Dear Andrew, \\
Following up an earlier point you made on that wooden frame thread and carrying it forward to this, as you ready the wooden tongue.
On the all wood frame thread you properly noted the need for the angular members going back up to the tear.
As the discussion here transforms from torsion floor to monoque then to a partial monoque I would like to suggest the following.
When you consider your tongue take a look at the possibility of including a tongue box as part of the structure.
The curved pieces would be the cutoff from creating the side profile, would hang from the monoque sides and top, and provide the lift and support of the tongue, and using the same material as the whole for weather integrity.
Also, remember, this is a design for Mike and not those of us privileged to drive without major potholes in California and England. I do not know the last time you drove here but by spring, in Michigan and thirty other states, we have potholes the size of UK caverns on many of our roads. Therefore the twisting moments will be greater than normal.
As an additional thought, could you please give us a lesson on the real and imagined difference between half torsion axles and full ones. You often write that in Europe half torsion are the norm but we on this side seem to have the same aversion to them as we do for all wood construction rather than steel.
Whilst I am at it, I wish to add that besides shifting the paradigm from House building we might also consider changing the notion that woody details are merely decoration appliedto the exterior. They should be thought of as more integral to the structural design, sort of , the framing on the outside. For ultralights the interior can be insulated with flexible foil foam or bubble and covered in upolstery, such as in padded fabric French walls.
The woody stucture is the perfect one to suspend everything from and attach to.
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2006 8:41 am
