May 10, 2024     EAA Chapter 302 2023 Update       Category: EAA 302 Update

Picture
1. Flaperon wing tip fitted.
2. Fuselage moved to barn
3. Poor boy wing supports.
4. Tubing Clamp made one for large and small tubing worked great.
5. Marked for drilling.

  Apr 20, 2024     Build ing the Lift Struts       Category: Lift Struts

I built a clamp and measuring fixture for the two sizes of stream line tubing and then Marked them for centerlines. They provided proof of the marks I had made on the tubing. So next I marked and drilled the attachment fixtures .

  Apr 15, 2024     Work table disassembly       Category: Workshop

So there's not a picture of the work table assembled but its in many of the pictures and these are a couple of pictures of it as it was taken apart for storage.. It worked better than expected and held level for the entire build , even after i climbed on it from time to time. It also served as storage for kit parts.

  Apr 15, 2024     Fuselage finished and ready to move       Category: Fuselage

With the airframe parts assembled and the work table disassembled for storage the fuselage need to be moved to a larger space to attach the wings, jury struts, and the cabane struts. I built a spar to go in the main gear attachment channel area. Using an engine lift I attached the spar and a rolling dolly to the Fuselage. I attached a sling to the cabin frame at the front spar carry thru. With the help of my friend Jerry we rolled it out of the work shop. We then lifted it with a tractor and sling, on to a trailer and move the whole thing to the barn to a platform I had built earlier. Tractor again lifted the fuselage from the trailer and on to the platform. Next we leveled the fuselage and the platform were with my smart tool digital level.

  Mar 10, 2024     Finished with the wings       Category: Wings

So I finished the wings and moved them to the storage rack first wing Jerry helped me and the second Joe Helped me. I will leave the root skins cleco'd till I attach the wings to the fuselage . The red paint is the verification that this bolt is torqued and finished. It is the rear spar splice. I have done this trough out the build and if I am not finished with something I attach red surveyor s flagging to it. Thanks to Jerry and Joe .

  Mar 02, 2024     Building the flaperons       Category: Flaperons

So I also started these waiting on parts and when the wing left the table I got back to them. I need a jig to hold the skeletons so I had milk carts a friend give me and they worked great . I proceed through the construct till it was time to bend the skin over the nose ribs . I see this as a three person job I tried it alone and that's why I say three people. I have visitor tomorrow and I hope to get them to help in this job.
So Tray and Cassie came over for a look see at what a kit in assembly process looks like. No free visits I got them to help me with the Flaperon as there Cruzer kit will have them. Had to adjust the Zenith rivet to work in the short clearance on the last hole on the angle bracket.
Thanks so much Tray and Cassie
So when I Bottom Angle the rivet was to long , I cut one of the rivets in half length wise and tried a test on some scrap. It work great so I cut another one and pulled it to complete the angle attachment.
I deded to make fiberglass ends for the flaperons. I built a plug, Waxed with car wax, then I add fiberglass strips and epoxy. I put this inside a trash bag and pulled a vacume. I the sanded and fitted the fiber glass pieces.

  Mar 02, 2024     Fitting the tail fin better       Category: Empennage

The tail fin sat on rivets that were on the fuselage and this caused a bump I pondered this problem and decided to use the Zenith rivet as a countersunk rivet . Tail fin looks a lot better.

  Mar 02, 2024     Building the Leading edge slats       Category: Slats

Started work on these while waiting on parts and resumed when wing was finished and removed from the building table. Ran out off rivets ( need six ).
so I stepped back and evaluated the project as a whole . I will order 500 to finish all that is left and cleco'd together. I will need help to bend the skin over the nose ribs hoping for that tomorrow. A couple here in the are area considering a Cruzer. And will visit tomorrow.
Tray and Cassie Visited and we tried the Slats they bent over correctly but the assembly did not look correct and I opted to do the Flaperons instead,. Studied the instructions and tried again had the same problem . Used a 1 inch square tube to bend it by myself , so I put the tube under the slat and that made the cleco process go a lot smoother and they are done.

  Mar 02, 2024     Finishing the tank install       Category: Fuel System

Installed fuel tanks and lines. I had to add rings around the fillers and drains . Got the from Experimental Accessories LLC. I had to find short rivets to hold the rings on . When the rivet was pulled it could not be longer than the cork strip was thick. I add an extra layer of cork to insure there would be no rubbing and contact. I used the trailing edge skin to route the fuel , static, and pitot tubing.

  Feb 09, 2024     Tank Leak testing and Tank instalation       Category: Fuel System

Leak test fuel tanks and had issues with flare fitting done with new tool so I found an antique in the tool box , fixed it and the flare issues were resolved. I ran wire tube, pitot, static, fuel feed ,fuel return, and fuel gauge tube in the trialing edge. I use aluminum tubing instead of plastic tubing due to bad experiences with the plastic tubing.