Tree top pilot

It may seem trivial but a little curl of the end of that .041" safety wire keeps everything nearby from being punctured...mainly my paws

I also noticed a certain website was not active this evening.....

Ready to go now

Made new shock cords as well out of 1/2 material from ACS. Made tools to stretch and make new units. Thank you to the folks that were here before me...new cords were 64" long and seem just right. Taxi tests soon

Turned to jelly like elasticity

This is what was ringing the alarm something isn't copo

Yes. Pics soon...almost back together. Fuel issue is over ...made a new 5 gallon tank...Fuel in it for a week no swelling or leaks. Used slightly higher test pressure @ 1.7 or near psi over night

I have made it to the point now that taxi tests have been done...pretty much ready to fly...more than a few yards above the grass. So being happy with that i left the plane in the hangar for about 6 days with a half tank of fuel remaining last week. Came into hangar and first thing I see is wrinkled fabric behind the tank....something obviously has happened. After checking it out the tank is soft as rubber and has drawn down in the top of the tank and sagged wherever fuel was touching the tank. It even pushed itself up in the back near the rear spar. Yes it it the cream colored, welded together 5 gallon tank from stace at Rocky mountain wings. Seems he has struck a last parting shot at me. It seems to be soft only where fuel has had stood. So the one and only tank was removed from a newly completed plane today and will be replaced by a 5053  aluminum tank soon as I can get it made. After the hangar chat session about it i know i can't be the only one. Granted it has been in my closet for 8 years before it was installed ...100LL and mogas  half and half shouldn't have made it buckle and become soft. Another couple days and I am sure it would have been more than just soft. It was the first time the tank had ever had fuel in it by me. Just wanted to see if anyone else has had this problem with those type plastic tanks. New fuel cap with a new open vent tube , fresh fuel no ethanol and atmosphere pressure only. We would really like to know why this happened.  I was hoping to fly this thing this fall. 

Back during the construction of my project I had to remake A lot of the parts that were given to me because they were basically junk and unfit for their purpose given. All of parts were made from 4130 chrome moly sheet stock from Aircraft Spruce. Countless hours we're spent making dies and Moulds to make these parts. I had 8 lift strut attach brackets that were sent out to be welded and used four. There are however enough parts to make up another set possibly two or more sets. I'm asking $125 for all of the pulley brackets and parts. they're being sold as parts and no more than that - for mock-up and test purposes. I may sell the dies as well later if there is an interest. There was a bit of weld push through on a couple that were done and I didn't want to chance it and that could be repaired I was told...figured someone here could use them before they get lost in the shop. PM me or make a post will try and look out for interest...don't have much PC time lately. Also have a sheet of 1/4"-12 ply ac plywood from spruce 2' x 4'. $25 plus shipping.....

Some scrap metal I have collected in NC and SC over some 20+ years. What's in the pan was from last outing on French Broad river...good hobby. Usually run a small highbanker with a small Honda pump.

Frank makes my props...has a good standing with a lot of folks and a vast knowledge of the trade. Give him a call

http://performancepropellersusa.com/home.htm

Been on B-Stmrs for a while .. looks nice

http://www.barnstormers.com/listing_images.php?id=1071779

I have to recover some of my tail surfaces and have found a stash of fabric in a duffel bag in my parts bay. Its a bit wrinkled...OK a lot. You think it would be safe to use? I am not sure if it will iron smooth...guess have to try and see. Last batch I got in was folded from ACS....but not balled up in a gunnysack like this. Hate to just throw out 4 yards of 1.7......Thanks in advance

OK it was late and I know there are 2 boxes full of parts that go with the wings. I seen a bundle of cables in a bag marked wings in one box. The linkages that drop to the mixer are not there. Thinking I can pick all up for 1500 - maybe less. It was late when all was looked over. This guy had lots of airplane stuff going on at one time from what I seen. Maybe getting things not KF.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axoNZMDaYKY

I have a chance to get a deal into a set of KF3 wings..{abandoned project}..at least that is what I was told. The issue I have with them is that the spars seems to have been sanded with a less aggressive sanding for rib bonding. Closest I could duplicate to compare was 320 grit on a scrap piece of aluminum. I would like to get them for a spare set or for a future project. Would you go ahead and pick them up? They are in very nice condition...never covered and is still in a storage building. Have been fitted to a fuselage somewhere...but comes with everything that relates to the wings...even flaperon cables. They are not far from me and I really want to get this deal. Just concerned....maybe overthinking again. The covering should lock everything in tight. Work on them is very nice to say the least...hate to undo anything on them.

I have called them and sent e-mails to get an answer if the 420 epoxy has to be top coated to make it UV proof in the cabin area. They have not even offered a reply much less a chance to make me buy more stuff. I know most automotive epoxies will break down in sunlight pretty fast without something to seal it.  Does anyone have any tubing that is just epoxied and holding up well in the cabin area? I want to leave out anything that isn't really needed...plus I like the white finish. Thanks in advance

Well here is a picture of the lift strut attach point. The fuse is upside down. I could only weld a strap about 1" away from the bolt as the strut goes over top and bottom of this cluster. This tube is 3/4" x .035". Wing attach tubes are 3/4 x.035 front and 7/8 x .035 rear...had to replace that one. Keep in mind my MTOW is less than 600lds.

Wasn't there a post{ I cant locate it} about a strap of molly welded to the underside of the lift strut carry through tube to help in increasing limits? Would like to see if there is info on that subject...pretty sure its here somewhere....a simple addition for me at this point for safety sake. BTW my tube is 3/4 " x .035.

Nice! Would like to see the elevator and rudder in more detail. How many hinge points are on each surface? Does it have the spar stiffeners inside the wing spars out by the attach bracket? Must be nice to have a rocket ship.....

Thanks for all the help....We will go back out to the hangar and set his plane up again and get every station documented, marked with plumb-barbara...his plumb has breasts. I have the spreadsheet and will follow EAA suggested method and compare the outcomes. This should be interesting compared to what we had to work with...not much.

Ed...we both have undercamber wings....ribs are nearly identical to a point .

My friend has a Skyraider single place similar to what I have been working at. We have not been able to locate any info on how to correctly balance these planes. He will fly way before I get to. So this is ALL the info we have. Not much good for us. Any help will be greatly appreciated. We have 17" tires so the negative moment is -8.5" from LE datum. We tend to think this is loaded ready for flight measurements for correct CG.

In the works as time and funds allow. Working with another engineer on FEA testing on flight loads and other scenarios that it will have to endure. Then when the 1rst one is built it will be loaded until it breaks something. Right now it looks like 15 ribs and no compression struts per wing. The ply ribs are too much work to make and heavy when sealed. We have found in a search "Kitplanes for Africa". Downloaded the PDF build manual and really like the spar reinforcement. Simple yet effective. Now there is when carbon fiber will excel layered with another material to withstand compressive loads. I just can't get the numbers with carbon spars to settle enough to trust them...too many variables. Still teetering on an extruded "I" beam spar. Still retaining the fold option as well. One thing is that titanium has fallen in price. That's another good weight saver. Took out my control stick{steel} and replaced with titanium .040 wall. lost 5 ozs in that alone. Grandfather always said- take care of the pennies and the dollars will mind themselves....wish I knew then what I know now. So as my work and health hold out...we will plunder onward with all these endless projects. Simple things like moving the attach point out on the spars help a lot....even 8 inches. Compressive loads go up but the wing seems to accept gust loading easier....in the computer. We are still looking at every piece of info we can to cherry pick areas for improvement. Already a pile of metal to the recyclers. Lots of tests.

Trying to help a friend.....has led to a long and expensive project for both of us. Nearing completion of a rock solid set of dies to make parts....lots to plan ahead for here. Next up is a die set for aluminum ribs. 1000 bar of pressure using rubber press pad over solid positive die. Will require compression struts or extra ribs....more testing on that later. Looking into lighter, stronger wings without carbon spars. this will save a lot of rib associated problems and flaperon issues over time. The "sticks" in the pink foam are my tungstens for the tig machine...keeps sharp ones handy. Last but not least...some of my welding porn.