Fuselage Rotisserie Pics

Bartman

Bartman

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Was at the factory and noticed a bare fuselage mounted to a rotisserie. I think they all go through assembly by first being mounted to a rotisserie.

Here are some pics. The upper engine mount attach points at the front of the frame are pretty close to the bottom of the tailwheel attach fitting. There's a pic that shows the offset. Getting it pretty close makes sure there's no pressure/bending being applied to the frame as it's turned in the jig.

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Those rotating stands are obviously used for painting. And of course no reason they couldn't be used for initial systems installation but for my Kitfox I haven't had a day where I wish I could flip it over. I'm likely to change my mind when I begin covering.

There should have been some beast of a fixture around there used for holding all those pieces of tubing so they can weld up a fuselage. Likely that it would not be obvious what its use is for. Just a hot, complicated mess of steel plate/tube/gussets, clamps mounted securely to the floor. Also likely that it's not in that building.
 
For prep and covering I just bolt four 2x4s to the engine mount attach points, and get the Greek to help rotating. My buddy invented a pretty simple bearing/ stand so he could do it without any cooperation from the fairer sex. They can be uncooperative on occasion.

Doing a Taylorcraft next month. Will get photos.
 
Bartman said:
Was at the factory and noticed a bare fuselage mounted to a rotisserie. I think they all go through assembly by first being mounted to a rotisserie.

Here are some pics. The upper engine mount attach points at the front of the frame are pretty close to the bottom of the tailwheel attach fitting. There's a pic that shows the offset. Getting it pretty close makes sure there's no pressure/bending being applied to the frame as it's turned in the jig.

View attachment 3856View attachment 3857View attachment 3858View attachment 3859
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Looks like something we can welder up fairly easy and get lots of use out of
 
i bought two second hand engine stands and will need to extend them up a bit but they should work pretty well. I've been curious where the attach points ought to be so that was why I went looking when I saw the frame mounted up.

@aftCG there's a video clip somewhere of the fuselage frame jig from the 40's that is still cranking out frames. I shot the video the first time I was at the factory to drop off my frame.
 
Bartman said:
i bought two second hand engine stands and will need to extend them up a bit but they should work pretty well. I've been curious where the attach points ought to be so that was why I went looking when I saw the frame mounted up.

@aftCG there's a video clip somewhere of the fuselage frame jig from the 40's that is still cranking out frames. I shot the video the first time I was at the factory to drop off my frame.
Click to expand...
You good with a welder? I got you if not
 
I can gas weld and have a Tig welder but still haven't made friends with it. If you want to come I can have it ready and we can weld it up in the garage. :) maybe in a week or two? and thanks for offering.
 
Bartman said:
I can gas weld and have a Tig welder but still haven't made friends with it. If you want to come I can have it ready and we can weld it up in the garage. :) maybe in a week or two? and thanks for offering.
Click to expand...
I can mig with the worst of em. Say when. I just got my tig set up. Gonna need to screw up some welds first for that. Fear not though----i have grinders and paint !!! 😀
 
that first pic shows a mod I had to make this morning as we were mounting the fuselage to the stands for the first time. some engine stands have a pivot that is level with the ground, some have the pivot pointing up slightly. the engine mount at the front of the fuselage has a pivot tube that was already level with the ground, the rear stand is the same brand but a revision newer than the other and it has a pivot that pointed up a bit. I ground out a small wedge, bent it into place and tacked it so we could still get the fuselage up onto the rotisserie. I'll finish weld it (badly) sometime when the rest of it is done.
 
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