Category: Fuselage

I’m still not happy with the way the #5 former is turning out. I cant seem to get the center portion that is the highest point when installed to turn out right. It seems like it needs another flute or two. I tried again tonight with deeper flutes but it still didn’t turn out.

I cut out a couple of additional parts today to replace two formers that I was not happy with. The number five former has not turned out well and I don’t like the location of the straight bend in the one of the number 4 formers.

I cut out the last two turtle deck formers today. These were the ones that go immediately behind the cockpit.

Today I started forming the flanges on the turtle deck formers using my forming blocks.

Tonight I started putting the flutting notches in the forming blocks for the turtle deck ribs.

I deburred the lightening holes in the turtle deck ribs. This time I took extra care so that I would not have to redo this after the forming process.

I cut the lightening holes in the turtle deck ribs using a fly cutter. I tries some WD-40 as a cutting fluid which worked well except for being a bit messy.

I cut out the blanks for the turtle deck ribs from 0.025 aluminum

Today I made the turtle deck forming blocks. These were made in the same fashion as the rib forming blocks. The only difference was that I made both a left and right forming block to make the left and right hand turtle deck ribs.