Geek's STi Build

[Geek]

Good news! The ruler said that the spar had not flexed but being a firm believer in "Trust but verify", the wife and I went out and hung the left wing. Fit just like it was supposed to. But now as I start on fitting the 1 rib stack to the right wing, I am making the plans in my head that will allow me to final assemble that one while hung. Not sure why your brother's spars flexed and yours (and thankfully mine) didn't but I sure as heck am not going to take this opportunity to Hysol the assembly up with the wing not hung and find out.

Dustin I really appreciate you jumping in like you did. Even if it could have been bad news. If you see me doing something wrong or have a better idea of how to do it (cause you did do a kind of OK job on your plane. Just kinda though (joking for certain!!)) please feel free to jump in.

Gary

[Shadowrider]

That’s great news! I think my brothers rib was a little too tight so when he slid it on it pulled just ever so slightly enough to cause it to flex and not fit. Didn’t realize it until it was glued in place. It was some serious brain damage to fix so I am happy for you that you don’t have to go through that. Good job and keep moving forward!

[Geek]

Took Dustin's inputs to heart and got ready to do the rib 1 stack on the right wing. Figured I may have ducked the bullet on the left one and wasn't going to take the chance of learning the hard way. So I spent yesterday coming up with the supports required to hang one wing without the whole thing tipping over. Made two stands, notched the ribs of the stack for attachment and today, hung the right wing on the fuselage and Hysol'd in the first rib of the stack. I'll sleep better tonight I think knowing the spars are flexed and it fits up.

Right Wing Attached.jpgRight Wing Attach 2.jpgRight Rib1.jpgRight Rib 1 B.jpg

[Shadowrider]

Looking good! Glad it all worked out. We did the same thing and you will use your jig down the road to support one wing. I lost track how many times a wing went on and off.

[Geek]

Worked on the false ribs installation and mounted the left wing onto the fuselage to fit the butt rib. Got it all dialed in and then pulled the butt rib off so I can do the rest of the work to get it ready for final install. Plan to Hysol the false ribs and the aluminum strip on the butt rib tomorrow as well as mount the right wing and start the right butt rib fitment. I am certainly not Speed Racer on this. Spent a lot of time measuring three times so I only had to cut, drill and cleco once.

Left Wing On.jpgLeft Butt Rib Install.jpgLeft Butt Rib Install 1.jpg

[Kitfox Pilot]

Gary, I have been sitting in my plane with legs bent a little thinking I need to do something like that myself to stay off the brakes. It would be very easy if the factory pedals had room for another hole for the brake cylinders. I like yours. How far behind on shipping those are you?? Haha

[Geek]

Harlan I do have a piece of Delrin left over from the piece I made them from that is enough to make four more. Yours if you want it.

Gary

[efwd]

I wonder about the purpose of steel braided lines on gravity feed fuel lines? They are pretty but they have to weigh quite a bit more no? My fuel lines are secured to the airframe and as John mentioned, the abrasion would be terrible.

[Geek]

I think you are correct Eddie in that they are a bit heavier, especially with the AN fittings rather than just rubber hose/ hose clamp. Since there are a multitude of Kitfox out there flying around I am certain rubber hose and hose clamp works just fine. I'm just not a fan which I think comes from my motor head days of rebuilding older cars. It's hard sometimes to break away from what you have had great success with in the past. Pretty? I guess so but my real attraction to them is that they are PTFE hoses and impervious to every fuel I know of and my history with AN fittings is a solid one. My plan is to use Adel clamps to hold the hoses so they won't be abrading against the airframe at all. I am looking at more flexible hose for the wing fold and thinking along the lines of a clear Motion Pro hose. That would give me a Tygon hose that's flexible and I could visually see that there was fuel being fed to the header tank as a bonus. Guess it's still a work in progress.

[jrevens]

Those look really nice Gary! I’m sure others had done similar things well before I did that. It was one of the best mods I did to improve the Kitfox for me, especially with my long legs.