Geek's STi Build

[bbs428]

It sure is a lot of work involved in getting the windscreen positioned correctly.

Looks Good Gary!

[Geek]

Have started working up the cowlings getting them sanded and such for final paint after primer. Got the upper cowling, boot cowl and wing tips painted now with the final color. The wing tips still have some trim to paint but all in all, pretty happy with the way these first attempts came out. Especially after my initial experience with shooting primer on the wing tips and all the runs I had to sand out and re-prime. Got some good tips from Brett (bbs428) on some of the finer points of the process which was a real help. Living here in the mountains with the pine trees means that we have quite the pollen content in the air during the day. Mix that with the cottonwoods doing their thing makes painting outside a bit of a pain. Best to do it early in the morning (before the sun sets off the trees again) and then move the wet pieces into the shop. The down side is that doing stuff in the shop is kind of limiting because you don't want to raise the dust level and have it stick to the wet paint. Very happy with the decision to go with the Oratex so I am not facing having to paint the whole plane........ Lots of waiting for stuff to dry but I did manage to get my hose clamps all safety wired so that's done. More sanding to get done on the lower cowl but it's getting there so that will probably be the next thing to shoot.

Paint Upper Cowl.JPGPaint Boot Cowl.JPGClamps - Safety wire.JPG

[Geek]

I have painted the horiz stab covers, the spinner and the lower boot cowl now. The good news is that I am about done with all but some of the light trim when it comes to paint. Part of the issue I have had is painting outdoors and getting the parts moved back into the shop before it heats up outside and the trees start sending pollen and such to attack my fresh paint. It makes what I can do in the shop a bit limited so I don't raise any dust from sanding, drilling or whatnot. While waiting for paint to dry (which is what I was thinking about naming this log), I fit the landing light lens on to both of the wing tips. When I did the landing light mounts and the work on the wing tips, I put in metal mounting plates behind the fiberglass and built the wiring harnesses which means that my tips are ready to mount. I also hooked up the Sony jack that lets me hook up the GoPro to the aircraft audio. Tested that out and it's good to go. Gotta like Garmin making it so easy to get that in.

Hor Stab Covers.JPGLower Cowl.JPGSpinner.JPGLanding light lens.JPG

[alexM]

I have no luck painting pretty things outside. As soon as I'm done spraying, flies appear out of nowhere and procreate in my wet paint.

[Geek]

Yeah we have our quota of kamakazi bugs here. If I'm not started painting by 0700 then I don't. It's probably a little cooler than optimum for painting but so far I've been lucky I guess. The shop is a little warmer so once I finish, the part goes into the shop mostly for the pollen and stuff but I beat the bugs out too.

Keeping busy up North my friend?

Geek

[Geek]

Started fitting the turtle deck. Got the cut outs for the cross member done and the upper edge fit into its slot under the rear of the windscreen. Anyone reading this that is going to install the hinge option with their deck, I would really recommend finding Harlan Payne's You Tube #42 where he shows installing his. Harlan did not follow the directions as they were laid out in the book (don't mistake this comment to say he did it wrong - he didn't). Instead he used some very common sense changes to the order of things and had some 'take it to the bank' observations. An example would be not drilling or setting up the lower section of Dzus fasteners before cutting and fitting the hinge. Just install the upper two fasteners on each side to lock the deck in place but leave wiggle room for fitting the lower half after you cut the hinge. I installed the Dzus fastener sockets on the upper section just as Harlan suggested and am now ready to locate my holes for the flapperon control rods. He also had some solid insight on cutting the side cuts at the hinge to keep things from binding up. Made this job a lot easier for me for certain. Thanks Harlan - really appreciate the time and effort you took with those videos.

[bbs428]

Paint is turning out great Gary. Do I detect a hint of metal flake in it?

Turtledeck is shaping up nicely. Harlan's videos were a big help to me as well.

[Geek]

Paint is turning out great Gary. Do I detect a hint of metal flake in it?

Turtledeck is shaping up nicely. Harlan's videos were a big help to me as well.

Yeah a small light metal flake. Let's face it, silver without the metal flake is really gray and Lord knows you and I have had our share of gray.

Gary

[alexM]

It should be at least 3 knots faster with the metal flake.

[Geek]

Used the broom stick method to locate the hole for the flaperon shaft through the turtle deck. Went ahead and riveted one side of the flaperon brackets to the wing. Will do the other side of the bracket when I actually hang the flaperons. Fabricated brackets to mount taxi lights to the cabane bracket and ran the wiring down there on each side. Am awaiting some longer AN5 bolts to attach the brackets. Painted the ends of the wing tips in trim, installed the landing lights and the navigation lights. Got my helpers to assist and got the right wing attached to the fuselage. Hopefully I won't be taking it off again.

Flaperon Locate 1.JPGFlaperon Locate 2.JPGTaxi Light 2.JPGWing Tip 1.JPGWing Tip 4.JPGIMG_2534.JPG