A-Justo Jig

Are A-justo Jigs still being produced and sold in the US? I can't find a source...... can anyone help me here?

LAST EDITED ON Jan-06-04 AT 01:58 PM (CDT)
 
Dick,

I have one, with the fuse jig also. Have the original instructions and the rib hole location template, thought it has a crack on the overlay, but is still usable. I have no idea what it's worth or how much I originally paid for it.

A-Justo Jigs are like Christmas fruitcakes.

They get passed from one model airplane guy to another, without getting used.

And/or: at the CL Club Christmas party raffle, guess what gets raffled?

Good idea in theory, though.

I've got a CLC Super Chief wing on one now and even though the last 4 wings I have built using it are the four best wings of my career, I swear from now on I'm going to do something like Al Rabe does.

Using it for the last few models has convinced me that a jig is absolutely the way to go for building wings.

And that the A-justo jig is possibly the least concieveably useful format a wing jig can be realized in.

If that's even a sentence.

As soon as I get the current wing off of it, you can have mine.

Cy.

I just finished building two profile Cardinal wings on an A-Justo-Jig.The first attempt ended with a slightly bowed traling edge. This was due entirely to my inexperience with the thing...the small diameter of the rods used makes it very easy to crush the ribs around the holes thus allowing the warp during sheeting. On the second wing I used thin CA and soaked the area aroung the rib holes before I layed up the wing...the result is the straightest wing I've probably ever built. I agree that a jig or fixture of some type is the way to go...but I believe that one that uses larger diameter tubing would be better..my two cents!

I took my old building board, got some magnetic sign sheet and spray-glued it down. Then I got a bunch of little steel bent pieces, and some carbon fiber rods I got at the AMA expo last year - DIY jig! I just built the wing to a Jamison, and it is STRAIGHT!!! Of course laser cut ribs from RSM are a real help.

One key is to shim the board and weight it down so it is FLAT, FLAT, FLAT. A 4' aluminum straight edge laid across and then on each diagonal will let you get it perfect. Your wing is only going to be as good as the jig it is built on.

Ok, where do you live, who's are you going to get?

You can have mine near Chattanooga, TN.

It was given to me in good faith, and I shall give it away the same. Not unused though, I kinda like it but can't see using it enough to warrant the space. Especially if someone wants it.

Tools

Used to love my Ajusto way back when in the 70s. True the ribs up on the wires between a station and the resulting ribs matched real close. Then when spread out to build the wing itself the result was straight and true as far as I could tell. After a hiatus until the year 2000 (how time flies when your doing a version of type A overdrive) much to my bafflement the jigged wings came out odd. Ribs angled at something other than 90' to the leading and trailing edges, when looked from above. Tried and tried to true up the ribs, couldn't do it. Eventually I realized that the plastic pedestals had twisted over the years, making alignment almost impossible. Each pedestal wasn't out much, but because of the geometry of the set up, even a small twist made a big problem.

Watch out for old adjusto-jigs. The red plastic twists after 20 years or so. At least it did in my garret/workshop.

I wonder if you could use arrow shafts banded to the top of the plastic rod holders instead of the small rods.
The AJ works but requires that you know what you are looking for and keep a constant check on things. It is not fool proof .I have proven that.
Charlie Pate

>
I swear from now on I'm going to do
>something like Al Rabe does.
>
>
>Cy.

Ok what does Al Rabe do???

Paul:)

LAST EDITED ON Jan-07-04 AT 09:09 AM (CDT)
 
Al uses 3/8" aluminum tubbing about 60" long. this stuff is available from metal suppliers but you have to look for it. 12' costs about $25 for .058 wall thickness. Normally, I use particle board or MDF base material from Home Depot. I can get two jig bases and two sets of vertical supports from one 1' x 6' x 3/4" shelf material. A set of aluminum tubes will last for many airplanes.

Normally, I build with laser cut ribs since I live so close to Kyle at Tanks-hangar.com. When I cut my own ribs, I used a template to locate my jig holes in each rib and cut the holes with sharpened 3/8" brass tubbing. This worked well for the years I was an active competitor. The feature I like very much is the ability to "bore-sight" the jig tubes as I build to ascertain straightness. Jig tubes out of alignment as little as 1'32" in their 60" length are very visible. The 3/8" tubes are large enough to hold the ribs well as I build. With some techniques, I find it possible to build and completely sheet wings while held rigidly in the jig. I build all sheeted wings. In my opinion, open bay construction is too flexible and prone to warping for the minimal weight savings it offers.

Another great source for 3/8" aluminum tubes is a sporting goods store where they sell arrow shafts. I went to a local gun shop and got six arrow shafts. Removed the fletchets and installed a 12" aluminum tube from K&S stock, super glued it and now I have two 6 foot shafts. I have built three wings on my jig and they are straight. Al is right about sighting down through the shaft. The least bend shows up instantly and it is easy to get things straight. You can lift the entire wing, turn it over and go at the bottom while still in the jig.

The beauty of an adjusto-jig or any jig for that matter, besides holding things straight and true is that you can repeat the same wing rather quickly - everything is already set up for the new wing. So make three or four at a time instead of just one.

Thanks to all for responding. Greg Bahrman and I have negotiated a trade. This Forum is a great resource.