Billiken Fox Sti

[Billiken]

I?ve been making progress on the build. I had two questions that I need to reference 43.13 for. First, do the stainless steel rivets used on the control column block need treated before installing into aluminum? And second, am I required to have 2-3 threads showing on nylon lock nuts after installing on their bolts. It?s hard to remember these details after some time. I bought some nice tools to use but humbly reverted to the tools provided in the ?builder?s tool kit?. One of the issues I had was a new #30 drill bit I bought kept ?walking? on the drill press while drilling a steel bushing. I swapped it out for a #30 bit from Kitfox and it went right through. I was surprised and have new respect for sharp bits. I spent a lot of time figuring that out. I coated the vertical tip with hysol and tried to get it as smooth as possible before it set. I?ll go back over it with Superfil. I used Bonderite on the small aluminum pieces because I wanted to learn that technique. It took some research and I gained counsel from an AMT instructor friend. My first batch of parts had the gold tint but the last batch didn?t. The timing of the treated parts remained constant but the solution may have diluted. Some of the parts will be primed later and I?m glad I tried something new. I?ve stored the chemicals for recycling at a later date. That is the biggest drawback of Alodine. I?m currently working on the control column and rods. Things have been moving steadily due to the videos other builders have provided. I appreciate the help others have provided!

[Dave S]

Jay,

Well, if you think about the number of places where SS rivets go through aluminum on a kitfox (like the spars), I don't think it is an issue since I am not aware Kitfox has ever mentioned anything about it and the engineering has stood the test of time.

On the threads, if a person is intending to comply with 43.13, I'd say do what 43.13 says. Another point to consider is that 43.13, while it is essentially the airplane mechanic's bible, is a guidance document which includes language in the preamble (which nobody ever reads) allowing for alternate methods of compliance. Notwithstanding the status of the document as a guidance rather than regulation, the material is the gold standard on how to do what works best - a lot of solid stuff, (and an occasional thing that could use updating - but this isn't that). I purchased bolts as needed where the stack didn't work out quite right to make sure my DAR could not find fault with the plane - a very thorough guy who did a 13.5 hour inspection on my plane. Having an assortment of thin AN washers on hand can minimize bolt lenght issues too.

PS - I put a downloaded copy of the complete document on my computer for easy reference as needed.

[Kitfox Pilot]

According to standard aircraft maintenance practices, a minimum of one thread and a maximum of three threads should be visible past the nut on an aircraft bolt; having more than three threads showing could indicate the bolt is too long and could be bottoming out on the nut, not providing proper tension


stainless steel rivets and aluminum work fine together.


Your build is looking good.

[Billiken]

Thanks Dave and Harlan. That beautiful control bracket pictured below may be kaput. I miss drilled the outboard bracket and needs to be replaced. Also, the tabs have been giving me fits. As soon as I tighten down the control column, binding occurs. It seems to be from the tabs. I noticed in one of Harlan?s videos, he mentioned shimming. I took a -10 washer and swapped with two -10L. I placed a thin washer between the tab and the bracket to give it a lift. The brackets were leaning slightly once the bolts were tightened. The tighter the nut was, the more lean. I?ve been carefully bending the tabs and filing the non structural weld beads. It is embarrassing how much time I?ve spent on this, and to top it off, I?m pretty sure the AN hardware is worn out.
I lost a little wind in my sail but I?ll be back at it once I get new parts. I?m not sure how far backwards I want to go, but I know I need to backdrill two holes correctly in the outboard bracket. Thanks again for your feedback.

[LetMeFly]

...Also, the tabs have been giving me fits. As soon as I tighten down the control column, binding occurs. It seems to be from the tabs. I noticed in one of Harlan?s videos, he mentioned shimming. I took a -10 washer and swapped with two -10L. I placed a thin washer between the tab and the bracket to give it a lift. The brackets were leaning slightly once the bolts were tightened. The tighter the nut was, the more lean. I?ve been carefully bending the tabs and filing the non structural weld beads. It is embarrassing how much time I?ve spent on this, and to top it off, I?m pretty sure the AN hardware is worn out.

I had the same problem. Went back and forth on washers for shims. Eventually I installed drilled bolts with castle nuts and cotter pins, along with washer shims. I can get it tight so it's not going anywhere but I didn't go all the way to full torque. The cotter pin insures that it won't go anywhere. I haven't flown yet, but I think there are others on the forum who did it the way I did.

[Billiken]

That?s a good idea. It did not occur to me to substitute hardware in that manner. I received some tips from the factory today. We went over the methods I?ve used so far and it was suggested to strategically remove some material from the underside of the aluminum bracket where there is interference. I worked a little bit more today. I was on a roll until I got to the Mixer install. The bushings will need more attention. I was very happy with the mixer assembly. It worked so smoothly before it was installed. I got to practice cotter pin installation. I think my technique is adequate but there were various methods available to bend the pin. I ordered a replacement L bracket to redo my drill job on the control column. It was only $12 and I get peace of mind that I did it correctly. Hopefully it won?t be too difficult to disassemble and remove the SS rivets. Thank you for the hardware tip!

[Billiken]

IMG_6436.jpg
I worked on my center console today. I received some long solid rivets in the mail. I cut them down to size and used a bucket bar. A couple had to be back riveted on a plate with tape. I took classes on how to do it but my technique hasn?t improved much. I had fun until I needed to remove a few rivets. I couldn?t remember the technique so it was a bit of a struggle. The bad thing about doing this method was over countersinking the hole. If the holes are perfect, then the rivet is perfect. I have a few that are too deep. I?m glad I did it. Tomorrow I?ll start the rudder pedals. I?ve already begun removing material from the pedal bushings. I measured the diameter and its .506 inches. I?m pretty sure the tube is .50 inches, maybe less with some powder coat. Moving forward, I would like to get things fitted before I start installing them. Thanks to all the folks who do build videos. That really helps!

[Billiken]

I was so proud of my rivets. This morning I flipped through the manual to see what was next and reviewing the past steps. I was so wrapped up in the process of rivets that I overlooked the step of bonding the brackets. Today?s new project is the practice of drilling out multiple -3 solid rivets. The good news is that if something goes wrong, then I can just right size the hole and just install the factory pull rivets. At least I?m gaining experience with the methods.

[bbs428]

I did the same thing and had to remove it all and bond everything correctly.

You'll only miss this once because it will be etched in your brain from this point forward!

Some nice work you're doing!

[Billiken]

IMG_6440.jpg

I did the same thing and had to remove it all and bond everything correctly.

You'll only miss this once because it will be etched in your brain from this point forward!

Some nice work you're doing!

I think you are absolutely right! I basically learn best by making mistakes and correcting them. Most of the time it is the correction that takes the longest. One thing that is obvious now on my build is that if I want to something to look pretty, I had better get it right on the first try. My console now looks like my EAA workshop project. If I had to submit it to a DME for an A and P project, it would be sketchy. The holes are still too small for the factory pull rivets so I decided to stay the course. The top is smooth, the rivets have good grip, and the brackets are now bonded. The drill walking scratches and rivet gun indentations need some cosmetic touches.