Longeron bending!
- captain_john
- Sparky
- Posts: 5880
- Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 9:17 am
- Location: KPYM
Well, those boards are the scraps cut from the 8" hand hole in the deck of my boat I installed last spring!
As things turned out, they are 4" radius.
Worked out fine. Any rounded edge would have worked out fine too.
The trick was in the multiple turkey dinners that added the extra HEFT to the bends!
CJ
As things turned out, they are 4" radius.
Worked out fine. Any rounded edge would have worked out fine too.
The trick was in the multiple turkey dinners that added the extra HEFT to the bends!
CJ
RV-7
Garmin G3X with VP-X & a TMX-IO-360 with G3i
It's all over but the flying! 800+ hours in only 3 years!
Garmin G3X with VP-X & a TMX-IO-360 with G3i
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- captain_john
- Sparky
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- Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 9:17 am
- Location: KPYM
I am setup to do the bends but I do not have a drawing 17A as referenced for the bend template. I looked in the preview plans and see that 17 has the template on it also but I do not have either one.
Do you think I can use the side rails as my guide line? I really do not want to wait until I can get the print I'm missing from Van's but will if I need to.
Looks like I never did get those prints. I keep all the prints in one area so I don't think there is any way I could have lost them.
Do you think I can use the side rails as my guide line? I really do not want to wait until I can get the print I'm missing from Van's but will if I need to.
Looks like I never did get those prints. I keep all the prints in one area so I don't think there is any way I could have lost them.
JohnR
RV-7A - Fuselage - SOLD, just not supposed to be
Numbers 6:24 - The LORD bless thee, and keep thee
RV-7A - Fuselage - SOLD, just not supposed to be
Numbers 6:24 - The LORD bless thee, and keep thee
- Wicked Stick
- Class B
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- captain_john
- Sparky
- Posts: 5880
- Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 9:17 am
- Location: KPYM
John,
The plans are slightly longer than the standard drawings. You probably put them someplace else and forgot about it. The 17A plans are for the Ameteurs (-7A builders). The 17 plans are for the professionals!
The side rails make a nice guide, but they are a few inches short. Not a problem, though. You can interpolate the rest of the curve with the side rail.
Dave, you still have the plans on that cocktail napkin, right?
CJ
The plans are slightly longer than the standard drawings. You probably put them someplace else and forgot about it. The 17A plans are for the Ameteurs (-7A builders). The 17 plans are for the professionals!
The side rails make a nice guide, but they are a few inches short. Not a problem, though. You can interpolate the rest of the curve with the side rail.
Dave, you still have the plans on that cocktail napkin, right?
CJ
RV-7
Garmin G3X with VP-X & a TMX-IO-360 with G3i
It's all over but the flying! 800+ hours in only 3 years!
Garmin G3X with VP-X & a TMX-IO-360 with G3i
It's all over but the flying! 800+ hours in only 3 years!
CJ, you were right. I had the prints. I asked the wife and she came out to the shop and walked right over and said "Is that them?" Of course it was. They were tucked in behind the back of the board I use to hold the other prints.
I got the shallow bends done. I made a device like you and WS used and it worked great. Just used my body weight (got plenty of that) and moved it a couple of inches at a time. After the first try I checked it and only needed to adjust them slightly. I did both at the same time which is what it looked like you did. It was a lot easier than I had anticipated.
By the way the jig I made only had a three inch radius. It was a piece of walnut that we had cut out for another project and it worked fine.
I'll make the sharper bends tomorrow. Thanks for the great idea on the wooden device for bending!
I got the shallow bends done. I made a device like you and WS used and it worked great. Just used my body weight (got plenty of that) and moved it a couple of inches at a time. After the first try I checked it and only needed to adjust them slightly. I did both at the same time which is what it looked like you did. It was a lot easier than I had anticipated.
By the way the jig I made only had a three inch radius. It was a piece of walnut that we had cut out for another project and it worked fine.
I'll make the sharper bends tomorrow. Thanks for the great idea on the wooden device for bending!
JohnR
RV-7A - Fuselage - SOLD, just not supposed to be
Numbers 6:24 - The LORD bless thee, and keep thee
RV-7A - Fuselage - SOLD, just not supposed to be
Numbers 6:24 - The LORD bless thee, and keep thee
- captain_john
- Sparky
- Posts: 5880
- Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 9:17 am
- Location: KPYM
My wife has never found anything I have ever searched for. Especially in the shop. She rarely comes into it nor does she touch anything when she does comes in! I can't relate but, I am glad yours found your plans!
I can't tell you how many times I have looked for something and blamed Van for not sending it though! Mostly because, I could NEVER have LOST IT! I always end up with it tucked away. Often it is found right where it SHOULD be! Exactly where I put it so I could find it later!
Notes on bending the angles:
1) It takes one person to bend one angle and two to bend to angles, back to back.
2) Angle returns to it's original shape EASILY! You really need to CRANK on it to get it to bend but, to unbend it... just look at it!
3) I am skeptical that drilling the side rails now as the plans call for is the right thing to do. I drilled every 5th hole! Note: I also drilled the end one that gets cut off when installing the tip-up style canopy. I don't think it will be a problem later. I think there is some kind of plate that goes on top of the long there anyways.
CJ
I can't tell you how many times I have looked for something and blamed Van for not sending it though! Mostly because, I could NEVER have LOST IT! I always end up with it tucked away. Often it is found right where it SHOULD be! Exactly where I put it so I could find it later!
Notes on bending the angles:
1) It takes one person to bend one angle and two to bend to angles, back to back.
2) Angle returns to it's original shape EASILY! You really need to CRANK on it to get it to bend but, to unbend it... just look at it!
3) I am skeptical that drilling the side rails now as the plans call for is the right thing to do. I drilled every 5th hole! Note: I also drilled the end one that gets cut off when installing the tip-up style canopy. I don't think it will be a problem later. I think there is some kind of plate that goes on top of the long there anyways.
CJ
RV-7
Garmin G3X with VP-X & a TMX-IO-360 with G3i
It's all over but the flying! 800+ hours in only 3 years!
Garmin G3X with VP-X & a TMX-IO-360 with G3i
It's all over but the flying! 800+ hours in only 3 years!
Well, I told a half truth...I did bend my longerons last night, but I didn't use the rounded wood for the bends. I had the wood all cut, and ready to use, and at the last minute when putting the longs in to the vise, I realized that I just didn't have the space I needed to use body weight to make the bends. To many benches and tables in the way to get good enough leverage. Soooooooooo...I went per plans, and whacked the crap out of the things with my dead blow. The plans say this takes and "artists touch" and "finesse"??? Whatever! Maybe my definition is different. Bangin' the begesus out of the angle is NOT finesse!
Anyway, the shallow bends are complete, and they turned out fine. Four hours from the first measurement to the final check against the bend template.
I hope to be able to get to the sharp bends and twists tonight.
Anyway, the shallow bends are complete, and they turned out fine. Four hours from the first measurement to the final check against the bend template.
I hope to be able to get to the sharp bends and twists tonight.
- captain_john
- Sparky
- Posts: 5880
- Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 9:17 am
- Location: KPYM
- captain_john
- Sparky
- Posts: 5880
- Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 9:17 am
- Location: KPYM
No, no, no... I understand your concern. They look fine from here.
What I mean is that even of you DO bend them wrong, they un-bend really easily and can be fixed readily.
I was a bit concerned too when I bent mine, but even of you DO overbend them, a light touch in the other direction does wonders.
CJ
What I mean is that even of you DO bend them wrong, they un-bend really easily and can be fixed readily.
I was a bit concerned too when I bent mine, but even of you DO overbend them, a light touch in the other direction does wonders.
CJ
RV-7
Garmin G3X with VP-X & a TMX-IO-360 with G3i
It's all over but the flying! 800+ hours in only 3 years!
Garmin G3X with VP-X & a TMX-IO-360 with G3i
It's all over but the flying! 800+ hours in only 3 years!