Prepping the Shop!

Shop Prep Begins!

13 March 2011 — Once I finished my fuselage mockup, and had checked & ensured that whatever specialized parts there were that I wouldn’t be able build or make would be available to buy, I started prepping the shop for the build.  The first order of business was a decent work bench along the wall.  I made this one collapsible just in case I needed more space.

Sidewall Work Bench

Sidewall (collapsible) workbench

Once I got the workbench in place, I started in on the flip-down glass cutting table.  The glass cutting table also serves as the glass roll storage cabinet.  I think it was the Cozy Girrrls who showed this on their site, along with the thermostat used to turn a light bulb on at a certain temp to keep moisture out of the glass cabinet.  I put the flip down portion of the glass table so that it would come down right next to and be even with the sidewall workbench I had just built.

Glass cutting table/Glass storage

Glass Cutting Table

Glass cutting table (fold up)

 

 

 

 

 

Next, I needed a hotbox to store the epoxy and hardener in when not in use.  The warmer the epoxy and hardener is, just about like every other liquid, the runnier it gets and the easier & faster it wets out the fiberglass strands in a layup.  BTW, most of the components that I made on this page were made out of scrap lumber I had laying around.

Epoxy & Hardener Hotbox

Epoxy & Hardener Hotbox

Besides the wall-mounted workbench, I wanted one that was portable and could roll around.  So I made this guy below.  It had a large enough table top to be used extensively for glassing small to medium sized pieces, and it had storage underneath.  Also, I made the top flip up and it was the perfect size for storing the plan’s A-pages (the big drawings) inside the compartment just below the flip up top.

Roll-around work bench

Roll-around - Plans storage

Besides the main 13′ long work bench (spelled out in Chapter 3), this was all there was for building the shop’s major working surfaces.

Recent Posts

Project Update

Hey Guys,

My front seat throttle and mixture cables,  GIB throttle, LEFT sidewall components, and left front armrest installs are all complete.  I also knocked out 2 videos this week before I move back into focusing on the engine installation.

Again, this multi-week detour I just made leaves pretty much just the panel forward to install & wire up as well as some nose components final install/configuration (nearly all done already).  Beyond that, we’re talking a week to tweak/finish the canard, and then final micro finish and paint. 

That of course is after I focus on my true strategic target: the exhaust pipes… now within a few days.  I have some surgery to do on the exhaust pipes, and wanted some of the low hanging fruit involving the engine off the plate before I dig in on the exhaust pipes.  After the exhaust pipes I’ll work full bore on the cowlings and the strake-wing intersections.

I’m still intent to focus solely on the plane for the next however long it takes to finish this bird… ASAP!  

  1. Chapter 23 – Exhaust pipes trimmed Leave a reply
  2. Chapter 23 – Video Update Leave a reply
  3. Chapter 22/23 – Some quick tidbits Leave a reply
  4. Chapter 23 – Throttle/mixture final steps Leave a reply
  5. Chapter 16/23 – Friction lock backplate Leave a reply
  6. Chapter 23 – GIB throttle final install Leave a reply
  7. Chapter 23 – GIB throttle + RAM can Leave a reply
  8. Chapter 23 – RAM can + GIB throttle Leave a reply
  9. Chapter 23 – GIB throttle coverup Leave a reply