Introduceing daisy to the team

John and Daisy

Honing new skills

Honing new skills

Daisy learns how to use a router and successfully cuts out the circles for the former (i.e. the forming template).

Later I taught her how to make bolts using screwed rod.

After having cut out all the component parts for the former, the edges of the wood were lightly sanded to remove all the hairy bits, then both parts were offered together face to face for final measuring and fettling. I think we made not too bad a job of this as the circumference of the two parts needed vey little work. The formers were then turned around to face the correct direction (back to back) and mounted onto the shaft and stand. They were then joined together using ten 4x2 block to complete the job. We are now ready to start building the duct around the forming  template

Face to Face

Back to Back

A frame

A frame was fabricated to hold the thrust duct during construction.

The frame is an old display unit I was given by Chris, a member of team hover. It has been modified to hold the duct during construction. It is fitted with two pillow blocks and an axle - this allows us good access to the duct, and can easily be rotated whilst working on it.

The frame will also be used for balancing the prop.

(Proper job)

Thrust duct build frame

Frame with axle

Template

Team hover

Team hover

Daisy and I started to make the former template for the thrust duct this weekend.

We are using half inch sterling board; three sheets of sterling board are required to make the former. 

First you are best to build a decent bench or table to work from, it makes life so much easier when you work in a comfortable and safe working environment.

The boards were cut to size and joined together using 4x2 timber and wood screws. I made mine to a 65" square in order to cut out the circle that forms the inside diameter of the duct which is 60 1/4 inches.

It is essential that you have a good all round skills base for building a hoverwing.

To cut out the 60 1/4 inch circle I made a jig for the router. I made it adjustable so that I could start off big then work my way down to the 60 1/4 inches required. This is a good way to tackle this job as it is easy to make a mistake, and if you do, you could end up cutting the circles too small - and that's expensive and time consuming. Always a good idea to think it through and get it right the first time.

We are starting the build by building all the component parts first, such as thrust duct, lift duct,rudders, tails, fins, engine frame etc.

The reason for this is that our workshop is too small. If we build the hull first there would be no room left to build the other components.

Our spare room at home will become a temporary storage  space for hoverwing parts. Luckily Daisy is very understanding!

Marking out the circle

Daisy using router

Cutting a circle

Duct former template

Thinking time

Thinking time

A lot of time has been spent looking at drawings and reading build instructions.

We have found this process challenging because the UH drawings are not great, and the measurements are imperial and not metric, so we have to try to remember how to use the imperial system or convert to metric.

We have found that all this thinking time and planning has thrown up the chance to make new tools and gadgets, all of which make this process better and, hopefully, we will produce a quality craft at the end of it all.

Adjustable router jig

Engine first start

Today we started the engine for the first time since i rebuilt it, everything went according to plan with no issues. Next I need to fit 2 silencers and a radiator then set the timing properly.

Team Hover