Building tips and hints

[jtpitkin06]

RE: Paint runs and sags

Thanks Tom!!! (Lion8)


I have to admit, I didn’t think this would work as well as it does.

I decided to give it a try. I primed an empty Dr. Pepper can (we’re in Texas). I purposely sprayed until the primer ran, then pulled out a length of tape and mashed it onto the run. Much of the paint was picked up by the tape but it did lift the run. The surface didn’t look that great with a sort of mottled appearance , but it was flat. I waited a couple of minutes and hit it with a few fresh shots. To my surprise, the primer blended well and produced a usable surface.

So on to the next test… I shot some color on the can and made a saggy run. This time I let it sit for a bit as you might do when painting, not discovering the run until it’s almost too late. Out came the masking tape. It once again lifted the run and much of the surrounding paint. Without further prep I shot on a few short sprays and the paint blended and leveled out. Presto! The run was gone.

Just for fun I tried the technique with drywall tape instead of masking. It worked, but not as well. Something about the adhesive and sticky surface that makes masking tape the material of choice.

This is a great tip!
First photo shows the run area after daubing with the tape. Second photo is after re-spray. Not bad!!!

[Lion8]

Thanks for the nice review John. I hope I've redeemed myself for snapping at the McBeam's for not giving up drawings for an engine mount I needed. They,
you and everyone here at this site are nice people willing to offer some valued help. Hope everyone can use this tip
In my area, there is a family of Kitfox's and Avids growing. . -Tom from N.J.

[jtpitkin06]

Setting Pop Rivets

Sometimes a pop rivet is a bit tight and doesn’t set all the way in the hole leaving the rivet head slightly proud.

Use a short length of brass tubing as a setting tool. The tube slips over the pop rivet shank A light tap with a mallet drives the rivet home without knocking the shank out the back side or damaging the rivet head.

John

[jtpitkin06]

Wire ties


Sometimes you need to snug up a wire bundle to hold things in place, but have plans of adding more wires to the same bundle. I’ve tried leaving the ties a bit loose but that creates a problem of sloppy looking wire harness with loops and sags. If you zip the ties up tight to get a nice looking harness you must cut off the previously installed ties to add new wiring. That wastes a lot of wire ties.


I use a technique of temporarily installing wire ties backwards. That way the bundle can be snugged up for proper routing. There’s just enough friction to hold things in place but the tie can be loosened or removed for additional wiring.



Ties installed backwards may be readjusted dozens of times. I use yellow colored ties to remind me which ones are temporary and installed backwards or purposely leave the tail long to indicate it is a temp tie.

JP

[tswanson_44]

I started out trying to use an assortment of clamps to level and locate the ribs of the vertical stab and rudder before and during the Hysol process, and found they were a pain to do fine alignment with, would fall off and move etc. I ended up just making a quick jig and cutting about 20 of them out, and they worked great. Just zip tie in place and they become a temporary shelf for the ribs to sit on, then cut the zip tie and remove when the epoxy cures. They're about $1.25 each from www.sendcutsend.com if you want to make this job easier. The .dxf file is attached in the .zip.


IMG_1095.jpg

[LetMeFly]

Those look great! Where were you 18 months ago?

[Pushboy]

I'm just curious what thickness you made them -- they look about 1/4? I'm considering 3d printing some -- seem like a handy tool.

[Dave S]

There are various ways to cut wire rope control cables. I don't have an "official" cable snipper; but found this method to work very well.

High speed rotary tool with a 1" diamond cutter.

I tried thin abrasive wheels first but they cut slow, generated a lot of heat and frayed the ends a bit.

In both cases I taped over where the cut was to be made.

The diamond cutter took 3 to 5 seconds to cut through an eighth inch SS control cable. Very little heat generated and no fraying at all.