I've got it covered......

[marksires 484]

RETIRED !!!  OMG, I went that route the first time in 1991 - Not voluntarily, my plant closed and my option was to retire or move to someplace that didn't really want me with possibility of losing pension.  Worked harder after that than I had worked for years.  Retired again in 2005 for the last time and completely rebuilt my retirement home after moving back from Alaska.   Retirement is not easy for me - got to stay busy or go nuts!

EDMO

I think you need to get busier then! 

[EDMO 1078]

RETIRED !!!  OMG, I went that route the first time in 1991 - Not voluntarily, my plant closed and my option was to retire or move to someplace that didn't really want me with possibility of losing pension.  Worked harder after that than I had worked for years.  Retired again in 2005 for the last time and completely rebuilt my retirement home after moving back from Alaska.   Retirement is not easy for me - got to stay busy or go nuts!

EDMO

I think you need to get busier then! 

My wife makes sure I always have something to do - building plane is at the bottom of her long list...

EDMO

[1avidflyer 1983]

I was a construction superintendent for the last 20 years I worked, and was able to take a pension through the carpenter's union at 55.  December 1st it will be 9 years.  Best thing I ever did.  My job was very stressful, overseeing subcontractors is worse than herding cats and I'm naturally rather high strung so I probably would have tipped over  if I didn't get out when I did.  My son is now a supe for the same company I worked for (funny thing is my father got me in with them when he was a supe for them also) and he will tell me about some problem he's dealing with and I feel so relieved to not have to deal with all that stuff any more.  Lots more fun to build airplanes.  Which I should be doing right now......   Jim Chuk

[1avidflyer 1983]

Hi Ed, here are close up pics of my battery access hatches.  I'm thinking about camlock where the clecos are, but may just go with truss head machine screws going into nut plates.  Back hatch has a couple # 6 screws threaded into the tube there.  Only time it will probably be opened is when the battery is installed.  Front hatch has two clips that will lock over the front side of the opening.  Top clip is also touching the top longeron, so it can't go up.  Originally I was just going to have the opening be where the front hatch goes.  Welded in those pieces front and back of the opening to wrap the fabric around.  Tried putting the battery in using just that hole and it was pretty difficult.  I'll put an inspection hole ring on the opposite side just in case  a third hand is helpful as well. Hope that all makes sense.  Got the rest of the fabric on the plane today, next is tapes unless it gets put on hold for a while again.....  Jim Chuk

[EDMO 1078]

Thanks Jim,

Always helps to see how someone else is doing something.  Looks like progress at last.  My help is sick - hoping he gets better soon.

EDMO

[Emory Bored 61]

I was a construction superintendent for the last 20 years I worked, and was able to take a pension through the carpenter's union at 55.  December 1st it will be 9 years.  Best thing I ever did.  My job was very stressful, overseeing subcontractors is worse than herding cats and I'm naturally rather high strung so I probably would have tipped over  if I didn't get out when I did.  My son is now a supe for the same company I worked for (funny thing is my father got me in with them when he was a supe for them also) and he will tell me about some problem he's dealing with and I feel so relieved to not have to deal with all that stuff any more.  Lots more fun to build airplanes.  Which I should be doing right now......   Jim Chuk

Jim: you have a PM on this quote.  I was going to go public with it but I figured nobody but us would care eh?

Edited 22 Nov 2015 by Emory Bored
clarification

[allonsye 85]

RETIRED !!!  OMG, I went that route the first time in 1991 - Not voluntarily, my plant closed and my option was to retire or move to someplace that didn't really want me with possibility of losing pension.  Worked harder after that than I had worked for years.  Retired again in 2005 for the last time and completely rebuilt my retirement home after moving back from Alaska.   Retirement is not easy for me - got to stay busy or go nuts!

EDMO

I completely relate Ed.  The sad thing is no matter what we accomplish or earn, it all ends very badly - we won't escape alive.  As you say. Stay busy or go nuts.

[allonsye 85]

Hi Ed, here are close up pics of my battery access hatches.  .....  Jim Chuk

 

 

Love it Jim! Well done sir.    This not only aids w&b but what a cinch for batt access. I'm motioning towards the idea of camlocks for ease of opening/closing eg. hooking up a batt tender. 

[EDMO 1078]

Jim,  Have you used those metal latches before?  Will they vibrate and rub the fabric?  I am thinking about piano hinges...and a lock.

EDMO

[1avidflyer 1983]

No Ed, I haven't.  The cargo door has a piano hinge on the bottom.  I don't remember that the top of the door rubbed on the fabric enough to be a problem.  I think these will be fine. If not, I'll put some fasteners on the front of the door or something like that.  JIm Chuk

[EDMO 1078]

No Ed, I haven't.  The cargo door has a piano hinge on the bottom.  I don't remember that the top of the door rubbed on the fabric enough to be a problem.  I think these will be fine. If not, I'll put some fasteners on the front of the door or something like that.  JIm Chuk

I was thinking, that maybe you could rivet some small aluminum pads on the inside of the fuselage to keep these off of the fabric, or put some Gorilla tape on the fabric inside.

BTW:  I sent Fred a PM asking if I could get one of his scrap pieces of Oratex - I want to set up a long term experiment using the 3M hotmelt glue that is just like Stewarts except that it is clear.  I can buy that here a lot cheaper than Oratex glue.

EDMO

Edited 23 Nov 2015 by EDMO

[FredStork 453]

Ed, do you have the reference/link to the 3M hotmelt glue you mention? I have been searching but not finding it...

And in regards to experimenting with alternative products I strongly recommend to use the original Oratex hotmelt as reference. If we find stronger or as strong cheaper it is a win... 

Fred

[1avidflyer 1983]

Wow, its been almost 6 months since I updated this thread.  Well here is what I did today.  I'm going to shoot a red stripe down each side tomorrow and then the fuselage will be painted.  Jim Chuk

[1avidflyer 1983]

Stripes today.  Got a little bit of bleed under the tapes, knew I should shoot it first with white...... Jim Chuk

[EDMO 1078]

Ed, do you have the reference/link to the 3M hotmelt glue you mention? I have been searching but not finding it...

And in regards to experimenting with alternative products I strongly recommend to use the original Oratex hotmelt as reference. If we find stronger or as strong cheaper it is a win... 

Fred

Fred,  I just noticed your request about the 3M hotmelt glue from last November - Guess it got lost somewhere in back of my mind.  I will look for it.  I know I found both the green (like Stewarts) and the clear, but have to look at some of my reference books.  I agree with you, unless it is proven, then I will use what the manufacturer of the fabric says to use.   I will leave a note to look this weekend during storms/rain.  

Jim, You bird is looking good.  Mine still looks like a skeleton!    EDMO

Edited 6 May 2016 by EDMO

[akflyer 1427]

Looks good from here mr!  I had to do a little touch up work here and there with an airbrush on my stripes.. but after 7 yrs sitting outside it really doesn't matter on the paint any more.  I need to get it home and give it a good bath and see if I can get the chalk off of it.

 

 

[Emory Bored 61]

Start with a good marine washer/cleaner and a soft car wash brush and then top it off with Star Brite boat polish and wax.  You'll be amazed.  West Marine has it all.  When I got my trawler it had sat in Oakland CA marina for about 12 years without being touched.  It shown like a new penny when we were done.  

[1avidflyer 1983]

Well, time for an update.  Boy have I ever been shooting poly fiber stuff lately.  I've got bunches of empty cans kicked under the bench.  Got back to the Avid MK IV wings after getting sidetracked on the Kitfox 4 wings.  Shot the white finish coats on the wings today, still have the Pontiac red scallops to do.  I didn't recover the tailfeathers, I'm just going to wash them down with thinner and shoot another coat of white on them to clean them up.  Then I can roll up the plastic for my "spray booth" and clean up the spray gun.  Progress!  I'm anxious to get onto the instrument panel and engine and that stuff.  It just may fly this fall yet.  Flew the Kitfox 1 a bit last evening again.  JImChuk

[1avidflyer 1983]

More progress.... JImChuk

[EDMO 1078]

Jim,  I need to go to your "curved taping school" - I am impressed!  My first job at Chrysler was taping the cars for two-toned paint before I became a toolmaker.  I still have a hard time just getting tape on in a straight line on a curved surface.  Good Show!   EDMO

[RobS 52]

Looks great! You're like a one man assembly line cranking out wings!!

[1avidflyer 1983]

I don't have pics of this time taping the wing design, but have them from the last time I did it.  Rolled out some rosin paper on a couple of sheets of plywood that formed a 4'x16' table.  Made the pattern I wanted,  Cut along the lines, taped that into place on the wing where the color would be.  Laid tape along the edge of the rosin paper to make the design using the paper as a guide.  Then taped the masking paper to the tape on the wing.  One thing to always do, after all it taped off, double and triple check for anywhere the paint can blow through the masking paper.  Believe me, it will!  Then before you shoot the color coats, shoot a coat of the bottom color against the tape to seal any gaps so you end up with a clear line of paint with no weeping of the color coat under the tape.  If that happens, you will be the one weeping!  ;-)  JImChuk

[EDMO 1078]

Is cheap blue painter's tape all you used - We have spent $$$ for the "Best" tapes, and still had bad spots!~   EDMO

[1avidflyer 1983]

Lately I've been using lacquer thinner for the thinning agent on the poly fiber products.  It works just fine and is 1/5 the price of Poly fiber's thinner.  You can't use the blue tape with lacquer thinner.  Have to use the green 2060 tape, and don't leave it on any longer than you  have to.  Couple of days at most.  The blue tape did work with poly fiber system with their thinner just fine.   When I tried it with the lacquer, I had a devil of a time getting tape residue off the places where it was stuck on.  JimChuk

[RobS 52]

I like Jim's suggestion of shooting a coat of the bottom color against the tape to seal any gaps so you end up with a clear line of paint with no weeping of the color coat . . .