Two New Texas Legal Eagles Still in the EGG

[Larry H]

Hi all thought I'd let you know that I picked up two Legal Eagle Kits from John Bolding three or four weeks ago. One kit for myself and one for my friend Tim. I started work on my plane last Saturday, January 28, 2017. I put two clean pieces of 4'X 8' hard board on top of my work table. I decided to build my wings first before I mess up the top welding. So far I've finished all four wing spars and I am working on the wing ribs. I plan to start assembly of the wings by this coming weekend.
I may give updates from time to time or ask a question or two. If I do ask, any help will be appreciated. I've noticed some questions some have asked in this forum with no help replies, that's too bad. John Bolding has answered by phone a couple questions I've had so far. I hope to not bug him too much.
I will at least let everyone know when The Tiny Bird is ready to Hatch. I've decided to officially name my VW powered aircraft AIR BUGGY.

LARRY H

[Darren C]

Welcome Larry.

I built from a John Bolding kit and was very happy with everything included.  Though when I opened it for the first time I found it hard to believe everything was in that box to make a Legal Eagle.  Just didn't look to be enough 'stuff'...but there was.  John has made himself available to answer my questions from time to time too which has been great.

As with all building projects just do something every single day and soon enough it will be complete.
Sounds like you are motoring ahead on the build already.

Have fun with it mate.
Darren 

[Larry H]

Thank you Darren

I had the same reaction when I opened my crate. I looked at my wife and said, hard to believe a whole airplane is in that box!
I'm still looking for engine parts in there but not seeing any so far. 😜

[PropMan]

Welcome to the Eaglers Larry!

Where about in Texas are you?

[Larry H]

I am between Terrell and Rockwall Texas, Tim is in Cash Texas. I am about 30 miles east of Downtown Dallas TX, Tim is 45 miles.

[r1scott]

Hey larry, im scott and im out here in canton down the road! Im building a cabin eagle ..very slowly. Its good to hear someone local is building.

[Larry H]

Hello Scott,

It would be nice if us two LE XL builders and you could get together soon to motivate one another. Flyboy and I are in contact daily as we are building the same aircraft. We both plan to expand the top of the cabin for possible side enclosures for winter flying. We will see how all that goes.

Larry

[r1scott]

That would be great. I definatly need welding help lol and i have cabin eagle plans # 25 and double eagle plans #89 so we can look at all the plans and come up with a good way to widen yalls. I was gonna do the d.e. but i need wings to come off easly or fold as in the c.e. im a poor boy and mine is gonna live in a storage or a trailer. This is my first build so i need all the help i can get not to mention friends flying the same aircraft.

[Larry H]

Getting together would be a good idea. Will have to work on day time and place. Stay busy everyday and the project goes fast.
Larry

[r1scott]

Ya, i try to do something every day. Money is the only thing holding me back lol. Ive been learning how to weld and its finely comming along and i added more bench space in my shop (shed) lol yesterday. I gotta go outa town this weekend. I want to go flying but my wallett says no to that too. Oh well, one day i will look back as we are on the taxiway and smile about these times.. Onward to upward!

[Larry H]

I am slowly making progress. All of my main wing spars and ribs are finished. I used the aileron rib idea that Scott Weinberg presented on the group. I think his ideas are good ones. Tonight, I slipped my ribs onto the rear spar as a trial fit. The wing looks pretty good coming together. I hope to have my wings finished in another week or two.
I'm adding a photograph or two if I can. My aileron end ribs are sitting on the table about where they will go onto the aileron spar.

[Larry H]

When I made my nose ribs I made an extra copy of the nose rib paper page, sprayed 3M spray glue onto the 1/4 inch plywood, stuck the drawing down to it. I then carefully cut out one nose rib making it perfect. I used it as my router template. I have done this many times in years past for duplicating parts. Since a bearing wheel is riding on the wooden template, no damage can be done to it. I drilled two template holes for holding the two pieces of wood together. I took two large thread wood screws similar to Sheetrock screws but just bigger threads, cut them off shorter so they wouldn't come through the bottom side of the bottom piece of plywood. I laid my pattern board on top of the piece of plywood to be copied/cut, drilled down into the bottom board a smaller hole than my screw size then I shot the shortened screws down through the pattern board into the piece to be cut. I used a cheap router table I purchased at Home Depot or Lowes years ago that came with a router. I saw it sitting over in my shop with the correct cutting bit already in it so grabbed it and I fairly quickly cut out two sets of these nose ribs for Flyboy and myself. It takes about 10 to 15 seconds each to rout these ribs out this way. It does take a couple minutes to drill and screw the two pieces together but the routing out is fast. The bottom line is you don't need to make an aluminum template. You can use one wooden template to make hundreds of these if you wanted. I used the same technique to make the aileron end ribs, make one perfect then copy it.

[Larry H]

I took this pattern directly from my rib jig so they would be exactly the same as my ribs. I drilled the hinge pivot point and the center points for the litening  holes through the pattern into my finished ribs while the two were still screwed together. That made it quick and easy to later drill out my litening holes with my fostner drill bits.

[Tom XL-7]

Larry,  I am not seeing any diagonals in your wing.
 Others have reported of an "alligator wrestle" putting them in. Best located in place loose before gluing.
If you are glued you may have to get creative.
But that's probably not a problem for you.
 Good Building, keep the pictures coming. 
I agree on the ply template and router table. I have a 3/8s luan template and a homemade router table. 
others have made simple paper or masonite templates and hand cut one at a time. Gang sanding would clean up small variances.
The only way I'm making an alum template is if I'm going into production. Then this method is too slow to even consider.
Tom XL-7

[Larry H]

Hello Tom, the ribs aren't glued to the spars, they are just sitting there. I'll be taking several of them off for a little more sanding this evening, I'll put in the diagonals and start glueing it all together tonight.