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tdldedcd
07-28-2020, 04:59 PM
I've been lurking for quite a while, reaching out to some for advice and generally learning as much as I can getting ready for this moment. It's time to start my build. I recently picked up a 2013 SS7 kit and drove it back home. It only has about 40 hours of work completed and I'm very excited about being able to do the majority of the build on the plane. Thanks to my awesome wife that went on the 4 day road trip on 2 days notice. A very big thank you to Eddie and Brian for answering all my questions and being so supportive! Honestly, it has been the incredible Kitfox community that inspired me to take on this venture and I am excited about becoming part of the family. At first, I will definitely being leaning on others for help, support and guidance but look forward to paying it forward when I can.

Harlan and Bryan (and others): Thanks for doing such detailed build videos. I can only imagine how much time you put into them, but for guys like myself (small brain. like moving pictures), they are incredibly helpful.

For all those that have taken the time to put together detailed build logs with advice and pictures ( I really do like pictures) thank you! I will try to keep up the standard.
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All loaded and ready for the trip from Washington state to Southern California.
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Rotisseries done. Time to get the inventory done and a part order to Kitfox.

bbs428
07-28-2020, 08:06 PM
Welcome! Congratz on your "new to you" S7.
Looking forward to your build. :D

DesertFox4
07-29-2020, 11:05 AM
Congrats Todd on your kit purchase. With perseverance it will one day soon leave the ground and give back to you great aviation adventures.😀 Enjoy your build and very best of luck. Welcome aboard.

Kitfox Pilot
08-03-2020, 07:37 PM
Todd, Welcome to the the world of building a kitfox! Most of the knowledge that you will need is right here on teamkitfox. There are some great builders here that enjoy helping us new builders out. I am very thankful for their help and I'm sure you will be too. Look forward to watching your build. Harlan

alexM
08-03-2020, 11:11 PM
Funny story. I obtained my project from across the country. A few weeks later I see a series 7 project in Port Angeles, WA on Barnstormers - maybe an hour away for me, and a nice drive even.
A good chance it was your plane. Funny how many miles a project can get on it before flying.

efwd
08-04-2020, 07:49 AM
Ok Todd, the clock is ticking. Im waiting for a flying partner. I finally have someone close to home that I can help out from time to time with special tools you may like to use. Rivet squeezer, sheet metal edge bender, sheet metal bender etc. etc. etc.. Have you finished the inventory yet? JK
P.S. Fred B., The offer of tools is open to you as well. Get busy you two. Now we just need to get Kevin over his hurdles so he can get back to building his SS7. The three of you are all at about the same spot in the build right now.

airlina
08-04-2020, 09:46 AM
Eddie, your last name is fitting, because you sure do pay it "Forward" , nice gesture on time and tools , great forum members we have. Bruce N199CL

tdldedcd
08-05-2020, 07:54 AM
Thanks all for the welcome and well wishes.

Eddie- Starting the inventory today after a little shop clean. Thanks for the tool offer. I'll definitely take you up on that and all the advice you are willing to give. Pay it Forward Eddie is so true!!

Alex- I think it is the same plane. Sorry the COVID shutdown prevented you from being able to get it. I hope you find another soon. Keep in touch and let's build together.

Fred and Kevin- Let's lean on each other. We are always stronger working as a team than trying to work solo.

Next update coming soon.

tdldedcd
08-13-2020, 09:15 AM
Hi All,

Starting to make progress and I already have a question.
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I know I've read about this on someone else's build but I can't find it again. I have several ribs on the elevator that are really loose without any sanding. Should I try to fill these with wood or will a thick bead of hysol be enough?
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Thanks Eddie for the much needed motivational flight!!!
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jiott
08-13-2020, 10:02 AM
If it was mine, I would scab on a piece of the same thickness plywood (maybe a piece of one of the stiffeners) and then recut the contour. There shouldn't be that much gap; are you sure you have the correct rib in the correct place?

tdldedcd
08-13-2020, 11:24 AM
Jim,

I literally thought I had the wrong ribs too. Double and triple checked. I was thinking of doing like you suggested using the scrap stiffeners wood to fill in the gap. I'll shape the scrap to lengthen the back of the rib, re-shape the contour and then strengthen by adding stiffeners to both sides of the lengthened section. I'll snap a photo when it's donut see what you think.

Meyer
08-13-2020, 07:14 PM
Triple check. The odds of those being short is pretty low. When I first laid mine out they didnt seem to line up right.

tdldedcd
08-13-2020, 07:37 PM
Thanks for the advice.

It was the 3rd rib from the middle on both sides of the elevator (the 203 spot). I used the 2nd longest rib from the bundle for this spot, but it was just short. Here is what I have done to lengthen it. I cut the tail end of the rib off to the point it was the same thickness as the rib stiffeners. This gave a little more length and strength to the patch. I then added more stiffeners on both sides to sandwich the patch. I used the section of tail I cut off as a template to shape the patch. It's chunky but I was going for strength.
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I'm open for any concerns or comments.

tdldedcd
08-20-2020, 05:19 PM
Was able to make a little progress this week. Work has been crazy so finding time to build is challenging. Ran into a snag that I would sure appreciate some advice on. The previous owner/builder pressed the bushing into the horizontal stab. They all look good except for one. It is not flush. I tried the c-clamp method to get it the rest of the way in but it won't budge. Any suggestions for getting it out?
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Thanks for the help.

PapuaPilot
08-20-2020, 08:54 PM
Heat might help, but don't get it too hot.

For removal you can use a fine thread bolt (like an AN3), nut, socket and a bushing that is slightly smaller than the bushing you are removing. Put the bushing on one side and the socket on the other. Make sure the socket is big enough to receive the aircraft bushing. Draw this smaller bushing into the elevator by tightening the bolt & nut. The aircraft bushing will go into the socket. Viola. It's all about having the right size socket, bushing and the right length bolt(s).

tdldedcd
08-21-2020, 09:39 AM
Thx Phil! I'll give it a try when I get home.

tdldedcd
10-14-2020, 03:18 PM
It's been a while since I have posted anything. Work has kept me incredibly busy, but I've been able to carve some time here and there to a least keep things moving. I keep hearing Brian O'Neil's words playing in my head. "Try to get something done everyday you are home." Sometimes it's something pretty small, but at least it's something. Thanks Brian!

I was able to get the stuck bearing out of the HS. Tried heat with the bolt method but no luck. Finally ended up using a coping saw to cut it out. A little nerve racking and time consuming, but got it out without any damage to the HS.

I've almost completely rebuild and torqued everything the previous builder completed. I didn't like how stiff the control movements were, so I disassembled that, sanded a lot and go it moving way smoother. Thanks to Joe Ruscito's great tip on using a syringe with sandpaper taped to it to sand down the inside of the control column bearing! Almost done doing the same thing with the rudder pedals. Both outboard pedals were very stiff. Needed a couple of parts from Kitfox to complete. Repainting a the visible interior black. Have a little more finish work and that'll be done too.

Here are the stages of the of the HS tip shaping. Pretty happy with the end result.
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I had a question for the group. The bottom ribs in the VS and the rudder don't line up if you glue them to the frame. Has anyone else had this problem and how did you address it? I'd appreciate any advice from the group. Thanks.
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Got all the rest of the ribs in. A couple still need Hysol, but they are tacked in with modelers glue.
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That's it for now. Thanks to all the builders that have posted in the past. Your build logs are a great help and motivation!

Jerrytex
10-15-2020, 02:37 PM
I ran into the bottom rib thing a few months ago. I found 2 things. The curve on the lower rudder tubing would cause the lead edge of the rib to raise up when it was pushed down tight to the tubing in the middle. (slightly banannas the rib) Also, I had to notch the bottom rudder rib to clear the weld on the vertical rudder tube. It too was raising the lead edge of the botton rib. I then "clipped" the lower fuselage rib (VS) to the bottom rudder rib with popsicle sticks and clothes pins, sandwhiching the ribs into alignment. I left the middle of the rib to kind of "float" in dabs of hysol, instead of forcing it to conform to the curved tubing, and glued it as a unit so everything lined up. Not sure if this is the "proper" way but it worked for me and it turned out nice and straight.



Also, it would be worth doing the tailwheel spring pad reinforcement now rather than later. It requires welding so it would be easier now.

https://teamkitfox.com/Forums/threads/9710-pic-needed-of-tail-spring-mounting-flange-reinforcment?highlight=gussets

tdldedcd
12-23-2020, 06:03 PM
Hi all,

Happy Holidays!! Hope everyone is doing well. Had a little time to work on the plane and ran into another snag. I'm turning to the collective brain power of the Kitfox forum group again in hopes of getting some advice.

I was finishing up the speedster tail and balsa tops for the VS and rudder when I noticed a misalignment at the top of the tail. After closer inspection by myself and all the neighborhood pilots, we discovered the threaded bushing on top of the tail post is not straight. It's about 1/8" to the right. This causes the rudder to stick out past the VS on the right side when I put the bolt through the rod end. As soon as I take the bolt out, the rudder moves into perfect position.

Would it be better to tweak the threaded bearing or the rod end? I'm concerned with damaging the welds of the threaded bearing and am leaning more towards tweaking the rod ends.

I would really appreciate any insight on thoughts you might have.

Thanks for taking a look.

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Not the best photo but hopefully it helps.

tdldedcd
12-23-2020, 06:26 PM
Ok, one more question. When you guys clamped the rudder pedals together in preparation for sagging the co-pilot cables to the pilot cables, where do you have the pedals positioned. I've combed the sight and have found multiple positions. Some clamp all 4 pedals just forward of the forward-most frame tube and others have clamped them in what will be the neutral rudder pedal position. It does make about an 1 1/2" difference in the cable position. The manual specifically says to swag the cables together at a point 62-63" from the lift strut carry through tube. The rudder pedal position could definitely affect this distance.

What have the majority of you done? Am I overthinking this?

Rudder pedal in the forward position.
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Rudder pedals neutral
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Thanks for your thoughts.

Todd

Kitfox Pilot
12-23-2020, 07:51 PM
Hi all. I was finishing up the speedster tail and balsa tops for the VS and rudder when I noticed a misalignment at the top of the tail. After closer inspection by myself and all the neighborhood pilots, we discovered the threaded bushing on top of the tail post is not straight. It's about 1/8" to the right. This causes the rudder to stick out past the VS on the right side when I put the bolt through the rod end. As soon as I take the bolt out, the rudder moves into perfect position.

Would it be better to tweak the threaded bearing or the rod end? I'm concerned with damaging the welds of the threaded bearing and am leaning more towards tweaking the rod ends. end quote.




Boy that's a tough one. Myself being a welder would cut it half or two thirds way around and straighten and reweld. I'm not sure you could tweak it being welded in with out cutting some metal around it. Bending the rod end doesn't sound good either.
Do you have anyone near that runs a welding shop?


Rudder pedal question. I attached them all to the front where the fire wall will be someday. Any where is fine for attaching the copilot pedals as long as they are all the same. Later when the rudder is hooked up you will want to position them for max foot stroke room.

tdldedcd
12-25-2020, 07:30 PM
Harlan,

Thanks for the advice. I'll wait until after Christmas and reach out to several of the certified welders in the area. It doesn't look like the threaded bushing is bent. It looks like maybe it is was misaligned when it was welded into the tail post. I know they use a jig when they weld the plane together so I'm not sure if it possible to be welded incorrectly.

If I do partially cut it (I mean a welder)and bend it, won't that mess up the threads inside the bushing? Just trying to think it through.

Kitfox Pilot
12-25-2020, 07:59 PM
Cut the metal outside the tube with threads and put a bolt in it to pull and align then weld the sheet metal back together after aligned . I would cut about 1/8'' out side the threaded tube. Your welder may have a better plan. I haven't seen it to know for sure.

tdldedcd
12-27-2020, 04:29 PM
Thanks again Harlan! This gives me a starting point to talk to the welder so I have some idea of what I'm talking about. Definitely heading into uncharted territory on this one. Like my wife keeps reminding me, "You wanted a challenge."

Take Care and Happy New Year!

tdldedcd
01-19-2021, 01:00 PM
The build has slowed down because I recently got current and finished up my tail wheel endorsement. Had a great flight with my better half and Kitfox buddy Eddie and his significant other. Looking forward to flying when we are both are in Kitfoxes!

Received my tail wheel instruction/endorsement in this cool plane. Checked off a lot of bucket list items.
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Eddie’s plane looking good. Sorry for the upside down pictures.



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My awesome copilot.

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Amazing views all around.
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26922Breaks over. Time to get to back to work. More build photos to follow soon.




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tdldedcd
01-24-2021, 05:03 PM
Finally getting back to some quality build time and seeing some progress.

Worked with John at Kitfox to resolve the offset rudder issue. What I'm pretty sure happened is when I was widening the rudder ribs slot where it slides onto the front of the the rudder, I did not sand them evenly. This made for more rib on the right side. I was able to sand the right side of the fiberglass fairing and ribs down so that there is no perceivable difference. Thanks for your advice Harlan. Glad I didn't end up having to go that route!


With the rudder issue resolved, I was able to work on the rudder and VS tops. Almost got those done. One more pass with the finer grit paper should get it.

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Got the rudder cables in and swagged.
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Almost done with the door frames. Final tweaks and then I'll put them in permanently with rivets and either silicon or a little Hysol. Haven't made up my mind. Merits to both ways. Anyone that used silicone or something other than hysol ever have an issue with the frame coming loose?
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Started reaming in preparation for mounting and rigging the wings. This kit did not come with the pre-rigged wings. A little nervous about this part. i've read through the manual 4-5 times and my confidence level is going up. For those that rigged their wings, do you have any advice or lessons learned? As always, any advice is always appreciated.
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Decided to rivnut the bubble doors to the frame so waiting for a rivnut gun I ordered. Once that comes, I'll get to cutting the doors. No pressure there.

Also got both wings completely sanded and inspected. Is it normal to have finger spasms after that much sanding? :(

That's it for now.

Kitfox Pilot
01-24-2021, 05:56 PM
[QUOTE=tdldedcd;97304]Finally getting back to some quality build time and seeing some progress.

Worked with John at Kitfox to resolve the offset rudder issue. What I'm pretty sure happened is when I was widening the rudder ribs slot where it slides onto the front of the the rudder, I did not sand them evenly. This made for more rib on the right side. I was able to sand the right side of the fiberglass fairing and ribs down so that there is no perceivable difference. Thanks for your advice Harlan. Glad I didn't end up having to go that route.

I'm glad you got it lined out. Harlan

jiott
01-24-2021, 08:37 PM
tdldedcd, Why would you want to use silicone on the door frames? You will either be painting them or covering with fabric, neither of which will stick to silicone. Silicone or its residue should never be used near a paintable surface is what I have been told.

For wing rigging, I understand your apprehension, I had the same. Just do exactly what the manual says and it will turn out fine. Its not like any small mistake is forever built-in; after you start flying you will probably tweak with the lift strut rod end adjustment to get perfect hands off wings level performance.

tdldedcd
01-25-2021, 08:36 AM
Thx for your advice Jim. I'm going to use hysol. I re-read the rigging directions again last night. It really looks pretty straight forward. Still, I'll be glad to be on the other side of this step.

Jerrytex
01-25-2021, 08:55 AM
Wing rigging advice......Make sure that the "wear lines" on the spars are visible in the witness holes of the lift strut brackets.

https://teamkitfox.com/Forums/threads/11158-Lift-strut-attach-brackets-off-center?p=95716#post95716

tdldedcd
01-26-2021, 10:42 PM
If I wrote the build manual, there would definitely be BOLD notes around important items to quadruple check! One being......Important.....after rigging and before drilling.....check the lift strut brackets to make sure they are still lined up with the "Drag Line"!

Thanks for the advice Jerry. Glad it all worked out for you rigging!​

tdldedcd
03-07-2021, 03:02 PM
It's been a while since I've update my log. Been busy with work, but also busy on the plane. Got through 2 steps that had been haunting me and glad to be on the other side of them. All said and done, rigging the wings and fabricating the doors were actually really enjoyable, but a little nerve-racking for sure. I can't say enough about John and Debra at Kitfox. To have such an invaluable resource has been extremely helpful. So has this group. If you are reading this considering building a Kitfox, this community is incredibly helpful, informative and encouraging!! I have learned a great deal already.

Installation of the door/window frames.

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Door cut to fit. One Door completely done. The other needs a few more tweaks. Re-ordered the hinge material. Didn't like the way they turned out. Found out my neighbor has a large bandsaw that will make the cuts much cleaner.
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Parking brake mount installed.

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First time the wings have been on. The original owner purchased it without the pre-rigged option. Was really sweating this one, but the directions were really clear. Had one glitch, but a good conversation with John at Kitfox resolved the issue.
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I had to fold them!!

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Reinforcement fittings hysoled and riveted. All 8 are done.

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The obligatory photo of the lift strut attachment bracket with Clecos holding it in place.

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The lift strut attached brackets hysoled and riveted in place.
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That's it for now. As always, if you all see anything that needs attention, the insight is always appreciated!!

alexM
03-07-2021, 03:57 PM
Awesome. I'm sweating the wing mounting too, which will be in about three weeks for me.

efwd
03-07-2021, 04:29 PM
Ah yes, the dreaded wing rigging. I just noticed that this is the first time the subject came up and I didn't experience palpitations from the PTSD. It only took two years. Looking great Todd!

tdldedcd
03-07-2021, 04:42 PM
Thanks Eddie. Let's get together and going flying again soon.

Alex, the directions really are very good. Read and re-read them. The more I read them, the more comfortable I got. If you have any questions, PM me and I can offer up things I learned.You've got this!!
I'm flying a Citabria right now too. Fun little plane.

tdldedcd
04-15-2021, 07:11 AM
Haven't posted in a while. Made the decision to take a little time away from the project. Was starting to make a series of mistakes that weren't major but will end up costing me a chunk of time to fix (and a little $). One of those mistakes was attaching the #1 rib to the wing without reattaching the wing to the fuselage while the glue sets up. Unfortunately, both #1 ribs had to be removed because the spars are not lining up with the lugs on the fuselage. IF you are reading this and have not gotten to this stage, be sure to reattached the wing to the fuselage and allow the rib to set up overnight with the wing attached. This is a must!

On a positive note. Eddie (EFWD) and my EAA build advisor came by to check in on the build. Got a lot of good feedback on the build and Eddie gave me a lot of great advice on upcoming sections of the build. Thanks a lot for coming by Eddie!! I'm ready to jump back into the build with renewed confidence and enthusiasm.

Alright. Back to building.

Thanks to Dustin for his advice on removing my #1 rib. I really appreciated you quick response!

Take Care All. Hope to see many of you at Oshkosh this year!!

bbs428
04-15-2021, 07:25 AM
I can empathize on how you feel. Usually I catch my "oops" moment after the glue dries or riveted in place. Lol :D
I now read ahead more than once and underline critical steps.
Mistakes have decreased although there are still some anxious moments.

The guys here are great and without them and this forum we would all be in a hurt locker.

I'll see you all at Oshkosh next year. Still moving to the new house... :rolleyes:

All the best and keep on going!

tdldedcd
10-03-2021, 03:58 PM
Haven't posted in a long time. Work has been crazy so all my spare time has fully been dedicated to building. I'll do my best to include all i've been able to get done since my last post. It's still a sloth speed build so keep the expectations low!

#1 rib in and check with wing on. For those that are yet to do this step, make sure you reinstall the wing after you hysol the #1 rib and allow to fully cure with wing on. I learned this the hard way.
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Jury strut rigged and measurements recorded.

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Fuel tanks cleaned out, fittings installed and pressure tested.
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Tanks and sight gauge installed, false ribs cut and installed, #2 rib and trailing edge installed, spars primed, LLE installed and sanded
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Cool pic I snapped while flying with Paul at Stick and Rudder this June.
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tdldedcd
10-03-2021, 04:31 PM
Part 2 of this update.

Reinforcements in the TE. Used the kit from Kitfox. Best price and precut.
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Got the mounting tab cut and drilled in the wingtips.
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Mount for the GMU1, Pitot tube and OAT all in the wing. Still need to add the tubing and wiring. More pics to come. Planning on running everything down the rear spar.
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Started working on the flaperons. TE solid flush riveted. Thanks Eddie for the use of the squeezer and for you advice!! Drain holes drilled.

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End ribs glued and riveted. The tips are in but still need some superfill work. Pics of those when they're done.

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Counter weighs are glued and riveted. Used solid rivets for the TE on these too. Thanks Deborah for your help!!
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The flaperon jigs are done and started work on the control arm assembly. Starting to get really close to covering. The list of things to get complete before covering is starting to get smaller and smaller. Taking a covering class first week of November so shooting to be ready to cover by then. Sorry for the lack of good photos. I'll work on better photos.

Take care.

Kitfox Pilot
10-03-2021, 06:46 PM
Looks like some real good progress!

DesertFox4
10-03-2021, 06:50 PM
Looks good Todd. Moving along nicely.

tdldedcd
12-09-2021, 04:19 PM
Hi all,

Had a few good days and was able to make some significant progress (well, for me). The flaperons have been hung and the tips finished. A little LPS1 on the hinges and they move like butter!!


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Finished the routing of Pitot/AOA tubing along with the OAT wiring. I mounted the OAT next to the pitot.
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And the big news, I started covering the wings!! Shrunk to 250, rib stitched and wing tip mounting hardware in place. Shrinking to 350 and first coat of Poly brush tomorrow!! I actually really enjoyed the rib stitching. Kind of therapeutic. More photos to come.
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That's it for now.

efwd
12-10-2021, 06:48 AM
Looks great Todd. Tell the truth, your wife did most of the stitching right? So cool that she is involved to the extent of taking the covering class and all. She isn't going to let you have all the fun. Keep it up. We have places to go.

tdldedcd
01-01-2023, 04:18 PM
Happy New Year All. I'm so behind on updating my build log. Work's been crazy and I've been dedicating all my free time to building (I know; preaching to the choir!) Here's an update on what I've gotten done the past year.

Fabricated this mount for the ELT antenna:
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Battery, ELT, and back up battery tray behind the baggage area.
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Starting the covering process on the fuselage.
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The handle proved to be a bit of a challenge. Think it turned out ok.
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Fuselage all covered. Actually enjoyed this part quite a bit.
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Always nice to have great help. This build is a family affair.
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First coat of PolyBrush all on.
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Dolly for the fuel cap.
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Getting ready to install the reinforcing tapes.
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Frankenfuselage!!
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Spraying final coat of PolyBrush
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Doubling checking the movement of the flaperons.
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Making the wings silver.
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More to come....

tdldedcd
01-01-2023, 05:05 PM
Starting the Final assembly and firewall forward process.

Installing the firewall and fitting the boot cowl. I've since added filler pieces where the boot cowl meets the cowl attach angle. I wanted a more flush fit.

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Fuel Lines from the header tank. First time using a tube bender. The wire technique recommended by Eddie really worked well.

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Kitfox Pilot
01-01-2023, 07:01 PM
Todd you are into the fun stuff now! Everything is looking great!

bbs428
01-01-2023, 08:53 PM
That's a mighty fine and shiny paint job there! Looks really good!
Some great progress last year, keep it up!

What made you put your battery, back up battery and associated equipment behind the luggage rack?
Just saw your engine/propeller you're going to use. That 26lb Airmaster prop has to be the reason! ;)

tdldedcd
01-02-2023, 11:46 AM
Thanks Harlan for the kind words and all your help and support!

Brett, you got it. Trying to offset all the weight up front!

efwd
01-03-2023, 07:13 AM
Seriously? Where is the engine? Those pics are already outdated. Todds farther along than he portrays. ;)

tdldedcd
01-04-2023, 05:32 PM
Eddie is right. There is more, but I had posted so many pictures because I was so far behind that the system said I couldn't post any more pictures. So, here goes round 3.

Someone asked me about the paint booth so I figured I share with all. It's similar to what Brian Bowen used and I found it on Amazon. I've been very happy with it and it's holding up very well. Be sure to stake it down, even with the wooden reinforcement stands inside weighing it down. Made of a very exciting afternoon!!!
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More fuel lines from the header tank to firewall. You can also see the brake line going through the floor to the landing gear.
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Here you go Eddie!!! The engine is on and several of the fuel lines have been fabricated.
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The cowling is starting to take shape. It was a pretty rough start and I wasn't really sure where to even start. But everyone's advice is spot on. Work slow, taking a little at a time and it all works out. I could never get the tabs on the front to fit over the bottom cowl so I did like many others and cut them off. I'll manufacture some metal ones to take their place.

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One issue I had was the whole cowl sagged after I took the tape off. Had it all lined up, drilled it, clecoed it, high fived the kid and went in to have a beer. Came back out and the whole thing was hanging down lower than the spinner. Soooooo, after a bit of a freak out and a call to Eddie for advise, we moved the holes where the cowl mounts to the boot cowl and it is lining back up great. Lisa thanks you Eddie!!!
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The remote avionics tray is ready to go in.
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The Radiator/Oiler cooler combo is ready to go in. Just want to get the camlocs in first.

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Ted Myers has been helping out with the wiring diagrams and has been helping me figure out what I'm doing. Would definitely recommend him for help!

Also want to say a big thank you to Austin from PolyFiber. He's been amazing with the covering and painting. Great guy!!!

That's it for now. Wish everyone a happy new year. Gonna try and stay up to date from this point.


Todd

jiott
01-04-2023, 06:03 PM
Those cowl tabs are always a problem. I solved it by filing them down to about 1/2 original thickness and also taking a little off the inside of the upper cowl. They fit ok now, but I still need to push them in a little for the upper cowl to slide down but that's ok, nice tight fit.

bbs428
01-04-2023, 10:14 PM
Those chi-com paint booths are the bomb. $$ well spent! Mine just fit inside the shop so it never left planet earth when windy. A must have for paint.
Any complaints from the local HOA? ;)

I did the exact same thing with the cowl, fabricated some aluminum tabs. Your results look great!
I would hope that someday the cowling jigs/forms/molds would get better. It sure gets your blood pressure up to see how horrible the fit is for the 1st time.

Cool stuff Todd!

tdldedcd
01-05-2023, 08:50 AM
Brett, I have amazing neighbors. They nicknamed the paint booth the "hazmat tent" or "methlab". They have been so curious and helpful during the build. Most of them are going to be added to the build log as associate builders!!

Thanks for the support guys.

Kitfox Pilot
01-05-2023, 05:06 PM
One issue I had was the whole cowl sagged after I took the tape off. Had it all lined up, drilled it, clecoed it, high fived the kid and went in to have a beer. Came back out and the whole thing was hanging down lower than the spinner. Soooooo, after a bit of a freak out and a call to Eddie for advise, we moved the holes where the cowl mounts to the boot cowl and it is lining back up great. Lisa thanks you Eddie!!!

After you line it all up perfect.....the engine rubber mounts sag after about 50 hours so now after 120 hours my prop spinner is about 1/4 to 3/8 lower than the cowl. But its level when running!;);)

efwd
01-08-2023, 08:29 AM
Glad to hear it "seems" to have worked out. We will see if it works out like Harlan once some time passes I suppose. I am familiar with this as I have a saggy cowl even after over 500hrs. I still see bout 1/4 inch worth of the spinner while seated in the plane. Guess my engine mounts aren't squishing so much. I have tried to make my camlock fasteners tighter but the spring tension isn't enough to combat the vibrations and such. Gravity rules.