Geek's STi Build

[Geek]

Jim, John and the rest of you all... Thanks for the inputs. Like I told Greg, I hadn't really thought much about it yet other than I knew it stuck up and I would have to make some sort of accommodation - just didn't know what. All this is good stuff and taking it all into consideration, knowing that the bend doesn't seem to interfere with performance and making a tip holder to keep it from hitting the frame/skin is a good thing just gives me a good idea of what I will do when I install the bag and all. Again appreciate your all weighing in on this one.

Gary

[Geek]

My fuselage is finally fully covered. Still have to do the finish tapes but the last top section is done and for all who read this and are thinking about using Oratex, that curved transition to the vertical stab has been the hardest part of all to cover for me. Getting the material to lay over that curve was a bear. I needed to use the heat gun to do it with the wife pulling on the material to get it down and attached on the curve. I had to cut small strips to relieve much of the stress and then we did each small section one at a time. I still have to do the finish tapes along the top center there and know that there is a trick to that as well but don't think it will be as much of an issue as this was. My panel layout, cutting and fitting is complete. I decided to send the panel to Stein Aircraft to do the engraving and labels. My experience getting this set up was the same as my experience buying the avionics: great. They estimate 3 to 5 weeks to get the panel back to me.

Fuselage Top 1.JPGFuselage Top 2.JPG

[Shadowrider]

Man my fingers hurt thinking back to stretching the Oratex. That part was my least favorite…..bet your glad to check that off!

[Kitfox Pilot]

You got it Gary, that is the toughest area. The finishing tape is not much easier but you have got it figured out so you won't have any trouble. Looking good!

[Geek]

Man my fingers hurt thinking back to stretching the Oratex. That part was my least favorite…..bet your glad to check that off!

Yes I will admit there was the "Oratex Happy Dance" that occurred in the shop. No witnesses, no video, but it did happen. I will agree with you that those two parts were the worst part of it all. Great to see the frame sort of look like a plane but ..........dang that curve was a pain.

You got it Gary, that is the toughest area. The finishing tape is not much easier but you have got it figured out so you won't have any trouble. Looking good!

From your lips Harlan to God's ears. I have watched your video of that bit of fun a couple times (made the wife watch it too so she knew what she was in for when the time came). Think that little party will come this week. Got to get the tractor converted over to the snow blower and some other stuff put away before the snow hits.

G

[Geek]

I got my baggage sack back from the seamstress who sewed in my zippers and modified my Velcro so I can fold down the opening and keep the back sides of the sack supported. Really happy with the way this came out. Makes access to my transponder, trim control and auto pilot servo pretty easy. I also completed the covering of the vertical stab to fuselage finishing tape as well so that's all complete now. While waiting for the glue to dry on that part, I installed the Monster Shock Cabane main landing gear struts. Set the camber at 4 degrees but didn't attach the axles yet. I know the pic makes the plane look like it's not sitting level but that's the camera angle. It really does sit perfectly level.

Baggage Sack.JPGIMG_2017.JPGVertical to Fuselage Finish.JPG

[Jez]

Merry Christmas to both you Harlan and Susan!! Thanks for the comment. It had to of been that nicopress tool I managed to score from a guy who built this really nice Kitfox!! It had great Karma on it.

G

Hi there, I am on the part of the build which requires me to do a bit of swaging. Can you recommend me a nicopress tool, or anything else I need to make this job go swimmingly. Thanks. Jez

[Jez]

That's exactly what I didn't want to do for exactly the reasons I didn't want to do it!! I was very aware of what the downside was to that. As for the primer - oh yeah. Like I said I have a list of the small parts I've made that need primer and when the can gets popped - the list comes out. I will admit this time that I am testing the statement that the primer is good for three days after mixing cause I want to paint the fiberglass fairing on the vertical stab but it was a touch wet outside yesterday. Today will be OK I think.

Did any of you guys think of just using the yellow chromate zinc stuff on your aluminium parts ? I know it’s nasty stuff, but so much cheaper, and you can reuse the tin I think.

[Geek]

Hi there, I am on the part of the build which requires me to do a bit of swaging. Can you recommend me a nicopress tool, or anything else I need to make this job go swimmingly. Thanks. Jez

Kitfox sells a simple nicompress tool that many use to successfully do the job. Harlan had managed to score a used "pro" version of the press and was done with his. He made the comment on a video that he was thinking about selling it so I jumped on it before he changed his mind. Much easier to use than the simple one BUT more expensive. You should be able to look in the Kitfox catalog and find the press. There are any number of places that sell that one or one very close to it.

Did any of you guys think of just using the yellow chromate zinc stuff on your aluminium parts ? I know it’s nasty stuff, but so much cheaper, and you can reuse the tin I think.

Nasty stuff is probably an understatement. Recent studies have shown that not only is zinc chromate highly toxic, it is also a carcinogen. Not worth it in my opinion. Would rather pay a bit more and not deal with the nasty.

Gary

[Geek]

Been busy doing a bunch of small stuff getting ready for bigger stuff. Made a support for the return fuel line check valve under the console. Utilized the tailwheel locking bracket to mount an Adel clamp. Now that the baggage sack was in, I installed the headset panels for both the copilot and the pilot. Pretty happy with the way they turned out. I finally received my 22 inch tundra tires that don't wear out quite so fast on paved runways and got them mounted on the wheels. These don't wear quite as fast as the Alaskan 29 inch that are so expensive. Plan is to fly with these till I am flying the Kitfox on something other than paved runways and then swap the the larger tires. Built some attachments points and Hysol'd them to the bottom of the fuselage that will allow me to attach the bottom rear of the firewall. These will hold the firewall tight and flush to the bottom of the plane. Also started on the heater install. Got the brackets riveted to the heater itself and installed the heater pass thru in the firewall.