Continuing with fitting stringers
I wish I had more time. I hinted at my work world troubles last post, but it's unwinding more like a local tsunami. Upheaval, long hours, confusion, etc. I think I need therapy more than ever, but have less time for it.
But some time, at least. I continued on the part of the project I understand the least. Stringers and birdcage. The drawings are vague, but looking at photos and other people's projects helps.
So, when in doubt, press on (having verified an escape route).
I cut 1/4 strips of 20 ga steel.
Bent them into 3/8 wide "U" shaped tabs. Here I used a 3/8 extension.
Also planed 8:1 scarfs on some straight grain douglas fir I had cut up to make pieces longer. Epoxy from my boatbuilding projects glued them together.
While epoxy was curing, I welded the little tabs where they should go. 20 gauge metal on thin 3/8 channel took a small torch. I didn't take pictures while doing it, but, other than being tedious, it went OK.
Then put the top stringers in place to eye ball them.
I'm doing all this to locate the attach points up front. Once all that is sorted out, the stringers will get set aside until the fuselage is completely welded up and painted.
Back in 2012, on Bill Rusk's Javron build thread, he asked about weights of wooden stringers.
http://www.supercub.org/forum/showt...g-a-Javron-Cub&p=529458&viewfull=1#post529458
I never could find an answer. Bill's weights for aluminum stringers were as follows:
Left top - 12.830 oz
Right top - 12.855 oz
Top center - 13.810 oz
Now, my scale is not so precise, and only goes to one decimal point, but I weighed the douglas fir stringers, after epoxy scarfs and coating of one side with epoxy, and got these weights:
Left top 12.1 oz. 107" long
Right top 12.3 oz. 107" long
Top Center 13.2 oz. 113" long
I think the Wag 2+2 stringers are longer than a super cub's because the fuselage is about a foot longer, but I haven't taken the time to verify that.
The old super cub plans call for spruce, which is lighter. I'm trying doug fir because I have it and like how stiff and resilient it is. Nice to know that they are in the ballpark of aluminum stringers, if not a little lighter.