Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Questor Takes a Left Turn
I think I just encountered my first frak-up of this project.
Can I say that in my blog?
I made two beautiful boom sticks, complete with power lines, and I was contemplating a mechanism for securing the locking pin in place once I get to the point where I can insert the fin and lock it down. Then I realized that in order to insert a locking pin, I need to drill a hole. And just where do you think I need to drill a hole?
Right through the center of each of the boom sticks!
Well, what is at the center of each of the boom sticks?
A FRAKING WIRE!
Can I say that in my blog?
So, now I have to spin a few hundred cycles (wash, rinse, repeat) to figure out how to work around the problem, or to determine if it is easier to just start over.
It is possible I still have time to salvage the operation. The epoxy that I used to laminate the sticks together is still young, and even old epoxy will loosen up enough for parts to separate if enough heat is applied. And I've got a nice little heat gun I could shoot at the thing.
But once separated, things get messy, because then I have to use a #18 X-acto chisel blade to scrape off the epoxy residue while blasting it at the same time with the heat gun. Then I would have to perform the lamination process all over again after re-routing the wire around the area where I need holes drilled.
Another alternative is to cut a portion of one of the laminated sticks and separate only that segment to perform the operation, but then that can introduce weakness into the structure and will require that I cut two new pieces to fit back into place. Not very elegant.
One remaining alternative is to work around the wires and drill the holes slightly higher than I need them to be. But then the wire is still in there, and I have no additional room to work, and I will be unable to install a piece I have been designing that will secure the locking pin in place for flight. So, I would have to re-design that, after now having settled on a design idea after rattling my brain for several days on the problem.
Frak.
I'm pretty sure I can say that in my blog.
So, just like most of my life, one step forward and one step back. Nothing ever changes.
Can I say that in my blog?
I made two beautiful boom sticks, complete with power lines, and I was contemplating a mechanism for securing the locking pin in place once I get to the point where I can insert the fin and lock it down. Then I realized that in order to insert a locking pin, I need to drill a hole. And just where do you think I need to drill a hole?
Right through the center of each of the boom sticks!
Well, what is at the center of each of the boom sticks?
A FRAKING WIRE!
Can I say that in my blog?
So, now I have to spin a few hundred cycles (wash, rinse, repeat) to figure out how to work around the problem, or to determine if it is easier to just start over.
It is possible I still have time to salvage the operation. The epoxy that I used to laminate the sticks together is still young, and even old epoxy will loosen up enough for parts to separate if enough heat is applied. And I've got a nice little heat gun I could shoot at the thing.
But once separated, things get messy, because then I have to use a #18 X-acto chisel blade to scrape off the epoxy residue while blasting it at the same time with the heat gun. Then I would have to perform the lamination process all over again after re-routing the wire around the area where I need holes drilled.
Another alternative is to cut a portion of one of the laminated sticks and separate only that segment to perform the operation, but then that can introduce weakness into the structure and will require that I cut two new pieces to fit back into place. Not very elegant.
One remaining alternative is to work around the wires and drill the holes slightly higher than I need them to be. But then the wire is still in there, and I have no additional room to work, and I will be unable to install a piece I have been designing that will secure the locking pin in place for flight. So, I would have to re-design that, after now having settled on a design idea after rattling my brain for several days on the problem.
Frak.
I'm pretty sure I can say that in my blog.
So, just like most of my life, one step forward and one step back. Nothing ever changes.
posted by Bill @ 7:10 PM
3 Comments:
At 7/9/06 5:48 AM,
Tracey said…
...one step forward and on e step back...
Yep, thats pretty much how things seem to go. ;)
With all the extra steps involved to separate the sticks, clear the epoxy, etc.... I would think it'd be simpler to make new ones.
Can the one you have now be used for other planes? Maybe it's use is salvagable that way...
Whatever you decide to do, Bill, i'm sure you'll find the best solution and make it work. :)
At 7/9/06 12:46 PM,
Bill said…
Thanks for the encouragement. I don't know if you're right about me finding the best solution, but I decided last night that I can make it work as is - I just need to use smaller holes and drill them higher, above the center of the booms. I think it will actually work out well. It has also helped me rope in some considerations that were keeping me from keeping it simple, so I'm back on the K.I.S.S. track again. :)
At 8/9/06 5:18 AM,
Tracey said…
Well that sounds like the best solution to me Bill. :)
Happy building and let us know how it goes, please.
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