The Build Begins!

[efwd]

My Kit Arrived yesterday. I have only about 45 min of work left on doing the inventory. I wish I had looked at posts here months ago. It seems I need to read a big manual before I begin the build. Arrgh. Wish I had got that manual prior to the kit. I had 18 weeks between placing the order and receiving the Kit.
Eddie

[Esser]

Hey Eddie, you don't have to read the whole manual before you begin. In fact, it won't make sense and will be confusing. You won't retain what you have read anyway.

Just read the section you are about to do. So if you are going to install the rudder pedals, skim through the manual pertaining to the pedals. It still won't all make sense but it will give you an overhead view.

[efwd]

Thanks Esser
LOL. I thought I was going to begin this build with fabric. I haven't got my reamers yet! I guess I will head to Aircraft Spruce after work tomorrow. :)

[jmodguy]

Yup - agree with Esser - Just do it. Find a spot to start and get going. Before you know it you will have spent your kids inheritance and your next 2 cars...! :eek:

[Esser]

Not to discourage you, but you will be a few months before you hit the fabric. I got my kit in 2012 and I just finished covering the wings. Now, I am slower than most and during that time I moved across the country as well as took pretty much a whole year off. I work out of town A LOT and I am lucky if I get two days a month on my plane. But it's slowly but surely for me.

If you have free time you'll motor right along quick. It's super enjoyable, slightly frustrating, and very rewarding. I am sure you will have a blast. I am looking forward to seeing another build and I hope you post all your progress here.

[Flybyjim]

I have been building for just a couple of months, don't let the manual overwhelm
you. I bought the quick-build wings and started with the wings on Brandon's advise. It is going well, just read the whole section on the wings and than start there, I find this works well of me. Have fun with the journey, I read all the new posts each day at the end of my work day, gives me time to digest info that may be helpful for me before I work on the plane the next day.

[TahoeTim]

You can DRIVE to Spruce!

That would be financial disaster for me :eek:

[efwd]

Yep, I drove there and I got some things but not the Loctite 680 I need to fix this bearing into the part. So... Onto another thing in the build.

[skbenson]

Congratulations, let the fun begin. If I could offer some advice it would be to put the parts after being inventoried in containers (drawers) that are in part numerical order. When I finally saw the light with my wife's supervision it made finding parts so much quicker and easier. Have fun!

[Kitfox Guy]

You can DRIVE to Spruce!

That would be financial disaster for me :eek:

When I lived in S. CA I was a frequent customer of Spruce, to the point they recognized me at sight and would have my account already pulled up by the time I got to the cash register. Take advantage of your proximity to their shop as it will help you and reduce your construction time.

[efwd]

Hello SK
Im dealing with the continuous searching of parts now. I considered doing exactly as you suggested. currently I have nuts, bolts, washer etc spread out on a corner of the floor.

[rosslr]

Hey Eddie,

I have only tuned in to your posts today as I am up in Bali at the moment and not tuned in to all things Kitfox. Well done on getting starting! I can sense your enthusiasm and it only seemed like yesterday I was doing the same. I wish you well and look forward to posts on your progress. The advice about getting all your parts sorted and a system to locate them is ESSENTIAL! My only advice is to listen to the guys here - they are generous and offer advice based on a lot of experience - it is the best resource after the manual! Actually, not my only advice... one more piece if I may - when you post, add pics - not only do we all love to see your progress but it makes it much easier to make a considered comment. All the best and looking forward to seeing your progress

ross

[TahoeTim]

"getting your parts sorted and a system to find them"

IMHO, Kitfox did this for you.
I left all the parts including the nuts and bolts in the original cardboard boxes throughout the build. When I started on a task those parts including the bolts are right where they were as shipped. The parts list bill of materials describes each part and which box it is in. If you took everything out of the boxes, especially the bolts, you will have to go with plan B.

Most of the bolt bags have all of a given size for the section of the build binder (fuselage, wing, etc) so you end up with open bags of bolts, nuts, and washers. I used an exacto knife to cut a corner open so the bag with the label isn't spilling all over. I stand the bags up in a 13x9 baking dish so I can flip through the open bags looking for part numbers without spilling them out. I still kept the tray of fuselage bolts separate from the tray of wing bolts.

I dug out all the parts including the number of bolts, nuts, and washers needed before beginning a task and it was no effort at all to assemble things that way. I got my wife involved by having her, with parts list binder in hand pulling parts for the next task while I assembled my current task.

[efwd]

Whomever stated that living near Aircraft Spruce was going to help the build go quicker may be correct and Im discovering sooner than I imagined. The idler arm that connects to the pitch control is supposed to be mounted between two tabs on the left side of the airframe. The tabs are about an eighth of an inch too far apart to allow the AN3-24 bolt to be cotter pinned. Having bent the tabs slightly closer to one another didnt work, thin steel washer didn't work, tightening the nut only causes the bolt to bind up inside the bushings making the idler arm not rotate freely. Anyhow, ordering an AN3-25 bolt today and it should be in my mailbox tomorrow!

[efwd]

Hello
I inadvertently omitted my Laker Leading edge from my kit order. I am contemplating not using it since I have no real idea how difficult it is to install and it seems people say it is almost nearly all cosmetic anyhow. I like it personally but would appreciate it if someone could describe the complexity of the install. I assume it isn't any more difficult than the leading edge that comes with the wings.
Thanks
Eddie

[DesertFox4]

Eddie, a link to my build thread showing some of the install of the LLE and some discussion on my decision to install it.
7 Super Sport LLE install. (http://www.teamkitfox.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=5372&page=8)

[efwd]

10978



Here is my first attempt at posting photos of my progress. 2 months pass pretty fast when you jump into a project like this with both feet!

[AirFox]

Keep up the good work. You're moving right along. Keep the pictures coming I'm enjoying the show. All the hard work is worth the end result!
Scott

[Esser]

Looking good, I still wish my fuselage was powder coated black but when I ordered, I didn't know that was an option!

[PapuaPilot]

Yes, it does really look good. Keep up the work.

I like the black too. The only downside to black would be for inspecting it for cracks, it would really make it hard to find them. The best color for finding cracks would be white.

[TahoeTim]

I don't see the butt ribs installed in any of your photos. I'm curious about how you fitted the doors without the butt rib area completed first. That area was a pain for me to get all the pieces tied in together perfectly. I recall bending up my tabs per the manual that would have moved the door hinges up quite a bit.

[Esser]

I think he should be fine. Where the door hinges are, the tabs don't move that much, and if they did move, the location would be very similar. It would probably change the angle slightly but it's a hinge so that probably wouldn't matter too much.

[TahoeTim]

ok, good. It was months ago so my memory is fuzzy. I fiddled with mine too much then.