austflea Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 So this is the story right? The wing fittings are the only things stopping most wannabe builders starting a varieze. There are 2 options right? get hold of some from someone who has been sitting on them since Brock Manufacturing shut down. Or make your own. The first is the obvious answer, but is the second really that hard? Not having seen them I cannot comment, but lets face it. Even Rutan had to do them originally? SO it should be possible to get a manufacturing company to do a run of them if supplied with the appropriate drawings? Has any body tried to draw them in CAD? After doing some more research, I find that these mystical things of legend appear to give eze owners grief after a while what with corrosion etc. Is it possible to make them out of stainless or something? Sure there is a weight penalty, but the lets drop the electric retract mechanism or on board starter in stead? I am sure these questions have been thrown around time and again. Just thought I would drop it in the pot for thought once more. Regards Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMann Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 Take the drawing to a machine shop. Problem solved. If you have a set of 10 made, you'll have 9 sets for a long time. Quote T Mann - Loooong-EZ/20B Infinity R/G Chpts 18 Velocity/RG N951TM Mann's Airplane Factory We add rocket's to everything! 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. 9, 10, 14, 19, 20 Done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacGyver Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 Make the fittings out of 2024-T3 bare sheet, like the plans indicate. After abrading the surfaces that mate with glass structure like the plans also indicate, clean/etch with Alumiprep (or equivalent), and follow with Alodine (gold colored) or equivalent. Using stainless steel (Corrosion REsistant Steel , or "CRES" as we call it) can pose other corrosion problems, believe it or not. If not properly prepared for bonding, bad corrosion can occur along the bond surface. In addition, you'd have to select a CRES alloy for proper strenght (yield and ultimate), as well as one that is machinable and allows taper pins to be lapped in to fit adequately. Properly manufactured (materials, geometry, pin fit, etc.) and treated with Alodine, along with sealing along all moisture ingression paths (something that takes pictures and more time to describe), the as-designed fittings are fine. -Joe Person EAA Tech Counselor 4418 VariEze N79JN Bothell, WA (KPAE) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austflea Posted November 22, 2009 Author Share Posted November 22, 2009 Well that answers that all very nicely. Thanks so much for the clear straight answers it is so great to have a forum like this with professional help Cheers Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilbert drieux Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 Hello Patrick, I machined myself my own wing fittings 30 years ago, per plans. No difficulties. Stainless steel + Aluminium ? Will occure "electrical" corrosion ? I'm not certain; but pay attention . I fly my VE, with a Lyc O-235 + light starter + Gary Hertzler prop. All is ok. Gilbert. VE 1736 F-PMPZ @ LFPK (France). Regards. Quote Gilbert. VE 1736 F-PMPZ @ LFPK (France) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austflea Posted December 6, 2009 Author Share Posted December 6, 2009 Hi Gilbert Thanks for the input. It is always good to hear from people who have actually done it themselves. Glad to hear it has all gone well. I meant Stainless instead of Aluminium. As you say. The two metals together would not be a good setup. Cheers Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoopy Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Stainless against stainless will gaul without a liberal coating of anti-seize compound if that is what you were thinking....not a good situation. If I wanted to build a varieze from scratch I would look into using the Long-eze style wing mounting, or just build a Long.... I have spent a lot of time in a Varieze and love the performance per horsepower, but the Long-eze is more practical for a lot of reasons..... Quote Life is much too Important to be taken Seriously Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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