Scratch build a Trike

[ystervark7]

Hi Grumps
Have not seen you for a while. Are you still flying?

By the way I was just taking off my glass to look better on the photo but oupa caught me in the act and now this is the only proof that I did weigh the thing.

I have drilled the new holes for the pylon over the weekend and will post the photies later

[Oupa-G]

Here is the Trike's new engine mount "hot" of the press in the famous "Pienk or also referred to as cherry red " So now for the painting.

Cheers Oupa-G

[Grumpy]

Hi Grumps
Have not seen you for a while. Are you still flying?

By the way I was just taking off my glass to look better on the photo but oupa caught me in the act and now this is the only proof that I did weigh the thing.

I have drilled the new holes for the pylon over the weekend and will post the photies later

Yip still flying. Not as much as I'd like, been a bit busy, lazy, poor, hot, all the excuses etc etc. Now gotta do medical renewal and new atf so been slow. must catch up again sometime

[ystervark7]

Before I go into what I have done the past month, I have to thank a couple of people. As everybody that has build or even just worked on your plane knows, it is impossible to do without the help from others. This help can take various forms, sometimes it is technical and sometimes you just need a bit of encouragement. Unfortunately I can not thank all those that encourage me individually but I do want to name a couple of the other people by name: first Oupa-G to whom I can turn for advice at any time and for the use of his workshop. I might have been able to it without his work shop but it just makes it so much easier if you have a cut-off saw and lathe and welder and sandblaster and ....and .. and... Next I have to thank Donald who has done it before and can just say "Do it like this" or "No, that is not going to work" Sometimes it is more important to know what not to try than getting advice on how you should do something. Jan, my heavy, on who's basic design the trike is based, and also for helping out with tacking it all together. Gerrie for all the final welding. Ian for the front tire and rubbers (and for being a flying mate every now and then). Lastly, Louis for technical advice on the FEM analysis. FEM is definitely not for the faint of heart and I would have given up ages ago if it wasn't for him pointing me in the right direction every now and then. Hopefully I did not leave out someone.

After my little mistake with the CFG calculations, I drilled a new set of holes for the pylon bottom hole and drilled the final hole in the pylon.

Next was a stop over at Gerrie. He added the last bush, a pipe for the wires and the end caps to the pylon.

Last mounting hole in pylon with bush and nylon insert

Pylon with the pipe for leading the aerial and actuator wires to the wing.

The photo above shows the pylon with the last couple of pieces that must be added. The pipe will be inserted inside the pylon and will be used to lead the wires to the antenna and the actuator. The other 2 half round pieces will be welded on to the ends of the pylon.

The end result will be completely sealed pylon. I will add a car valve to the pylon and inflate it slightly. One of my pre-flights will be to check the pressure in the pylon to ensure that it does not leak. By the way, this is not 100% original because they use it on aerobatic earoplane s and in some helicopters, but it might be the first trike with a pressurized structure.

The white and yellow that you see around the pipe is polyuthethane rubber and silicone tape. That is to ensure that the pipe does not vibrate inside the pylon.

Pylon tip with wire guide

IMG_pylon-end.jpg (31.61 KiB) Viewed 14039 times

This is the top end of the pylon after welding. The wire exit from the pylon can be clearly seen. The wing mounting hole can also be seen. The hole is about 25mm. A nylon bush will once again be inserted so that I do not have a metal on metal contact.

Next will be the fuel tank. I have postponed it several times but now I have to tackle it, not something that I particularly look forward to.

[ystervark7]

The engine was fitted this weekend. Now it at least feels as if it getting somewhere!

On the photo below Oupa-G is giving a hand. Jo helped to do the heavy lifting and hold the engine in place while Oup fitted the bolts. Jo is also taking the photo - thanks Jo.

As you can see my Ridgeback is also giving moral support. (They say you always know where your Ridgeback is, exactly where you want to put your foot when you give a step back. )

Engine fitted

The fuel tank is still on the drawing board, or should I say in the computer and I can not get it out, I have been trying to generate the CAD files for laser cutting but the DXF files are incorrect. I have a curve with a non straight cut and the cad program generates a straight cut on the curve. It appears to be a bug in the software and I will try and generate it on a friends computer with the new version sometime this week.

Also congratulations to Ian with his new engine!

[bobthebuilder]

Looking good. Have you made any further progress in the past few months.
Let me know if you need some help converton DXF files.

[freetoadventure]

looking good, any new pictures?

[vanish]

ystervark, bud,
holidays done, or maybe cos of holidays, you've done. dont let this die a early death. lets get this flowing again

[Mafly]

This project was completed? You can buy the plans?
 Thanks

[Emiel Thysse]

wHAT HAPPENED TO THIS PROJECT?