N34KP's rebuild
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
Back from visiting my sisters and mother. I planed the doublers on the lower right longeron this morning. Time to glue up the lower left.
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
Glued up the lower left longeron doublers today.
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- Posts: 69
- Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2023 6:01 am
Re: N34KP's rebuild
Nice work, Richard. I'm a machinist, not a woodworker, but have been learning about hand planes on this Piet project. It's strangely satisfying watching a chip roll of them.
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
The rear splices are complete. Station piece and pulling them together at the tail post next.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
Richard; do you plan to refit the tailspring and other fittings that require holes back there before varnishing the wood?
-Oscar
-Oscar
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
Oscar. Yes I do plan on drilling before refinishing. I still have a drill guide, made out of 1" key stock, that I made for the longeron repair from 5 years ago.
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
Station piece, diagonal and doublers. Late night glue up.
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
I glued in the old tailpost last night. Gussets next.
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
Looks like an airplane, from nose to tail.
-Oscar
-Oscar
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
The tail reconstruction is finished except for fairing strips and holes for the fittings.
Last edited by Richard Roller on Mon Apr 29, 2024 12:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
That's gotta be a great feeling, Richard. I know it was a great feeling for me every time I completed a subassembly back when I was making repairs to my Air Camper. Patience and determination will eventually win the day.
-Oscar
-Oscar
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
The holes for the forward tailwheel brackets are drilled.
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
Since I moved the upper seat back aft 3-1/2" I was able to reuse the diagonal brace behind the seat back by re-cutting to the new angles. I still need to install the forward gusset.
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- Posts: 69
- Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2023 6:01 am
Re: N34KP's rebuild
One piece at a time.. attaboy!
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
Well crap...., while marking up the longerons for cuts for the splices, I found a crack in the lower left one, right where I wanted to do the splice. Always something. Time for another inspection for additional damage I might have missed and to re-evaluate the splice location on the lower left longeron.
- KenBickers
- Posts: 131
- Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2017 7:00 pm
Re: N34KP's rebuild
Good eyes. I'm glad you caught the crack now and not when it might matter later. It seems you're doing this just right!
Cheers, Ken
Cheers, Ken
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
The first two splices cut.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
Wish I had thought of that nifty scarfing jig. It's nice when you have the working room for nice jigs and clamps and planes and spokeshaves to work with! It seems like anytime I need to make repairs to something, I have to work with small tools and work by eyeball in very tight spaces.
-Oscar
-Oscar
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- Posts: 69
- Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2023 6:01 am
Re: N34KP's rebuild
What did you use to get rid of the biggest part of the scarf?
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
On my first try, back on one of the tail longerons, I tried a saws all and chisels. It was practically uncontrollable. Vibration and catching the wood it jumped all over the place.
Now I use a small draw knife I bought at Rocklers. It takes 3 to 5 minutes to cut down to just shy of the guide, then I finish with a block plane.
Now I use a small draw knife I bought at Rocklers. It takes 3 to 5 minutes to cut down to just shy of the guide, then I finish with a block plane.
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- Posts: 69
- Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2023 6:01 am
Re: N34KP's rebuild
Alrighty, now! Thanks for that..
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
All four fuselage forward longerons scarphed. Now to do the repair pieces.
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- Posts: 69
- Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2023 6:01 am
Re: N34KP's rebuild
Inquiring minds want to know.. did you just run the plane down the steel jig?
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
After cutting close with the draw knife, yes.
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
The four pieces for the front of the fuselage are ready to be glued on.
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
The bottom longerons are gluing.
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
The two upper longerons are gluing.
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
It's been a while since I could work on the Piet. Yesterday I glued in one piece of the left rear cabane station.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
Richard: even the pyramids were built one stone at a time, and so it is with building an Air Camper. You can't rush this stuff and if you do it right the first time, you'll only have to do it once
Oscar Zuniga
Medford, OR
Oscar Zuniga
Medford, OR
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
Opposite side gluing
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
Gluing in diagonals.
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
Bending a longeron. It dropped 2-1/8" at the end overnight. 6 lbs of weight hanging on the end.
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
Up to the firewall on the left side.
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
The side trusses are done. Time for inside gussets and station cross pieces.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
Yes, I was going to ask, "Would you like gussets with that framing sir?"
-Oscar
-Oscar
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
I hadn't worked on the Piet since the third week of June, due to my wife's memorial and my general lack of desire to do anything. But today I started cutting inside gussets. The one shown, inside lower right, has a long one. The gussets for the longeron splice and the station came so close together I decided to combine then. It'll be the same way on the opposite lower longeron.
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
After the clamps and final shaping.
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- Posts: 69
- Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2023 6:01 am
Re: N34KP's rebuild
Thanks for the pix! I know sometimes you don't think anyone cares when you don't get any response. This stuff is valuable info.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
I check daily to see what the latest work is looking like.
-Oscar
-Oscar
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
Left lower longeron splice and station.
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
Lots of family crap going on, getting in the way of Piet rebuild time
I have managed to get some of the blocking for the landing gear/lift strut fittings started.
I have managed to get some of the blocking for the landing gear/lift strut fittings started.
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
- Richard Roller
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 11:14 am
- Location: Olathe, Ks.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
I was out at the hanger taking some measurements on the wing. I found something interesting. When Ken built the wing, he did the compression struts in the middle of the wing different. Instead of offsetting the struts with the 1/4" plywood to clear the bottom of the wing fabric, he cut a curve, like the lower center section pieces, flipped the cut out piece over and glued it to the top of the strut.
Re: N34KP's rebuild
And yet another example of how the simple things are often the most elegant. Very nice detail.
-Oscar
-Oscar