Scott Stewart

Windsor, CA

United States

Profile Information:

Aircraft Model

ZODIAC CH 640

Project Status

Flying

Building From

Plans-only

Engine installed (or plan to install)

Lycoming

Building Experience

Have already built an airplane

Flying Experience

Private Pilot

Building and Flying Info / Your Profession / Other Background Info

Electronic Engineer

Home Airport (ie. KMYJ)

KSTS

Comment Wall:

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• 

  Michael T.

  Hi Steve
  
  My wife just asked what I was doing, I said I'm texting a fellow metal artisan...lol
  
  Can't wait to get started, but more questions..lol
  
  
  The wing shape for the 640 is a graph with points of refrence, I was playing around with it and have the lines draw out. but the leading edge shape has me concerned. I'm using a flexible ruler to make the leading edge shape, but there seems to be a lot of fudging that could be done as the curve is concerned. Should I put the flex ruler straight up and down on the nose then bend it back to the points.
  
  
  I was thinking I might buy a nose rib and rear rib, and lift the shape off that. It just seems like such an important shape.
  
  Michael

  Oct 26, 2017

• 

  Michael T.

  Hi Steve
  
  I bought the homebuilders DVDs, scratch building zenith rudder and metal working 101. But the one thing they forgot to cover is drilling the rudder tail skin. I wrote to the video maker about it and he said to lay the rudder skeleton inside the skins and trace it, then remove that and drill pilot holes in the centre of the trace. I was wondering what method did you use to match drill the skins to the ribs?
  
  When you where making your wing form blocks, did you make a right and left crush plate for your wing ribs? Or use one form block and just flute the ribs to get to your desired finish
  
  Thanks
  
  Michael

  Oct 28, 2017

• 

  Michael T.

  There might two different rudder manuals, mine reads

  The rear skins are pre-drilled for the ribs. The holes will give you the exact location of the ribs. You may have to move the ribs with your hands so that the ribs line up with the pre-drilled skins.

  Ive built an RV-7 tail and partial wings, but those go together so easy it feels like you're cheating
  

  I`m big on procedures, thank you for taking the time to lay out your method its very helpful to flesh out the whole picture.

  Ive looked at each photo on the CD, what seems to be missing is there is not much on the controls behind the instrument panel. or good pictures of those parts.

  The Rudder manual does have a materials list so that's covered. Do you have a materials list for the rest of the plane by chance?

  I got a copy from youtube of the parts nested on sheets and it looks legit but do you have a version of that. It looks relatively accurate just hard to read. 

  Nov 2, 2017