Another Warm-up Project for Sheet
Metal Aircraft Builders
Apprentice Toolbox
I’ve already regaled you with the details of my rooftop
luggage box; here is another, simpler, more generally useful project.
First, download a demo copy of DeltaCad.
It’s the nicest 2-D CAD program I’ve worked with, and I do CAD for a living.
Install it on your PC-compatible computer.
Sorry fellow MAC-bigots.
Then download
these drawings,
and un-zip them.
Study them carefully, then proceed.
These drawings were created by a friend of mine with a long career in
aviation, in the spirit of how he AND his father (who knew the original
Donald Douglas!) were raised up in aviation: by doing.
Go forth, do the same, and pass it on.
Update: Here are some
pictures:
The shell of the tray will introduce the student to the bending brake while
the interior partitions will demonstrate the use of form blocks.
The tray provides an opportunity to use flush-head rivets.
Back-riveting may be used. Use harder alloys than the 6061-T0 and 'A'
rivets shown here. The pictured materials are much too soft for a beginner to
get good results. 6061-T6 or 2024-T3
would be better choices for the sheet; similarly the more common “B” rivets. Surplus rivets are available at Airparts. Surplus sheet material is available at The Yard or perhaps locally if you
live in a major metropolitan area, here in the San Francisco Bay, try Alco Iron
and Metal in Vallejo and/or San Leandro.
If you’re buying new, chances again are there is a local source of
supply, which may be cheaper than shipping from one of the Usual Suspects.
