Geek's STi Build

[rv9ralph]

Shadowrider: I had a dedicated circuit with 20 gauge to each servo. (Roll and pitch) Mil spec 20 Gauge is good to about 8-9 amps. I just pulled power from the roll servo at the roll servo. Also tied into the canbus there. Solider sleeved it and ran wire back to the pitch servo. I went back a changed the VPX labeling so Roll is now Roll/Yaw Servos.

Thanks Dustin. I will discuss with my build partner, Victor V. He is the electrical guy on our build. I works for me.

[Geek]

Had some masking tape that had gotten caught between the windshield and the rib so decided today was the day to loosen all the screws holding the windshield and get that tape out of there. In doing that, I saw what appears to be the start of some cracks in the windshield. They don't appear to be all the way through the windshield but they are enough to make me stop and take a really good look at them. They are right at the worst place I can think of to appear - top side where the windshield has been formed seven different ways in the same place. First pic is just to give you an idea where that is. Apologize for the second pic but it's as close as I could get and keep the camera sort of focused on them. My question is do I drill a stop hole now so that if they are really cracks and not just reflected scratches I can save the windshield or do I sit in the hold short and see what happens.

Gary

Wind 1.JPGWind 2.JPG

[SNOW JW]

I had those cracks in mine but not as deep. I took a sanding drum on a dremmel and sanded them out. Luckily it was in a spot where I could notch it out and not be visible.

Sent from my SM-G988U1 using Tapatalk

[jiott]

Gary, it may just be the angle of the photo, but it appears that the micro-cracked area is contacting the steel carry-through tube. If this is true, I would strongly suggest you cut the edge back until there is plenty of clearance. During hot and cold cycles that windshield will move around a lot, possibly applying stress to the acrylic if it is restrained by the tube. That of course is why all bolt holes are oversized and plastic washers used.

[Geek]

Gary, it may just be the angle of the photo, but it appears that the micro-cracked area is contacting the steel carry-through tube. If this is true, I would strongly suggest you cut the edge back until there is plenty of clearance. During hot and cold cycles that windshield will move around a lot, possibly applying stress to the acrylic if it is restrained by the tube. That of course is why all bolt holes are oversized and plastic washers used.

It's the angle of the pic Jim. There's actually about 5/8" between the carry through and the windshield. As an oh by the way - I am in the middle of copying your gust lock/turnbuckle design. Liked it a lot more than clamping wood around the vertical/rudder and the very popular Trent Palmer version that he printed out (which I think is trick as heck but won't work with the bottom pieces I put on my rudder peddles to keep my feet off the brakes) I can't justify the cost of the printer. Or having it printed commercially. Your's met the KISS principle and elegant to boot. Thanks for posting that.

Gary

[jiott]

Thanks for the comment on my rudder gust lock. I can't take all the credit for it since I saw one very similar years ago on this forum, but can't remember by whom. I simplified it somewhat with all readily available hardware store components. once you have it adjusted for your airplane, it goes on and off in less than a minute.

[Geek]

Well I guess the planets partially aligned for me. The FAA is still MIA but I got into a hangar at the local airport in Cashmere, WA!! So it was moving day for the plane where it now shares an abode with a Sonex. Nice small, low wing airplane that the Kitfox can fit over. Now I'll be able to do some of the fine tuning that I wanted to do with the wings spread that I couldn't do in the shop without moving outside.

Moving Day.JPG

[alexM]

Nice! What do you think of your hangar mate's Sonex?

[bbs428]

Glad you made it to your new "home away from home" Geek! Enjoy!!

Hope you weren't too nervous negotiating your way there!

[Geek]

Nice! What do you think of your hangar mate's Sonex?

It's pretty well built, nice paint and documented. Sonex uses large prints rather than the instructions manual like Kitfox and those were definitely old school that brought back a lot of memories of when I first started out as an enginerd. Panel is old school as well but nicely laid out. Has a VW engine that has been worked a bit for more power. It's apparently pretty quick.

Glad you made it to your new "home away from home" Geek! Enjoy
Hope you weren't too nervous negotiating your way there!

Nope I was good. Mostly cause I had gotten good gouge ahead of time from you and a couple other guys who all said pretty much the same thing about supporting the empennage and getting it up a bit to move the CG forward and some weight off. Ran about 45mph on the way down with the wife in trail to tell me if there was something going wonky on the trailer. Had it tied down well and used the Kitfox transportation kit along with Jim Ott's gust lock on the rudder.