Mr. Ed
MEMBER
PNW
Scratch building, variation on a theme.
It began a couple years ago pondering what I could do to a PA18 to better suit my mission. And if I made all the mods I desired, would it still be a PA18 derivative or be closer to something else which would lead me logically to build something else. I started writing down ideas for modifications: higher gross weight, more accessible baggage, wider fuselage, decreased pitch angle on landing, hard points on wings for mounting whatever stuff I want to mount, improved door geometry so I don’t have to be “pretzel boy” to get in and out, etc., etc..
After that exercise the question was: Could I develop the necessary skills to build it? I had a piece of crap tig welder so I replaced that. I bought a large quantity of 4130 tubing from an aircraft welding shop that was liquidating and set about hacking it into small pieces to practice welding clusters. I built notching jigs that attach to my metal lathe and started welding. Initially the clusters looked like something out of the movie Elephant Man. So, I invested in private lessons. I spent eight months, welding two to five hours a day, three to four days a week. I dated each cluster, cut some apart to polish and etch the welds allowing inspection for defects and beat others apart with a sledge to test failure points. About eight months in, I was happy with the results.
I bought the Northland drawings, made prints, drew on modifications, made changes to those and started looking at other modified Cubs. I found other kit builders were doing mods I thought I had dreamed up. Although, nobody seemed to be doing all of my mods in one kit. One kit supplier was doing most of mine plus others I hadn’t thought about. There are some nice kits out there! That led to the question: Why reinvent the wheel? I guess, because the wheel is there. And also because the wheel costs a pile of money. If we settled for the status quo, everybody would still be flying around in a J3.
Since all the mods were forward of the tail feathers, I built the tail feathers. In need of someone with significantly more brain power than I possess, I started searching for an engineer willing to evaluate the proposed fuselage changes. I found a willing fellow who is now crunching numbers. Meanwhile, I built the jig table, fuselage rotisserie and an engine stand. I also bought the wings from a fabulous kit manufacturer who’s tested them to the gross weight I desired.
As summer play time comes to an end and our typically SUCKY winter weather sets in I’ll have a project to keep me occupied. I don’t have the desire to post the detail that other builders have but will post photos of the progress and pose questions when I get stuck on something. Lots of great info on this site and all of your collective wisdom is appreciated.
It began a couple years ago pondering what I could do to a PA18 to better suit my mission. And if I made all the mods I desired, would it still be a PA18 derivative or be closer to something else which would lead me logically to build something else. I started writing down ideas for modifications: higher gross weight, more accessible baggage, wider fuselage, decreased pitch angle on landing, hard points on wings for mounting whatever stuff I want to mount, improved door geometry so I don’t have to be “pretzel boy” to get in and out, etc., etc..
After that exercise the question was: Could I develop the necessary skills to build it? I had a piece of crap tig welder so I replaced that. I bought a large quantity of 4130 tubing from an aircraft welding shop that was liquidating and set about hacking it into small pieces to practice welding clusters. I built notching jigs that attach to my metal lathe and started welding. Initially the clusters looked like something out of the movie Elephant Man. So, I invested in private lessons. I spent eight months, welding two to five hours a day, three to four days a week. I dated each cluster, cut some apart to polish and etch the welds allowing inspection for defects and beat others apart with a sledge to test failure points. About eight months in, I was happy with the results.
I bought the Northland drawings, made prints, drew on modifications, made changes to those and started looking at other modified Cubs. I found other kit builders were doing mods I thought I had dreamed up. Although, nobody seemed to be doing all of my mods in one kit. One kit supplier was doing most of mine plus others I hadn’t thought about. There are some nice kits out there! That led to the question: Why reinvent the wheel? I guess, because the wheel is there. And also because the wheel costs a pile of money. If we settled for the status quo, everybody would still be flying around in a J3.
Since all the mods were forward of the tail feathers, I built the tail feathers. In need of someone with significantly more brain power than I possess, I started searching for an engineer willing to evaluate the proposed fuselage changes. I found a willing fellow who is now crunching numbers. Meanwhile, I built the jig table, fuselage rotisserie and an engine stand. I also bought the wings from a fabulous kit manufacturer who’s tested them to the gross weight I desired.
As summer play time comes to an end and our typically SUCKY winter weather sets in I’ll have a project to keep me occupied. I don’t have the desire to post the detail that other builders have but will post photos of the progress and pose questions when I get stuck on something. Lots of great info on this site and all of your collective wisdom is appreciated.
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