billy's plans built sonex 1735

[Rofomoto]

Bottom side pilot drilled.

[Rofomoto]

All rear skins on and up drilled. My question is how much leveling must be done when time to fit leading edge skin or is it pretty much set now that the rear skins are drilled and clecoed? Thanx billy

[Bryan Cotton]

Clecoes allow a fair bit of movement. I always rechecked when I moved stuff around. We are talking 5-10 minutes with a level, at least how I was set up.

[Rofomoto]

another question... when bending forward skin with the vacuum method was the 1 1/2" pvc pipe placed centered over the leading edge reference line shown on plans? Also has anyone used spray glue to help hold tube to skin? thanx again billy

[Rofomoto]

Thinking about cutting leading edge skin like this.
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[Area 51%]

From my experience, no matter what you try to do to hold the pipe in place, the skin will do it's best to form equal distances from the pipe to the edges. I used flat factory skins. The only way I was able to get the correct bend line was to add a strip to the short side (bottom) offsetting the trailing edges. You have the luxury of being able to trim the skin after forming.

[Rofomoto]

From my experience, no matter what you try to do to hold the pipe in place, the skin will do it's best to form equal distances from the pipe to the edges. I used flat factory skins. The only way I was able to get the correct bend line was to add a strip to the short side (bottom) offsetting the trailing edges. You have the luxury of being able to trim the skin after forming.

That’s why I have the tabs on the bend line with the holes for bolting down tube to skin to table.

[Area 51%]

I don't think it will matter much. Unless the distance from the bend line to the edges is the same, the skin will wrap itself toward the short side effectively relocating the bend line.

I went through 2 skins before I saw what was going on. Whatever happens, you're going to love the radius.

[sonex892.]

Hi Billy
I like your thinking of using tabs to secure it for the bend. But I suspect the leading edge adjacent to the tab might resist being bent and you may end up with a squarish leading edge at each end. I'd try bending a test piece with scrap before risking all your good work.
I re bent the factory leading edges using the vacuum method. It's a great idea, just make sure your table is dead flat.
Steve
Sonex 892

[sonex1566]

Hi Billy,
I used black electrical tape to hold everything in place when I did it. Also I was too chicken and cheap to cut the skins to size and drill the pilot holes before bending as I was worried about things moving. I used plastic shopping backs to seal the ends and a heap of electrical tape to seal it all up. It takes half an hour to seal it up and about 3 Seconds to suck the bend. My way is harder when it comes to marking out the holes as you have to measure from the chord line over the curved leading edge.