Kitfox 1 questions


312 posts in this topic

Posted

 

Well I'm caught up workin on stuff in my garage for a bit so since its 8:30 am and already 5 above I'm thinking a great day to install skis on #0021. Hahahaaaaa them do some taxin around the mine and c how fun it is.  I'm sure I'll b chomping at the bit to catch some air. 6" off the ground, for 10' and I'm sure I'll b good for awhile but don't think I'll get there. Hahahaaaaaa well if all goes good I'll post a pic later.  

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!!!! 

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Posted

Well got my ski's on and a few bushin made on the lath for the inside and outside of ski so nut would tighten up and take a cotter key. Looks awesome so today took her outside shop to taxi a bit and have some fun, went about 200' from shop, and found a dirty (F___in) rotten hardpack tire track after some soft snow/overflow while turnin around and broke the left front of ski right off.  Only the plastic on bottom holdin it together now. There is NO metal structure in those skis all made with fiberglass and very thin IMO.  Ill b takin them off and installin something eles.  Ruined my day but not givin up yet, mayb some landis skis.  Hahhaaaaaa well anyways MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!! 

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Posted

Well they mayb have had them rigged wrong from original owner, (i just reinstalled them rigged thier way) in the paperwork that came with plane versies the info that "tcj" listed in forms for SkyStar.  Ill have to compare notes to ight and c what i find. 

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Posted

Well really messed up here and i forgot the top cable from the top landingear mount to the top of the spring.  Max strech is 3"-3.5" and i had it streched to 12". So was WAY to much preload and a bad turn spot around mayb.  Hahhaaaaa so make sure u check your cables for your skis guys!!!! This could have been way bad!!!!

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Posted

Well at least you don't need to buy a new prop and tear down the engine to straighten the crank..... See, it could be worse :-).   Sorry you're done ski flying for a while.  JImChuk

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Posted (edited)

Cant believe Atlee Dodge didn't put some metal in there - Guess they were trying to keep it light weight - His stuff is usually strong and heavy.   I had his Bush Gear on my Maule, and it was super strong and heavy.   EDMO

Edited by EDMO

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Posted

My skis are NOT ATLEE DODGE SKI's. (Only the paperwork for riggin basics that i didnt follow)  They r stock 1980's-90's vintage SkyStar Skis.   And MY install of the ski's was reason ski broke NOT the ski or the ski makers fault.  

Buckly S. Largent  

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Posted (edited)

My skis are NOT ATLEE DODGE SKI's. (Only the paperwork for riggin basics that i didnt follow)  They r stock 1980's-90's vintage SkyStar Skis.   And MY install of the ski's was reason ski broke NOT the ski or the ski makers fault.  

Buckly S. Largent  

Yeh,  I couldn't see Dodge making something that light.   SkyStar, yes!  Well, at least you don't have any other damage.  EDMO

Edited by EDMO
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Posted

Well weather has warmed up some here, so got the plane intown playin with it taxin on the new skis ect.  Seams found out why my tiny tach dont seem to read right after chattin with manufacture yesturday. But didnt get to start her up and try so thats my plan today after a few hunny-do's. Hahhaaaaa 

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Posted

By any chance, do you have shielded plug wires - the TT probably wont work with them.  EDMO

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Posted

Well not sure on that havent looked to b honest.  But in callin manufacture they said to try wrapin red wire around plugwire 1 time then wrap redwire around black part of wiring where red wire comes out of 3 times and try.  So far looks to b workin right with just a startup and revs to 3500 with plane tied off to my durango. Hope to try more today after i resync carbs.  Problem i was having was seemed tach was reading WAY higher rpm than engine was running, but only above 3000.  Manufacture tech said to try that and if that not work its mayb because i have a 2B tiny tach and my plane has a 532 with points ign i may need an older model tiny tach.  

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Posted

Well not sure on that havent looked to b honest.  But in callin manufacture they said to try wrapin red wire around plugwire 1 time then wrap redwire around black part of wiring where red wire comes out of 3 times and try.  So far looks to b workin right with just a startup and revs to 3500 with plane tied off to my durango. Hope to try more today after i resync carbs.  Problem i was having was seemed tach was reading WAY higher rpm than engine was running, but only above 3000.  Manufacture tech said to try that and if that not work its mayb because i have a 2B tiny tach and my plane has a 532 with points ign i may need an older model tiny tach.  

Shouldn't your 532 be turning about 6000 static?  Maybe you didn't rev it that high while tied to your Durango?  EDMO

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Posted

No i just reved it up to around 3500 with tied to durango just to test it at moment. Ill test it farther without it tied down while i taxi up and down runway. 

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Posted

To know if your prop and engine are set up right, you should be able to turn between 6000- 6200 RPM static full throttle.  (tied off)  If you are under propped, (over revving) and fly it, you might burn up your engine.  JImChuk

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Posted

Cool great info to have Jim, Thanks.  I just havent tried to rev it up more than about 3500 yet since i resync the carbs. Had some cold weather, then snowed like hell for 3-4days got a good 14" in that time, and now its -26 again, airport here says we have had total of 74.8" of snow so far this winter, But anyways,  I will get to that soon i hope with some warmer weather and sunshine. 

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Posted

Well dont tell the wife, but i may have made a deal on 2 Pietenpol Air Campers.  One is still an unfinished kit that was started with all the wood fuse, wing ribs, and tail work done. And all paperwork/build prints,  Other one was a reg and flyin plane, that had been updated to a continental motor, but has been in storage for close to ten years and still looks pretty good and complete. It was used at one time to haul potatos from Delta Alaska to outlieing villages around there long ago the pass seat is built to haul cargo with a nice snap on cover for cockpit opening.  Hope to look at it again this weekend or middle of this comin week. Ill snap some pic also.  Oh and they belong to same buddy i bought my KF1 from. The complete one was sittin next to my kitfox when i bought it but wasnt for sale then.  Not sure what ill do with them if i end up with them yet.  Hahahahaaaaaa 

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Posted

Welcome to the club! 

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Posted (edited)

Lostman,  Is that latex house paint?  Roller and brush?  Looks good.  Is it as labor-intensive as I have read, or could a lazy old man do it?  EDMO

Edited by EDMO

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Posted

Well not part of that Pietenpol Club yet but looking good so far. And wife caught wind of me wantin to buy the planes, and so far im not sleepin in the garage.  Hahahaaaaaa 

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Posted

Lostman,  Is that latex house paint?  Roller and brush?  Looks good.  Is it as labor-intensive as I have read, or could a lazy old man do it?  EDMO

It is latex exterior grade paint. That hasn't been buffed out yet either so it's really nice when you do. Labor intensive?? NOT EVEN! I thought it was a very straight forward procedure and enjoyed it quite a lot. It was not brushed on, other than the first four coats to fill weave. I sprayed it with an HVLP gun after thinning properly. It shoots nice once you get to that point, it cleans up easily, sands great with 400 grit wet paper in between coats and buffs to a nice shine when you use a little buffing compound on a car buffer. It took me one day to do the fabric work and about two and a half to paint and have it ready to assemble. The great part is that I was able to assemble all the gear and center wing section the same night I painted since latex dries so quickly. I would probably normally wait to do that since there is still about a 48 hour cure time, but being careful and running out of time in Utah to work on it made me do it! 

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Posted (edited)

How many spray coats did you do?  Did you use a primer, or the same paint all the way?  Thanks for the info.  EDMO

Edited by EDMO

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I did use a latex primer that I had tinted as close to black as they could get it. After a lot of reading on the subject I decided it might block the sunlight to the fabric just a little better, but it depends on who you are talking too. I have around 3 spray coats over the brushed primer. They are all fairly light and the first two were just to fill in a tad bit more of the weave of the fabric. Last coat was slightly heavier to get a good flow pattern and have it all lay down together. There were a few areas that I ended up doing a fourth coat and the vertical stabilizer needs one more but I'm almost out of paint and have a couple patches to do on the center wing section from hangar damage over the years. I should have just enough to finish it all up next month...hopefully. 

I love how easy the latex is to work with, just thin it until it shoots well and doesn't run. Patching is stupid simple since it sticks to EVERYTHING better than just about any paint I've worked with. Nice part is clean up with water when you're finished. 

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Posted

Well as of yesturday i droped my 532 motor off at Darby' Performance and Machine, just to have it regasketed and internals checkout, figured the thing to do since i started having an antifreeze leak out the weep hole. Only 141hrs TT but she been sittin (course Leni had to kick me and remind me not to b stupid, Thanks Leni).   as much as i want to fly her its best to b safe than sorry.  Should have it back next week, so now doing other things to it. Just finished gas struts on my doors last night.  And oh ill tell u thats the best cheap upgrade so far. Thanks everyone for the info,pic's, and part#s on the gas struts! Here a few pic 

oh here a pic of one of the tundra tires i picked up for way to cheap. Thinkin about tryin to fit them on mine.  They r 25x11x4.  Have a few things to do to get them on and c if even worth the effort for these. Dics brake conv, and turn down a set of solid cessna axels from 1.50 to 1.25 on the lath. 

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Posted

Well after more thought on those tires on my plane..... Not going to do it, think ill just take the good advice of a friend and buy the Dresser tundra tires i c some of u have.   Guess the good deal isnt always a good deal. Hahahaaa

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Posted (edited)

Well after more thought on those tires on my plane..... Not going to do it, think ill just take the good advice of a friend and buy the Dresser tundra tires i c some of u have.   Guess the good deal isnt always a good deal. Hahahaaa

If those are J3 Cub tires and wheels, Grove makes a disk brake kit for them.  Not cheap tho!   Probably better to just buy tundra or other tires.   EDMO

Edited by EDMO
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