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 4 of 47 FirstFirst 1234567814 ... LastLast
Results 31 to 40 of 465

Thread: aviator79's build

  1. #31
    Senior Member aviator79's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Los Alamos, NM
    Posts
    913

    Default Re: aviator79's build

    It's a bit of a hassle, 2-step process, but I use this link to convert google photos shareable links into direct links that will work with vBulletin's [IMG] tags.

    The workflow is:
    1) From Google photos, click [share icon]->Get Link. Copy the link.
    2) Paste the link into the website linked above which will generate a direct link.
    3) Copy that link into the IMG tags in your vBulletin post.

  2. #32
    Senior Member aviator79's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Los Alamos, NM
    Posts
    913

    Default Monday update

    In the last week:
    -Varnished and installed floorboards.
    -Finished flaperon mixer installation, added safety wire.
    -Primed all the aluminum in the right wing (I'm building the right first.)
    -Built the right flaperaon - end rib, hinge, control horn drilled and clecoed. Per the manual, final assembly to be done after paint. Imstalled counterweights.
    -Fabricated and installed the foam flaperon tip. I still have some superfil finishing to do when I get home today.

    Looking forward, I'm taking a Poly Fiber covering class in Phoenix Feb 10th-11th, and I'd like to have the right wing ready to cover by then. I think I'm on pace to make that happen. I still need to install the flaperaon attach brackets and the laker leading edge. I'm waiting a few more days to give the epoxy primer a good cure because the LLE will bond to some primed locations.

    Primer in the wing. I didn't concern myself with overspray. The wood varnish is compatible with the primer and everything is well-sealed.


    Flaperon:









  3. #33
    Senior Member aviator79's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Los Alamos, NM
    Posts
    913

    Default Re: aviator79's build

    I also thought I'd share how I made my Flaperon clamps. Because the spar is not on the centerline, I didn't figure it was possible to drill a hole that would allow me to accurately place the bolted 2x2's on the end of the flaperon to trace the contour. It would have to be oversized to allow the 2x2's to be placed, and then there wouldn't be a good way to hold the 2x2s in the right spot while I traced the contour.

    So instead, I put a hole the diameter of the spar in a piece of cardboard, and traced the countour onto the cardboard to make a template that I then used to transfer the contour to the clamps:





  4. #34
    Senior Member aviator79's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Los Alamos, NM
    Posts
    913

    Default Re: aviator79's build

    Finished up this tip last night. I started the tip thinking that maybe I should have bought the plastic tips. But now I'm glad I didn't. Hand-shaping the tip was enjoyable to the point of being relaxing. SuperFil is very easy to work with. I also think that visually it looks as good (better?) than the plastic tips, and really wasn't much more work.

  5. #35
    Senior Member colospace's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Littleton, CO
    Posts
    322

    Default Re: aviator79's build

    That does look real nice and you probably did not spent any more time than it took me to make the plastic tips fit to my satisfaction.
    - Gary
    S7 SuperSport Tri-gear
    w/Rotax 912, Oratex, Dynon

  6. #36
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Desert Aire (Mattawa), WA
    Posts
    218

    Default Re: aviator79's build

    Really nice pictures, 79! Those are going to be appreciated by a lot of builders.

  7. #37
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    Melbourne, Australia
    Posts
    642

    Default Re: aviator79's build

    Nice work. You're making very good progress.
    David
    SS7 Builder

  8. #38
    Senior Member aviator79's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Los Alamos, NM
    Posts
    913

    Default Monday Update

    I got the right flaperon finished. Drilled the brackets and removed. Installed the LLE, and glued in optional trailing edge stiffeners. The right wing is ready to cover! I'll do that after I take the SportAir workshop in Phoenix Feb 10th-11th.

    I got the center console mostly finished. Rudder control horns modified, and the rudder pedal assemblies mostly complete. My long #30 drill bit went dull, so I need another one to finish riveting together the second rudder pedal assembly.

    Some wisdom earned this week:
    -There is a note when assembling the flap handle to make sure that you get full travel of the slider before assembling. This note is not present in the instructions for the rudder adjustment handles. As it happens, my flap handle had full travel, so I had forgotten this tidbit when assembling the rudder adjustment handle. When I got the center console on, I couldn't get the detent pin to disengage from the detents. It took me a few minutes to figure out why. The result was drilling out the securing pin to disassemble the handle and take some material off the slider. Now I need to procure a new securing pin before I can reassemble the second handle and finish the center console. I believe (hope) they sell these tension pins at the local hardware store.
    -On the LLE, the instructions recommend two clecos in each rib, and 5 in the #1 and # 10. When I do the left wing, I'll use 5 clecos at the number 5 rib where the two LLE halves meet, and maybe even in all the ribs. As it is, it worked fine, but the fiberglass doesn't sit perfectly against the ribs everywhere, and I just think the result would have been better with more clamping. There was some "waviness" in the trailing edge of the LLE, which is very minor as long as it's even while the hysol cures, so I weighed it down.

    Pictures:





    Note the lack of full travel of slider. I hadn't assembled the detent pin in this side yet. But in the one in the background, it is fit up to the detent bracket, but won't disengage.


    Rudder pedal assembly:




  9. #39
    Senior Member aviator79's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Los Alamos, NM
    Posts
    913

    Default Re: aviator79's build

    One other piece of wisdom learned:
    When you fit up the floorboards, lay the center console in place, lest you end up drilling eight holes in the aft floorboards instead of four. I placed the aft ones to line up pleasingly with the middle ones, and the center console did not fit between them at the aft end. I had to trim them on the outsides to move them outward to fit the center console, requiring me to redrill the mounting holes and fill the old ones. I wish I had time and money to build two of these things, because I think I could do a nicer job the second time around. I'm already worried that my plane will only fly in circles because my left wing will be built much better than the right.

  10. #40
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Mt Beauty, Australia
    Posts
    1,073

    Default Re: aviator79's build

    HI Brian,

    I haven't commented much on your posts because I haven't anything of value to add but just wanted to say that I find your descriptions really clear ( as are the photos) and although I have finished building, I know many following you are going to find your posts a treasure trove of practical wisdom. The warts and all reports are great - makes me feel human! (I have some nice wrinkles at the back of the LLE! - doesn't effect anything as far as I know)

    It looks like its going along well with your build and I look forward to more posts.

    Best

    ross
    Ross
    Mt Beauty, Vic
    OZ
    Sold to Richard and Scott Taubman in OZ, 2019. Kitfox SS7,Rotax 912is Sport, Airmaster CSP 75" blades.
    Landcruiser and Cub off road camper (doesn't get any kudos on this forum!)

Posting Permissions

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