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theoildoctor
07-02-2004, 08:27 PM
I am considering building a home built aircraft called a GP4 the aircraft is made mostly out of wood, there are some aluminum parts to the aircraft as well.
Can the
ShopBot be used for aluminum parts with ant degree of precision?
Has anyone else used the ShopBot for aircraft parts? Also has anyone had success in propellers?

spektr
07-02-2004, 10:21 PM
Shawn. The problem with one offing a GP4 would be the accuracy of the programming for the parts. Yes you could do it, but where would it be most valueable?? The ribs are built up, not routed from plywood for minimum weight, the wing skins need to be soaked in water to be bent,are oversize and trimmed after gluing. The spars are long gluelams exceeding the shopbot table size????? I think there are better tools to do the work. Nothing bad about that, I just really can't imagine it being any easier or faster than doing it by hand. OBTW The yellow GP4 in the DFW area looks really sharp but during high speed fly-by's at our fly in it looked like it needed some more vert tail. There was a visible yaw motion that wasn't readily damped out. This was a low time A/P so it may be rigging or technique, but it wiggled in yaw. Scott.

arundo
07-02-2004, 11:28 PM
I was at Bill P. camp two years ago. There was a gentleman there that displayed a prop. I remember it was rock maple, laminated with special black glue approved by the FAA. The S.B. was definitely used in aviation.

mrdovey
07-03-2004, 12:55 AM
I don't know anything about the GP4; but have turned out some pretty decent instrument panels (both wood and Lexan) on my 'Bot.