(Wright1902Glider) wrote in message ...
Lol... I'd be one of those currently on the low end of the scale. And if
anyone had told me seven years ago that I'd not only build a flying machine,
but that it would be providing my income for the next three months, I'd have
beat him with a spar.

But, as fate would have it, the replica Wright machines have turned out to be
my salvation. Now, if we can just get yellow poplar recognised as a widely
aceptable replacement for spruce, I really could build a Home Depot airplane!

As you probably already know, if hardwoods grow in your area then you
can get good kiln dried roughcut hardwoods from the mill for a third
to a quarter of what home centers charges for S4S. Whereas cabinets,
tables, dressers and the like need wide flat boards airplanes use
wooden trusswork with long thin members, right? Ripping rough cut
wood into long thin members and then working them down to final
dimensions and surface finish with handtools (frawknife, spokeshave,
bench and blockplane) is not only doable but emminently practical.

Then you'd be able to use woods like birch, or ash which are a lot
tougher than poplar. Ash in partcular resists plitting as does
beech which would be an excellent wood for parts subject to shock
loading like landing gear. Splitting beech is like trying to
split a block of hard rubber.

Good quality birch might be pricey but you can probably get ash
or hickory, live oak or beech for under $2.00/bf depending on
what grows in your neck of the woods.


Harry
Wright 1902 glider - hull #7
Wright 1899 kite - hull #6

By the way, a good jack plane is an excelent way to trim the long surfaces of
those laminations flat in a hurry.

And a block plane is good for trimming off the fuzzies.

--

FF