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Pre-bent Longerons

J

JwWright57

Well Known Member
it was a fun Sunday......starting on the fuse sides...matching the door sills to the longerons...right one was perfect, left one...what the heck? The curve was significantly wrong, didn't line up at all. After messing with it for a couple hours it was significantly worse than when i started LOL.

I invented a few new words today :eek:...So I ordered another one, they were only $29 at vans. Hopefully the next one is a lot better. Quality control definitely fell down on this part.

My hats really off to you guys that had to bend them yourselves. I'm not sure I ever could have gotten that right.
 
JwWright57 said:
it was a fun Sunday......starting on the fuse sides...matching the door sills to the longerons...right one was perfect, left one...what the heck? The curve was significantly wrong, didn't line up at all. After messing with it for a couple hours it was significantly worse than when i started LOL.

I invented a few new words today :eek:...So I ordered another one, they were only $29 at vans. Hopefully the next one is a lot better. Quality control definitely fell down on this part.

My hats really off to you guys that had to bend them yourselves. I'm not sure I ever could have gotten that right.
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That, the fuel tank and the landing light were the least-fun part of the build.

Jerre
 
That, the fuel tank and the landing light were the least-fun part of the build.
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Just wait till you get to running the control cables for the pilot and co-pilot heater doors!!

I actually enjoyed the fuel tank after i told myself it doesn't need to look pretty because carpet will be covering it... it was a nice mini-project that I could take home and do in the basement.

Prior to that, however, the landing light was on the top of my list. I recommended to Van's to bite the bullet and just sell pre-cut skins -- anyone wanting the daytime-VFR package can just patch up the hole. I'd guess that way more than 50% of orders are for customers wanting lights..

Whether or not they heard me, I do not know.. but they now sell pre-cut skins.
 
spoke to Vans

FYI I spoke to Vans yesterday and they checked some longerons on the shelf and they all seemed to be off a bit (around 1/4" on the curve). The expectation is that you can cleco/drill them as you go (or slightly rebend them) and it will correct the alignment.

Ironically the right one was perfect which they thought was rare. So of course I assumed the left one would be also. LOL like most things on this build it happens on a weekend where tech support is not open.
 
Brandon - if you do, take it very easy on changing the curve. I used way too much force initially, you really don't need that much. Creep up on it very slowly.
 
JwWright57 said:
FYI I spoke to Vans yesterday and they checked some longerons on the shelf and they all seemed to be off a bit (around 1/4" on the curve). The expectation is that you can cleco/drill them as you go (or slightly rebend them) and it will correct the alignment.
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Would it make sense to use the F-01234-1 canopy decks as templates to check the factory's bends before you start to drill/Cleco the longerons? I think that was the standard procedure for RV-12s that didn't come with pre-bent longerons.
 
Thanks, Jeff. Did the top of the longeron stay flat when you opened it with a socket and then made the twist? I chuckled at the note to use a metric crescent wrench!
 
Mark - i never got to that part. I messed up the curve so bad (extreme twist) that i stopped there. When you open up the end a twist of 1/2 the open angle is needed. that should be easy to do. The d***mn thing twisted on me without even trying lol
 
JwWright57 said:
Mark - i never got to that part. I messed up the curve so bad (extreme twist) that i stopped there. When you open up the end a twist of 1/2 the open angle is needed. that should be easy to do. The d***mn thing twisted on me without even trying lol
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Thanks, Jeff!
 
I completed my longeron bends, opening up the end and twisting, and they came out fairly true. However, I wasn?t happy with them being less than perfect and ordered a new set. I took the new set to a local machine shop and had them bend it for me. They came out beautifully!
 
Rob H said:
I completed my longeron bends, opening up the end and twisting, and they came out fairly true. However, I wasn?t happy with them being less than perfect and ordered a new set. I took the new set to a local machine shop and had them bend it for me. They came out beautifully!
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How much did that cost you? I may just save the cost of a second set and shipping and do that from the start. I was already planning to buy those dies but why not spend a bit more and save the frustration.
 
aviti said:
How much did that cost you? I may just save the cost of a second set and shipping and do that from the start. I was already planning to buy those dies but why not spend a bit more and save the frustration.
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I'd be happy to lend you my dies. We're close to each other.

Jerre
 
Thanks, Jeff. Did the top of the longeron stay flat when you opened it with a socket and then made the twist? I chuckled at the note to use a metric crescent wrench!

The longeron definitely doesn't stay flat after opening it up. You get a nice little bow in the longeron. I followed the directions and made the top planer and didn't worry about the amount i was twisting it (it's impossible to measure anyway). The twist is 2.7 degrees according to the plans but sure seemed more than that to make it lay flat.
 
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