Elliptical wing

I am off to bed, but I expect to have some answers when I check in tomorrow! hahaha
I am looking at an elliptical wing classic ship and would like some tips on an easy (??) way to jig up the wing. It has a laminated leading edge to make the curve easier. What say ye?
OK Randy Powell, I know you got something.
Thanks!
Bill <><

Bill,

Me, I don't know nothing man.

Here's how I did mine.

LAST EDITED ON Nov-28-04 AT 02:32 AM (CST)
 
Hi Randy,
I do have a bunch of Tom's building blocks. From what you did, that seems like probably the best idea. Now I am thinking that I can make copies of the plans, attach them to the glass, and use that for my guide. Boy do I wish I could make a set up like you did! I'm sure you have a comparable fixture for fuselages.
Thanks!
Bill <><

I used Tom"s Lincoln Log method when building my Novi IV. To laminate the LE, I cut a foam block the shape of the LE and then put glue on the layers to be laminated and then taped them to the foam block until they dried. That gave me a "pre-formed" LE. I used twice as many Lincoln Log blocks than is called for so I could be positive that the wing was square.

Bigiron

Marvin,

>>To laminate the LE, I cut a foam block the shape of the LE and then put glue on the layers to be laminated and then taped them to the foam block until they dried.<<

I cut a center section of the LE to shape from the plans out of a piece of 1/8" hard balsa. Then I used two pieces of 1/4" soft, square balsa and just glued them down, top and bottom, following the curve of the center piece. Simple, but it works.

Bill,

Yea, I now have a full plane jig that looks quite a bit like this picture. I used a 4x6 sheet of melenite (sp?) and drilled holes, put in threaded inserts instead of the slots. Seems to work pretty well.

The uprights are made from aluminum 6" angle stock and the the chocks brom some 3/8" square aluminum bar I picked up. Pretty easy to make, but tedious.

I also put a copy of the wing planform down on the surface to use as a guide when I build the wing. This pic, I had already finished that part and pulled it out.

This system makes laying out the wing pretty easy.

>Bill,
>Me, I don't know nothing man.
>Here's how I did mine.

Hi Randy,

That is a truly elegant setup. I've been wondering how to get a T-Bird wing built straight, and I believe you've answered the question. I'm gonna have to send Tom more $$ !

Is that a Tom Morris jig set up or yours? DOC

Doc,

That is a Randy Powell homemade jig! Looks fantastic don't it? I will have to break down and get some lathes and mills it looks like.

Tom's "jig" is a series of precision wood blocks that are notched for the LE and TE for building his Lincoln Log or Millineum wing methods.
They work real well, but are not as elaborate, or adjustable, as Randy's set up.

Bill <><

Your jig looks like the one that used to be made in Longmont, Colorado by the, I believe, 95th Aero Squadron. Or something like that. It is no longer made, a shame. But is is simple to make your own. Get the extruded aluminum (alumnium) angle, have a local shop cut the in the appropriate sizes, mill the slots, buy lots of bolts and "Bob's your uncle." (that's for our Brit friends)

Ty,

I went to a local scrap metal place (Floyd's Supply on the tide flats to locals in Tacoma, WA). They sell aluminum scrap by the pound. I got about 8 feet of 6" aluminum angle stock and about the same of 3/8" square aluminum. Used a power hacksaw a friend of mine has and hacked off 1.5" pieces from the angle stock (40 all together). Cut 56 of the 3/8" square pieces 1.4" in length and another 20 for the fuse jig. I milled off the angle pieces so that they are all 1.25" wide, the milled an 1/8" slot of the both surfaces top to bottom (boy, was that tedious)(Note: the wing and stab units were made from 6" angle stock, but I discovered when I went to the full plane jig that the 6" units were not tall enough for the fuselage since I had to raise the fuselage up to mate with the wing. I temporarily used some 1.5" blocks to raise the fuse units up off the table, but have now have new 8" angle blocks under construction to take care of that). I milled a big chunk out of the 20 fuse block to make them sort of "L" shaped so that the fuse sides could be set into them allowing me to basically set the fuse side any height I wanted. All the little chocks (about 75 all together so there are a couple of extras) have a hole drilled and taped 4-40. Then a box of 3/4" socket head screws, a bix of washers and then Bob's your Uncle. I made 16 units for the wing, 10 for the fuselage and 12 for the stab.

Someone asked me if I would consider making and selling these. Took me about 2 months of working on it, on and off. It's not very hard to make, but exceeding boring. With a CNC mill, pretty easy, but by hand? Forget it. I just picked up a set of DROs for the mill that will make life easier and I may get some CNC add-ins eventually (worth more than the mill), but for now, not much chance of making and selling them.

If anyone is interested in plans for this rig, I might be willing to draw some up. It's not at all hard to make, but can take a lot of time and while you could make it with a hacksaw and a file, it is much easier with a mill.

Well, I did make it sound too easy. Very labor intensive, but not hard to do. That may be why they quit making it. Sure glad I have mine.

As to the wing in the jig. Do not cover it. It is a thing of beauty as it sits there, kinda like a very pretty nekked gurl.

LAST EDITED ON Nov-28-04 AT 02:20 PM (CST)
 
Nice work Randy. I am also building a jig but, not having aluminimum angle to hand I have used wood for the leading and trailing edge clamps - I spent all day today making them. I already had some plastic moulded angles that I will use to build fusalages.
I have a chinese milling machine - quite good but I wish I had room for a Bridgeport!

[photo not recovered: mill.jpg]

More jig related stuff at:-

http://wind.prohosting.com/mrnelson/aeromodelling//wing_jig/jig.htm

Regards

Mike

>Bill,
>
>Me, I don't know nothing man.
>
>Here's how I did mine.

What wing is this? Very nice!

[photo not recovered: 41a96c5f0d74632c.jpg]

Robert,

It was for my design, Tango Red. You'll notice the split main spar. Now that was a miscalculation. Turned out OK once I figured out how to fix it. Hey, nobody's perfect.

Plane below. Also a pick of the jig for the stab.

Bill, didn't mean to hijack the thread for this. Sorry about that.

LAST EDITED ON Nov-28-04 AT 12:27 PM (CST)
 
>Robert,
>
>It was for my design, Tango Red. You'll notice the split
>main spar. Now that was a miscalculation. Turned out OK once
>I figured out how to fix it. Hey, nobody's perfect.
>
>Plane below. Also a pick of the jig for the stab.
>
>Bill, didn't mean to hijack the thread for this. Sorry about
>that.

I like it! Hows the lift? How many inches?

Robert,

About 680 square inches. Plenty of lift and will turn a very tight corner without mush. Only problem was, I swept the TE forward to get a bit more flap than it's predecessor (Tango Red I). Caused some wicked yaw problems that were largely fixed with a wiggly rudder. The next iteration, on the board now, has more side area aft of the CG AND a wiggly rudder.

I sure like this design. Looks cool in the air.

>Robert,
>
>About 680 square inches. Plenty of lift and will turn a very
>tight corner without mush. Only problem was, I swept the TE
>forward to get a bit more flap than it's predecessor (Tango
>Red I). Caused some wicked yaw problems that were largely
>fixed with a wiggly rudder. The next iteration, on the board
>now, has more side area aft of the CG AND a wiggly rudder.
>
>I sure like this design. Looks cool in the air.

Looks ##### good on the bench!

>Robert,
>
>It was for my design, Tango Red. You'll notice the split
>main spar. Now that was a miscalculation. Turned out OK once
>I figured out how to fix it. Hey, nobody's perfect.
>
>Plane below. Also a pick of the jig for the stab.
>
>Bill, didn't mean to hijack the thread for this. Sorry about
>that.

Hey Buddy,
I love to see your "stuff"! Hijack all you want.
I have some ideas now, and I do believe I can get a reasonable job done with the Morris blocks. Just wish I had time/money(!!)/equipment to build ME some jigs!! LOL!!! Maybe in about 5 years when retirement hits. (If I quit then)
Thanks for the pics of the jigs and planes!
Bill <><

Man I want to build one of those you made Randy, Love the look of that plane!