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1940 Stearman restoration (moved from Triumph forum so all can enjoy)
- Thread starter CJD
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OP
CJD
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Here are some of the cap strips, ready to go into the jig
Now the braces are added to the middle, each cut to length. There are 66 total ribs, and 12 different variants
Once the caps and braces are in place, then you glue the gussets and webs, tacking them so they stay as the glue dries overnight
Now the braces are added to the middle, each cut to length. There are 66 total ribs, and 12 different variants
Once the caps and braces are in place, then you glue the gussets and webs, tacking them so they stay as the glue dries overnight
OP
CJD
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I have to say, one of the most fulfilling jobs was hammering the tacks! Not only does anything envolving a hammer allow you to vent all life frustrations, but it turns out that tacking is a lost art! The tacks are glue coated steel and tiny 20 gage. If you tried to pick each up by hand and hold them as you tap them home, your fingers would be mashed. It turns out you use a magnetic hammer! The hammer is ingenious, in that the back side has a horseshoe magnet, that allows you to pick up the tacks, one at a time, and the tack automatically assume the correct position to tap into place. You then flip the hammer around and drive it home...no finger envolved at any time to smash!
OP
CJD
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I got all the hardware back from the platers. The next step is to cut and drill the spars...which is very stressful, considering we bought the last available in the states, had to pay a small fortune and drive several thousand miles to get them here. One wrong hole could cost a $grand. I need to man up and get to it!?!
Once the spars are set, then the ribs will get slid onto them, the hardware added back, and details added. Now that the storage is all built, the Stearman is my main task, so I will have updates more frequently. Full speed ahead!
Once the spars are set, then the ribs will get slid onto them, the hardware added back, and details added. Now that the storage is all built, the Stearman is my main task, so I will have updates more frequently. Full speed ahead!
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Incredible work, I like how you have incorporated modern manufacturing techniques into building your eighty-four year old plane.
Silverghost
Yoda
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And here I am feeling intimidated about polishing the aluminum wheels on my motorhome! 
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Your work is extremely commendable! To bring an aircraft back from the damage yours's received from a previous owner or whoever can be a nightmare to say the least. I love Stearman's, my first aircraft was one when I was 26 years old, that was 60 years ago! Here's a pic. PJ
OP
CJD
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Happy Holidays to all. Here are some pics of the Stearman. After 2 months of rib building, I moved to preparing the wooden spars. They required ripping the edges to the correct angles, adding reinforcement plates to areas, and then the stressful part...drilling for the hardware. Considering the price of slow grow Spruce from Alaska and the fact I had to drive to Atlanta to pick them up, I was reluctant to get started. Fortunately, they came out perfect...
Once the holes are drilled, the high stress holes take inserts, which are sized precisely 1/64" smaller than the spar, to allow compression without cutting the wood fibers. Most of the plates and hardware are held with aluminum bolts. They are close to unobtanium thse days! Wood absorbs moisture, which is hard on metal, so any place that aluminum will touch wood is coated with a really messy tar compound...bituminous mastic. The best description is it' like the creosote that used to be on all the telephone poles when we were kids. once it gets on your hands, it won't come off, but spreads with every touch!
Once the holes are drilled, the high stress holes take inserts, which are sized precisely 1/64" smaller than the spar, to allow compression without cutting the wood fibers. Most of the plates and hardware are held with aluminum bolts. They are close to unobtanium thse days! Wood absorbs moisture, which is hard on metal, so any place that aluminum will touch wood is coated with a really messy tar compound...bituminous mastic. The best description is it' like the creosote that used to be on all the telephone poles when we were kids. once it gets on your hands, it won't come off, but spreads with every touch!
OP
CJD
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By now I am sure you have noticed I am back working inside the living room. My Wife is very tolerant! Of course, starting the wings brings us to the home stretch on this project.
Following is the start of the "center section", which is the small part of the upper wing above the pilot seats. The outer wing panels of the upper wing will attach to it.
The ribs are very thin, because the fuel tank will be lowered and strap into the top of the center section. That will be one of the last jobs to do, though..
Following is the start of the "center section", which is the small part of the upper wing above the pilot seats. The outer wing panels of the upper wing will attach to it.
The ribs are very thin, because the fuel tank will be lowered and strap into the top of the center section. That will be one of the last jobs to do, though..
OP
CJD
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You may notice that there are diagonal truss wires throughout the wings. These keep the wings square...for now and ever more.
The rear edge of the center section was made by laminating 1/8" strips of wood to a shape. It makes a strong trailing edge, but it also leaves a lot of wood to be removed.
I learned to properly use both a wood plane and a spokeshaven. They are real time savers! I had tried to use them improperly many times before, but I finally learned to set them up and sharpen correctly.
Now the 1/16" mahogany ply sheeting is bent to shape and the inside is pre-coated with varnish. The varnish is to lock in the moisture level of the wood...to prevent warping, even though the plane will spend a lot of time outside in brutal weather!
And of course, all areas inside and out get varnish...
The rear edge of the center section was made by laminating 1/8" strips of wood to a shape. It makes a strong trailing edge, but it also leaves a lot of wood to be removed.
I learned to properly use both a wood plane and a spokeshaven. They are real time savers! I had tried to use them improperly many times before, but I finally learned to set them up and sharpen correctly.
Now the 1/16" mahogany ply sheeting is bent to shape and the inside is pre-coated with varnish. The varnish is to lock in the moisture level of the wood...to prevent warping, even though the plane will spend a lot of time outside in brutal weather!
And of course, all areas inside and out get varnish...
OP
CJD
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Here is the sheeting going on. The light colored wood are tack strips, which are just thin strips of spare wood that get nailed through to hold the parts together until the glue dries. The strips then allow you to remove the nails, so the heads will not get in the way later, during final shaping.
And that's it through mid-December. I have already finished the center section and started the first upper wing panel. The years of prep allow these to actually go pretty fast...I think I will get a wing done every 2 weeks. That means it should be ready fo rthe final inspection before covering by February! It's always nice when a project reaches that point where it goes from too many items to see the end, to the point you can visualize through to completion!
Happy Holidays to all!
And that's it through mid-December. I have already finished the center section and started the first upper wing panel. The years of prep allow these to actually go pretty fast...I think I will get a wing done every 2 weeks. That means it should be ready fo rthe final inspection before covering by February! It's always nice when a project reaches that point where it goes from too many items to see the end, to the point you can visualize through to completion!
Happy Holidays to all!
OP
CJD
Yoda
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I have really been enjoying the woodwork on the Stearman wings. It is so much like building model airplanes that it brings back nice memories of being a kid again. I am now done with the woodwork, though. I have a center section and 4 wing panels finished and stored all around the house. They are waiting for warm weather to get a coat of varnish, which will lock in the moisture and prevent warpage for another 80 years or so!?!
OP
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In the previous update we drilled all the required holes. Here you can finally see what they were for. This is one of the aileron push-pull tubes that will move the aileron up and down. The truss-looking structures are compression struts. These keep the front and rea spars in place as diagonal wires are stressed to 400 lbs tension. The wires keep the wing square through all forms of flying and aerobatics.
It still amazes me that I can follow blueprints and everything fits perfectly when I get around to installing the parts. The level of engineering for such a seemingly simple plane is astonishing! Frequently the plans call for a little notch or divit that looks superfluous. But sure enough, at some point during assembly it is needed for clearance!
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Here you can see the tubing that will eventually connect to the pitot tube, which is out on the left side wing strut, so it is clear of the prop wash.
This next pic shows something I sweat for several years...that is, how to bend the plywood for the wing walk. This is the area on the lower wing that you must walk on to get into the cockpit. It is 3/16" mahogany plywood, and must be bent to the shape of the wing airfoil. I had to make several attempts before I got it right. When you take a panel of this plywood, you would never dream that it can be bent!! In the end, I bent it over a pipe using boiling water with a towel over the plywood to hold the heat to it. I cranked a little bend with the boiling water, started another pot full coming to a boil, and bent a bit more.
The worst part, Once a had a perfectly bent panel, I removed it and brought it in to install. By the time I mixed the glue and prepared the wing for the panel...it had straightened back out...bummer! I bent it again, and had to let it sit in the jig for a week to retain the shape. Overall, it came out well...
This next pic shows something I sweat for several years...that is, how to bend the plywood for the wing walk. This is the area on the lower wing that you must walk on to get into the cockpit. It is 3/16" mahogany plywood, and must be bent to the shape of the wing airfoil. I had to make several attempts before I got it right. When you take a panel of this plywood, you would never dream that it can be bent!! In the end, I bent it over a pipe using boiling water with a towel over the plywood to hold the heat to it. I cranked a little bend with the boiling water, started another pot full coming to a boil, and bent a bit more.
The worst part, Once a had a perfectly bent panel, I removed it and brought it in to install. By the time I mixed the glue and prepared the wing for the panel...it had straightened back out...bummer! I bent it again, and had to let it sit in the jig for a week to retain the shape. Overall, it came out well...
OP
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The very last parts to repair are the ailerons. I was very much hoping I would get a break on these...but no luck. Not only are they damaged by the crash, but they are also victims to very poor repair work in the past. I will have to strip off the covering and replace it with fresh aluminum sheeting. Of course I will be spending a lot of time on straightening ribs. So, another month added to the restoration.
Once the ailerons are repaired, I will be ready to have the plane inspected, and then it will get covered and painted. That should happen this Spring. Then all that is left is the engine. That will be a whole other story!
Once the ailerons are repaired, I will be ready to have the plane inspected, and then it will get covered and painted. That should happen this Spring. Then all that is left is the engine. That will be a whole other story!
OP
CJD
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Bayless...right!? That's why it brought back so many memories building control line models as a kid. Sometimes I have to remind myself these parts will be supporting me thousands of feet up, behind a 670 cubic inch radial engine.
Nutmeg, you'll note the 3 ribs that the walkway ply is glued to are sheeted with 1/16" plywood, so that will hold the ribs...and in turn the walkway...to shape. Plus, the little scrap I have is holding shape well, so it should be good. I was just rushing that first attempt.
Nutmeg, you'll note the 3 ribs that the walkway ply is glued to are sheeted with 1/16" plywood, so that will hold the ribs...and in turn the walkway...to shape. Plus, the little scrap I have is holding shape well, so it should be good. I was just rushing that first attempt.
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What is the brass cylinder/horn sitting in the corner of the first picture?The very last parts to repair are the ailerons. I was very much hoping I would get a break on these...but no luck. Not only are they damaged by the crash, but they are also victims to very poor repair work in the past. I will have to strip off the covering and replace it with fresh aluminum sheeting. Of course I will be spending a lot of time on straightening ribs. So, another month added to the restoration.
Once the ailerons are repaired, I will be ready to have the plane inspected, and then it will get covered and painted. That should happen this Spring. Then all that is left is the engine. That will be a whole other story!