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46K views 47 replies 20 participants last post by  sras 
#1 ·
Ready to build!

Table Wood Machine tool Gas Hardwood


Wood Automotive design Automotive tire Bumper Automotive exterior


My Dad and I made a trip to the Black Forest Company today and picked up the supplies for the helicopter project. The body will be out of cherry, the main rotors will be wenge and other details will be other exotic woods such as padauk and yellowheart. This evening I laminated the sheets of cherry into a 7" by 7" by 27" (length) blank. Tomorrow the new bandsaw is going to get quite the work out cutting this baby out. Hopefully all goes well.
 

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#2 ·
Ready to build!

Table Wood Machine tool Gas Hardwood


Wood Automotive design Automotive tire Bumper Automotive exterior


My Dad and I made a trip to the Black Forest Company today and picked up the supplies for the helicopter project. The body will be out of cherry, the main rotors will be wenge and other details will be other exotic woods such as padauk and yellowheart. This evening I laminated the sheets of cherry into a 7" by 7" by 27" (length) blank. Tomorrow the new bandsaw is going to get quite the work out cutting this baby out. Hopefully all goes well.
I saw what I thought was a helicopter in one of your pictures. Having a model to scale from is the best. Keep us posted.
 

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#3 ·
Ready to build!

Table Wood Machine tool Gas Hardwood


Wood Automotive design Automotive tire Bumper Automotive exterior


My Dad and I made a trip to the Black Forest Company today and picked up the supplies for the helicopter project. The body will be out of cherry, the main rotors will be wenge and other details will be other exotic woods such as padauk and yellowheart. This evening I laminated the sheets of cherry into a 7" by 7" by 27" (length) blank. Tomorrow the new bandsaw is going to get quite the work out cutting this baby out. Hopefully all goes well.
It will be great to see it come together. Thanks for taking the time and posting so we can be there with you. I hope all goes well!

Sheila :D
 

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#4 ·
Ready to build!

Table Wood Machine tool Gas Hardwood


Wood Automotive design Automotive tire Bumper Automotive exterior


My Dad and I made a trip to the Black Forest Company today and picked up the supplies for the helicopter project. The body will be out of cherry, the main rotors will be wenge and other details will be other exotic woods such as padauk and yellowheart. This evening I laminated the sheets of cherry into a 7" by 7" by 27" (length) blank. Tomorrow the new bandsaw is going to get quite the work out cutting this baby out. Hopefully all goes well.
I'm following this one.
 

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#5 ·
Cutting Out The Basic Shape.

Wood Naval architecture Flooring Engineering Machine


Wood Engineering Composite material Gas Fixture


Wood Table Milling Machine tool Workbench


Today was the big day; cutting out the basic shape of the helicopter. I did it like you would do those scroll saw or bandsaw reindeer (cutting out two perspectives to get a final shape in the middle). I have to admit that this morning before I started I was nervous because I had never cut anything so big on the bandsaw, and messing up would be costly. The blank for the body of the copter weighed 30lbs, and was difficult to manuver around the bandsaw, even when I was constantly lubricating the table. But, it all went great, although I wish I would have worn a dust mask because I don't have dust collection and am still coughing from the dust. the next step will be cutting it in half and then temporarily glueing it back together to sand all the curves.
 

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#6 ·
Cutting Out The Basic Shape.

Wood Naval architecture Flooring Engineering Machine


Wood Engineering Composite material Gas Fixture


Wood Table Milling Machine tool Workbench


Today was the big day; cutting out the basic shape of the helicopter. I did it like you would do those scroll saw or bandsaw reindeer (cutting out two perspectives to get a final shape in the middle). I have to admit that this morning before I started I was nervous because I had never cut anything so big on the bandsaw, and messing up would be costly. The blank for the body of the copter weighed 30lbs, and was difficult to manuver around the bandsaw, even when I was constantly lubricating the table. But, it all went great, although I wish I would have worn a dust mask because I don't have dust collection and am still coughing from the dust. the next step will be cutting it in half and then temporarily glueing it back together to sand all the curves.
Hi Ryan, where did you get the drawings from?
 

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#11 ·
Seats and rotor head.

Wood Flooring Cabinetry Door Art

Wood Art Balance Wing Plywood

Wood Rectangle Flooring Floor Wood stain

Wood Rectangle Flooring Chair Floor


Its about time to give you guys an update. I have finished the rotor head. It has almost all the same parts as the real ones, and moves in all directions (both collective and cyclic movement). I also cut the size of the main rotor blades, which are wenge. At first, the rotor head could not take the weight of the blades, so extra supports were added. The rotor head is maple and the dish on top is cherry. I also began working on the seats. I have the middle row done. They are cherry, padauk, and walnut. All made from my own plans.
 

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#12 ·
Seats and rotor head.

Wood Flooring Cabinetry Door Art

Wood Art Balance Wing Plywood

Wood Rectangle Flooring Floor Wood stain

Wood Rectangle Flooring Chair Floor


Its about time to give you guys an update. I have finished the rotor head. It has almost all the same parts as the real ones, and moves in all directions (both collective and cyclic movement). I also cut the size of the main rotor blades, which are wenge. At first, the rotor head could not take the weight of the blades, so extra supports were added. The rotor head is maple and the dish on top is cherry. I also began working on the seats. I have the middle row done. They are cherry, padauk, and walnut. All made from my own plans.
Amazing!
 

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#21 ·
Sanding and shaping.

Furniture Table Wood Automotive design Computer desk

Automotive parking light Wheel Tire White Hood

Automotive parking light Wheel Tire Car Motor vehicle


In the last while, I have been sanding and shaping the helicopter. I did end up getting the pneumatic sander. It is the perfect tool for the job. I have probably spent 10 hours, but many more are to come. It is ver difficult to get it to the same shape of the real helicopter, it is still more square-ish then I would like it to be. Also just realized that the rear-bottom comes to a point, so a lot of material is yet to be removed. Thanks in advance for your comments.
 

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#22 ·
Sanding and shaping.

Furniture Table Wood Automotive design Computer desk

Automotive parking light Wheel Tire White Hood

Automotive parking light Wheel Tire Car Motor vehicle


In the last while, I have been sanding and shaping the helicopter. I did end up getting the pneumatic sander. It is the perfect tool for the job. I have probably spent 10 hours, but many more are to come. It is ver difficult to get it to the same shape of the real helicopter, it is still more square-ish then I would like it to be. Also just realized that the rear-bottom comes to a point, so a lot of material is yet to be removed. Thanks in advance for your comments.
Glad the pneumatic sander works. I use it a lot for curved surfaces, link mt International KB-6 truck.
 

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#24 ·
Cutting the body open.

Window Furniture Wood Table Interior design

Hood Wood Automotive exterior Motor vehicle Vehicle door

Wood Automotive exterior Automotive design Flooring Hardwood

Automotive tire Wood Interior design Naval architecture Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

Boat Watercraft Wood Naval architecture Vehicle


So fo the past while I have been sanding the body to shape. I was also doing anything I could to avoid facing the challenge of cutting the body apart. I was afraid of doing so because it is not a cheap chunk of wood, and also all the effort put into getting the shape correct shape made it more special. Then one day I decided it had to be done and I did it. And that new bandsaw got quite the workout. It did go better then I expected with the minor flaw here and there. after the walls were cut off, I cut the doors out of the walls with my scroll saw. When I was doing this I used a thin piece of plywood to make my scroll saw table bigger. Then when I went to cut, the added table was flimsy and made a slightly squiggled cut on one of my doors. It may not be noticeable to every one who sees the final product, but I will always know it is there and it really annoy me. I cannot trim it flat because it will not fit properly in the frame, so it will be something I will have to live with. By the way, any recommendations for a finish for this chopper?

Thanks for taking a look,
Ryan
 

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#25 ·
Cutting the body open.

Window Furniture Wood Table Interior design

Hood Wood Automotive exterior Motor vehicle Vehicle door

Wood Automotive exterior Automotive design Flooring Hardwood

Automotive tire Wood Interior design Naval architecture Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

Boat Watercraft Wood Naval architecture Vehicle


So fo the past while I have been sanding the body to shape. I was also doing anything I could to avoid facing the challenge of cutting the body apart. I was afraid of doing so because it is not a cheap chunk of wood, and also all the effort put into getting the shape correct shape made it more special. Then one day I decided it had to be done and I did it. And that new bandsaw got quite the workout. It did go better then I expected with the minor flaw here and there. after the walls were cut off, I cut the doors out of the walls with my scroll saw. When I was doing this I used a thin piece of plywood to make my scroll saw table bigger. Then when I went to cut, the added table was flimsy and made a slightly squiggled cut on one of my doors. It may not be noticeable to every one who sees the final product, but I will always know it is there and it really annoy me. I cannot trim it flat because it will not fit properly in the frame, so it will be something I will have to live with. By the way, any recommendations for a finish for this chopper?

Thanks for taking a look,
Ryan
Pretty darn cool project. Did you get a new carver? If so how you like it.

For paint color how about blue and white. Old Nova Gasline patrol choppers from the 80's & 90's. Paid my salary for a lot of years. I think they were Bell 206's.

Great job on the design you did a hand build right.
 

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#29 ·
Clamping the body and adding more to the interior.

Today was an all shop day, and it was a productive one. I clamped the body back together carefully. And of course filled some unwanted gaps, but less then I expected. It clamped together well, doing one side at a time just to make sure I was getting the best fit. Sanding was also needed to account for the displacement of material from the band saw blade when it was cut apart. I chose not to glue the roof on just for more simplicity when adding more interior components.

Wood Shelf Engineering Toy Bookcase


Table Wood Curtain Desk Engineering


Table Furniture Wood Desk Hardwood


The seats were set in for test fitting and they fit just as planned.

Comfort Vehicle Wood Building Hardwood


I then began working on the cockpit and the abundance of controls and gages. I finished the collective lever and started the insturment dash. To make the dials on the dash I glued Beech veneer onto the walnut casing and proceeded to drill trough the veneer to reveal the walnut beneath it.

Wood Gas Rectangle Electric blue Circle


Thanks for taking a look,

Ryan
 

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#30 ·
Clamping the body and adding more to the interior.

Today was an all shop day, and it was a productive one. I clamped the body back together carefully. And of course filled some unwanted gaps, but less then I expected. It clamped together well, doing one side at a time just to make sure I was getting the best fit. Sanding was also needed to account for the displacement of material from the band saw blade when it was cut apart. I chose not to glue the roof on just for more simplicity when adding more interior components.

Wood Shelf Engineering Toy Bookcase


Table Wood Curtain Desk Engineering


Table Furniture Wood Desk Hardwood


The seats were set in for test fitting and they fit just as planned.

Comfort Vehicle Wood Building Hardwood


I then began working on the cockpit and the abundance of controls and gages. I finished the collective lever and started the insturment dash. To make the dials on the dash I glued Beech veneer onto the walnut casing and proceeded to drill trough the veneer to reveal the walnut beneath it.

Wood Gas Rectangle Electric blue Circle


Thanks for taking a look,

Ryan
Great work Ryan. Here is a 15 year old teaching a 63 year old what detail really is.
 

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#39 ·
Rotor blades and progress on the interior.

The past couple of days I have been working hard to make progress on the helicopter. In the past two days I have make the anti-tourque peddles, more details in the interior, and finished the the rotor blades along with attatching them to the rotor head.

Here are the anti-tourque peddles,every part is walnut and the peddles were turned on the lathe:

Gesture Wood Finger Thumb Nail


In the interior I added the instrument panel, the cyclic control, a bunch of switches on the roof of the cockpit (which you can not see here). Also in the rear of the interior I added A/C units along with other minor details.
Boat Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies Table Wood Naval architecture

Wood Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies Drum Hardwood Wood stain

Boat Watercraft Naval architecture Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies Wood


Today I made the rotors, which was a longer process then assumed. The diameter of the entire rotor assembly in 4'. The blades have Wenge on the bottom and Padauk and Maple on the top. The thickness of each blade is 1/8", The also have an air-foil shape. it does not currently have a finish on it as I ran out of my spray-laquer. I am not sure how it will hold up with the weight of the rotors in the long run. My estimate is theat they will gradually sag down, but it is going in my Dad's office so warranty work is not a issue.

Wood Workbench Gas Set tool Bumper


Luggage and bags Wood Bag Floor Flooring


Motor vehicle Cleanliness Vehicle Gas Automotive wheel system


Wood Flooring Ceiling Metal Épée


String instrument Guitar accessory String instrument Tool Musical instrument


Yellow Wood Natural material Machine Metal
 

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#40 ·
Rotor blades and progress on the interior.

The past couple of days I have been working hard to make progress on the helicopter. In the past two days I have make the anti-tourque peddles, more details in the interior, and finished the the rotor blades along with attatching them to the rotor head.

Here are the anti-tourque peddles,every part is walnut and the peddles were turned on the lathe:

Gesture Wood Finger Thumb Nail


In the interior I added the instrument panel, the cyclic control, a bunch of switches on the roof of the cockpit (which you can not see here). Also in the rear of the interior I added A/C units along with other minor details.
Boat Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies Table Wood Naval architecture

Wood Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies Drum Hardwood Wood stain

Boat Watercraft Naval architecture Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies Wood


Today I made the rotors, which was a longer process then assumed. The diameter of the entire rotor assembly in 4'. The blades have Wenge on the bottom and Padauk and Maple on the top. The thickness of each blade is 1/8", The also have an air-foil shape. it does not currently have a finish on it as I ran out of my spray-laquer. I am not sure how it will hold up with the weight of the rotors in the long run. My estimate is theat they will gradually sag down, but it is going in my Dad's office so warranty work is not a issue.

Wood Workbench Gas Set tool Bumper


Luggage and bags Wood Bag Floor Flooring


Motor vehicle Cleanliness Vehicle Gas Automotive wheel system


Wood Flooring Ceiling Metal Épée


String instrument Guitar accessory String instrument Tool Musical instrument


Yellow Wood Natural material Machine Metal
Looks great Ryan. I would love to see it in person.
Doug
 

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#43 ·
Tail boom attached and the beginning of the engine housing.

Over the past few days it has started to take the shape of a helicopter.

Here is the switch panel located on the roof of the cockpit (sorry for the poor quality of the image):
Purple Material property Gas Thigh Tints and shades


This is a photo of clamping on the tail boom. Every minute the clamp stayed on there I worried that something on the body would give, but I was lucky and all went well.
Table Furniture Window Plant Wood


Today I just began the engine housing, it is coming together well. There a lot more to do but I am happy with it so far.
Table Desk Wood Window Curtain


Although there is still an extensive amount to do, the end is in sight. I have said It before and I will say it again, that grizzly bandsaw has made this project possible. It is a great machine especially for these types of projects. I don't know how I used to get by without it.

Thanks for taking a look.

Ryan
 

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#44 ·
Tail boom attached and the beginning of the engine housing.

Over the past few days it has started to take the shape of a helicopter.

Here is the switch panel located on the roof of the cockpit (sorry for the poor quality of the image):
Purple Material property Gas Thigh Tints and shades


This is a photo of clamping on the tail boom. Every minute the clamp stayed on there I worried that something on the body would give, but I was lucky and all went well.
Table Furniture Window Plant Wood


Today I just began the engine housing, it is coming together well. There a lot more to do but I am happy with it so far.
Table Desk Wood Window Curtain


Although there is still an extensive amount to do, the end is in sight. I have said It before and I will say it again, that grizzly bandsaw has made this project possible. It is a great machine especially for these types of projects. I don't know how I used to get by without it.

Thanks for taking a look.

Ryan
Looking good man, I have 100 helicopters fly over me every day and I think about yours with each pass.
 

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