Starting my kitfox 1 build pictures here

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Posted

Looking good TJay, did you end up building your own motor mount?  If you keep this up, you'll be flying before fall.  Jim Chuk

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Posted

Looking good TJay, did you end up building your own motor mount?  If you keep this up, you'll be flying before fall.  Jim Chuk

No Sir I had the Australians weld one up for me, they did a very nice job almost a perfect fit. And they changed there drawings to keep the engine 2 inches closer to the fire wall than the original drawing, They said that is now standard on the 1 2 3 kitfoxes

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Posted

Started playing with fiberglass, Its kinda fun, Added about 6 inches to the bottom half and to the top half of the cowl and started on my glare shield.

 

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Posted

Wow, looks good.  A guy would almost think you knew what you were doing.  ;-)  Is that some pink Styrofoam for a form for the glare shield?  Coming right along.  I got the conditional inspection on my Kitfox 1 signed off last week.  Haven't flown it yet though.  Jim Chuk

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Posted

Wow, looks good.  A guy would almost think you knew what you were doing.  ;-)  Is that some pink Styrofoam for a form for the glare shield?  Coming right along.  I got the conditional inspection on my Kitfox 1 signed off last week.  Haven't flown it yet though.  Jim Chuk

That is pink foam rasped to fit the wind screen. its only got one layer of cloth on it now, later I will chip the foam out and layup another stronger layer on the bottom side, Hey congrats on the kitfox sing off. Will you be listing that one for sale or rent a cheap storage unit down south for when you visit down there again.

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Posted (edited)

I'm hoping to sell it once I've flown it for a bit, but it would be nice to have something to fly down in Gulf Shores.  Looks like I'll be there for 3 months this winter.  I've got to get insurance on this Kitfox, Mn requires liability.  Don't know where I would get some duel time in a Kitfox with a cfi if the ins. company required that.   I have over 500 hrs in the Avids, and the Kitfox 1 was a copy of them to start with.  That will be my argument with the ins. co. if they balk at just writing a policy.  I need to give them a call tomorrow.  Jim Chuk

PS  your cowl will be a lot easier to see over than a big round Kitfox cowl.  Wish mine had that style.

Edited by 1avidflyer

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Posted

Wow, looks good.  A guy would almost think you knew what you were doing.  ;-)  Is that some pink Styrofoam for a form for the glare shield?  Coming right along.  I got the conditional inspection on my Kitfox 1 signed off last week.  Haven't flown it yet though.  Jim Chuk

That is pink foam rasped to fit the wind screen. its only got one layer of cloth on it now, later I will chip the foam out and layup another stronger layer on the bottom side, Hey congrats on the kitfox sing off. Will you be listing that one for sale or rent a cheap storage unit down south for when you visit down there again.

Looks great TJay - Why not just sandwich that foam between two layers of FG - Well, maybe thinner foam would be better?  I will have a cowl to modify some day, and you are welcome to come down and show me how!   EDMO

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Wow, looks good.  A guy would almost think you knew what you were doing.  ;-)  Is that some pink Styrofoam for a form for the glare shield?  Coming right along.  I got the conditional inspection on my Kitfox 1 signed off last week.  Haven't flown it yet though.  Jim Chuk

That is pink foam rasped to fit the wind screen. its only got one layer of cloth on it now, later I will chip the foam out and layup another stronger layer on the bottom side, Hey congrats on the kitfox sing off. Will you be listing that one for sale or rent a cheap storage unit down south for when you visit down there again.

Looks great TJay - Why not just sandwich that foam between two layers of FG - Well, maybe thinner foam would be better?  I will have a cowl to modify some day, and you are welcome to come down and show me how!   EDMO

think I have to remove the foam, from  pictures I saw it looks like the wind shield is bolted through the front lip of the glare shield. If the foam is in there I will never get the nuts on.

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Posted

tail wheel is on for good, May tighten up the chains a bit yet, cowl and dash is where I want it also.

 

tail wheel finished 001.JPG

tail wheel finished 003.JPG

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Posted

You want the chains on the Matco fairly snug to help it relock coming out of a turn. If you find it doesn't unlock right for you they sell a different ear (the gold piece) to change where it unlocks. Looking good. Won't be long now! 

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Posted

I was reading on the yahoo Avid group, a guy was talking about how in Australia they have started to use a strechy rope tied on both sides of the tailwheel and it works real good.  Anyone hear any more about this?  Looking good TJay, be flying soon!  JImChuk

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Posted

since the forum has been slow thought I would post a few photos, been to hot to do much this summer and I'm to cheap to flip on the AC in my garage. Got my throttle mounted, started on the fuel system, got my trim hooked up, and this week I started on my wing struts,

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Posted

Looking good, thanks for posting an update.  That throttle setup looks vaguely familiar, but better workmanship than another one I've seen that looks something like that. ;-)  Wish I had your welding skills (and the tig machine)JImChuk

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Posted (edited)

That trim thingy looks cool...What is it?   Wish you lived next door - We could get two more birds built quick!  :BC:  EDMO

Edited by EDMO

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Posted

You want the chains on the Matco fairly snug to help it relock coming out of a turn. If you find it doesn't unlock right for you they sell a different ear (the gold piece) to change where it unlocks. Looking good. Won't be long now! 

Yep, mine are about 25% compressed when everything relaxed to straight forward.  You need to have some compression for the dogs to work correctly.

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Posted

I had something like that on my '41 Luscombe and I hated it.  Any upset due to turbulence required re-trimming.  Maybe they have new fangled springs in this thing.  It certainly looks nice.  

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Posted (edited)

Thanks Doug - I thought that this was used with a trim tab system - see now that it works without trim tab, like on Kitfox 1 and others without tab. I've go two tabs on my elevators - one deploys automatically with flaps.   EDMO

Edited by EDMO

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Posted

Looking good, thanks for posting an update.  That throttle setup looks vaguely familiar, but better workmanship than another one I've seen that looks something like that. ;-)  Wish I had your welding skills (and the tig machine)JImChuk

Well if your gonna get a tig make sure you spend the extra money and get one that pulses at 33 times per second, I didn't and went the cheap way and wish I hadn't, I barley ever use the tig but when I start my aluminum door frames I will be glad I have it.

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Posted

I had something like that on my '41 Luscombe and I hated it.  Any upset due to turbulence required re-trimming.  Maybe they have new fangled springs in this thing.  It certainly looks nice.  

the only time I have ever flown with one was in a sonex and I can't say I ever noticed any issues with it, hope it works good in the kitfox they are simple to hook up, http://www.aeroconversions.com/support/instruction_sheets/Trim_Install.pdf

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Posted

finished up my wing struts, still wondering if I should stress relief them with a torch or not, Not sure if that is necessary on thin walled tubing, what you guys think? I know i didn't get them real hot with the mig, short shots with the trigger Just enough for good penetration,

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Posted

I'm sure our resident experts will chime in but I sure don't see a downside other than a bit of time and gas. Nice fab work BTW, I can stick metal together with my Lincoln Tombstone but MIG/TIG welding on tubing I've learned is a real talent. The workshop leaders at OSH have thrown in the towel on me!

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Posted

Looking good, thanks for posting an update.  That throttle setup looks vaguely familiar, but better workmanship than another one I've seen that looks something like that. ;-)  Wish I had your welding skills (and the tig machine)JImChuk

Well if your gonna get a tig make sure you spend the extra money and get one that pulses at 33 times per second, I didn't and went the cheap way and wish I hadn't, I barley ever use the tig but when I start my aluminum door frames I will be glad I have it.

I have been EXTREMELY happy with my cheap set up.  Its the Northern Tools Klutch 220V all in one.  Only DC tig but it works great on aluminum as well.  the lost art of DC tig welding aluminum is really not that hard to get a handle on.  It may not look quite as pretty as hi freq. AC but I just welded up a fuel tank from 1/8" aluminum plate using my rig on DC and I had no leaks (I pressure tested it), it looks good and no distortion.  If you research, a lot of AC manufactures and NASA require the use of DC tig on aluminum.  For 700 bucks to be able to weld up anything you need to for a home project you really can't go wrong!  Ive been in the welding industry since the late 80s and have been a welding inspector / quality manager since the 90s.  I am very impressed with what this machine will do for the money!!  No, I would not use it in our industrial welding shop, but for home use, it can't be beat.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200631881_200631881

:BC:

 

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Posted

For TIG welding the aluminum, I did go to the local welding supply and grabbed a gas lens an largber cup than what came with the tig torch from Northern tools.  I like a #8 and 3/32 layrz tungsten.

 

:BC:

 

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Posted

Wrapped in artificial imitation leather and carbon-fiber bit dirty but ill clean it later

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