Bearings and bushings are milled to the wrong size

[rwoneill]

I imagine that it's not that challenging for KF to re-spec parts to the right size. I'm sure there is some added cost but they could dramatically improve their kit if they did that. I hope they do that one day. I also wish that there was a disclaimer before you bought one that said: "WARNING: NOTHING IN THIS KIT IS THE RIGHT SIZE! YOU WILL SPEND MANY FRUSTRATING HOURS OF YOUR DAY SANDING AND REAMING."

At this point I wish I had a mill!

[896tr]

Roger, don't forget that in order to be experimental amateur built 51% has to be built/manufactured by you.
Kitfox could send you a "bolt and glue kit" for five times the price but you building it would change air worthiness
and manufacturing parameters. And what would happen to insurance, business license, manufacturing in your residential garage...….? I'm sure John Debra have had to deal with all of the government headaches to get to
where they are with one of the best "home built aircraft" on the market. Reaming bushings, aligning control
parts etc.. teaches patience and why even the littlest and most mundane task keeps an airplane off the ground.

This post is not meant to belittle anyone or to tell anyone to suck it up and quit whining it is meant to let anyone
that wants to build an airplane yourself it is going to take up a lot of your time and money.
If you don't want the frustration of mundane and repetitive tasks order a "turn key" plane from Kitfox or buy a used certified airplane.
I promise you if you build it will give you the greatest feeling of "I did this" the first time the wheels leave the
ground, and I dare anyone to find builder that will disagree with me.

My $.02, no refunds, no change.

[airlina]

Todays kitfox kits are dramatically improved from when I built my Series 5 that I purchased from the pre Mcbeans , Skystar ownership. I watched the two factory youtube videos that were recently done by John and couldn't believe how much the kits have improved , especially with the prebuilt options. I recall a drill press and dremel tool over a weeks time making the flap and adjustable rudder pedal brackets. I was a bit surprised at the amount of manufacturing that was required from rough stock , but once i realized what was involved , I just worked on one widget at a time not a whole airplane. Before you know it (actually 4 years) , I had an airplane that I have been flying for 17 years and still love it. Enjoy the process it will be worth it. I bow to you scratch builders like John Evens ,with his thorp build ,amazing amount of skill and dedication there , I am not worthy. Bruce N199CL

[rwoneill]

I think the kit would be a lot more enjoyable if it were easier to put together. If it were 1950 and everything was still hand milled I would understand the poor tolerances. But in this day and age with automated milling it's pretty easy to get things right from the start. Unless the factory says "Let's intentionally source out of spec hardware so that our customers spend time sanding bearings so that we can meet the 51% requirements"

I'm just talking about the hardware mostly. I'm going to take the bearings and bushings to a machine shop and have them fit professionally. I understand the lesson in patience but I find that I have better uses for my time than tediously sanding bearings that should have been right from the start. Also I can't possibly replicate a perfect fit with sand paper like one can obtain from a mill.

The other Fab work is great.