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Zenair CH601HD

Ahh I did think about making sections, and although it's fairly symmetrical to the eye I'm sure it's not perfect. If I were to do it with pourable foam I would have at least made some kind of cardboard sections/dams to keep it under control, using the spray foam wasn't difficult to build up, aside from the bottom, pesky gravity.

I'll look into the bendable foam, I was thinking of building some 'walls' on the inside of the mold, just wasn't sure what to use to form it, the foam sounds like it might be the trick I need.
I don't think it needs a massive amount of re-enforcement, but I think it should be stiffer, around the split, maybe one or two walls/bendy foam strips on the big spans. I obviously don't want to add a whole pile of weight so I will add a few re-enforcements and see, add more as I feel necessary.

As for the side work on home builds, I don't think I would make a cowl for someone, but I wouldn't mind getting into some of the welding, I've seen some of the welding out there on home builds and I see room there
 
We used ‘polyurethane foam insulation’ on some applications to muffle noise.
Probably would not stand up to hot areas in the engine compartment, but, the foam has good structural properties for stiffening purposes.
One neighbour has used it to reinforce his GLIDER segments.
 
Oh boy, I’m so jealous. You’re living my dream of building a home built aircraft.

I no longer have my license and am unlikely going to get it back- and building an aircraft that I’m not going to fly doesn’t have the same allure.
 
Divinycell is one of the common composite sandwich core materials. It comes in sheet form which you can cut or shape or heat form, 3 PCF density so quite light. I've also seen it pre scored with kind of a mesh backing so it can conform to curved surfaces. Last-A-Foam is more of a structural foam, increasing densities & better heat capability. Man prices are getting crazy. For reinforcing 'stringers' on 3D surfaces another technique is to slip woven cloth socks over shaped foam cores, resin saturate & then cure that on the surface (usually vac-bagging technique). The strength is in the composite tube, the foam core is just along for the ride.

www.aircraftspruce.ca

Foam | Aircraft Spruce Canada

Aircraft Spruce Canada is a worldwide distributor of certified and homebuilt aircraft supplies.
www.aircraftspruce.ca www.aircraftspruce.ca

But if you really want to melt a credit card then look no further than Rohacell. used in aviation, race cars, all that good stuff. Oh and high end RC models. The cores are CNC milled, then get placed into CNC milled molds with CF skin & spars etc. kind of a reverse process. So even the paint layer is directly on the mold. Gram savings & strength costs exponential $$. Fuselage components have no core but use an expandable bladder from the inside pressing CF outward to the mold.

1744995341427.png
 
Raining where the taylor is, not raining in Calgary, had some time today and felt like doing some work on the 601, or rather forced myself to do some work on the 601, lol

Been procrastinating about replacing some of the wing sheet metal, decided to just get to it today. After screwing around with the cowling a bit i went after the right top wing skin, it has a good number of scars from hangar rash, probably ok, but it bothered me

Pretty easy work, just lots of drilling.....after clecoing the new sheet on it really makes me want to replace more sheets......but at 240$ for a 4x12 of .016 i dont think i will be doing that

IMG_20250429_165825447.jpgIMG_20250429_175554932.jpg
 
phaxtris said:
Raining where the taylor is, not raining in Calgary, had some time today and felt like doing some work on the 601, or rather forced myself to do some work on the 601, lol

Been procrastinating about replacing some of the wing sheet metal, decided to just get to it today. After screwing around with the cowling a bit i went after the right top wing skin, it has a good number of scars from hangar rash, probably ok, but it bothered me

Pretty easy work, just lots of drilling.....after clecoing the new sheet on it really makes me want to replace more sheets......but at 240$ for a 4x12 of .016 i dont think i will be doing that

View attachment 63908View attachment 63909
Click to expand...
Wow pretty! I just don't know how you will get that thing off the ground...carrying your sheet metal brake and your tool chests all in your wing!?!
 
I can remember forming some ‘flow tubes & couplers’ about 20 years ago and the grade we used was AL3003.
Better formability and a lot less expensive.
I remember buying from Ideal Alloys (now Ryerson).

What grade of Aluminum sheet did you use ?
 
LenVW said:
I can remember forming some ‘flow tubes & couplers’ about 20 years ago and the grade we used was AL3003.
Better formability and a lot less expensive.
I remember buying from Ideal Alloys (now Ryerson).

What grade of Aluminum sheet did you use ?
Click to expand...

2024, I would have used 6061 it being slightly cheaper, but no availability (Russel)

I can get a 4x8 (20 or 22 gauge, can't remember) of 3003 for about 50$, it just isn't the right alloy
 
LenVW said:
I can remember forming some ‘flow tubes & couplers’ about 20 years ago and the grade we used was AL3003
Click to expand...

That sounds like Versatube which is softer alloy that lends itself to (bending/conforming) tubing in particular. But its not as strong as other common structural alloys. 3003=22ksi, 6061 = 35-40 ksi, 2024 = 60 ksi

www.aircraftspruce.ca

3003-O Versatube | Aircraft Spruce Canada

3003-O Versatube Soft aluminum tubing for instrument air and vacuum lines, fuel and oil lines, and primer lines
www.aircraftspruce.ca www.aircraftspruce.ca
 
phaxtris said:
2024, I would have used 6061 it being slightly cheaper, but no availability (Russel)

I can get a 4x8 (20 or 22 gauge, can't remember) of 3003 for about 50$, it just isn't the right alloy
Click to expand...
Yeah, the 3003 has a lower yield strength but does have good characteristics when it comes to forming into profiles and complex shapes (We were making polymer extrusion parts).

The aircraft aluminum will have higher ksi, but formability will be limited.
It is an exercise in material science to select the proper grade and process to manufacture the wings, struts and stressed skins of the fuselage.
 
LenVW said:
Yeah, the 3003 has a lower yield strength but does have good characteristics when it comes to forming into profiles and complex shapes (We were making polymer extrusion parts).

The aircraft aluminum will have higher ksi, but formability will be limited.
It is an exercise in material science to select the proper grade and process to manufacture the wings, struts and stressed skins of the fuselage.
Click to expand...

oh yes, i have 2 sheets of 3003, very malleable, it takes very little effort to form it, bend it back and forth 10 times and it wont break, that 2024, very very stiff, cracks easily, i wouldnt even want to try and form more than just a 90deg lip, and even with that you need to be careful of the bend radi. The 3003 also dents very easily, much easier than even 5052, Im not entirely sure what the intended purpose of 3003 is in sheet form, maybe it work hardens to some extend after forming, not sure.
 
AL3003 ‘H14’ aluminum sheet stands out with a tensile strength range of 17 to 30 KSI (comparative to structural aluminum yield strength).

Redstone Mfg - website source:
“The 3003 H14 Aluminum Sheet, renowned for its excellent workability, weldability, and impressive corrosion resistance, is an alloy enhanced with 1.2% manganese, providing a tensile strength range of 17 to 30 KSI, making it a preferred choice for applications such as sheet metal work and fuel tanks.”

In the 1990s,
I used the AL3003 H14 to fabricate airflow & spray bath cooling systems for HDPE corrugated pipe during the manufacturing process.
 
phaxtris said:
Im not entirely sure what the intended purpose of 3003 is in sheet form, maybe it work hardens to some extend after forming, not sure.
Click to expand...

I think it’s biggest benefit and usage is where forming and drawing is needed, not structural strength. It’s not a hardening alloy either. Probably the kind of material you’d find in spin forming too. I’ve seen it called “utility sheet” too.

I used some to form the elevator trim control rod fairing for my project. It was the right grade for that.

That was a bit of left over material from when I fabled the interior of my race car. I picked it based on formability and price not strength.

D :cool:
 
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