Construction of Tubular Steel Fuselages is written to assist the average mechanic or aircraft builder to produce a tubular steel airframe that is as good as one from the factory. The assembly methods in this manual are intended to produce a highly accurate fuselage in such a way that expansion and contraction occur symmetrically with no distortion. The techniques given including those on jigging and alignment methods will also help in rapid prototyping where a high degree of accuracy is necessary without elaborate welding jigs.
This book details the entire fuselage design and construction process in a practical way for the builder (not the engineer) including consideration for loads, evaluation and placement of fittings and joints, jigging, welding and other metal working techniques, tool use, and the actual step by step construction of top and bottom halves of a steel fuselage as well as the many sub assemblies common to every tubular aircraft fuselage type from J3 replicas to high performance aerobatic aircraft.
Softcover, 158 Pages
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Welded Fuselage Construction and Design
terminology
axes
fuselage geometry
drawing conventions
weld design
materials
designing parts
Methods & Processes
steel
abrasives
welding
nonstructural attach points
corrosion and removal
cleaning and painting
metrology for jigging
Tools
Jig Tables
flat and level
materials
order of construction
Layout
centerlines
drawing tops and bottoms
Constructing the Top and Bottom
blocks
shims
longerons
constructing the top
constructing the bottom
Fitting the Top and Bottom
hangers
setting the bottom
firewall reference plates
setting the top
upright crossmembers
longerons on the firewall
Welding the Fuselage
welding the joints
longeron straightening caused by welding
starting welding
fabricating engine mount pads
finishing welding
rudder post
Horizontal/Vertical Stabilizer and Control Surfaces
Seats, Rollover Structures, Harness Installations
Appendix
This is nearly identical to my first pilot logbook, but with a new smooth matte black cover. This logbook checks all the boxes from student pilot through Commercial. It might just be the only logbook you’ll ever need. Fly safe!
