Building a Junior Ace
- Thread starter Tench745
- Start date
Tench745
Master member
I haven't been very active on the forums lately. Besides the cold, snow, and raging winds, I've been occupied with other things. Namely, I've been working on my Jr Ace fuselage. I now have all the tubes cut and tack-welded together into a fuselage shape. I'll have to wait for the shop to warm up more before I can start finish-welding the fuselage. Luckily, I have many fittings to make in the meantime and I'll make up some more clusters of scrap tubing to get in some more welding practice.
I have a lot more pictures than this, but I picked the most illustrative for now.
Here's all the tubing cut for one fuselage side, and that same side in the jig.
Once both sides are tack-welded they get stood up in the jig and I can start fitting and welding in the cross-tubes and diagonals.
Also, I bought myself a TIG-welder for when I have to weld aluminum for the fuel tank and stainless steel for the exhaust. Yes, you can oxy-acetylene weld these materials, but I want to learn TIG too.
FYI, Aluminum is very hard to weld. UGLY.
![IMG_1646[1].JPG](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2021/02/353862_8334cdebc37e2a560d3c4ed200ef9685_thumb.jpg "IMG_1646[1].JPG")
I've been thinking about airplane building, the amount of money I'm spending on this project, the time investment, etc and I've come to the following conclusion. Building an airplane isn't about building an airplane; it's about building myself. I'm learning skills and attitudes that will hopefully benefit me for years to come. Having an airplane when I'm done is just a side effect.
I have a lot more pictures than this, but I picked the most illustrative for now.
Here's all the tubing cut for one fuselage side, and that same side in the jig.
Once both sides are tack-welded they get stood up in the jig and I can start fitting and welding in the cross-tubes and diagonals.
Also, I bought myself a TIG-welder for when I have to weld aluminum for the fuel tank and stainless steel for the exhaust. Yes, you can oxy-acetylene weld these materials, but I want to learn TIG too.
FYI, Aluminum is very hard to weld. UGLY.
![IMG_1646[1].JPG](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2021/02/353862_8334cdebc37e2a560d3c4ed200ef9685.jpg "IMG_1646[1].JPG")
I've been thinking about airplane building, the amount of money I'm spending on this project, the time investment, etc and I've come to the following conclusion. Building an airplane isn't about building an airplane; it's about building myself. I'm learning skills and attitudes that will hopefully benefit me for years to come. Having an airplane when I'm done is just a side effect.
Phin G
Elite member
Yes aluminium is very hard to weld and to get a clean edge. You could use a welding pic to nock of the untidy parts or use an angle grinder. For welding 2 bars with a stick welder i just put a block of wood ontop of the welding rod and the 2 parts that i want to weld. There is a vid of a person doing ot and it works very well. It has been 2 years since i have used a tig welder as i had one at school but not aty dads workshop. Looks like a really nice build and love the framework.
Piotrsko
Master member
In regards to the price: have you looked at spamcans lately? The prices for super cubs is obscene, back in the day you could get a whole fleet for that. Flying is not for the cheap and lazy.
Gas or mig (or some related varient) for tubes because the term heat control is important to avoiding the blobs. But by now, you should know that.
Aluminum welded fuel tank.....man that's a ton of welded work which will test your skills like nothing else unless you sealer cheat.
Gas or mig (or some related varient) for tubes because the term heat control is important to avoiding the blobs. But by now, you should know that.
Aluminum welded fuel tank.....man that's a ton of welded work which will test your skills like nothing else unless you sealer cheat.
Last edited:
luvforaviation
New member
Hey you ever get it done?
Tench745
Master member
I should really post another update here and on my blog. I'm making slow progress. New York winters really put a damper on what I can do in an unheated garage. I recently made the end caps for the fuel tank and practiced some more aluminum welding. Pictures will follow when I post another update.
Tench745
Master member
Yeah, I believe that; it is not easy. I'm considering having a shop weld it up for me, but I'll cross that bridge when I come it. This project is about learning, and welding aluminum is something I want to learn. If I don't master it, I still learned. I can always make another set for a new tank if this one doesn't work out.
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