Phil Kriley's Progress

[Jon Matcho]

I removed the temp firewall, and the fuse sides did not move - the aft LG bulkhead maintained it's "bow". I guess flox is REALLY strong stuff!

You could try jigging square and warming the area up to around 100F. It might keep the new shape. Regardless, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

I have not taped any of the LG bulkheads as the plans did not call for any.

They actually do, implicitely: "The aft landing gear bulkhead is now installed in a similar fashion..." It is confusing, but per the Cozy FAQ #6.2, you DO need to tape the LG bulkheads.

 

Looks like a lot of reinforcing of this area will be done in Chapter 9.

There are also a lot of additional layups in Chapter 6 after LG bulkhead install to tie the upper and lower forward LG bulkheads together.

[Phil Kriley]

They actually do, implicitely: "The aft landing gear bulkhead is now installed in a similar fashion..."

 

I read that, but it was referring to F28, which only gets the bid tapes on the aft side. So where does the "similarity" begin/end?

 

It is confusing, but per the Cozy FAQ #6.2, you DO need to tape the LG bulkheads.

 

There are also a lot of additional layups in Chapter 6 after LG bulkhead install to tie the upper and lower forward LG bulkheads together.

Well shoot. Why wasn't this included as part of the updates to the plans? I thought I had ALL the previous corrections to the plans. Will I EVER get ALL of the past history read and committed to memory...? I keep hearing "stick to the plans and it will fly" but I'm only on Chapter 6 and have numerous "little things" that I'd have thought would have been corrected in the plans by now.

 

Thank goodness for all the help and support I've gotten from everyone!

[Jon Matcho]

I check the FAQ prior to each new chapter or major step within a chapter. I also check a couple builder's web sites or two. The plans are good, but there are a couple areas that can be confusing. This and the LWX/LWY stringers come to mind.

[Phil Kriley]

I check the FAQ prior to each new chapter or major step within a chapter. I also check a couple builder's web sites or two. The plans are good, but there are a couple areas that can be confusing. This and the LWX/LWY stringers come to mind.

You're right, of course. I read all of the newsletters, but there is just so MUCH info to read and remember - and I wasn't sure what sources were "official" and what was not.

 

I printed out the FAQ - 51 pages - and will read it all and review the info for each chapter as I go. And Waynes's site. And Marc's...and the plans...and

 

Yep - the info is out there - just gotta get used to reviewing it as I go.

[Jon Matcho]

...and I wasn't sure what sources were "official" and what was not.

That's a good point. The FAQ is unofficial, but its Q&As may be traceable to the designer in some places. Some answers come from the "collective" and so it's up to you to determine which sources to trust.

 

Yep - the info is out there - just gotta get used to reviewing it as I go.

You're doing fine!

[Phil Kriley]

The installation of all bulkheads is complete except that I have a few layups yet to do on the LG bulkheads. I started on the seatback brace and heat duct - all parts cut out with 2 layers of cloth on them. I made the hardpoints for the fuel valve and floxed them to the triangles, and made the aluminum fuel valve bracket.

 

I have a new appreciation for anyone who has actually completed one of these planes! Next time I look at a little metal bracket that was hand-made, I can appreciate the work that went into it! I think I have 3 hours in mine! LOL! Looks good, though, and no cracks. I traced the outline of the bracket onto paper, then cut it out and glued it to the aluminum. I put my jig saw upside-down in my vise, with the blade in backwards and made the cuts. Then I drilled the holes using my drill press. Then I used a router to cut a radius on a block of wood to use as a guide, then clamped the aluminum and wood in my vise and started hammering. At 11:25 pm my poor wife came downstairs to ask me what the hell I was doing! LOL!

 

So NEXT night, after I got the shape right with some more hammering, I used the Dremel with a brush-wheel to remove the paper template, then polished it with a buff-wheel.

 

I like the finished part, but jeez, what a lot of work. Have to take a 6-day break now due to other issues that need attention. Back to work on the plane Dec. 4!

[Wayne Hicks]

The designer did not always agree with the changes builders were making. Like the F28 placement, moving it from 5.9 to 6.25. I pointed that out to Nat. Even explained the rationale of why his dimensions and drawings were wrong. His answer? "I'm not changing it."

[Jon Matcho]

Interesting dilemma. I mounted mine at 6.25". What was Nat's rationale for keeping it at 5.9"?

[Phil Kriley]

Heat duct turned out so-so, and I'm dissappointed. It's not square, and is narrower than the seat back brace. I decided to use it anyway because it does not seem important. It and the brace are floxed and taped in place and I'm working on the fuselage bottom now. Down to my last 1/2 gallon of resin and last quart of slow hardener. That should be enough to get the bottom on, I think.

 

Santa brought me a Fwin Multimaster - what a great tool! I'mm looking for stuff to trim just because it's fun! LOL! I got a band saw too, but am having some trouble with it - can't get it to cut straight. Even with the miter guage the blde wants to creep outward - almost 1/4" in cutting a 2 inch piece of scrap. I'm going to re-check the guide adjustments and replace the blade...any other ideas?

[Phil Kriley]

I got a new band-saw blade from Delta, and now the saw cuts perfectly - the original blade was made incorrectly.

 

My MGS finally arrived Tuesday, and last night we attached the bottom to the tub! I got all the bid tapes on too, except for 2, and I'll do them later. Yeee haaa! Finally moving forward again!

 

While we were down, I built a hot-box out of styrofoam that fits over my worktable - it will be useful for post-curing. I ran the temp up over 110 degrees in testing. I also bought a compound miter saw with a laser on the blade - I think it will come in handy.

[Phil Kriley]

Chapter 6 is done, although I may yet go back and repair the heat duct - it's just butt-ugly because it does not line up with the seat back brace. I think I'll cut out the one side and flox in a new piece - shouldn't be too difficult. I wish I had made a new heat duct in the first place.

 

Another mistake I made was that I centered the bid tapes over the joint, rather than centering them over the quarter stock, so I made new bid tapes to cover the upper part of the quarter stock - looks good!

 

Now on to Chapter 7! Looks like a difficult chapter!

[Jon Matcho]

Congrats Phil... don't be shy about posting pics, even of your not-so-desireable "modifications".

 

I'm now in catch-up mode w/you.

[Phil Kriley]

We got those pesky little pieces of plywood floxed in this weekend, and have the foam in place for the NACA scoop. Had our first exotherm! We used too much (7/8) fast hardener and before I knew it there was a hard lump in the pot of flox. I took it out as soon as I realized what it was, and tried to stir the remainder so that it might cool, but it didn't matter - it started to bubble and then harden so I took it outside in case it decided to burn.

 

I'm looking at all that foam that has to be removed to make the bottom flat around the NACA scoop - what are the alternatives to sanding it to shape? Do folks start out by carving and then finish with the sanding block?

[Phil Kriley]

Congrats Phil... don't be shy about posting pics, even of your not-so-desireable "modifications".

 

I'm now in catch-up mode w/you.

Hi Jon - finally got around to taking some pix and getting them on my 'puter. The first one is my "oops" with the heat duct that I will repair. We finished the glassing of the NACA scoop last night - it looks really good. We used scrap pieces of foam to make "wedges" to hold the glass cloth tightly into the corners of the scoop. I cut two wedges to the shape of the scoop, then removed 3/8" all around with the band saw - that way they fit inside the pieces of scrap holding the sides in place. Now on to contouring...

[Jon Matcho]

We finished the glassing of the NACA scoop last night - it looks really good.

Yes, looking good, but now I'm really jealous because you're now a "we". Who's helping you?!

[Phil Kriley]

Yes, looking good, but now I'm really jealous because you're now a "we". Who's helping you?!

My 15-year-old son - and he has REALLY been a big help. We're having a lot of fun working together!

[Marc Zeitlin]

My 15-year-old son - and he has REALLY been a big help. We're having a lot of fun working together!

While he's having fun, he should protect himself by wearing long sleeve shirts and better gloves (if those aren't nitrile - NO latex). He should also be wearing organic vapor masks during layups, unless you've got VERY good ventilation and air turnover.

 

I assume you'd like him to make it well past 15, or at least if he doesn't, have it be YOU that does the taking out, not the epoxy :-).

[Phil Kriley]

While he's having fun, he should protect himself by wearing long sleeve shirts and better gloves (if those aren't nitrile - NO latex). He should also be wearing organic vapor masks during layups, unless you've got VERY good ventilation and air turnover.

 

I assume you'd like him to make it well past 15, or at least if he doesn't, have it be YOU that does the taking out, not the epoxy :-).

He is wearing nitrile gloves - I'll talk him into long sleeves.

 

Organic vapor masks? I didn't realize that was needed with MGS, since there is no smell. And no - our ventilation is just about nil because of the cold. I thought that we were OK because of using the "odorless" MSG.

 

Apparently I need to take a look at the warning lables... Thanks for the warnings, Marc. Burt and Mike aren't wearing any breathing apparatus in their video...

[Marc Zeitlin]

Organic vapor masks? I didn't realize that was needed with MGS, since there is no smell. And no - our ventilation is just about nil because of the cold. I thought that we were OK because of using the "odorless" MSG.

While MGS is better than some of the other epoxies, smell and danger are not necessarily correlated. There ARE organic vapors, and with NO ventilation, you should be wearing OV masks on any reasonably long layups and should change the filters regularly.

 

Will you have problems if you don't? Probably not - most folks don't. But protecting yourself from a systemic allergic reaction is important - you don't want to be one of the few that gets one.

 

Burt and Mike aren't wearing any breathing apparatus in their video...

Yeah, well, you don't want to use either one of those guys as poster children for safety concerns. Mike does stuff with epoxy and acetone that makes me cringe, and I've told him so :-). They've been lucky. Others have not been, and have had to stop building because of it, or worse, have had severe medical issues.

[Jon Matcho]

Good advice Marc -- I'll have to remember that (again) myself.

 

Phil, very cool to get your son involved. My daughters have been a tough sell so far.

[Phil Kriley]

I've had hives for the last month or so - I just figured it was from stress at work...gonna have to give this some serious consideration. I know not to touch the stuff - I get a nasty rash whenever I get some on my skin - but I was not aware that the fumes could be causing problems for me.

 

Thanks guys! But if I have to wear a repirator, then that will be the end of the project, I'm afraid. Even a dust mask makes me sweat so bad that it's just plain intollerable. I tried a dust mask the other day with goggles because I was sanding the NACA scoop, and within a few minutes the goggles were completely fogged over. I took them off, and within a short time my glasses were fogged over as well - not to mention the fact that the dust mask put the line in my bifocals right in the middle of my vision...what a royal pain. So I sanded as carefully as I could to minimize the dust.

 

If I can't find a workable solution, I will have to stop.

[Jon Matcho]

Put a fan in the window (or somewhere) and turn it up when you're mixing epoxy (and curing). Of course be sure the fan is pulling the air outside and not into your house.

 

For dust, you'll have to find a good mask that works for you. No sense breathing in any sort of dust, no matter how inert it is.

[dpaton]

I've had hives for the last month or so - I just figured it was from stress at work...gonna have to give this some serious consideration. I know not to touch the stuff - I get a nasty rash whenever I get some on my skin - but I was not aware that the fumes could be causing problems for me.

Phil, I hate to tell you this, but you may end up with worse problems. I had the same symptoms 12 years ago. A year later I was in full-on bunny suit terratory. Epoxy sensitivity isn't something to be taken lightly. Ask the Cozy Girrls too...IIRC, one of them has the same problem I do, though not quite to my extreme. Hopefully if you nip this in the bud early you won't end up like me

 

First thing's first, take a break. Give your body a week or three off from the dust and the fumes. Then do like Jon said and make sure you have LOTS of ventilation when you're working. Leave as many doors and windows open as you can, get plenty of fresh air, and try not to breathe when your face is over the pot of goo.

 

Also give a look to the forced air dust systems. They blow filtered air inside the mask, and actually help keep you cool. I sweat profusely in my twin-can respirator too, but the forced air mask is a dream. Plus, it's a full face mask, so my glasses never fog, thanks to the moving air.

 

The fumes are actually worse for you than direct contact, as the chemicals are absorbed MUCH faster, and much more completely, through the mucous membranes in your lungs than they are through your much less porous skin.

 

-dave

[Kent Ashton]

Ever notice those little Lawrence Welk champagne bubbles float out of your MGS when you're mixing the stuff. They scare the heck out of me. Anyway . . .

In addition to ventilating your work-space, keep some white vinegar around to clean off any epoxy you get on you. MGS began to give me a rash and it would make my fingers peel--ugly! It resolved after I started double-gloving (Latex over nitrile) and became very careful about keeping it off me (and duck the bubbles). Before you give up on the project you might switch to EZ-poxy. I've never had a problem with that. Gary Hunter says that switching will sometimes help.

 

Are you using that wooden balance scale in the picture with your son? You ought to get a 500G X .1g postal scale; I bet you're handling the hardener and resin more than necessary. Good luck.

[Phil Kriley]

Ever notice those little Lawrence Welk champagne bubbles float out of your MGS when you're mixing the stuff.

 

Actually, no, I have not noticed any bubbles when I mix.

 

They scare the heck out of me. Anyway . . .

In addition to ventilating your work-space, keep some white vinegar around to clean off any epoxy you get on you. MGS began to give me a rash and it would make my fingers peel--ugly! It resolved after I started double-gloving (Latex over nitrile) and became very careful about keeping it off me (and duck the bubbles). Before you give up on the project you might switch to EZ-poxy. I've never had a problem with that. Gary Hunter says that switching will sometimes help.

 

Are you using that wooden balance scale in the picture with your son? You ought to get a 500G X .1g postal scale; I bet you're handling the hardener and resin more than necessary. Good luck.

Yes, I am using the balance scale, and it works great. I fail to see how I'd handle the stuff less using a scale...? I wet out the hardener cup, then balance the empty resin cup and the hardener cup. Then I pour in as much resin into the resin cup as I intend to make, and then pump slow hardener into the hardner cup until the scale just starts to move. Then I switch to the fast hardener and squirt into the hardener cup until the scale is balanced. This gives me a mixture that cures in a reasonable amount of time and yet is very easy to wet out and work with.

 

The only exotherm we've had was because we started with fast hardener and finished out the balancing act with slow...OOPS!

 

I think my hives are due to the Lamisil prescription I am on. Nevertheless, I installed an exhaust fan last evening.

 

I appreciate all the feedback - positive and negative! Keep it coming!