rackwelder
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Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: IA Posts: 13
Wittman Buttercup Trackwelder
I was encouraged to start a builders log by someone who is really influencing my build, I have not had the chance to meet him but have taken advantage of the Builders Log that he has put on another site. I am not real good at documenting what I have done, but have taken pictures as I build. My workshop for now is in my house normally in the basement so for now I can only build as big of a piece as will fit out the door. My hangar has no electricity and a dirt floor so it will be a while before it is put there. I don't have a garage (that is another project for this summer)
I started this project in late november of 2013 My order from Aircraft Spruce for wood took over 2 months to get to me, as I had decided to build the wings first figuring I could get them through the door easier. If I can figure out this site I will post the pictures I have taken so far, and will attempt to keep an ongoing dialog and pictures as I build.
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March 22nd, 2013, 10:44 AM #2
Trackwelder
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Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: IA Posts: 13
Re: Wittman Buttercup Trackwelder
I wish I had taken pictures of the earlier work on these wings, I built a jig by photocopying the plans and ironing them onto a piece of plywood, comes out reversed but allows you to get an exact copy of the image. One problem with the originall plans is that there is a spot that is out of fair with the wing. I started at the hard points the spars and the front and back of the wing putting in dowels to hold a long fairing strip of eassy bending rib strips. I then went for the high points and did the same thing. By doing this I wasn't exactly on the plans but was able to avoid the area that had the discrepency.
I shaped the spars with a no 7 Stanely block plane, it is beautiful wood to work with hand tools, cuts like butter and is smooth. The ribs were turned out at the rate of one per day, using wax paper so the T88 wouldn't stick to the base, since then I have heard of multiple ways that would have made it easier, some people are covering the entire board with clear adhesive that the glue doesn't stick to, If I was to do it again I would try that.
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March 22nd, 2013, 11:08 AM #3
Trackwelder
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Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: IA Posts: 13
Re: Wittman Buttercup Trackwelder
I had to build a big enough surface to build on, I had intended to put legs on the table but for now am just setting them on saw horses. This is kind of a hodge podge of pictures, I built my work table and then the first try of building the leading edge, i was not able to bend the aluminum around the edge of the spar caps. So I tried to use a vaccuum set up to prebend it around a 1 1/2 inch pvc tube, I was able to easily bend it around with a cheap 2 horse vacuum, and I think you could probably do it with a household vacuum. I found that as soon as I shut the vacuum off, it started to straighten back out, I wasn't capable of clecoing into place by myself, I think if you had 2 or 3 people helping you this would be a perfect way to bend the leading edge, with one person, I need to try a different approach.
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March 22nd, 2013, 11:09 AM #4
Trackwelder
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Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: IA Posts: 13
Re: Wittman Buttercup Trackwelder
These pictures were taken on 3-3-2013 I had some stomach surgery and was working when I felt like it, I tried to do something every day but there were 2 weeks that I was in the hospital.
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March 22nd, 2013, 11:10 AM #5
Trackwelder
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Re: Wittman Buttercup Trackwelder
These pictures were taken on 3-3-2013
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March 22nd, 2013, 11:49 AM #6
Trackwelder
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Re: Wittman Buttercup Trackwelder
On these next series of photographs I set up my table as a jig for the fuselage sides, nothing makes it look like an airplane like getting a fuselage built. on 3 6 2013 I laid out the plans on the table using a chalkline for the centerline of thplans and measuring up and down from that line. I decided to straighten out the fuselage rear a bit, seems to be a popular modification and I think it looks better. when I cut a piece of tubing, once I was sure it would fit I would cut a duplicate, I used a tubing cutter to cut them just the same as you would use for plumbing. and then I notched the tubes to fit with a belt sander, iwas going to try other methods but I thought I would give this a try, worked perfect.
I then tacked the tubing together using Mig, I was planning on using Tig to weld the rest of the fuselage, but couldn't figure out how to get the dang thing down the stairs. This is about the same time my wife told me that I couldn't put french doors in the basement, so I now have to figure out how much I can do before I can't get it out of the basement.
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March 22nd, 2013, 12:01 PM #7
Trackwelder
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Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: IA Posts: 13
Re: Wittman Buttercup Trackwelder
And now a view of a fully tacked side. on 3 7 2013 Completing both sides took only about 8 hours, Now that I can't put in the bigger doors things will take a little different change, I had originally planned to put everything together and then take it outside to sand plast and prime, from this point on I have to worry about getting it through a 34 and 1/2 inch wide door opening.
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March 22nd, 2013, 12:13 PM #8
Trackwelder
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Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: IA Posts: 13
Re: Wittman Buttercup Trackwelder
I figured I could work from the tail to station E on the drawings, beyond that I will cut and fit the pieces tobe welded in once the weather starts to cooperate. by very carefully lining up the surfaces to keep them square, I welded in the tubes to station E and continued to cut and cope tubes towards the beginning. Now I have to make legs for my table and set it down about a foot to build the vertical fin.
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Transfer of log from Home bult aircraft
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- Forum Regular
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- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2009 9:03 am
- Location: Iowa
Re: Transfer of log from Home bult aircraft
I will try and get the pictures moved here as fast as I can, I am not a computer expert but I am slowly learning. I wanted to put all of our building logs in one place so people can find the different interpretations of Earl Luce's plans of Steve Wittman's plane. Though the Tailwind makes a great cross country plane, the original Buttercup design has some attributes that make it a better aircraft for my flying.
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Re: Transfer of log from Home bult aircraft
I'd like to see the pictures of your build, that you mentioned but didn't come through. I saw the two pics of the seats, though they were sideways, they did come thru!
All the best,
Robert Duke
Baytown TX
All the best,
Robert Duke
Baytown TX