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Thread: Building tips and hints

  1. #31
    Senior Member jtpitkin06's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    1 X 19 SS cable.

    When routing Stainless steel cable though eyelets and guides the ends have a tendency to fray. Stop the fraying with a few drops of super glue on the end to keep the individual wires in place. Wipe the end after you apply the glue to smooth the wires.

    To cover the ends of wires to guard against "meat hooks" use heat shrink tubing. But what do you do if you already have a ferrule crimped in place? A simple solution is to coat the exposed wire end with hot melt glue. It forms a nice smooth coating that can be molded when it cools a bit. Or simply heat the glue witha heat gun to smooth out any strings or blobs.

  2. #32
    Senior Member DanB's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    Good tip John,
    Another one that a few of us in the Phx area have used for a wire chase is the 1" drip irrigation hose. It is usually black with a blue stripe, very light and quite flexible.
    Dan B
    Mesa, AZ

  3. #33

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    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    Rib stitching is not too hard for itself: it is more or less a therapy IF you get the hold on it! And since there are several YouTube films on the internet (and the FAA-films, not to forget) i had lots of help from them.
    But most of my learning-process was done on a practice-board: just tie your knots, starterknot, modified- and endknot - and see how it looks!!
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  4. #34
    Senior Member
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    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    Learn a few simple knots, like a clove hitch, half hitch, etc. Get yourself a roll
    of rib lacing cord, and free yourself those nasty nylon cable ties forever.
    Much better way to tie wire bundles.

    Here's a link to some pics, examples, etc:

    http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles...able_lace.html

    Jeff Hays

  5. #35
    Dave Holl's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    Thats the way us professionals do it!!!!
    Whats more when you get good at it it is quicker too and you dont cut your hands behind the panel!!!!
    Dave Holl
    Building Kitfox MK7
    Rotax 912ULS

  6. #36
    Senior Member MotReklaw's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    I use an Olfa Knife to cut aluminum sheet. It works very well on the thinner aluminum sheets. I've actually used it to cut 12' lengths of .016, .020, .025, and .032 sheets. It's a tool for cutting countertops but works well for aluminum. I've used this tool to help build 3 homebuilts.
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    Tommy Walker in Alabama

  7. #37
    Senior Member DanB's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    That is a great tip...one that I have used many times in the glazing trade. To describe how the cut is made, take a straight edge and clamp it along the line to cut. Make several passes along the line until you guestimate you are about half way through. Then just bend at the score line a few times until it breaks.
    This proceedure is used extensively to make straight cuts on plastic sheeting (plexi, acrylic, etc) as well.

    Interesting how many of us picked up tips from the "ole timmers" years ago, made them a practice in our work, and never think to share with others as it just doesn't come up. Makes one wonder how many tips/techniques have been lost because of this.
    Good thread
    Dan B
    Mesa, AZ

  8. #38
    Senior Member MotReklaw's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    Thanks for filling in the details Dan. I guess we all got little tips we can pass along. The is a good place to put them, isn't it?
    Tommy Walker in Alabama

  9. #39
    Senior Member
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    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    This is in reply to Jbonewitz suggestion on locating the exhaust cutout in lower cowling. I just tried his method on my SuperSport and it works perfectly for locating the exhaust pipe hole location. Everything works as advertised and is a very simple process. Thanks for the info.

    Dick B

  10. #40
    Administrator DesertFox4's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    Thanks to a suggestion from Dick B in KY , I just made the "Building tips and hints" a "Sticky" so it can easily be found now at the top of the General discussion page.
    No need to use the search feature now if a new post hasn't been added under this subject heading in a few days.
    Thanks to all who contribute their experiences so others may enjoy their builds and finished aircraft even more.


    DesertFox4
    Admin.
    7 Super Sport
    912 ULS Tri-gear


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