GyroBee Redundant Mast Cutting

Brian Jackson

Platinum Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2004
Messages
3,543
Location
Hamburg, New Jersey USA
Aircraft
GyroBee Variant - Under Construction
A lot of you PM'ed me about this, so I'm consolidating it into one entry here.

Photos speak volumes, and my wife Cindy was kind enough to catch me in the act with camera in hand.

I'm crammed in a 12' X 11' room, about the size of a jail cell. This room also shares space with a network of computers and numerous musical equipment. "Cramped" is actually an adjective I'd welcome, as we're well on our way to critical mass.

I spent several days determining exactly how my mast tubes would be cut. Concurrently I spent sleepless nights restoring a table saw and spent 100 dollars for a carbide tipped blade.

The problem was that it was impossible to support the tube while I measured it. Yet I had to measure it before I knew how much to support it by. The proverbial "catch 22."

The attached three photos speak for themselves. Please forgive the mess in the background. I used my camera mount & tripod to support the Mast material such that it could be cut precisely. You'd be amazed how looking for light between parts gives you a feel for close tolerancing.

It's done and I'm incredibly happy for once in my life. The mast tubes turned out perfect... not the slightest flaw. I am stopping now to get sleep. Goodnight.

I'll add the other 2 photos for clarification.
 

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Well they came out good so that all that matters right. I'd love to have a 12'x11', I'm currently building in a 12'x8' shed! Well, that is only partially true. I do bring it out under the carport to work on it from time to time when I need more room!!!
 
KDOG said:
Well they came out good so that all that matters right. I'd love to have a 12'x11', I'm currently building in a 12'x8' shed! Well, that is only partially true. I do bring it out under the carport to work on it from time to time when I need more room!!!
You're lucky to have a carport handy... but I guess I'm lucky to have the extra 3 feet I suppose. :D. I've always enjoyed reading about creative builder's methods of building aircraft in unusual & unlikely places. Granted we're not building Spruce Goose replicas, but even with gyros, things get tight in a hurry! I have the side table extensions for the table saw, but cannot install them for lack of space. Hence the needing to put my camera tripod into unorthodox service. Otherwise the mast's own weight, if unsupported at the other end, would have made it extremely difficult to precisely line up to the cut-line. That was what the photos above were demonstrating.

Nobody can accuse guys like you and me of not being diligent and determinied in our construction pursuits... even if our "shops" feel more like traversing monkey-bars :D

Take care my friend.

Brian Jackson
 
Not enough room/too much room

Not enough room/too much room

Cramped! You call that cramped! :D I've got 2 gyros here now and I can't find em cuz they blend in. I even had to move mine out into the hangar, cuz the shop cieling is too low!


Seriously, I feel for you guys that don't have the room, That is why I love my new place so much!


Find the gyro's.

Sorry, didn't mean to highjack the thread. Your work is looking good.
 

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Hi Scott.
I spotted the gyros right away... that was easy! Hey, isn't the one on the left "Screw Driver"? I recognize the pod art & tail.
 
Yeah I'm letting John hangar "da screwdriver" here for awhile, that way he gets his garage back for a little while. :)
 
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