Kitfox Aircraft Stick and Rudder Stein Air Grove Aircraft TCW Technologies Dynon Avionics AeroLED MGL Avionics Leading Edge Airfoils Desser EarthX Batteries Garmin G3X Touch
Page 12 of 25 FirstFirst ... 2891011121314151622 ... LastLast
Results 111 to 120 of 246

Thread: Building tips and hints

  1. #111
    Senior Member Esser's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Edmonton, AB
    Posts
    2,048

    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    I use the stuff at work and it makes short work of all paints and gasket gunk so I thought I would give it a try. It is some pretty wicked stuff. I'm not sure if it would work on the baked on crud or the hazards but you might find somehtign you want to test it on.

  2. #112
    Senior Member jiott's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Portland, OR
    Posts
    2,960

    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    You guys probably already know this but I was real pleased with my first use of solder sleeves in my wiring project. Someone suggested I try using solder sleeves to terminate the shields on my shielded wire (for radios, intercoms, ignition, etc.) I got some to try and Wow! Makes the job much easier and quicker than hand soldering or crimping to the shield. You can just slip a pigtail for grounding the shield into the solder sleeve and when you apply just enough heat to melt the internal solder ring it flows all around the connection and seals up the shrink sleeve ends with adhesive to make a neat and compact quality joint. Even I had a perfect result on the first try!

    Solder sleeves are kind of spendy but worth every penny. The original brand is RayChem, but ACS and other avionics shops also sell a Japanese copy, Sumitomo solder sleeves, for about half the price.

    Jim

  3. #113
    Senior Member jiott's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Portland, OR
    Posts
    2,960

    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    I previously posted how great the Sumitomo solder sleeves were for work with shielded wire. I have to back off on that post and say that they were the reason I had to scap out my first intercom wiring harness. I found that there is not enough solder in the little ring to saturate the shield and some pigtails you insert into the sleeve, so the solder joint becomes kind of questionable. By pulling on the pigtail I found that some of them came loose rather easily. So I redid the whole thing. The second time around I made sure my pigtail and any bare wire was pretinned and then added solder to the joint before I put on the solder sleeve. This gave very strong joints but kind of defeats the purpose and convenience of the solder sleeve. Being a beginner at this I probably wasn't doing something right the first time around. Just be aware that there isn't much solder in the ring in the solder sleeve. I think hand soldering the joints the old way and then covering with shrink tubing is still a good way to go.

    Jim

  4. #114
    P Morel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Locust Grove, GA
    Posts
    122

    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    How I removed dry, brittle protective plastic from my aluminum flaperons.

    I'm on my 2nd Kitfox project and found an easy way to remove the protective plastic covering from the aluminum flaperons that have been on for over 20 years. Some might have gone through this process and have their own way of handling this. I used Jasco paint stripper purchased from my local Lowes hardware store. Just a warning though, I used several pair of rubber gloves to protect my fingers, but the stripper is very nasty and will go right through the gloves and do a number on your fingers. Tape your fingers with masking tape first before putting on the gloves.

    Enjoy the 3 minute demonstration.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvTJyIaatCQ
    Paul Morel
    912 Speedster

  5. #115
    Senior Member SkySteve's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Huntsville, UT
    Posts
    1,054

    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    Paul,
    Very informative video. However, the absolute best part (for entertainment purposes) was the beginning: 20th Century Kitfox. What a hoot! Loved it.
    Steve Wilson
    Huntsville, UT
    Kitfox 85DD
    912A / 3 Blade Taper Tip Warp Drive
    Convertible Nosewheel & Tailwheel
    SkySteve's SPOT Page
    SkySteve's You Tube Videos

  6. #116
    Senior Member MotReklaw's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Anniston, AL
    Posts
    300

    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    Yeah, great video Paul
    Tommy Walker in Alabama

  7. #117
    N981MS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Dexter, GA
    Posts
    161

    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    Please don't critique the weld but this fitting on a tall bottle jack works well to lift a main. I Plan to put a broader base on the jack some day for stability.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Maxwell Duke

    Kitfox S6 IO-240 Built it (Flying since 2003)
    Maule M7-235C Sold it (liked it though)
    RV-10 IO-540 Bought it
    Zenith CH-750 Built with 7 friends (DAR Vic Syracuse)

  8. #118
    JohnB's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Charlotte, MI
    Posts
    99

    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    Vertically alligning wing spar inserts

    The wing build fixture end blocks as shown in the manual prevent you from looking into the root end of the wing spar and using a square to vertically align the spar inserts. I used my table saw to cut a vertical slot in the stop block. Now I can sight through the slot and line up the web of the spar insert with the edge of the slot.

    IMG_2939.jpg
    _________________________________
    JohnB
    Charlotte, MI
    Kitfox 7-SS
    Rotax 912ULS / Whirlwind Prop
    Garmin G3X Touch

  9. #119
    Senior Member Esser's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Edmonton, AB
    Posts
    2,048

    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    When you are adjusting washout when you are rigging your wings, it can be hard to move the rear spar attach point with out going to far or messing up your front attach bracket. To aid in this I simply put a ratchet strap between the door frame and the bracket. One little adjustment moved it in place and held it there until i could verify the washout and tighten the spar attach.


  10. #120

    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    NATCHEZ, MS
    Posts
    6

    Default Re: Gasket remover

    Quote Originally Posted by Esser View Post
    Well I wish I would have though of this a lot sooner. But anywhere it says to remove the powder coat, don't waste your time sanding. It can take hours in the case of the rudder torque tubes. Instead go to your hardware store and buy permatex gasket remover. Tape off the area you want to remove the poweder coat, spray on the remover, and hit it with a wire brush. Finish up with a wipe of the rags. It takes seconds. For removing the powder coat from the inside of a tube I found using a plumbing brush for copper pipe to work well.
    I intended to pick up some gasket remover today but forgot it when I was in town. I decided to try MEK (which I have on hand) because I noted the other day it tended to make the powder coat a little sticky if in contact with it for any length of time. I found that by saturating a small rag (or piece of cotton) in MEK, wrapping it around the area where the powder coat is to be removed, and then covering the area with a piece of plastic (or tape) to keep the MEK from evaporating, within just a few minutes the powder coat became soft enough to easily remove with a soft wire brush.

    Peter B

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •