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Thread: aviator79's build

  1. #21
    Senior Member aviator79's Avatar
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    Default Monday update

    In the last week, I varnished and installed the butt ribs to the fuselage.
    I fabricated, drilled, and painted the fuel sight gauge plates. I'll install them after the wing is covered and painted. I installed the false ribs between ribs 6 and 7, and trimmed and installed the false ribs under the fuel tank. Installed the #2 rib. I managed to match the underside contour really well from the trailing edge to just short of the leading edge where I couldn't hold enough curvature while the Hysol cured. I installed the trailing edge between the #1 and #3 ribs, and drilled the wingtip mounting strips to be installed after covering.

    I'm really enjoying the build. I bought a clock for the garage because space time warps in the vicinity of the Kitfox. 15 minutes "reading the manual" before work. Yeah right...
















  2. #22
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    Default Re: aviator79's build

    Really like your lower ribs instal under the tank. My effort isn't anywhere as neat. I had to do a lot of trimming to get the false ribs to follow the contour of ribs 1 and 3. Thank god for fabric covering !. Good work.
    David
    SS7 Builder

  3. #23
    Senior Member aviator79's Avatar
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    Default Re: aviator79's build

    I'm glad the picture is taken from far enough away that my work looks neat.

    There was indeed a lot of trimming. I placed a false rib against the #3 rib,
    and trimmed to just short of that line. Then I clamped a straightedge between #1 and #3 and iteratively trimmed the false rib until it fit nicely underneath the straightedge. I then used that rib as a template for the rest of them to get them close and again finished them iteratively. I want to thank whomever on this forum introduced me to a bandfile. That thing has quickly become one of my favorite tools.

  4. #24
    Senior Member aviator79's Avatar
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    Default Wingtips

    I've been varnishing away. I've drilled the aluminum strips for the wingtips, but I can't get my head around how I'm supposed to trim the wingtips. I have the upgraded wingtips with the cutout for lights. The manual instructions say you should clamp the upper part of the wingtip to the Al strip, but I don't see how that's possible since the wingtip slips over the top of the Al strip. The instructions also indicate that even if I could pull this magical feat of clamping the tips on, I should mark the inboard edge of the capstrip onto the tip, and then mark an inch out from there. But there is not an inch worth of material to cut off without cutting out half of the light mount area. Does anyone have pictures or tips?

  5. #25
    Senior Member Esser's Avatar
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    Default Re: aviator79's build

    Yeah the instructions didn’t make a ton of sense for me either. Basically I R.A. a tape line down the top, cut a straight clean line with an angle grinder and did the same on the bottom. I then put the tip on the wing and eye balled if the tip was square to the wing. If it wasnt square I trimmed more of the side that needed to be brought down to make it square. Don’t make your first cut at the scribe line so you have enough material to work with.
    ------------------
    Josh Esser
    Flying SS7
    Rotax 914iS
    AirMaster Prop

    Edmonton, AB, CWL3

  6. #26
    Senior Member Flybyjim's Avatar
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    Default Re: aviator79's build

    I just finished installing the lights into my tips today and have them fitted as best as possible until I have the wing covered. Josh is correct, go slow with the cuts you will find there is enough room for the lights but just enough. I took 1-inch wide blue painters tape and ran a line of tape as straight as I could as close to the edge of the fibergalss to get a completely straight line. I did this for both top and bottom. I then slipped the tip over the metal strips that are clecoed to the wing. You will need to work the wing tip back and forth, side to side as you get a nice fit. This takes time as does all parts of the build. It may seem confusing at first but as you go it will all come together.

    I used a long block hand sander I made 4 foot long to work the edges down. As for final fitting, I will do that after the wing is covered. Once you pull the covering around the last rib this may or may not be an effect on the metal strips and that could slightly change the tip position.

  7. #27
    Senior Member aviator79's Avatar
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    Default Tuesday update

    I have the Laker Leading Edge trimmed and ready to install, but decided I want to prime the spars even though I live in about the dryest of dry climates. It's cheap and easy to do it now. So I had to order some primer. I also decided that I wanted to wait until the wing was covered to do the wingtip so that I can fit it up well.

    So I decided I'd get a start on the flaperon, but when I opened a box from Aircraft Spruce, the dimple dies I'd ordered for flush riveting the trailing edges weren't there. One phone call and they are sending them out. So I thought I could move on with the end rib installation, but my end rib didn't fit in the end of the flaperon on account of a welding error. So, an email and some pictures to Debra, and a replacement is on the way.

    That left me pretty much stuck in the mud for making progress on the wing, so I got started on the fuselage, which was really enjoyable work. I got the aileron, elevator, and flap controls installed. The only slight frustration is that I had more resistance in the pitch axis of the control column than I would have liked. What was strange is that it only started to bind up when I tightened any fastener on the right side bracket. So I removed the whole thing and clamped the left (delrin) bearing to the workbench, and noticed that when moving the stick fore and aft, the bracket rotated slightly around its vertical axis. This indicated either a bent bolt or a hole that wasn't straight. I replaced the bolt, which didn't change anything. I recalled that the pre-fabbed bracket was pretty rough from the factory, and I suspected that the hole perhaps wasn't straight, which would misalign the bearing halves. I disassembled the whole enchilada, and very carefully removed a small amount of material from the pre-fab bracket. I reassembled, and the situation was much improved, but still not perfect. So I chucked up the bushing in a drill press and sanded it down with 600 grit. I repeated this process several times, removing only the tiniest bit of material at each iteration until the bushing slipped easily into the bearing, and the control column gave smooth motion with the bracket clamped firmly to the workbench. This was a lot of effort, but I'm not going to compromise on the nicely balanced controls that I experienced in Idaho.

    I also got the floor boards trimmed and drilled, and they'll get their second coat of varnish this afternoon.

    LLE fitting and trimming:





    Control column bracket as-received:



    Flight control assembly:





    Floorboard fit-up:


    --Brian

  8. #28
    Senior Member Esser's Avatar
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    Default Re: aviator79's build

    Sounds like you got it licked Brian but I had to put a washer between my bracket and the fuselage on one of my bolts that completely freed up the same binding you experienced.
    ------------------
    Josh Esser
    Flying SS7
    Rotax 914iS
    AirMaster Prop

    Edmonton, AB, CWL3

  9. #29
    Senior Member aviator79's Avatar
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    Default Re: aviator79's build

    Actually, I didn't mention it, but I did the same thing Josh! In addition to what I mentioned, I noticed that with the left bearing removed, the whole control column angled down slightly from right to left, so I shimmed it exactly the same way. It was a lot of voodoo, but I'm really pleased with the control feel now. Generally, the fuselage tabs are not always perfectly straight or aligned. Fortunately, it's usually not too critical. You can see in one of my photos that the fore elevator idler arm is kind of crooked because the tabs aren't perfectly aligned. But there's more than enough rotation in the rod ends, so tight manufacturing tolerances at the tabs aren't required. It's worth reminding myself sometimes that I'm the builder; some problem solving and hand-finishing are required. It's not quite like a Lego kit.

  10. #30
    Senior Member Esser's Avatar
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    Default Re: aviator79's build

    Yes, there have been things that I have been frustrated with cause it didn’t assemble easily and I made it worse. Sometimes you have to take a step back and remember what your doing!

    What are you using for image sharing? I tried to get the google app to get links for my pictures but it didn’t seem to work when I attached the link for the picture. I looks like you are using some sort of google photo sharing thing.
    ------------------
    Josh Esser
    Flying SS7
    Rotax 914iS
    AirMaster Prop

    Edmonton, AB, CWL3

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