Esser's Build

[Esser]

Quick update about the rivets:

My stainless steel rivets are too big. My 1/8 aluminum rivets fit in the holes fine but the stainless are too big. So I am going to order some new ones and try them when they come in. I might not get much done on the plane this week. I need to install a shower and finish my kitchen.

Josh

[Esser]

So if you have been following you know I have a problem with the rivets. I bought a #30 reamer (super hard to find) and reamed out my holes that were drilled with a #30 and low and behold my rivets fit. So I mixed up a batch of epoxy and put my brackets in place.

Next I started working on the rudder pedals. Some advice for aspiring builders: When the instructions say to sand the powder coat under the bushing until you have a good fit you actually need to take the powder coat ALL off where the bushing sits on the torque tube and INSIDE the torque tube that has the rudder pedal welded on it which slips over the bushing. Sanding would take hours so the best way I think is to set up a wire wheel on your bench grinder. Once you have a frictionless fit the rudders go together fairly easy.


Centre Console installed with brackets riveted


Modifying the rudder horns for the adjustable rudder pedals


The top piece was cut off and then I ground down the bottom.


Natalie taking off the powder coat with a wire wheel.


Powder Coat almost off


I should have taken more pictures of the rudder assembly but I got caught up in what I was doing. Here are the pedals ready to be installed.

What is the best way to maximize legroom? I have heard that turning the master cylinders 90 degrees gains you an inch but I think John Pitkin was saying I actually would gain more comfort if I brought the assembly AFT. Any thoughts?

Anyhow this is all I really got up to this week. I am back to work tomorrow so there wont be updates for a couple weeks.

[Esser]

Hello everybody, after a 5 week stint at work and a wedding I finally got back into the shop. I bolted the rudder pedals to the fuselage floor. The instructions call for 2 7/16 inched away from the front but I went with three inches because I actually find it more comfortable with my long legs when me feet are more at a relaxed angle instead of straight up and down.

I had a little issue where the outside brackets where almost too far apart for the whole pedal assembly to drill into the centre of the channel. So I drilled new holes in the factory bracket that were inboard of centre. So it doesn't look as good but the holes are now in the centre of the bracket which I thought was the most important since the way they were before which was so tight to the channel that I couldnt get a nut on.

So once I got that out of the way I installed the master cylinder brackets and the master cylinders. I swear airplane building is just a practice in extreme patience. My advice for the rudder pedals is to put the return springs on the pedal assembly before you install it to the floor.

After the pedals were in, I installed the pulleys behind the seats and then swaged and ran my rudder cables.

My question is, the nylon tubing that goes into the rudder cable guides, is it supposed to be hysoled in place? The instructions don't really say but a couple of them are fairly easy to pull out.

So all in all a pretty productive day. Next I want to work on installing the ribs on the rudder.


Pedal and master cylinders installed.

Rear pulleys and cables installed. Still need to put in the cotter pin cable keepers.

Hysoling stiffeners. I made a mess as the stiffener kept falling over when i was trying to clamp it.

[MotReklaw]

Esser,
That's what I did. Hysoled them in place. I thought it said so in the instructions for the SS, but they are permanently installed now.

[jiott]

I sanded down the OD of the plastic tubing until they fit fairly tight and had to be lightly tapped in, but cannot be pulled out by hand.

Jim

[Esser]

I sanded down the OD of the plastic tubing until they fit fairly tight and had to be lightly tapped in, but cannot be pulled out by hand.

Jim

I will have to epoxy mine in. It comes in and out easily. Just a dab will be fine I'm sure.

I made it back out to the shop with Natalie. We removed some of our vert stab ribs that sagged out of place. The hysol was fairly easy to remove with a heat gun. It does not melt. You need to pry at it and chunks will fall off. I then hysoled some stiffeners in on the stab that I didnt have before. I also fit the rudder on so that I can line up the ribs perfectly.

Tomorrow I don't have a helping hand so I probably won't hysol the rudder ribs in since I find it easier when Natalie is around. I will probably fit the seat in and maybe sand the ribs to fit the rudder in the right locations.


The vert stab with a rib removed.


The rudder fit up

[inzersv]

Hey Esser, what is that hotrod in the back bay? My best friend and I had one just like it when we were in high school in the middle 60's. So much fun.

[Esser]

It's not mine, it's a guy that is keeping it at my place. I think it's an old bucket model T with a 350. Needs a bit of work but looks like it would be fun.

[Esser]

My phone died before I got all the pictures taken but here are a few. I Hysoled all the rudder ribs in and I fixed the ribs on the vert stab that I took out. Then I fabbed up the angle for the inspection port. I didnt get the forward bulkhead done because I messed up a piece of the angle so I need to order a new piece. But other than that a pretty good day yesterday. I also trimmed up the seat and cut out the set belt notches.


Most of the ribs in the rudder.

Preparing to back-drill the aluminum angle. Can never have too many clamps.

Test fit before Hysol and riveting.


All done.


I also put in the 4 inches pieces on the lower rib but I didnt get pictures of that.


Question:

My rivet puller never ejects the used pin and it jams up. Is there a trick to fixing this besides getting a new puller? Can I oil it or something?

[Jfquebec]

Good job my friend.....i think Il'l order the kit also for profile tail for my mk4,,,,

If i finish my fox before you ,i make a trip to see you,and if you finish first you come to my grass strip... OK

Jf