Yeah... still working on it... just not posting

Another year is just about ending and another year of building on the biplane (very little)...

I was going at it with both barrels. Spent approximately 80 hours on the main landing gear... looking good. Welded them both up and... one move about 1/16", the other moved about 1 1/16". Like... what the hell ? The 1/16" not a problem... the 1 1/16"... a big problem.

Not sure if it's my measuring or the welding of it. In either case I've got to look at it a bit closer.

I'm at a mental hiatus with it... actually... a hiatus period since I measured and re-measured with the same sad outcome.

I've been wanting to take it over to Whitey's (my Tech Advisor with EAA) to see if there is something that can be done with it. That ain't gonna happen now that winter has set in. Thinking... I'll clear out the garage workshop where I can set it up with both landing gear legs installed on the fuselage and have him come over to my place. He'll either be able to tell me what can be done, or tell me to just re-make them.

Time to clear out the garage workshop and get things set up. Hope to have the gear either fixed or re-made by spring.

Getting a handle on it... the control sticks

It took quite a bit of time, but I'm finally finished making the control sticks (aka Torque Tube Controls.) Making them from scratch was an experience... I made several of the pieces over and over and over again... not happy with the first few attempts at making them.

Here's a photo of the finished piece (I still need to put the extended stick in each of the stick sockets... which will be done when I weld it into the fusleage.) Quite a few pieces went into making it... and a total of 80 hours.

On to making the landing gear... already have the fuselage completed, so I'll build it on the inverted fuselage, as many have suggested. I've been onto making the landing gear for a few weeks now... a lot of little things need to be completed before I even start the actual making of the landing gear.

Finally !... a little forward motion.

I hesitate to saying anything out loud... the Murphy Gods may look down and see I'm moving toward completion and put a stop to it.

Tonight I wanted to accomplish one simple thing... drill a straight hole through the center of the second elongated washer that sits at the bottom of the pilot's Stick Socket. (previously I had welded on both elongated washers without first drilling through the first washer and then the second... if you aren't or haven't done this... you won't have a clue as to what I am talking about)

This picture pretty much shows what I just said. You start out with a hole in one side and out the other on the tube. Washers need to be welded on to beef up the area. Weld on the first washer then drill through the hole on the uncovered side and through the pilot hole on the other. I did that on the first five I made... the sixth one I welded over both holes. DAMN ! But success was mine tonight and I was able to drill and straight and centered hole through the other side even though I originally screwed it up. (whew !)

All I need to do is weld the 3/8" tube and two washers onto the pivot area on the passenger's Stick Socket, file it smooth and then it's on to drilling the holes in the Stick Boots then on to putting it all together... can ya believe it ? I won't until it's finished.

Yesterday... and today

eeeeeeeeeeeeeesh !

It's been awhile since I've last been here. Let see... back in August of 2006 I was just starting back in on my Skybolt project. Today... I'm a little over half the way there. Great journey of learning and making new friends... getting reaquainted with old ones.

I've been keeping track of my build progress on another site: http://hammerheadpilotgear.com/skyboltmain.html

Here is a photo of the Jacobs R755-A2, 300 hp Radial Engine I picked up in up state New York. It's a beast that was manufactured back in the 1940's. It's a bullet-proof design that sounds great.

where to from here ?
let's see where tomorrow takes us

A reason to be

Wow !
Been wondering about these blogs for awhile now but haven't really looked into how to start one. It's to easy.

Why a blog?
Not to set the world on fire for all but to talk to those I reach with my word, written or spoken. To tell those who will read and listen.... about flight and flying.

Why 2?
My belief.... We come into this life for a purpose. To set our mark on the world. If you're like me, it needs to be a lasting thought, deed or belief for others to take with them to use to help them see what life to them is all about. Its all about levels of learning/life.

As Richard Bach wrote: You teach best what you most need to learn.

What?
The world through the eyes of a pilot. My words/thoughts... experience flying, my never-ending hours of building a hell-bent for acro Skybolt biplane, the rebirth of a Classic 1946 Taylorcraft, the uneducated decision of government and the plight of general aviation, and watching me rediscovering over and over again this love I have with flight.

And so it is written.... a reason to be a blog.

8/8/06