Regal Eagle Done! Video Tour 6/29/15

[ryuandwings]

That looks great!
I though about the Raindrop design because of the interior space, but I gave up due to the complexity of its design and construction.
I admire you for taking on the challenge and doing such a great job.

[Gunguy05]

That looks great!
I though about the Raindrop design because of the interior space, but I gave up due to the complexity of its design and construction.
I admire you for taking on the challenge and doing such a great job.

Thank you. It indeed has been a challenge, but I like challenges so that is ok.

On a side not, I know I had talked to you about ordering from SAF, but I got a quote from harbor sales, and ended up going with them. Their prices were cheaper, but shipping was more. They did however ship UPS freight, and it can be delivered to my house , so no need to the other transportation issues to get it in my hands (or in my garage).

Should be here by the 20th, so the push now is to get everything sealed up by then, which is doable. Maybe take a couple days off work and work like heck to get things done. *MIGHT* be campable by the end of the year... but I'm not holding out for that.

Thanks again, and looking forward to your progress as well,

[S. Heisley]

Serendipitously when we were cleaning up tonight my son had left a sheet of the underlayment material that we had used for the templates lying out in the grass where it had collected dew and was quite bendy. SO...I tried to see how well it would bend to the front curve and ... bingo!

We were going to use an extra layer of the oak ($$ and not too bendy) for the outside sub layer under the skin. This is where the window hole will be cut, and the trimlok gasket will sit. I had been concerned about the stability of this given the thin top later of oak and it's proneness to splinter (thus not giving a good sealing surface for the gasket).. BUT this stuff works great and takes a clean cut on the edge.

Anyways, I gave in and went back outside a few minutes ago and cut a piece to fit and bent it into place. Works like a charm. The outline is where the side window will be, but with radius corners.

Your original sketch showed the window in the flat front portion. What window material can be bent into that curve?

[Gunguy05]

Serendipitously when we were cleaning up tonight my son had left a sheet of the underlayment material that we had used for the templates lying out in the grass where it had collected dew and was quite bendy. SO...I tried to see how well it would bend to the front curve and ... bingo!

We were going to use an extra layer of the oak ($$ and not too bendy) for the outside sub layer under the skin. This is where the window hole will be cut, and the trimlok gasket will sit. I had been concerned about the stability of this given the thin top later of oak and it's proneness to splinter (thus not giving a good sealing surface for the gasket).. BUT this stuff works great and takes a clean cut on the edge.

Anyways, I gave in and went back outside a few minutes ago and cut a piece to fit and bent it into place. Works like a charm. The outline is where the side window will be, but with radius corners.

Your original sketch showed the window in the flat front portion. What window material can be bent into that curve?

I have some 1/4 pieces of Lexan (polycarbonate) to bend for that. I have read both good and bad, but I *think* I can do it with 2 heat guns. Key is to keep the heat as even as possible (2 guns for this), and at about the point the PC starts to bend it also will bubble just past that. SO... going to use my original template to make an arch to lay it over and form to.

It's a dicey situation, but I REALLY want those windows in there. AND I'm a really pickey person as far as not having waves in them or bubbles. So, I hope they turn out well. Otherwise I may scrap them and just have the middle one.

I purchase 25 ft of trimlok locking gasket. The window in one side, the edge of the wall in the other, then the middle pieces locks into place to hold the whole thing together



.... we shall see. I will say that this is probably the most hesitant part about the entire build. Too many things that can go wrong from the PC bend not looking good, to the windows leaking in the end. But, like I said, I REALLY want those windows.

[S. Heisley]

Thanks for your reply. It seems you've done your homework on those windows. You'll probably be successful.

[Gunguy05]

Trying to get a number of different odds and ends tied up before (hopefully) the Aluminum arrives in the next week or so.

First was to get a few more blocks glued in around the AC box so that there would be appropriate attachment points for the shroud that will serve as the roof/vent for AC in that section. Don't have any pics of that, but there was only about 1/2" or so, but we added about 1 1/2" so there should be plenty of room there to screw into.

This makes the roof completely ready to go for skin. Will most likely do that tomorrow. Took a few pics with the yellow ruler (a indispensable tool throughout this build), just for documentation purposes of all of the framing member.








Next I worked on the tongue box a bit. We have decided that the space would be better used if we split the box and have an inside cabinet in the top, and an ouside hatch access from the bottom.

Going use one of these I think. Will probably paint it grey/silver to blend in better.


Not going to put into place until AFTER we skin and Aluminum the front. I figure that way the front piece of Aluminum can go on uncut, and we cat notch out for it once its in place. Rather than having to cut out a large piece in the middle, and hope it fits tight against the box that's already in place.

Then it was on to the windows. We had a small issue... yeah I broke the first piece of plywood when we put it in the other night on the right curve piece. It was a little crooked, and tried to "tweak" it a bit and it popped. So we recut those tonight. Managed to mount the first one in the middle. THe other two are cut, going to wet those a bit tomorrow, and bend them into place.



That's about it for now. More tomorrow afternoon if we have some time to work.

[KCStudly]

Gettin' er done, and looking nice.

[Gunguy05]

Gettin' er done, and looking nice.

Thank you KC. I have been "Gettin it done" the last couple of months, and it paying off.

Today I took off work because the Aluminum was supposed to be delivered. It's coming (notticed that is future tense) UPS freight. Supposed to be here today, but I'm not sure what happends but they called just before lunch to setup a delivery appointment for tomorrow. I questioned it being delivered today and they said that tomorrow was the earliest that they had, or monday.. NO.. Can't wait until monday. No way man!

So, long story short, my dad and brother are going to be on 1hr on call tomorrow and hopefully be here when it is delivered sometime between 10 and 5 .

So.. Today we worked quite a bit. Got the side windows put in the front. That was quite a job, still a little nervous about this part of it, but it's coming together. Had to really be careful on these. Last week we put one in and I was "tweaking" it a bit and I popped it. So.. recut that one, and the other side. Took a little more time this go around and got them glued and nailed into place.







After that was done, I had to make a quick run to have Thanksgiving lunch with "The boy", and while I was gone my dad worked on the foam in the fron't bottom panels.





Next it was on to the top. Glued and nailed the top skin into place.



Once the roof panels were in place and nailed in, it was time to fill all the nail holes. My son was excited, as I had told him that when the roof was done he would be able to climb on top. Little did he know I would put him to work. 5yrs old, but learning how to fill holes. Not too bad.





One last thing before the day was over. At the advice (and previous experience) of Tony.Latham, I bought a needed rabbiting bit for cutting a groove for the edge moulding to ride in on the sides of the hatch. $43 on Amazon.. hard to bite the bullet on that one since I will probably only use it for this.. BUT I didnt' see another way of doing it RIGHT, so here it is! Will try and cut those soon, so we can put the CPES in the seals before we put the Aluminum on.



All in all, a very productive day considering the original plans of Aluminum delivery fell through. Just a little bit more work before we seal the outside and then on to skin this bad boy!

[pchast]

Coming along!
Great helpers...
Thanks for the pictures

[Gunguy05]

Outside is skinned!

Most of the holes are now filled, and the windows are cut to shape (don't have a photo, just removed the clamps in your mind)



Hope to get the mix (50/50 paint thinner and laquer) on this week. Then it's on to Al (I hope).

Tongue box is not attached, sill have to finish, but will do that as a separate piece and then attach. I think it will be easier that way

[KCStudly]

Looking good!

The lines of the TB match the cabin very nicely.

[Gunguy05]

Looking good!

The lines of the TB match the cabin very nicely.

Funny you should say that....

We spent a lot of time trying to make things looks right (proportionally) with the TB. Because this thing is such a beast, things end up larger than they should be just so they look right.

It's a out 18 in deep, 31 wide, and 24 or so tall (if I remember correctly).

[KCStudly]

When you are doing your first load out I bet your tune will change, "shucks, I wish this thing was just a bit bigger so I could pack a little more stuff in here".

[Gunguy05]

Worked on the inside a little more this past weekend. Didn't have much time but to dabble here and there. We did have about 3 hours or so on Sunday afternoon.

Ran into a bit of a snag with the oak for the top inside wall.

When I bent the oak for the bottom inside walls ( using water and straps) I noticed a bit of black spots and splotches that showed up on the oak. It really looked like mold, but was noticiable withing 2 hours or so of wetting the wood. Hummm... don't really think mold can grow that fast, and that was in the summer, so it was drying almost as fast as we could wet it and bend/staple/glue into place. It was pretty easy to sand (most) of it out once the wood dried good.

Then came the top oak... that's a different story.

Wetted it down good, and hit with the heat gun, and bent into place. Almost within 15 mnutes the dreded black splotches came back, but much worse than before. So.. I have guessed that the glue is disolving and wicking to the surface and deposting in the grain of the wood. Don't really know what else it can be? Any idea?





So.. plan C. Cover the inside top curve with luan, and either varnish or paint a brown to blend with the oak. This will work, will be much easier to bend, but will not look quite as good as I had hoped.

Plan D. Find 4x8 veneer to finish off these areas. Put this on top of the luan and make our own "oak" panel. I didn't realize how expensive oak veneer was until I started looking today, about 60 bucks for a 4x8 sheet (roll I'm guessing). Still thinking here..

This photo shows the area that we are working on from the inside.

[KCStudly]

Sure looks like black mold. Maybe do a test with some TSP and bleach and see if it doesn't whiten too much?

Maybe add a couple of drops of bleach or ammonia to your water before soaking?

Just spit balling here, but it seems like it would be better to save what you have already spent money on, rather than spending more and not really knowing that the problem is solved.