I'm trying not to be too intimidated by Eddie's covering job on the wing. Really looking forward to that part of the project.
I'm trying not to be too intimidated by Eddie's covering job on the wing. Really looking forward to that part of the project.
Carl Strange
Flying
SS7, 912iS, Oratex, G3X
A few hours of cutting, belt sanding and drilling and the case is mounted. I'm amazed how much time can be spent fiddling with something like this. But I'm pleased with the results.
Carl, Know what you mean. Designing, making stuff, fitting up, adjusting and installing takes time. Imagine if we all had to start from just basic plans and no kit !. Those who came before and built from plans or modified existing designs have my utmost respect.
David
SS7 Builder
A big box of Garmin G3X toys recently arrived from SteinAir. Uncounted hours were spent reading the online Garmin manuals to learn mounting and wiring details. It would be very helpful if the "Homebuilders' Skunk Works" department of Garmin to wrote a simplified manual. But I'm sure the corporate lawyers have a lot to say about that. Happily there are very helpful forum builders who were a great help on getting started with the wiring design.
One of the recent small projects was installing the Kitfox Factory trim position sensor. This involves mounting and removing the horizontal stabilizer a couple of times while making adjustments. The rear bolt, that the stabilizer pivots on, has always been difficult to install. There are access holes in the adjacent ribs but it's always taken a drift pin to install and remove this bolt and I end up using a second drift pen not for alignment but as a punch. It always nagged that this was going to be a very difficult task during final assembly of a covered plane. It's embarrassing to admit how long it took for it to finally dawn on me that since the bolt slid easily in and out of the bushing and mounting post without the elevator, it was the elevator that wasn't lining up correctly. A close look showed the rear of the mounting post was too thick. A couple of minutes with a Dremel sanding drum and the elevator is a piece of cake to mount.
Any recommendations for a touch up paint for small places where the powder coat has been removed? Does an automotive touch up paint last?
Last edited by Cherrybark; 06-08-2017 at 04:01 PM.
Carl Strange
Flying
SS7, 912iS, Oratex, G3X
It's finally "Oratex Time". With the help of a PVC tube, wing stands turned into a fabric dispenser. Mom was a home economics major and taught her son how to sew more than buttons. That led to an interest in quilting so I just happen to have a cutting mat, rolling cutter and long rulers on hand. This part of the plane should be fun. The magnetometer and pitot mount aren't installed yet but I'm ready to play with fabric.
Carl Strange
Flying
SS7, 912iS, Oratex, G3X
H Carl,
Good progress and I enjoy your posts. Yes, the covering is a fun part - will be even more so with your skills!
There was a small pot of touch up 'paint' included in my kit for the powder coating - not in yours? I am not sure how special it is but it appeared to come form the powder coat mob and made just for this task - maybe Kitfox has some?
chers
ross
Ross
Mt Beauty, Vic
OZ
Sold to Richard and Scott Taubman in OZ, 2019. Kitfox SS7,Rotax 912is Sport, Airmaster CSP 75" blades.
Landcruiser and Cub off road camper (doesn't get any kudos on this forum!)
Carl, I used the Polyfiber epoxy primer as touch up paint where powder coat was removed, and also for a protective primer on many aluminum parts and spars.
Jim Ott
Portland, OR
Kitfox SS7 flying
Rotax 912ULS
Carl,
You are right about the amount of the time it takes to figure out the installation and wiring of a G3X system. Once I got it figured out I really enjoyed the fabrication of the harnesses, etc. One of these days I need to add the Garmin WAAS GPS to complete the ADSB out, I already have the GTX23ES transponder and GDL89R (ADSB in). You will really like the G3X once you start flying.
How challenging do you think it would be to install the trim potentiometer on a completed plane? I ran the wiring, so it would just require the installation and rigging in the tail.
Phil Nelson
A&P-IA, Maintenance Instructor
KF 5 Outback, Cont. IO-240
Flying since 2016
The Trim Indicator Kit comes with two brackets, a potentiometer, and an assortment of machine screws, nuts, etc. The instructions have you bond one bracket to the fuselage for mounting the pot. The second bracket is bonded to the elevator and serves as a "finger" to push the pot button in and out. My 2016 fuselage came with a "pot support" bracket already installed and drilled. For reference, there is 1.5" distance between this bracket and the elevator support.
I would think you could do the job without having to remove the elevator. You could pre-drill the pot support bracket so the pot is held high against the fuselage tube as in the the picture. On an unfinished plane, the elevator has to be mounted to find the correct position for the finger bracket so you are ahead of the game there. The difficulty might be figuring out how to clamp the brackets while the Hysol cures. After the Hysol is set, the finger can be gently bent so the pot button ranges from fully pressed to open as the elevator moves. The pot comes with a foot of shielded 3-strand, maybe 22 ga. wire - and a neatly printed tape label saying which color does what.
Carl Strange
Flying
SS7, 912iS, Oratex, G3X
Thanks Carl, that doesn't look to bad. My plane doesn't have the bracket, so it will require structural adhesive to install the tab and brackets.
Phil Nelson
A&P-IA, Maintenance Instructor
KF 5 Outback, Cont. IO-240
Flying since 2016
Carl, I had exactly the same problem with fitting up the tailplane. Removal of material required on the fuselage mounted fitting. But in my kit, I have a small bottle of white acrylic touchup paint for this exact type of problem. Maybe check your kit. It should be there and you received your kit only 6 months or so before mine.
David
SS7 Builder