John Slade

That was a joke, right?

This was one of those "nowhere days". I worked hard but got nowhere. There are a lot of days like this when building an airplane. I picked up the fitting I needed, then headed for the airport. Unfortunately a tanker had overturned on 95 and I got stuck in the traffic. I finally reached the hangar at 11:30am. I installed the remote oil filter hoses and was able to shorten one of them by 4 inches to make it neater, out of the way and less weight. I remade the throttle cable bracket [twice] and fiddled with the compressor / throttle body interface a bit more. After a while I got frustrated with this and went home to cut the lawn. At least with the lawn you can see the results of your efforts. Total time 6 hrs. 4 at the hangar. Early start tomorrow with renewed motivation. Tomorrow's plan Finalize TB / throttle cable Wire oil temp / oil pressure / EGT / CHT gauge

Try this http://rotaryresources.com/

I was just reacting to Chris's comment. I'm not sure what fired him off.

Nope. I'm probably the roughest user of tools on the planet. I cleaned it twice or three times, usually after it had been left idle for a while. I left the tops off many times. I overheated it (too big a bulb - got to about 140f), I've left it off (cold) for months, then started using it again without problems. As Chris said, I think it's like airplane accidents. The uninitiated read about one, and they extrapolate this to include all airplanes. Same with pumps and house air conditioners. There's a better than average chance that they'll serve you well for years without a problem. Mine failed last week. Does the failure rate of house AC units make me want to cool my house with a bunch of fridges with the door open? Nope. Having said that, I can imagine that the hole at the bottom of the jug is a bit fragile - so dont lift the pump by the jug. Not that I really treated it very gently. Joe - you sound like a gentle kind of person. Your pump will be fine.

>I'll save some startup money with a scale The epoxy pump is probably the second most used tool during the entire project. (The first is my belt sander belt on a piece of plywood). IMHO its the wrong place to save a few $ during start-up. Chris: I know EXACTLY what you mean and often wondered if this bothered anyone else. The one that gets me the most is "remember - the lives of you, your family and friends are dependant on this" Well... Duh! Another one is "Be careful out there!". Both comments infer that you're stupid and don't care about the lives of you're loved ones. I'm offended every time I read this [insert Jim's favorite word].End of rant.

Ouch! Three weeks left. Better get movin! I snuck down to the hangar for a couple of hours this morning and actually got a few things done. I figured out exactly what fittings I need to clean up the remote oil filter plumbing. Looking at the installed AC compressor I decided I could adjust it about 1/8 inch lower to get a bit of clearance below the throttle body. While doing this I also changed the "missing corner" screw on the throttle body. I'd drilled and tapped the intake, but wasnt happy with the thread. I cut the edge off an AN4 bolt and pushed it through the hole from inside the intake, secured with a little JB weld. Not wanting to follow someones footsteps and have a loose piece of intake eaten by the rotor seals, I drilled the end of the bolt for safety wire. I spent an hour or so tidying up the pipes, cables and wires at the top of the engine. The afternoon was spent rewiring the patio [now called the Florida room] and preparing for hanging the ceiling. There was a nostalgic moment when I cut down the hose pipes that had been used to hold the wings and canard. Home chores done, I'll be back to the plane full speed in the am.

>How did it move? Must be the aircraft building gremlins. They hang out in Virginia (at Waynes hangar) a lot, but are usually vacationing in Florida this time of year. If they're in a bad mood (often when cold) they move stuff to the wrong position during the overnight cure. When they're happy (when warm) they fix things you screwed up. Be nice to the gremlins. Keep the shop warm and leave them milk and cookies and they'll be nice to you.

My "sticky stuff" pump is a few days short of 5 years old. It HAS NEVER LEAKED. I trust it totally. You'd have to kill me to get it out of my cold sticky hands. But then, that's just my opinion.....

One thing to consider is the engine type. Most 13B flyers are using the 2nd generation '86 - '92 model because its easy to find and inexpensive. I managed to get my hands on a 3rd gen '94 model which is somewhat improved with larger oil galleries and intake ports. Bulent Alieve has a Cosmo engine which has even larger ports. There was a complete Cosmo on ebay going for $1800 the other day. Lastly, there's the Renesis which can be had for a few more thousand. Given that you're going to spend many hours and many $ configuring the engine for the airplane, building or buying the mount, adapting periferals and fabricating intake, exhaust, cooling and oil systems it makes sense to go for the best base engine you can get. Another angle to consider is that you're replacing a $10k - $20k+ investment (Lyc360) with a 13B, so perhaps a $100 breakers yard special isnt a good place to start. Put another way. A new prop will cost you around $2k or more. I think it's reasonable to budget more on the engine than you do on the prop. I've probably spent close to that just on AN fittings. If it were me, I'd get on with the plane while keeping a lookout for a bent RX8, or better yet - save up and [when you're airframe is ready] get a new aviation modified Renesis from Bruce Turrentine.

Two steps forward, three back. I finished off the compressor installation, checked the pully alignment and added the belt and belt torsion wheel, then Paul arrived for his inspection (and hangar rent). He suggested I add safety wire to prevent the heat shroud moving backwards into the prop. Good idea. I added safety wires both top and bottom. I'm gradually working my way around the engine checking tightness, adding hose clamps and rerouting wires & cables as needed. I came to the remote oil filter pad and remembered that the hoses here have to be reorganized to avoid impacting the cowl and blocking the airflow out of the left cowl exit. I removed the oil filter pad and experimented with spare fittings until I knew what was needed - a 3/8 npt > dash 8 90 which I don't have. This will lower one of the hoses an inch and allow me to route it out of the way. Looks like I need another trip to the hose shop. While there I'll look for an AC dryer unit so I can figure out the connections from the compressor to the condensor. Plan for tomorrow Short day - maybe a bit more wiring if I get a chance. Make bracket for overflow bottle Plan for Monday get 3/8 npt > dash 8 90 from hose shop Get AC dryer unit and connections from breakers yard

I'm here to tell you that an MX3 compressor CAN be installed on an RX7 engine. I have also learned that there are quite large parts of compressors and throttle bodys that you simply don't need. I arrived at the hangar early, and took some recharged batteries with me for the camera. As I was heading for the camera I spotted the portable CD player I'd recently bought for the plane. Hmmm. I put batteries in it and decided to divert for a while and hook it into the intercom. I installed a plug in the Passenger map compartment and fed it into the intercom aux input along with the voice annunciation system. Now, a small confession. I allowed myself 10 minutes of self indulgence. I turned on the CD player, closed the canopy, sat back in my leather seats and enjoyed John Denver's "Dreamland Express" followed by "Sunshine on my Shoulders". I've always enjoyed JD's songs, and I feel a special affinity with them now I'm about to fly a canard. I think I'll call my bird Dreamland Express. Fits, don't you think. Anyway, I digress. I wrenched myself away from the music and made a new bracket for the turbo shroud. After some adjustment I got a good fit with the cowl and moved on. I spent most of the day battling with the AC compressor. First I removed the studs and replaced them with bolts. This way I could slide the compressor in place already attached to its bracket, since one of the bolts can't be reached once its installed. The big problem was how to attach the freon output pipe which sits right at the corner of the throttle body. I hacked off the corner of the throttle body. No more problem After 9 hours at the hangar I left with the throttle body and compressor installed. I'll need to futz with them some more in the morning, and the AC fittings need drilling and tapping for AN fittings, plus a bit of welding where I hacked of the aluminum pipes, but I was dreading this job and its well on the way. By Monday I should be able to start installing the lower cowl - no mean feat. Tomorrow's Plan Work on compressor

Actually I'd be willing to bet that the comment "goes bye bye" was a "slip of the keyboard" and was not intended in the way it was taken. Just a bad choice of words in an unforgiving medium, is all. I hope so. Surely no-one truely wishes Nat, or anyone else in this community, any harm. Just my 2c.

Jon, I've noticed that the QUOTE function adds a lot of white space around the quote. I've been getting around it using the >, and others are using the bold function. When you have a spare minute, could the quote function be easily adjusted to be less of a space hog? A minor point, but one for you're non urgent list perhaps?

>uh... guys? Maybe you should make that point without pictures attached to your ID's Yea. I enjoyed that one. >It seems most of you guys are brilliant with Math, or computers, Don't bet on it. We're all struggling to learn something, if only humility.

I decided it would be a good idea to put the alternator idiot light on the panel next to the alternator overvoltage breaker. I've got the LED thing down to a fine art now. Drill a hole a push fit size for the LED body, grab an LED and a resistor, solder it all together, wire it up, shrink wrap and stuff it in the hole. Bingo - an LED alternator warning light. Bulent turned up with coffee & donuts around 10am. and we compared notes for an hour or so. I asked him if he thinks I'll get this baby airborne in 25 days. His quick one-word answer: "Nope". Buly held the wrench at the firewall while I climbed in the back and swapped over the vac and H2O pipes for better routing, then tightened up all the firewall fittings. I think he left a bit overwhelmed at all the work he hasn't done yet. We jiggled with the AC Compressor trying to check which way it's supposed to turn. Apparantly the large port sucks and the small one blows. Aint that always the way. There's no fluid in my compressor now, so its impossible to tell. I also got a PM pointing out that some compressor's go on and off, and some don't. I replied that this will be a case of "suck it and see". I'll worry about getting the AC working properly after the bird has flown, before the summer sets in, and before the wife gets in. I held off on the tach wires because I have a few more wires for CHT/EGT/Oil temp/Oil Press to run, and might as well do these at the same time. As far as I can figure this is THE LAST OF THE WIRES! I drilled the heat shroud for the air/fuel sensor and managed to install the sensor from inside the shroud with the wire and part of the body sticking out of the hole. Next I tightened up the bolts and bracket holding the heat shield / shroud and tried the cowling fit. No good. I got it on, but with the lower cowl in place it would be impossible. The fit is too tight. Something is going to have to be adjusted. Either the cowl, the bracket or both. This goes on tomorrows list. total time - 5 hrs. Plan for tomorrow Route tach, CHT/EGT/Oil temp/Oil Press wires to engine "adjust" cowl opening / shroud bracket for better cowl fit mess with the compressor some more

Especially when hit by lightning!

I'd second the 42" unless you're 6 feet tall or better.

Very nice, Jon, but if I understand his message correctly, I think Evan's point is that you just effectively banned all deployed servicemen and women from the forum. That issue alone would be enough for me to leave the pictures off. My son-in-law leaves for Iraq today, as do many others. Maybe this is one we should have a vote on John

This chapter is a massive step forward. So far you've made flat bulkheads and relativly flat fuselage sides. Just a bunch of bits that don't look anything like an airplane. Now you get to stick them all together. All you're 2 dimensional parts suddenly become a 3 dimentional "boat". The best tip I can give on this chapter is to read the plans VERY carefully. All the info you need is there. Cut the cloth for the botom oversize. It's amazing how it seems to get shorter when you lay it down. Make sure everything is level and properly oriented. Measure twice and stick once, but don't sweat that last 1/100th of an inch. I found that twisting a cord between the sides helped pull everything together nicely. After cure, sit in the "cockpit" with the significant other and take the obligatory picture.

Quite a productive day. I installed the new vacuum fitting, but there was a problem. This is the sort of stuff you trip over when you're not very experienced at this. There's just too much to get you're head around and you (at least I) miss little details that bite. The smog pump adapter plate is a 1/2 NPT and the regulator is 3/8 NPT. The adapter I got was a 3/8 > 3/8 90 degree with a 1/2npt adapter bushing. Are you with me so far? When I assembled everything the regulator was an inch too high because of the fittings. I scraped the original aluminum adapter, made a new one with a 3/8 NPT so I didnt need the bushing, and had it tapped deep to lower the fitting as much as possible. I finished wiring the smog pump to it's switch, fuse and ground. Now I have a completed vacuum system and the cowl still fits. I installed my union washer and tightened up the turbo water outlet. This led me to installing a connector hose and hose clamps to the turbo air outlet. I "adjusted" the stainless shroud with the dremel and, while I was cutting stainless, I cut a square to cover the hole in my firewall where the heat duct used to be. This was installed with JB weld, and while I was down there I modified the fuel vents to point forward a bit more and JB welded the vent covers in place. I tested the AC switch and checked the draw. The AC switch now activates the condensor fan and the compressor clutch, plus lights a blue LED on the panel. While I was installing the wiring I noticed a spot for my Tiny Tach rpm gauge. It fits nicely on the lower center console, now that the console is properly screwed down. The tach is directly in front of the throttle. Perfect. I screwed the tiny tach in place. I spent some time fiddling with the AC compressor trying to figure out how to get the clearance needed for the fittings. I think I have a solution which I'll describe in detail if it works. The AC compressor is the last major item to be done under the cowl other than the turbo air pipes. I didn't get to the alternator warning light. Total time - 9 hrs. Tomorrow's plan (which I've started printing out and taking with me) Bulent is paying a visit to pick up a 2nd gen oil cooler I dont need Alternator warning light Route tiny tach wires to engine AC Compressor Drill heat shroud for air/fuel sensor access Swap AC and Vac pipes for better routing Tighten hose fittings behind firewall using Buly as slave

>I don't want to tear down all the drywall....if I don't have to There are companies that will fill the space with expanding foam through a small hole. This might be a solution for you. A search of the database here and the Cozy list archives (use Rick Maddy's search engine) will give you all the discussion on heaters you can handle. Bottom line seems to be that you need lots of ventilation.

I agree with Evan here, Jon. I'd hate to cut off the military types while they're on deployment, plus certain of us are still "bandwidth challenged". If I want to see a picture I'm happy to click on the link.

Welcome to the fun, Tim, >what temp does it have to be for the epoxy? Keep the epoxy in an old fridge with a light bulb to get the temp up to 110/115f. >I'm building in my unheated garage, will this be a problem? Yes. The ambiant temp (and the temp of the part) need to be at LEAST 65f, ideally 75f. You can do it at lower, but you'll use much more epoxy and the part will be heavy. Using a hair drier you'll be able to get "close" to warmer work, but its a lot of effort. Dont try a big layup with low temps. >what ratio of fast and slow hardner should i use? Directly related to ambient temp. If you use all slow and the cure temp is, say, 65f it might take 3 days to fully cure. If you use all fast and its 80f you'll be lucky to get it out of the pot before it exotherms. At a temp of 70f I'd recommend startign with 50/50. You'll learn what adjustments to make. Obviously if you need more time, like for a big layup with lots of plies, then use more slow. >Is the sticky pump easily adjusted for the correct ratio used by MGS? You have to order the right one, or an adjustable one and calibrate it using a scale. My sticky stuff pump is preset at the correct ratio for MGS. Check the ratio of the pump against what it says on the MGS bottle before filling it. Make sure the "by volume" ratio is correct. When calibrating with scales, use the "by weight" ratio. >what do most of y'all do, make copies of the plans for templates or >cut out the origional? I used the originals. If I build another plane I'll buy another set of plans. Might be a good idea to make copies first for reference. See the Cozy list archives for years of dicussion on photocopies errors. Nat recommends tracing on a light table. Cutting the originals was the easiest way for me. >and lastly any builders in the DFW area out there? I think there are. Check the Cozy list and CSA database. Don't know what CSA is? Central States Association. This is essential information. Can't find the link right now, but it's in this database somewhere. Search for CSA and you'll find it.

Did I say the cowl was almost ready for primer? I should know better. Nothing is ready for primer until the paint's in the gun, and often not even then. I worked on the cowl for an hour or so getting it closer, but not quite there. Next I worked on the exhaust. I cut it off to about 2.5 inches short of the end of the stainless shroud and installed the EGT sensor. My exhaust pipe is now a total of 7 inches long. I cut into the end of the pipe about 1/2 inch in four places and bent the ends of the pipe to create a bit of a swirl effect. I started work on the smog pump wiring, but ran out of time. I did identify an unused switch, kinda. The AC fan was on a seperate switch. I'll run it on the same switch as the compressor and use this for the vacuum. Can't see any reason why I'd need to turn off the vacuum, but I dont like the idea of hot wiring it to the battery switch, so it gets a switch and a seperate fuse. I tested the pump clutch and found that it wants 2.3 amps to stay closed. Seems like a waste of amps, but I'll live with it for now. Now I have 1 spare fuse. I also spent some time checking circuites on the voice system and cleaning up the wiring at the firewall, rerouting some wires and connecting the air/temp sensor. I'll finish this wiring in the am. I paid a visit to a guy who has a complete panel from an old Cessna twin he wants to sell. My thought was that maybe I'd be able to pick up some cheap nav/com gear. The panel was from a '64 model, mostly original and 24v with some items running 115v. Too big, too heavy and too complex. Its not worth having a rec 1a between panel rev 1 and 2. I'll get a handheld GPS until I can afford rev2, and I'll be just fine. I got my parts from the hose shop, then stopped into the neigboring breakers yard. The MX3 compressor I already have seems small compared to almost all the ones I looked at. There's a small Saturn that has something that seems smaller, but after an hour wandering around the yard, I decided to have another shot at fitting what I've got. I did get a nice square overflow bottle from a small Toyota. total time - 7.5 hours (4 at the hangar) Tomorrows plan Install vacuum fitting & hose Install turbo union washer Finish wiring smog pump wire alternator idiot light work on fitting compressor adjust stainless shroud length slightly