SwiftFox - S7 Super Sport Build (Vancouver, Canada)

[nathan_s]

Thanks, Harlan and DesertFox4. Appreciate the words of support.

Building has been progressing solidly. All of the ribs are bonded and varnished in the horizontal and vertical stabilizers, the elevator, and the rudder. I'm preparing now to bond in the fibreglass fairing onto the vertical stabilizer.

I learned a lot about trimming and bonding the ribs working on the horizontal stabilizer and elevator, and am much happier with the quality of my work in the vertical stabilizer and rudder as a result. The gluing, in particular, looks a lot better! I've been using the applicator gun and cartridges instead of the syringe/ziploc bag methods as I figured it would allow me to go a bit slower and correct more mistakes. It's definitely a nice way to go about gluing.

I've had the horizontal stabilizer mounted into the fuselage, and hooked up to the trim motor. My slider blocks are fitting very snug. So snug I'm a little concerned they might be too tight, and that the trim motor might be taxed in operation. Using a 9V battery, I timed how long it took the motor to move the horizontal from the bottom position (nose up) to top position (nose down), and it was about 21 seconds. Seems like a long time, but it is also only a 9V battery. I'm wondering if others have timed theirs with a 9V battery (or other known voltage) and know what their timing was for a comparison?

Slider Blocks.jpg

[alexM]

My trim motor is easily accessible so I'll time it with a 9v tomorrow morning. I've tested it with a 12v motorcycle battery and it didn't take anything like 21 seconds but with a simple 9v battery it might.

[nathan_s]

My trim motor is easily accessible so I'll time it with a 9v tomorrow morning. I've tested it with a 12v motorcycle battery and it didn't take anything like 21 seconds but with a simple 9v battery it might.

Thanks, alexM. Appreciate it!

[olsonCCR]

Nathan,
Nice work on your build. I'm building an S7 as well. (Working on my window and door frames now, and am almost ready to start work on my wings). I just watched your video and had the same idea as you, and used flush rivets for the center console in place of the pop rivets in the kit. I really enjoyed the experience having not worked with flush rivets before but keeping the bucking bar in place when using the rivet gun was way more difficult than I thought working in such a tight space. Every time the bucking bar came off I dented the underside of the console which is visible from the top.

Just sharing my experience in case you haven't started with your flush rivets. I should have protected the top surface better and practiced using the rivet gun with the bucking bar more before starting.

I used both a manual squeezer with a 3" yoke, and a rivet gun. The squeezer wouldn't fit in between the bracket and the side of the console as it tapers, which required the rivet gun resulting in the surface denting. Great learning experience but I will definitely need to use some super fill to clean up the surface to prep it for covering. Originally, I thought it would look cool to have the console top and rivets exposed.

In the sun, my finished console looks pretty rough! Inside the plane, not very noticeable but I do still plan to cover it. All in all, I'm pretty happy with the final result.

One other unexpected challenge I had (which I still need to address) was after finishing riveting, the console surface bent ever so slightly near the adjustable rudder handles from the use of the rivet gun, resulting in the handle notch tolerances being slightly too tight when moved from each ratchet position, making the handles difficult to lock. Once I remove the console again, I need to "press up" the console top from the underside a bit, which should solve this issue. Everything works fine and locks in place but it's not perfect.

Anyways, look forward to watching your progress!
Good luck with your build.

Kevin Olson
Building an S7 STi

[nathan_s]

Thanks for that info, Kevin. I'll definitely be keeping it in mind.

My only previous experience with a rivet gun was at AirVenture in 2019 when I attended a Sheet Metal workshop where we riveted a small piece of aluminum sheet to a couple of angle brackets. I might try and find some way to do some more practice before doing it for real on the centre console.

Also I've been following along with your update videos on YouTube. Looks like you're making great progress with your build!

[olsonCCR]

Thanks for that info, Kevin. I'll definitely be keeping it in mind.

My only previous experience with a rivet gun was at AirVenture in 2019 when I attended a Sheet Metal workshop where we riveted a small piece of aluminum sheet to a couple of angle brackets. I might try and find some way to do some more practice before doing it for real on the centre console.

Also I've been following along with your update videos on YouTube. Looks like you're making great progress with your build!

Thanks Nathan. I really enjoy using the rivet gun but am still figuring things out. I'm following your build as well. Look forward to seeing the progress! I'm trying to get more involved on the forum and share my progress but it's been a challenge finding time. Working on my door frames and windows still. I kept putting them off and can't wait to get them finished now!

Keep posting!

Kevin

[nathan_s]

Door and window frames are done! It took a bit longer than expected (isn't everything?), primarily due to a mistake I made which I'll speak to in a moment, and some more family I had visiting, but I'm really happy with where it is at now, and I don't think I can improve it much more with my current Superfil-skill level.

Left Side.jpegRight Side.jpeg

The mistake I made was a really dumb one, but I've been reassured by a mate a couple of hangars down it is one that everyone makes from time to time. I mixed the SuperFil incorrectly, 1:1, instead of 2:1. This was after I had correctly put a little on some in a couple of places as a test and sanded back to get a feel for how it works. When I was satisfied with that little test I put SuperFil on all the remaining joints, but in the wrong ratio so it never hardened. It ended up being this mess that I had to spend a couple of days scraping off. I've since written "1" and "2" on the tops of the SuperFil containers to remind me in future.

berryP also called out to the hangar one afternoon to see the build, and even applied some Hysol onto the window frame for me. Thanks for the help, berryP!

I've also finished riveting the detent brackets into the center console. Fortunately, I didn't have the same problem as yourself, Kevin. I was a bit worried about it, so I riveted the adjustable rudder pedal brackets first, going from aft to fore. Followed by the flap detent bracket going fore to aft. I thought that way it would be stretching the console if any, instead of bowing it. Not sure if that is a reality, but figured it was a good way to go about it anyway.

Center Console.jpeg

I just published the latest build update video, covering the door and window frames.

[nathan_s]

Does this look wrong?

Header Tank Fittings.png

I'm working on the header tank, and inserting the fittings. I can only twist the fittings in three, maybe four threads before they're getting too tight to go any further. I would expect I need to have these fittings fully in with maybe only a single thread out? Should I pull these out, clean them up and tap the holes again so they go in further?

[Kitfox Pilot]

[QUOTE=nathan_s;105846]Does this look wrong?

Header Tank Fittings.png


I had to re tap my header tank and the main fuel tanks to get the right amount of threads in. More threads in= much less chance of a leak.