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Thread: dle's Oz Build

  1. #11
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
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    Melbourne, Australia
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    642

    Default Re: dle's Oz Build

    Thanks guys, appreciate the welcome. Finally I can say I own a Kitfox ... just needs a little work done.

    Ross, I'm building at Moama, just across the river from Echuca. I'll pm my phone contact if coming up. I'm only there on weekends.

    Ramos/Eddie/John E, yep they're 26" Streaky. I'm currently flying a Eurofox tail dragger on hire and it has the same. That extra cushion on landing is nice to have. Ross also has 26" I think and he'd probably agree.

    Carl, I've considered keeping a written log as you suggest and I'll likely do it. Good record of the build.

    And yes DesertFox4, photos and film. I'm a keen photographer, just not that great at it.

    I've learned a lot from the people on the site. There are some great ideas put out there and I hope I can contribute in kind.

    Woohoo .... we're off and running !
    David
    SS7 Builder

  2. #12

    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Nampa, ID
    Posts
    100

    Default Re: dle's Oz Build

    Congrats in the new airplane! Glad the crate made it safely....but what do expect when the wing guy builds the crate? Lol

    Enjoy!!!
    Brandon

  3. #13

    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Sale Australia
    Posts
    158

    Default Re: dle's Oz Build

    Great to see you've got your big box here safe and sound David
    Look forward to following your project!
    Regards Ben

    Victoria Australia
    S7 Kitfox 233

  4. #14
    Senior Member
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    Aug 2016
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    Melbourne, Australia
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    Default Re: dle's Oz Build

    Quote Originally Posted by Brandon Petersen View Post
    Congrats in the new airplane! Glad the crate made it safely....but what do expect when the wing guy builds the crate? Lol

    Enjoy!!!
    Brandon
    Thanks Brandon. Perhaps then I should have ordered the assembled wing kit !!. Really love your work. The box was in great condition considering it changed ships mid stream in Shanghai.
    David
    SS7 Builder

  5. #15
    Senior Member
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    Aug 2016
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    Default Re: dle's Oz Build

    Had a visit from couple of old hands at this SS7 building business. Ross and wife Gayle flew into Moama strip today to say Hi and have a look at my build space setup. It was great to meet them both finally. It was Ross who recommended I join this Forum. Excellent advice. The known Australian SS7 contingent now numbers 3 in total to date: 1 complete (Ross), one within hours of flying (Ben) and one within 2 years of flying (I hope).

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    David
    SS7 Builder

  6. #16
    Senior Member
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    Aug 2016
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    Melbourne, Australia
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    Default Re: dle's Oz Build

    Just throwing my method of record keeping in the middle, more for information than trail blazing techniques. I use a photocopy of the original build manual and draw up date and signature columns against each operations. I also incorporate notes where I might have done something slightly different or where I find an error in the manual (i'll send these back to Debra for info). I also use a daily logbook where I write up everything I do, including comments and hours logged. Each operation is recorded and anything of interest recorded. There are also photographs. Reason I'm doing this is that if I was buying an amateur built aeroplane that had been built by someone else, I'd really like to know the history of the build, warts and all. Also, both records are proof positive that Ive built the thing myself.

    These ideas aren't new, just my way of recording what I've done so that airworthiness cert guys and future owners know what really went on !!.

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    David
    SS7 Builder

  7. #17
    Senior Member
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    Aug 2016
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    Melbourne, Australia
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    Default Re: dle's Oz Build

    Started working on the flight control system and I've made some good progress. The control column cross tube assembly has been assembled and the RH pivot housing has been drilled off, disassembled and deburred. I'll be wet assembling with a zinc phosphate primer, mainly because I'm having trouble getting a source for an epoxy primer her in Aus. I'm sure I'll find one when I stumble across it while looking for something else !. I've also put together the aileron idler and the elevator idler fittings together with their connecting tubes and fitted them all to the fuselage. At the moment, its going together like a giant Mechano kit. The manual is excellent in both the instructions and the figures. I'm gonna enjoy this.
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    David
    SS7 Builder

  8. #18
    Senior Member
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    Aug 2016
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    Melbourne, Australia
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    Default Re: dle's Oz Build

    My second weekend working on the project. I have "Pa" duties during the week with grandkids etc so can't work on it through the week. A bit limiting but that's written into my duty statement for my role as a grandparent ..... I'm sure others on the forum know exactly what I'm talking about.

    So I set up the control column cross tube for installation, using the single bolt location in the nylon bearing block as a fore-aft locator and then positioned the RH bearing housing parallel with the only reference I could muster up - the lower fuselage tube directly beneath. The RH bearing housing was positioned so that all 4 tabs could be drilled off from underneath. Should have moved the RH bearing assembly a tad further outboard because when I drilled and installed the bolts, one was riding up on the radius of the bearing housing outer angle. More an irritant than anything else because I can make up a throat washer and stop it bearing on the radius but it's a pain having to do it. The bolt length will need increasing to account for it. Need to be more careful next time. The second bolt hole was drilled in the nylon bearing block and both bolts and nuts tightened. There was too much stiction so I relaxed the nuts on the bearing block by about 1/2 turn each and all's good now. I was careful to pay attention to this because in reading Cherrybark's thread, I know he spent quite some time fine tuning his installation as much stiction as possible, as did Eddie and some others. Don't want both feet on the instrument panel while hauling on the stick for more elevator authority ....

    Now I should have done some more reading before I installed the control column tube, because I had previously assembled the flap handle and that was the next in line. Like most, I was quite proud of the fact I didn't snap the 1/16" drill when drilling the detent pin. Worked great. But I dropped the roll pin .... found it .... dropped it again, didn't find it. Sadly I need to buy another, but I have to buy a minimum quantity of 100 so I can afford to lose a few.

    On trying to install the flap handle, I found that there was way too much interference between the bolt and fuselage mounted bush. So after an hour of struggling to get the bolt in, gave up and removed the control column x-tube, reamed the bush again, sanded the bolt shank with 400 grit, applied grease and that bolt slipped in like leather shoes on wet moss. Checked for side play and all good.

    The flaperon mixer assembly was fitted next. Checked side play and installed washers to reduce it to near-on none. Having learned from the Flap handle installation, I checked the fit of the bolt in the installed bearings and they needed reaming, which I did. Greased the bolt and once again, slipped right in there. What surprised me was the number of washers I needed on the thread side of the bolt to allow positive locking of the castellated nut with the cotter pins. Needed 3 on one side and 4 on the other. Anyone else found this ?. Could do with a slightly shorter bolt.

    Finished up securing elevator, aileron bellcrank and flaperon mixer control tubes with rod ends. All rod end bolts not tightened at this stage.

    Until next weekend ....
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    David
    SS7 Builder

  9. #19
    Senior Member efwd's Avatar
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    Jun 2015
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    Yorba Linda, CA
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    2,817

    Default Re: dle's Oz Build

    Great weekend of work David.
    Regarding the washer stack. I have two thick washers under the head, 1 thick and 1 thin washer between and 2 thick 1 thin under the nut. My total differs from yours by only one thin washer it appears. From what I seem to read you should try to balance out the stack. I believe it is recommended that you shorten the bolt if you need more than two washers under the nut. Obviously I didn't.
    Eddie

  10. #20

    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Reddick, FL
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    82

    Default Re: dle's Oz Build

    An observation. The flaperon assembly bolt requiring several washers is an indication of a wrong length bolt. I have found many bolts of inaccurate length when considering the number of threads that should show after proper tightening. I am doing a IV 1200.

    The picture of the flaperon assembly shows the head of the bolt on the outside of the fuselage. Note: the tube that bolt attaches to is bent inward to clear the fabric when covered. With the bolt installed from that side you will not be able to remove the flaperon assembly without cutting a hole in the fabric to remove the bolt. So, I reversed the bolt so the nut is on the fabric end of the bolt. And that leaves very little clearance so I used a thin castellated nut and kept the bolt length to barely one thread showing. When I cover I am adding a circular extra layer of fabric opposite that nut.

    On my previous tube and fabric fuselage close clearances led to chaffing and an eventual hole. I worry about this particular spot.
    Bud

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