Kitfox Series 7 Super Sport - Show Me Fox

[alexM]

Keep it up Jason. Good to see your build thread here.

[Jason Murphy]

Keep it up Jason. Good to see your build thread here.

Alex, Thanks for your support. Good to rear from you! I am posting both here and on the EAA Builders Log. A link is attached in my original post to my previous work.

[Jason Murphy]

Work has been put on the back burner to focus on my instrument rating. I was unable to take my check ride due to thunderstorms which lasted for 2 days when the check ride was scheduled.

Several entries have been consolidated.

Worked on polishing the main landing gear. There are cosmetic distortions from when I had hand sanded to remove the swirls which were to help paint bond to the metal. Using a sanding block to eliminate finger grooves. Initial work was very promising. It will require several hours of hand sanding to gently remove the blemishes. Plan to work up to 2000 grit and apply polish.

Sanded the floorboard of the baggage compartment to provide a relief area for the autopilot mounting bracket and baggage sack. The floor boards should lie flat. I may order matching suede material to cover the floorboards which would match the upholstery.

Contacted kitfox regarding upholstery options. Need to decide on a thickness for the seat.

Over the past few weeks I have fit 7 of the 8 sets of spar attachment brackets. I am using the last inside bracket to provide the appropriate contour when stoning the fuselage to fit the internal diameter of the wing.

Drilled the “drill later” holes in the lift strut attachment bracket on the left wing.
Prep surfaces for bonding. I will delay bonding until I have a full day to bond the brackets. This way I do not get in a hurry and I am able to get the job done without rushing.

[Jason Murphy]

Weighed each propeller blade.

Weighed blades in order of serial number. Blade 1 weighed approximately 889 grams. Blade 2 weighed 887 grams. Blade 3 weighed a whopping 983 grams.

Contacted Joe who I purchased the prop from and asked if there was any reason there was nearly a 100 gram discrepancy. He advised he never weighed the blades he had the propeller dynamically balanced and that is the reason there was a bolt in the prop hub. Removed bolt and washers. It required a 9 gram weight to balance the prop.

Emailed Whirlwind and I am awaiting a response.

[DesertFox4]

You are moving at a brisk pace Jason. Nice spacious shop too. Enjoying your build process. Thanks for sharing.

[Jason Murphy]

You are moving at a brisk pace Jason. Nice spacious shop too. Enjoying your build process. Thanks for sharing.

Oh I wish I was building in that area this whole time. I am back in my basement, I was only able to use that space for a brief time.

I actually had to move the right wing in then the fuselage then the left wing. Working on spar doublers where the wings attach to the fuselage right now.

Progress has been slowed a bit because I am preparing for my Instrument Checkride which will be on the 24th. Next goal after that will be CFI


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[Jason Murphy]

Contacted Brandon at the factory regarding the left lower aft spar reinforcement. This required reaming to get it to fit. I later learned how I had supported the wing while fitting gave it a slight twist which was discovered after I had reamed the part.

Brandon advised that although it is tight and not moving currently it may shift under load and recommend replacement. I will order additional reinforcement brackets and use my last remaining set to replace this set.

This was a challenging task as I had to use heat on the bottom reinforcement bracket to get the Hysol to release and not heat the top bracket.

I started by drilling the heads off the stainless steel rivets. Leaving the shank in place.

I attempted to use a clothing iron and direct contact to the steel reinforcement bracket. This resulted in heat from the fabric iron warming the aluminum spar through convection and radiation. This was aborted.

Next I tried using a soldering iron and placed the tip into the shank of the rivets. The soldering iron was supposed to produce 900 degrees. This never warmed the bracket.

Brandon suggested creating a heat shield. And using a heat gun. This was attempted out of aluminum foil and was produced marginal results as the spar being aluminum conducted heat quickly.

I then came up with the solution. Using a clamp on fan I aimed the fan at the top bracket and set it to high. I also had my son take an electric air pump you use for air mattress and blow air from the tip end to the root end. This maximized air exchange and air cooling. The heat gun was then aimed at the lower outer reinforcement bracket. It was warmed using the heat gun. The spar temperature and upper bracket was monitored using an infrared thermometer. They never became warmer than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This technique was successful as I was able to use my Knipex Pliers and easily break the bond between the Hysol and outside bracket.

The stems of the rivets were drilled out with a No. 40 drill to ensure the holes were not opened up. A no. 34 drill was then used to drill out the center of the stainless steel rivet stems ensuring the sides of the ricet were not drilled through.

The old Hysol was cleaned off and the same technique was used to release the inner spar reinforcement bracket. Heat was applied to the lower spar which heated the Hysol on the opposite side of the wall of the tubing. Knipex pliers were used to pull the reinforcement bracket up and a popsicle stick was used as a wedge which released the bond between the Hysol and the spar tube. The Hysol remained bonded to the inner reinforcement bracket and there was very little cleanup.

Spar tube is prepped for bonding and cleaned with alcohol.

I plan to accomplish this task during the next build session.

[Jason Murphy]

Attached is an email to someone interested in a list of tools that I found handy during the build. This is by no means a comprehensive list.

This isn't an inclusive list and it's what I have found helpful. I apologize about the delay but I wanted to meddle through my work area.

Angle Drill (I am using an Avery) incredible tool to get into tight places.

Numbered, lettered, fractional drill bit set (or bits that are just under the size of the reamer) use these to clean out powder coating so your reamer fits in. Recently I have used a letter N drill before reaming 5/16 holes

Drill bit stops. Must have! Prevents gouging critical parts when you break through.

Sheet metal seamer and snips. To “massage” or tweak the metal. Seamer spreads out the pressure and makes a more uniform bend.

1/8, 1/4, 3/8 NPT taps (don't go out and buy them

At least 100 1/8” clecos

Reloading Scale / Kitchen scale (something to
Measure in grams) to mix Hysol and Superfil with. I typically will
Mix batches of about 20 grams of Hysol at a time. I do a lot of mixing but I have wasted very little product.

20 mL slip tip (not leur-lok) syringes. Applying Hysol reuse until the plunger pulls out and toss when your done with them.

Popsicle sticks, lots! You will use 2 or 3 each time you mix hysol.

Supplemental lighting. Work Lights, “trouble” lights, as much light as you can get!

Storage / Organization options. I used ziplock bags and a plastic shoebox. I sorted the hardware according to type bolts, nuts, washers, ect and put the bags of parts into ziplock. So this ziplock bag contains all the bolts for this part of the project.

Needle files (get a decent set) use mine to debur where I have drilled fix an errant hole ect. I use these frequently. Highly recommend.

Sandpaper silicone carbide variety. I have up to 2500 grit but I also like my aluminum parts polished. (Flitz polish does a great job, you can also use it on plastic. I have not tried it on a windshield yet but they were doing it at Oshkosh.

Sanding blocks, a variety of sizes. I used a 1x2 that was about 2 ft long to help shape the end caps on my rudder and horizontal. Currently using a 1/4 sheet and 1/3 sheet polishing my main landing gear.


Superfil lightweight body filler not included in the kit. You can fix a lot of sins with Superfil and sandpaper.

Epoxy primer (not in the kit) and catalyst. Once again needed to cover bare metal and over SuperD that covers metal. Superfil over wood will be covered with epoxy varnish (included in the kit)

Micro stop countersink - 100 degree countersink used with flush rivets. Sure you can use a debur tool but you have zero control over the depth. Also countersink bits for the tool.

Debur tool (I have an Avery pretty happy with it.)

Going back to Clecos, side clamp clecos are amazing for clamping the edges of sheet metal. They have a small footprint and a firm grip what more can you ask for. A bit spendy at $5 each but the right tool for the job. I have 1” models.

Rivet squeezer (with dimple dies) you will eventually use solid rivets on the kit. A squeezer can be used in the solid rivets as well as dimpling sheet metal.

Dimple dies (comes with a squeezer) if you choose not to get a squeezer then ATS sells dimple dies you use in your hand rivet puller.

Hand rivet puller. I have a Marson super happy with it. I also bought a cheap sacrificial one that I don't care if I grind on (5 bucks at Walmart)

While we are on the topic of rivet guns… I bought a Milwaukee power squeezer and I honestly like my hand one better. I feel that the hand one is more forgiving because you can continue to center things up. The
Milwaukee you pull the trigger and if your off a bit your river was pulled lop sided. I would say the jury is out on this one. Cannot say that I recommend others likely have a different opinion.

Dry fit hardware. Fine thread. Hardware store junk that you use to dry fit parts and save your good hardware. Easy to tell the difference between AN cad plated good hardware and zinc plated junk hardware.

Extra AN hardware, your going to order from spruce at some point throw some extra common hardware in there to have on hand if something needs replaced.

Torque stripe. Apply to hardware after it has been torqued to spec. A visual cue that nut is been torqued. Also serves as a safety because you know your nuts are tight during inspection and preflight

Tap and Die set great for chasing threads that are filled with powder coat. Once again you need the fine thread don't go get a crummy cheap see you will probably have to buy the taps you need later and they are always cheaper by the set.

EZ out (not something I would run out and buy) but every project is one broken bolt from hours of trouble.

Valve stem tool for putting tires on. I like the one that's t handle shaped with a short cable you can thread onto the valve stem.

Safety wire pliers / twister. Not 100% needed but saves a lot of headache. Get a decent set like milbar. The cheap sets have really aggressive teeth and the side cutters suck.

Plumb Bob for jury struts, finding centerline of the fuselage ect.

Squares - Speed square, carpenters square I typically use a small 12” although I have had my 24” out on more than one occasion.

Level Torpedo, 24” 48” side note I tried a digital level. I found that I could do just as good or better with a plain old bubble level. I also have a machinist level I borrowed from my cousin who is a tool and die maker.

Yard sticks (I bought about 20 on clearance) I used these to align ribs in the vertical stabilizer. Wish I would have known that trick working on my horizontal.

Layout Die (not an essential) I used it with a square to find center line on my control sticks prior to drilling. Used it extensively building my wings. It will give you a nice sharp contrast line and won't rub off like dry erase marker will. I have Dykem Layout Fluid.

Masking tape. Lots just go buy a 5 pack of blue for starts (Silver sharpie works great to write on this stuff with)

Clamps - a good variety. Spring clamps. C clamps, ect. I used c clamps and tie down straps to suspend my fuselage from the ceiling. I also store parts vertically in this manor, space is a premium as I am essentially working in a single car garage.

Scales 6”, 12”, yard sticks, tape measure. I like a see through ruler so I can see my project on the other side. Used to locate holes and such.

Center Punch - I have a manual spring one. You want to make sure your drill bit doesn't walk.

Scrap lumber to use as a backer when drilling sheet.

Respirator - something rated for organic solvents. Also works well to protect you from abundant dust from sanding.

Cable cutter (not essential, a dremel with cutting wheel will work. But a knioex cutter makes the job easy.

Dremel (must have)

Saw horses

Rolling stool

Lumber for rotisserie

Work platform to set fuselage on before gear is on.

Like I said this is definitely not a complete list.

Check out 7KiloFox on YouTube he has a video on this somewhere. He has pretty good YouTube content. When I started watching him I thought it sounded like him complaining a lot but every gripe he had was true on my plane as well and I learned to appreciate his content. There are several build video series.

Oh! Last and most important!!! Networking with the kitfox community. You can do that here or on team kitfox. The community is an awesome resource, they got me through some challenging parts of the build and were super helpful clarifying obscure directions in the manual.

Depending on who you get in touch with you will get answers like “I don't want to tell you how to build your airplane” or “I believe the instructions in the manual are clear on that” Well that's kinda the reason I bought a kit so I will have an expert to refer to or I think we'll if the directions are clear I wouldn't have this question. There is a 3rd standard answer but I can't think of it off hand. With that being said I have had much better luck with factory support lately they have been amazing.

Either way rather than email this will be a resource to the community.

If anyone else wants to supplement I welcome their advice.

[PapuaPilot]

I didn't know that John. Typically props come assembled and have been static balanced, sometime the blades are removed for shipping, but they have specific locations in the hub.

I'm curious to hear how this turns out and what the pre-balancing "IPS number" is. I kinda understand the "moment arm" statement, but a 3.5 ounce (~11%) weight difference between blades is a lot. The only way I can see this working is if they adjust the moment arm using weight as far inboard as possible.

[Jason Murphy]

Visited by my brother and sister in law. Showed progress since the last visit.

Developing plan for avionics. I believe I will order the hardware determine location where hardware will be installed and begin developing plans for wiring.

Sanded relief cut into No. 1 rib on each side for fuel lines per instructions. I will dry fit tanks to ensure adequate relief cuts have been made. Entertaining the idea of using a banjo fitting in the fuel tank connection to facilitate maintenance. There are banjo fittings available from Kitfox as well as other vendors. There is an interesting discussion on Team Kitfox regarding their use.

Visited by the family. The kids decided to play airplane. I believe I have made my decision regarding upholstery. I am leaning towards creating my own. Using a spray on bed liner in the cargo bay and on the seat pan. Use charcoal unisuede on the seats. Black unisuede on the glare shield. Then paint the console a dark grey. The controls I will sandblast paint with epoxy primer and finish coat them in black.

Squared up trailing edge of left wing tank.

Need to complete leak test and rinse inside of tanks with solvent.

Organize rivets into parts bin. Inventory washers and nuts plan on ordering extras.

Ordered for a transport kit to facilitate handling during the build process, storage, and to tow the aircraft to the airport. I should make a pad to protect the horizontal stabilizer and potentially the leading edge of the wing.

Still concerned regarding the right wing tank. The inboard leading edge is approximately twice the thickness of the outboard edge.

For a sanity check attempt to dry fit leading edge material. Dressed up shipping damage on the leading edge material. Using the leading edge template taped leading edge to the right wing. Will read additional instructions regarding installing the leading edge material. If I recall correctly the instructions direct you to create a smooth transition between the leading edge and the wing tank using super fil. I will follow up on this.

There is about a 1/2” gap between the seat pan and the frame. I wonder if I will be able to remedy this.50CA0B01-59F9-4397-BB01-69A02B78C139.jpgB1B10EB1-3E0D-4290-9E88-E9B7E398C19F.jpgF3D3F6FA-C229-4D07-A117-591FE86B5A43.jpg