I used gel superglue. It seems to work just fine. Rough up the mating surface of the fairing a little before gluing.
I used gel superglue. It seems to work just fine. Rough up the mating surface of the fairing a little before gluing.
John Evens
Arvada, CO
Kitfox SS7 N27JE
EAA Lifetime
Chap. 43 honorary Lifetime
Finished both sides of the vertical stab (except for the finish tapes) and also completed covering the rudder. I used the envelope method on the rudder just to try it out and while it's a bit more cumbersome to work on the piece with that full second half of fabric hanging out there, it does make for a nice leading edge without a seam. (So if you're keeping score Alex, All I have left to cover is the top right half of the fuselage and I'll do that after I install the baggage sack that I am modifying with a zipper in the back.......Get to work. No more slacking off on those two weeks off mate!!) I also painted all the flaperon brackets so they are all ready to install later this Winter. Painted and installed the cover I made for the bottom of the rudder as well. While I was painting, I thought I would paint my inspection panels too. Was really happy with the way they came out and thought I had picked the perfect day for it (no paint booth - outside on a table). Left them to dry out in the sun and came back to find that the wind had come up and blown the plastic covering the table (that I thought I had secured) up and on to the panels. So it's back to the sandpaper and paint them again.
IMG_1884.JPGRudder Wrap 1.JPGRudder Wrap 2.JPGFlaperon Brackets.JPGRudder Cap.JPG
Gary (Geek) Phenning
Leavenworth (Not the Prison), WA
Kitfox STi N68SG
Truth is I set it up and then somewhere along the line I made the decision to pull it apart and do it again when I was ready. I knew I had to do it again once I covered, and then there was setting the rudder deflection (since I had not read ahead on the forum to not file the rudder stops till after you're really ready and have the gap really set.) The direct answer to your question is yes, I did have to open them up a bit from my initial measurements. I set them again once I had covered, set the deflection again and my next step is to set the rudder cable lengths. Hopefully then I won't take the rudder off again.
Gary
Gary (Geek) Phenning
Leavenworth (Not the Prison), WA
Kitfox STi N68SG
Laid in two of the fuel lines from the header tank to the main fuel valve and the return line check valve. Made sure they cleared the seat and the floorboards. Started putting in the brake lines from the master cylinders to the parking brake. Not sure I am happy with those but actually putting them in gave me a real look at what's there and maybe some other options. Also installed my static ports. I installed two of them, one on each side, in the suggested Kitfox locations. Should help me with my airspeed indications while slipping. I know many have just terminated the static input within the cabin and if I don't like what I see with what I have, I can always revert to that. I cut the tail wheel locking cable to length, tinned the cable per the instructions and attached the tail wheel to the T3 suspension. The pic of the channel locks in the vise is how I tinned the cable. I used a copper plumbing termination, heated it using a Mapp gas torch, loaded it with solder and it worked perfectly. Thanks to Harlan for his video showing how he did it which I admit was how I got the idea to use the copper pipe termination for the tinning.
Fuel Lines 1.JPGFuel Lines 5.JPGStatic Port 2.JPGStatic Port 3.jpgBrake Lines 1.JPGTail Wheel 1.JPGIMG_1922.JPG
Gary (Geek) Phenning
Leavenworth (Not the Prison), WA
Kitfox STi N68SG
Looks good Gary! Sorry not trying to be one of those, "you know what you should do" type of person......but I didn't get this tip until later to flip the brakes 180 so the brass 90 doesn't hit into the firewall. Cory and myself both built as per plan and they both hit the firewall when braking and turning. After the fact I learn that some flip the brakes 180 and it gives you more clearance to the firewall. Maybe you have already heard this and decided against it? Its coming along and your almost to the best part; setting the engine and wiring!
Dustin Dickerson
Building 7ss STI x 2
Oratex
29" shock monster
EP912STI 155hp
Garmin
N33TF......FLYING!
N53TF......FLYING!
Dustin - I am always willing to listen to people's ideas so never worry about that "you know what you should do" thing. If I like a suggestion, I'll give it a shot. If I don't - well I don't. You will notice the black sheath on my brake lines. Did you wonder where I got that idea from? You as well as others, have been a great source of information and willingness to share your knowledge so please keep them coming when you see me possibly heading down the wrong path. As for the idea of swapping the cylinders on the brakes around? I had not heard about that one. But I sure as heck am going to take a look at that as an option. Doesn't mean I'll do it but I sure want to make a conscious decision about which option I want when the time comes. Thanks for the suggestion.
I am looking forward to engine and wiring for certain. Those are my Winter projects where I can hide in the warm shop and not care about the snow falling outside.
Gary
Gary (Geek) Phenning
Leavenworth (Not the Prison), WA
Kitfox STi N68SG
Geek is being modest about his shop. It's not only heated, I recall the A/C works just fine too. Lots of room to make cool stuff.
I had not even visualized those elbows on the master cylinders so I hadn't considered them hitting the firewall, but I definitely see the potential now.
Great job on the fuel lines Gary. I was going to use 100% flexible line but now that I have a tubing bender I might mess around with hard lines.
Kitfox 5 (under construction)
Commercial SE/ME, CFII
Thanks Alex. I am actually toying with the idea of running hard lines from the header tank up to the top of the cockpit and then connecting up to flexible lines there for the wing fold. Haven't locked in on that but it is ruminating in my little pea brain. You back from the wild and woolly North country?
G
Gary (Geek) Phenning
Leavenworth (Not the Prison), WA
Kitfox STi N68SG
I had the same thought about running hard lines from the header tank and converting to rubber near the rear spar. But after folding my wings umpteen many times during the building and moving process, I realized that the fuel lines really need some freedom of movement when folding the wings. I have to release the fabric "tubes" that contain the fuel lines and wiring to the wings, from the cross bars behind the seat, or else the fuel lines are put under a lot of stress at the butt ribs. If you move the hard line to rubber connection point closer to the rear spar pivot point, you'd definitely have to come up with a way to get some slack to be able to fold the wings. Wouldn't be a problem if you never folded the wings, but if you ever "had to" fold them, you'd probably have to add disconnecting the fuel lines to the process.
Your build is really coming along and looks awesome! I do like the look of the black on the back of the fabric as opposed to the orange, splotchy, Marbled look of poly fiber.