(10-6 step 2):
I wanted to get the right side skin clecoed on tonight so I
needed to get the longeron bent. This was definitely an exercise
in patience! Using the mark I made earlier as the bend point the
process went as follows… place the longeron in the bench vise
with the mark just sticking out of the side. Pre-load the
longeron in the bend direction and then with a soft mallet strike the
longeron close to the bench vise... and then strike it again... and
again... and again... and again. You see, what we're trying to
accomplish here is bending a piece of angle-aluminum in the direction
of one of the flanges. Not exactly an easy thing to do. It
turns out to be a tedious process because not only does it bend in the
direction intended, but since the flange in the direction of the bend
doesn't exactly want to compress on itself, it forces the longeron to
bend in another direction. So, while you're beating the bejeezus
out of it, its bending in two directions... one you want, one you
don't. Anyway, the gist of it is clamp it in, bend it in the
direction you want, clamp it in another way, unbend it in the direction
you don't want it bent, remove it and lay it against the skin to check
your progress... and then repeat. Keep doing this until it's
finally bent the amount needed, while still being straight along the
other flange. I think I'll wait and do the other one another
night :-)
|
