The 'What did you do in your workshop tonight?' thread

[Snoopy1]

Thanks snoopy. The pic is helpful. Really like your practice plane! I have been looking at the cadence plans to build a new one. Considering changing up the fuse construction quite a bit though and us a monocoque construction using carbon fiber and aramid honeycomb. Lighter than balsa and strong as heck. Have panels left over from the days gone of building full scale race boats. Been itching to do something a little difference that I don’t think has been done yet. Bold statement considering the innovation that has occurred in the pattern world (that I am just now scratching the surface).[/QUOTE

I've been doing some repair work on the cowl and cuff for my 35% Extra 300. I started by aligning all the cracks and using some thick CA and accelerator to glue them together. After that I used some glass cloth and resin to reinforce the back side of all the cracks. All I had was 1.5 ounce cloth, so there are several layers on each spot. I let the resin cure overnight, then trimmed off all the excess and then took a sanding drum to the outside of each crack to V it out a bit, followed by hand sanding them with some 150 to smooth it all out. I mixed some 30 minute epoxy with milled fiberglass to make a filler and filled everything. It's not the easiest sanding stuff in the world, but it's strong, doesn't get brittle, and it works great. I let that harden overnight and blocked it with 80 grit and then 150.

I meant to take them to work with me today and finish the bodywork and prime them, by I forgot.

View attachment 104383 View attachment 104384 View attachment 104385 View attachment 104386 View attachment 104387 View attachment 104388 View attachment 104389 View attachment 104390 View attachment 104391 View attachment 104392

Wow you really did do some damage to that cowl. I always find it difficult to repair cowls and as you said tough to sand and you are always waiting around for the epoxy to cure. . Plus when you are done it needs to be repainted again which in your case is not a big deal. Looking good that landing gear cuff needed quite some build up.

Wow you really did do some damage to that cowl. I always find it difficult to repair cowls and as you said tough to sand and you are always waiting around for the epoxy to cure. . Plus when you are done it needs to be repainted again which in your case is not a big deal. Looking good that landing gear cuff needed quite some build up.

 

[49dimes]

Hey Paul,

I'm sure you know this, but don't forget to wrap some shipping tape fairly tightly around your fuel tank to keep the engine pressure from splitting the tank at the seam. I've had it happen to me on a small YS63.

thanks David. Is that necessary even with the tettra tanks?

I too have had Sullivan and DuBro tanks split at their seams and leak. That's why I went to Tettra "Crank" tanks. They are specifically designed to hold crank case pressure. David still brings up a good point however. Even though the Tettra tanks wont split under pressure they do expand a bit and could crack or bust the fuselage in a tight fitting install. So wrapping them with reinforced packing tape would be beneficial in that regard.

 

[Jetpainter]

Wow you really did do some damage to that cowl. I always find it difficult to repair cowls and as you said tough to sand and you are always waiting around for the epoxy to cure. . Plus when you are done it needs to be repainted again which in your case is not a big deal. Looking good that landing gear cuff needed quite some build up.

A 30 pound airplane laying upside-down in a short bean field is not recommended for your cowling.

I have another cowl, but it's not split and the cowl ring is loose. Fixing this one was way easier.

 

[HRRC Flyer]

I too have had Sullivan and DuBro tanks split at their seams and leak. That's why I went to Tettra "Crank" tanks. They are specifically designed to hold crank case pressure. David still brings up a good point however. Even though the Tettra tanks wont split under pressure they do expand a bit and could crack or bust the fuselage in a tight fitting install. So wrapping them with reinforced packing tape would be beneficial in that regard.

Hey Kelly,

Thanks for helping me out with Paul's question. I have never had a Tetra tank so I was not able to help him. . . . . .

 

[49dimes]

Hey Kelly,

Thanks for helping me out with Paul's question. I have never had a Tetra tank so I was not able to help him. . . . . .

Your welcome David. Was not trying to steal your thunder but I actually gave Paul a Tettra tank to use. I then proceeded to go and wreck my van on the way back from the PO. Go figure .

 

[Alky6]

Your welcome David. Was not trying to steal your thunder but I actually gave Paul a Tettra tank to use. I then proceeded to go and wreck my van on the way back from the PO. Go figure .

Tank works, BTW! Thanks! Still think you got a raw deal on the accident... No good deed goes unpunished....

Fired up the YS late this afternoon. Sure do run nice. I think they vibrate more than a gasser at low RPM. No wonder they need a soft mount! Also, I noticed that it takes a loooong way on the carb to open enough to idle. Easy to kill that way, but have some end point work on the throttle servo to do to get it where I need it. Getting closer to a new-to-me maiden.

 

[Alky6]

I too have had Sullivan and DuBro tanks split at their seams and leak. That's why I went to Tettra "Crank" tanks. They are specifically designed to hold crank case pressure. David still brings up a good point however. Even though the Tettra tanks wont split under pressure they do expand a bit and could crack or bust the fuselage in a tight fitting install. So wrapping them with reinforced packing tape would be beneficial in that regard.

Thanks for the additional info, Kelly. Have plenty of room in the fuse, and after running it, the tank didn’t look like it deformed at all. Gonna roll with it as is and just strap her down. Will probably put some Velcro on to help keep things in place.

 

[49dimes]

Tank works, BTW! Thanks! Still think you got a raw deal on the accident... No good deed goes unpunished....

Fired up the YS late this afternoon. Sure do run nice. I think they vibrate more than a gasser at low RPM. No wonder they need a soft mount! Also, I noticed that it takes a loooong way on the carb to open enough to idle. Easy to kill that way, but have some end point work on the throttle servo to do to get it where I need it. Getting closer to a new-to-me maiden.

Congratulations . Just a note....... The manual gets you in the ball park with starting 1 1/2 turns out LSN 2 1/2 HSN. And even though it says LS needle it is still just an air bleed passage built into the throttle barrel. That's why the direction of the LS needle is opposite of the HS needle when leaning or richening. I edited my original post because I have been accused of " Ask him the time and he's going to tell you how the watch works first " . But if you want to know a neat way to adjust the engine PM me. It will probably let you close the throttle more for a start and allow a throttle cut mix of about 5% to shut off the engine.

 

[Snoopy1]

Congratulations . Just a note....... The manual gets you in the ball park with starting 1 1/2 turns out LSN 2 1/2 HSN. And even though it says LS needle it is still just an air bleed passage built into the throttle barrel. That's why the direction of the LS needle is opposite of the HS needle when leaning or richening. I edited my original post because I have been accused of " Ask him the time and he's going to tell you how the watch works first " . But if you want to know a neat way to adjust the engine PM me. It will probably let you close the throttle more for a start and allow a throttle cut mix of about 5% to shut off the engine.

I would like to know you do this neat way to adjust the engine, always time to learn something new.

 

[Alky6]

Congratulations . Just a note....... The manual gets you in the ball park with starting 1 1/2 turns out LSN 2 1/2 HSN. And even though it says LS needle it is still just an air bleed passage built into the throttle barrel. That's why the direction of the LS needle is opposite of the HS needle when leaning or richening. I edited my original post because I have been accused of " Ask him the time and he's going to tell you how the watch works first " . But if you want to know a neat way to adjust the engine PM me. It will probably let you close the throttle more for a start and allow a throttle cut mix of about 5% to shut off the engine.

seems that I subscribe to that theory as well! PM sent.