THREAD HAS BEEN RECONSTRUCTED DUE TO THE PHOTOBUCKET SNAFU...SORRY FOR THE PICS THAT WERE MISSING FOR A WHILE.  I'VE TRIED TO REPLACE THE PICTURES AND SOME MAY BE A BIT OUT OF ORDER! THANKS FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING EDIT AND REDO 23 JAN 2018.
« Last Edit: Jan 23rd, 2018 at 2:31pm by Sky9pilot »  

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Re: Fuselage Construction Types
Reply #10 - Nov 28th, 2012 at 8:56am
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Thanks Tom. I was just curious if there was a way to do it with thinner or maybe just a tiny bit of thinner.
Thanks.

  

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Re: Fuselage Construction Types
Reply #9 - Nov 27th, 2012 at 10:44pm
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Don't see why the thinner couldn't be sprayed.  The dunking saturates the foam quickly allowing the wood to be moved out of the thinner quickly.  It is possible that the super glue can be affected and possibly loosen joints with continued exposure.  I haven't experienced this. 

One other note.  The super glue will attack the foam unless it is the foam safe cyano.  So application of the super glue must be done carefully.

Tom
  

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Re: Fuselage Construction Types
Reply #8 - Nov 27th, 2012 at 7:19pm
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Pretty sure it's the same as investment casting. The mold is lost after the casting.

I have to ask, could a person just break off tiny bits of foam and pull it out that way instead of using thinner? Maybe with needle nose pliers?

Also, could a person spray the thinner on instead of dipping in a container?

Just thoughts, curious. 
  

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Re: Fuselage Construction Types
Reply #7 - Nov 27th, 2012 at 7:09pm
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I would assume that's true but have never done the lost wax process.

I have enjoyed this process and am planing on doing another one for an upcoming build.

Tom
  

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Re: Fuselage Construction Types
Reply #6 - Nov 27th, 2012 at 12:15pm
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That's a pretty cool process! It sounds like the same as an investment casting (lost wax).
  
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Re: Fuselage Construction Types
Reply #5 - Nov 27th, 2012 at 11:34am
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Fernando,

The lost foam is an interesting process. 

The foam is cut and sanded to a dimension that is just less than the desired size. I use reed for the formers and balsa for the stringers and sheet areas.  So if using 1/16 balsa over the reed formers the dimension of the reed (approximately 1/16 diameter) and the stringers. 

I use cyano glue (super glues) to glue the reed former and the stringers in place.  The nose plug was just tacked on for sanding purposes.  You must leave an opening large enough to remove the foam as it dissolves in the lacquer thinner.  Some builders split the structure and remove the foam and then re-glue the outer structure back together. 

I do prefer the lacquer thinner removal because it leaves the structure intact and you need not worry about the structure warping on the re-gluing process.

Depending on the size of the fuselage a pvc pipe filled with the thinner is used to soak the foam which will immediately begin to dissolve.  You may then pull the puddy-like disolved foam through the wing saddle area or the nose block area.

Strain the thinner and place it back in the thinner container for the next fuselage.

I hope this answered your questions.  I'll be happy to answer any other questions you may have.  The super glue is not affected by this lacquer thinner.  I use a dunking motion to soak the foam and remove it as it shrinks.

Tom
  

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Re: Fuselage Construction Types
Reply #4 - Nov 27th, 2012 at 10:43am
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Your English is fine. No problem.
Tom will be back very soon to answer your questions.
  

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Re: Fuselage Construction Types
Reply #3 - Nov 27th, 2012 at 10:17am
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I never worked Lost Foam.
It seems a very interesting technique.
No problems with the thinner?
Can be used balsa wood?

Sorry for my bad english.
  
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