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Thread: Building tips and hints

  1. #41
    Senior Member DanB's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    As I was setting up my garage I was building a peg hole cabinet and landed on an idea to make rather simple shelves like this... http://www.azshowersolutions.com/Shop3.html
    Dan
    Dan B
    Mesa, AZ

  2. #42
    Senior Member MotReklaw's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    Quote Originally Posted by DesertFox4 View Post
    Thanks to a suggestion from Dick B in KY , I just made the "Building tips and hints" a "Sticky" so it can easily be found now at the top of the General discussion page.
    Thanks for that. I have a little problem navigating on this link. So much info here.

    TW
    Tommy Walker in Alabama

  3. #43
    Senior Member jtpitkin06's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    Spray Lube Nozzles

    Those skinny tubes that come with spray lubricants often pop out and find their way into an invisible hole. I discovered they have less of a tendency to pop out if you cut them in half. Perhaps it's because it doesn't bump into so many things on the workbench. The shorter spray nozzle works fine for reaching into most locations. I save the other half when I lose one.

    After cutting with scissors, poke a needle into the end to open the hole and improve the spray action.

    After a few cans with modified nozzles I find I have extras for when I need the full length.

    John Pitkin
    Greenville, TX
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  4. #44
    Administrator DesertFox4's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    One of our site sponsors, SteinAir ,out of Farmington Minnesota, has produced videos for builders that are available on their website. Visit SteinAir periodically for new videos. Current videos available are about hand tools used during aircraft electrical work, wire terminals used in experimental aircraft and a basic overview of connectors. Browse his site for all kinds of great products for Kitfox building. Remember to support our site sponsors and tell them you saw their adds here on TeamKitfox.


    DesertFox4
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  5. #45
    Senior Member jtpitkin06's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    Milling Machines

    Make friends with a mill owner. Somewhere in your area is a hobbyist who owns a vertical mill. The owner may be a motorhead, a tool junkie or a retired machinist. In any case, it’s to your advantage to be on a first name basis. Most home shop mill owners are happy to show you how to machine parts.

    Vertical mills can make short work of otherwise difficult tasks. The accuracy of milling machines is fantastic.

    Here’s a milling operation cutting a bird mouth in the spar inserts. This job would take a lot of elbow grease with a hacksaw and files. It took less than five minutes on the mill.

    Ask around and you’ll be surprised how many private machine shops are tucked in garages and barns.

    John Pitkin
    Greenville, TX
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  6. #46
    Senior Member MotReklaw's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    Here's a tool you can use to quickly shape aluminum sheet metal, especially when you have curves. I've used it on long sheets too, but on the Kitfox most of the aluminum skins are fairly short. The tool shown here is made from a standard vixen file, used by body shops in shaping bondo-ed surfaces. It works on the thicker aluminum parts too. There's almost no final dressing when you finish contouring with the Vixen file.
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    Tommy Walker in Alabama

  7. #47
    Senior Member jtpitkin06's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    Making Rudder Cables –( Model 7 with foot wells.)

    The Kitfox does not use turnbuckles for matching the rudder cable lengths. If a thimble is swaged on a rudder cable out of position, one pedal will be ahead of the other when the rudder is neutral. Here is how to get them perfectly aligned.

    When you are ready to swage the thimbles on the rudder cables, clamp everything in position. Clamp a board across the forward fuselage to hold the rudder pedals even with the firewall. The foot pedal springs should be installed on the adjuster pulleys to keep tension on the assembly. Clamp another board and shims to hold the rudder in line with the vertical stab.

    Plan on swaging the full length master cables first. When the master cables are taut, you can follow with the co-pilot spliced cables.

    Take up any slack in one cable and clamp it just aft of a fairlead near the rudder. A quick clamp or vise grips work well. [refer to picture 1]

    Now to crimp the thimbles. Hold a thimble between the rudder horn links and insert a bolt through the links and thimble. No need to attach a nut as you will remove it in a few minutes. Pass the cable through a Nicopress sleeve, then around a thimble, then back through the Nicopress sleeve. Take up any slack in the cable. Next make an index mark on the cable and the loose end next to each other. Use a red felt pen for marking. Black on stainless cables is hard to see. [ refer to picture 2]

    Now remove the thimble bolt. The cable will be easier to swage without having to hold all of the pieces in tension. Line up your index marks and slide the Nicopress sleeve as close to the thimble as you can. This ensures the thimble stays captive on the cable. Slide your Nicopress tool onto the sleeve. Just before you compress the sleeve, double check the index marks. [refer to picture 3]

    If you mark things carefully you can get the rudders matched within 1/8 inch.

    When you do the co-pilot cables, attach the full length cables to the rudder to keep tension on the cables. Once again, use a red pen to make reference marks.

    John Pitkin
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  8. #48

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    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    I don't have the manual in front of me, but I seem to remember being told not to swage the aft cable ends until after fabric. I assumed this was to avoid a large hole in the fabric.

  9. #49
    Senior Member jtpitkin06's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    Rudder cables - Before or after covering - All Models

    The manual says to wait until after covering to swage your rudder cables, without explanation. I don't think it makes any difference. The rudder cable thimbles are small and a piece of reinforcement tape over a small slit in the fabric is hardly going to be noticeable under a cable. If you install fairleads at the cable exit points, they will cover the slits.

    Also, if you are re-covering an aircraft, you wouldn't toss out the existing rudder cables and make new ones just because they had swaged ends. You would simply simply work around them.

    To avoid getting any of the finishing materials on the cables, just tape the ends and retract the cables into the fuselage as far as they will go. Cover and spray normally.

    JP
    Last edited by jtpitkin06; 11-25-2011 at 08:47 PM.

  10. #50
    Senior Member DanB's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building tips and hints

    Quote Originally Posted by jtpitkin06 View Post
    Making Rudder Cables –( Model 7 with foot wells.)

    The Kitfox does not use turnbuckles for matching the rudder cable lengths.

    John Pitkin

    Correction...The Kitfox kit does not come with turnbuckles. They are, however, a nice upgrade. Several folks use them as they are a handy addition.
    Dan B
    Mesa, AZ

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