Gavin,
All that I have read and found while working myself is that you should wipe up
the glue as you assemble; it is too easy to damage the joint or surrounding
wood chipping off, especially near joints. Also don't clamp the joints so tight
as to squeeze all the glue out. Apply just enough pressure to maintain a firm
contact and the glue will do the rest. Otherwise you will starve the joint of
enough adhesive to make a proper strength joint.
I was talking to a T-18 driver the other day and he brought up a good point
that applies to your question about the wing dihedral and spars. He told me
that the reason the T-18 has the wing straight for most of its length and then
the dihedral on the outer wing panel is the significant weight savings. Since
the spar is straight up to that point it does not have to be as strong, nor as
heavy. If you have the dihedral begin at the fuselage, then the spar has to be
alot stronger, and therefore heavier. If this is true, and I don't have reason
to doubt him, then basically doing away with the stub wing and beginning the
dihedral at the fuselage will require a significantly stronger spar to carry
the additional loads. Not being an engineer, I don't know the particulars.
Maybe Scott Cable, or Lynn can comment as to why. The RV guys can compare
their spar size to that of a T-18. This guy John said his hanger mate has an
RV6 and his spar is alot bigger and heavier, yet the planes are very close in
size and weight, load carrying.
Colin Rainey KR2(td)
[email protected]
Sanford, Florida
FLY SAFE!!!!
