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STI Farm Fox Build Log
Hello all, welcome to Farm Fox build log. My wife came up with the name since we see most name their planes.
I have enjoyed following the build logs on Teamkitfox.
This is our first build and we will have many questions and we hope to be corrected when you see mistakes we make.
Thanks for any and all help along the way.
We have not picked out engine, prop, or electronics yet. We will cover with Oratex is about the only solid decision we have made.
So far the truck has left a lot of parts that are suppose to be a plane someday hopefully and inventory has begun. Harlan and Susan Payne
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Re: STI Farm Fox Build Log
Awesome! Did they leave you a Cobra as well? I am Considering building one of those. Have a great time! One piece at a time and before you know it those parts will be an airplane.
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Harlan, Thanks for posting and keeping us up to date. That same truck dropped off my cobra build in 2015. I will be only a couple of months behind you so the info is great. Jim
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
efwd
Awesome! Did they leave you a Cobra as well? I am Considering building one of those. Have a great time! One piece at a time and before you know it those parts will be an airplane.
A cobra would have been nice. He had a couple rans left to deliver after he left me.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
SomeDay7
Harlan, Thanks for posting and keeping us up to date. That same truck dropped off my cobra build in 2015. I will be only a couple of months behind you so the info is great. Jim
You will probably pass me on your build, we are coming into our busy season but will try to do a little when we can but winter will be here before you know it. :D
A couple of cobra pics would be ok too..
I got the rotisseries completed today and got the wings mobile.
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Here is a couple. My car is parked in my future kitfox build garage and I have to make some plans to change up the build order. Can’t put the wing on inside, so I will have to do it outside when the weather is warm. Envious of your space. Jim
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Congratulations. Enjoy the build.
Ralph
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If you decide to go with a airmaster prop. I have a 75" with whirwind blades 30 hrs. on it. For 6,000. Good luck on your build look forward to following.
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Looks great! Excited to follow along with you build!
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Good luck! I have had a ton of fun with mine. Looking forward to finishing also though.
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Nice! Welcome to the kitfox family.
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Thanks for all the comments.
We, my wife, one son and me finished taking inventory today. Everything is there except for a few back orders and items that are drop shipped.
Ready to build I assume.
I haven't read the eaa pamphlet that came with it but I have a question about logging the build. Is signing and dating the pages in the build manual when completed kosher or what am I suppose to do?
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I signed and dated each checkoff page in the build manual. I also kept a simple spiral notebook logging each day I worked on it and "roughly" how many hours. Also snapped digital photos of each major project stage and tried to show myself in some of them. The final inspection and application for a repairman's certificate went without a hitch.
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I just took pictures with my phone along the way. I signed and dated as I completed task, but as you will find out many task don't apply. When applying for my repairman I referred to my phone more than I did the manual. When the inspector went through the manual I just wrote NA on a lot because with the STI, you have separate instructions for the wings, and lots of blank pages with the options you get. Inspector was fine with that because when he saw all the pictures on my phone that was proof enough for him. I didn't log any hours because honestly I didn't want to know. :)
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Thanks guys that's what I needed to know. I just had no idea what the inspector would expect to see. Thanks
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Re: STI Farm Fox Build Log
Harlan - another great source is: https://inspire.eaa.org/2020/01/02/w...-your-project/
Looks like you are off to a great start. Keep on keeping on.
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I did precisely what Jim did and had no problems with the FSDO. I will add though. I dropped my laptop off the coffee table, it landed upside down and destroyed the HD. 1/2 of all my build photos were lost. The only saving grace was I had downloaded many of my photos to Shutterfly and had made hard cover books of my build. So, I took the three books I had made through the build and plopped them down in front of the FSDO examiner who really liked how it was presented with little captions and all. BACK UP Pics somehow!
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Re: STI Farm Fox Build Log
Quote:
Originally Posted by
efwd
I did precisely what Jim did and had no problems with the FSDO. I will add though. I dropped my laptop off the coffee table, it landed upside down and destroyed the HD. 1/2 of all my build photos were lost. The only saving grace was I had downloaded many of my photos to Shutterfly and had made hard cover books of my build. So, I took the three books I had made through the build and plopped them down in front of the FSDO examiner who really liked how it was presented with little captions and all. BACK UP Pics somehow!
I was just thinking about my last phone dyeing and losing all my pics that were on there when I read your post.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
Delta Whisky
I have looked at your build log link and its really nice. Is that what you will show the inspector or do you us a written log?
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Harlan,
I just used the build manual also, and like Dustin I didn't log my time either, for the same reason. I took a lot of pictures, and when time to apply for repairman's Certificate I handed the guy a thumb drive with pretty much all of them on it. He didn't need or want anything else but the FAA paperwork. He took it into his office for a little while, then came back, handed me the drive and said "good job". That was it.
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Like others, I dated and signed my build log and took a bunch of pictures. I made it available but my DAR didn't really look at it. I never thought much about it, but I didn't need the repairman's certificate.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
jrevens
Harlan,
I just used the build manual also, and like Dustin I didn't log my time either, for the same reason. I took a lot of pictures, and when time to apply for repairman's Certificate I handed the guy a thumb drive with pretty much all of them on it. He didn't need or want anything else but the FAA paperwork. He took it into his office for a little while, then came back, handed me the drive and said "good job". That was it.
Thanks John, I'd like to keep it as simple as I can also like you guys did.
Got my first hour in tonight when I got home. Fixed the first two reamers to fit sockets and got the stabilizer and elevator reamed.
Just wondering how many reamers you guys went through so I can get some spares on the way?
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[QUOTE=PapuaPilot;91068]Like others, I dated and signed my build log and took a bunch of pictures. I made it available but my DAR didn't really look at it. I never thought much about it, but I didn't need the repairman's certificate.[/QU
Thanks Phil. Does anyone get the faa inspectors or whatever they are called out? It seams everyone uses DARs.
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If you treat the reamers right, you will probably only need one... that's all I needed. Reamers should always be used well lubricated with oil. However, when 4130 chrome moly is welded and cooled fairly rapidly (I'm thinking of the tubes welded to the frames for the hinge bushings, with a MIG rig) it can get very hard, and that can be tough on a reamer. A cobalt reamer would be nice.
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A DAR is not a FAA employee but a contractor. You can use a FAA inspector, they dont cost but my local fsdo told me its a 8-10 month wait. That is why most use a DAR.
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Only needed one set of reamers and we built two airplanes! No lube either, so they held up nicely.
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Got reacquainted with mister Dremel tool for the last hour and a half.
Now I have to learn to mix and apply glue next time. Any advice is welcome.
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I’m excited to see you begin your build. My STi kit is scheduled to arrive mid-September, maybe a bit later because of the virus. So for now, I’m organizing my workshop, and reading as much as I can about the build. I have been in contact with several builders, and they have all been very helpful and supportive. Dustin and Joe have given me some great tips and recommendations. Look forward to seeing your progress!
Mark
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Re: STI Farm Fox Build Log
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Kitfox Pilot
I have looked at your build log link and its really nice. Is that what you will show the inspector or do you us a written log?
The program, besides producing the web site also produces a pdf or html output that can be handed to the FAA or DAR (paper or thumb drive) if s/he is interested in it. I'm also dating and signing the builder's manual and can use it with my pictures as well. (But I sign and date the manual as much as a check list of tasks accomplished and open items for my own use as for any FAA reason.)
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[QUOTE=Mark123;91089]I’m excited to see you begin your build. My STi kit is scheduled to arrive mid-September, maybe a bit later because of the virus. So for now, I’m organizing my workshop, and reading as much as I can about the build.
Mark you are way ahead of the game already organizing your workshop. I started on my airplane factory in the corner of the barn a couple weeks before the kit was suppose to show up. Just a pickup load of board insulation and some 2x4s screwed together.
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I'm looking at superfil on Aircraft spruce website and they offer several different ones, which one do I need to order for wingtips and general fill work before covering?
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Harlan,
Your search links all bring up the same basic product. It's a 2 part kit. You should order the quart size kit.
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Flox question. Just finished gluing my steedster tail up and instructions said to add flox to stiffen the glue up. I never found any info to know how much to add so I added a little and all worked well. Is there a mixing ratio for flox when it is suppose to be added to the mix?
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Re: STI Farm Fox Build Log
Hi Harlan,
I think it's just add & mix until you get the consistency that you want.
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Tonight I put in the elevator bearing and sanded down the bushings that fit inside. I dont have my belt sander yet but the drill and dremel worked pretty good. Polished them when I got them to size. Then spent 45 mins looking for the stabilizer mounting parts ,rods, bolts, nuts and washers.
Does anyone have a good method of how you found parts easier. These parts for mounting were in 3 different boxes.
I just watched kitfox latest video and John shows a packing list attached to each box with I assume part numbers of the content. Mine didn't have that but I think that would help find parts for sure.
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Harlan, when I got my Kit many years ago, as I did my inventory, I put items in categories(based on where the parts would go on the airplane) on pegboard that I had installed on every wall in my shop. made it easy to go to the , for instance empennage wall and find the necessary parts. Gets frustrating wasting time digging thru boxes for the gizmo. Good luck Bruce N199CL
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Thanks Bruce that was a good plan.
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Went as far as I could go on the tail till I get some back ordered parts so I switched to the fuselage. Do you notice anything wrong with pic #1? I was so happy when I got it pressed together and then went to drill and rivet the pin holder sleeve and it wasn't on there. Ha ha. I'm sure it wont be the last redo.
I was glad to get the dreaded right hand control pivot together, I have read about the troubles doing it and it was tough but its in and its a good feeling..