Kent Ashton

It doesn't take many tools to get started. A good flat work table is probably job #1. I find a bandsaw pretty helpful and some sort of drill press. I dispense epoxy with a postal scale and a spreadsheet. If you are serious about finishing what you start, you will need to order the parts you can't build from the cozygirrls, Eznoselift, Aerocomposites (gear struts). They often get behind and will keep you waiting. It really saps my enthusiasm when I have to wait on materials. You might find a project that will save you a lot of time and money on my "Sales I've seen" thread. Anything listed in the last year could still be available and they are usually good value. https://www.canardzone.com/forums/topic/21972-sales-ive-seen/

Last I heard, Jon Matcho, who owns this site, also owns Quickheads. You might try to PM him

I just mentioned it to my NASCAR-painting neighbor. He knew all about it but he uses glazing compound

Check out the Open-EZ on this website. It is an achievable dream. Costs nothing to download the plans and builder's manual.

Today's Barnstormers: RUTAN VARIEZE • $20,000 • AVAILABLE FOR SALE • Rutan Varieze...ready to fly away...your very own mini Thunderbird. Current condition inspection done by The Jet Guys in Covington TN. Overhauled carb on condition inspection. Wood prop. 707 hours on the airframe, Continental O-200 engine, TSMOH 405.5, VFR, Bendix King KY 97A, No ADS-B, Has the upgraded front wheel fork from Nate Mullins 3:23. Has electric start and wheel pants. 7/10 on paint and 6/10 on interior. 773 basic empty weight • Contact Jonathan Lundberg , Friend of Owner - located Eagleville, TN United States • Telephone: 5027449537 • Posted December 12, 2020

Seen on FB. Poster lives in Cleveland TN. Couple of things: The Matco brakes should be mounted so the bleeder is at the bottom. I suppose the bleeder fitting could be swapped to the other end. It is a whole lot easier to service things in the armrests if they are made removable. Also make the seat removable. On the whole, it looks a little crude

I always get a run or two in my paint job but I never developed a great way to sand them out. One time I had a run so bad that I wiped off the wet paint with a lacquer thinner-soaked rag and started all over. I usually don't screw up that bad but even a good paint job will have a run now and then. I saw a great idea for sanding out runs on a site called Trev's Blog. Here is his video https://youtu.be/ySje2CcPZVA but I can explain the idea here: Normally, when you try to sand out a run, the sandpaper or sanding tool sands into the good paint on either side of the run (#2) and exposes the primer so now you have to respray. Trev's idea is to apply body filler over the run (#3) feathering out the edge of the body filler. As you sand down the body-filler & run, the filler supports the sandpaper and keeps you from sanding through the good paint on either side of the run. Gradually, you will expose the run (#4) and work the run and the body filler flat. The body filler will get thinner and thinner until it becomes translucent and the run will become virtually flat. He suggests starting with 320 grit and going finer grades. I am looking forward to trying this on some old runs on the Cozy. Let the paint harden up before trying this. Trev is mostly into body metal work but he has some great tips. He is a very entertaining fellow.

I painted two airplanes in my driveway with good results. I usually pick a Fall day when calm winds are forecast, get it all taped and prepped the day before and then get up early in the morning before the wind picks up and spray it. Hang around for an hour with tweezers to pick out the occasional bug until the paint hardens off a bit. I do not see much dust and only one or two bugs. I have tried to make a spray booth in my garage before but it was such a mess I only did that once--much easier outside if the weather permits. It helps to have painted a car or two first. There is a learning curve.

A gallon. You might only need 3/4 but a gallon is as cheap. I have used Axalta’s Nason brand 2K polyurethane in Frost White. It is a stock color and a little cheaper but good quality. Any polyurethane will do. The expensive ones like Imron are better but really deserve a professional painter— too expensive to screw up.

Another today: No pics, no price LONG EZE UNFINISHED PROJECT • FOR SALE BY BUILDER • Structural sections built by an A&P. No engine/instruments. text to phone only. KFXE • Contact Gary Hall , Owner - located N. Lauderdale, FL United States • Telephone: 954-979-9494 • Posted December 8, 2020

This E-racer today on Barnstormers: More pics in the ad. E-RACER PROJECT • $11,500 • PROJECT FOR SALE • E-Racer project for sale. Canard complete, wings need winglets attached (included. I have most of the RG gear pieces as well. Fuselage has bulkheads installed and nose gear. Spar had not been drilled for wings or installed. Factory strakes and cowlings included. Lots here. no engine Text if interested. • Contact Martin Skiby , Owner - located Bakersfield, CA United States • Telephone: 661-340-0575 • 661-393-5418 • Posted December 7, 2020

Ha! I was flying a Phantom in those days but I've upgraded to a Cozy IV in North Carolina. I really enjoyed my couple of years in the Eifel and going to the winefests. It's a beautiful part of Germany. I just read an article in the Wall Street Journal a few days ago about Americans buying small wineries along the Mosel. I don't think they know how steep those vineyards are! https://www.wsj.com/articles/germanys-moselle-region-is-ripe-with-deals-on-vineyard-estates-11607020526 The Kiebitz is a nice looking airplane https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platzer_Kiebitz

Hello Stephan. I used to fly out of Spangdahlem and flew by your airport occasionally. The Mosel was always interesting. That’s a Bucher, right? I always liked that design.

Spanwise grooves— sounds like a jazz ensemble. The templates need to be very smooth. File or sand the edges smooth. Scrap Formica makes pretty good templates. If the wire stutters or hangs on the edges, it burns a little deeper into the foam. The wire will usually be hot initially, then cool off after an inch or two of cut. Also keep the rate of movement consistent after the wire temp stabilizes. If one person hesitates, it will burn a groove.

Stop-crack drilling doesn't work on fiberglass like it works on aluminum or plexiglass. On fiberglass it just cuts more of the individual strands and makes things weaker. Marc's fix will be fine. After the surface is filled, you will likely not be able to detect any bump

The bathtub above sold pretty fast. Saw this project on B-stormers today. No pics COZY 3.PROJ.0320E2G OSMO 99%CO • $37,000 • ACCEPTING OFFERS • Cozy 3 built by master craftsmen airframe complete 80% electrical.call for pic.O320.407 462 5383. • Contact David Wilson , Owner - located Maitland, FL United States • Telephone: 407 462 5383 • Posted December 2, 2020

Berkut today: fully priced! The nose gear mechanism is interesting (pic 3). With a little planning I bet you could substitute a Wilhelmson noselift for the hydro unit. It would let you seal the NG box a little easier. 1995 BERKUT 360 SN006 • $150,000 • YOUR SEARCH IS OVER • 1995 Berkut 360 SN006 143TTAE. Excellent clean build in like new condition. Was Built by Ronnenberg the Berkut Designer and was company demonstrator. Injected 0-360a1a IFR panel, 2 place O2 system, split canopies, full retract, Klaus fixed pitch prop, leather interior. Berkuts cruise at 190 kts and can go over 215kts. Last flew in 2004. Partial Logs. Will need gone through but was a proven airplane. Would recommend an electric nose lift. Selling as is, where is. Located in Ft Worth. Selling for a friend. Call or email with questions. Excellent opportunity for someone. • Contact Jamie Hicks , Friend of Owner - located Cincinnati, OH United States • Telephone: 432-349-7577 • Posted November 29, 2020 Also this Long-EZ. No pics in the ad LONGEZ - LONG NOSE - AT KCNO • $34,500 • BEST DEAL EVER! • ADS-B in/ out. Dual com, GPS, Electric gear. Silver Bullet Prop. 0290D2 w/97hrs. 1 mag, 1 elect ign. • Contact Stephen Glover , Owner - located Mission Viejo, CA United States • Telephone: 714-293-9787 • Posted November 29, 2020 And A Cozy project in Canada. seen on FB (pic 4) Pretty good price

I am 225-235 and I found my EZ pretty comfortable but at 270, I think you would need to try one. I scalloped out the inslde fuselage at the forearms which was a good mod and I did not run the armrest sides all the way to the bottom--they came down only about 2"--which gave more hip room. With an O-320, I flew with 200 pound people and about 20 gallons once in a while which would be about 1550 lbs. Re-attaching the gear is a doable but a big job. You would probably remove the wings and canopy, flip the fuselage, open the bottom, repair the fuselage sides where the gear is mounted as required (it is a weak area anyway), sand off old layups with an angle-grinder and make new ones. If you did it right it'd be as good as new but it would take a while. Frankly, at your weight and with the gear repairs needed, you might pass that one by.

Saw this on the Cozy mail list: Jochen Fuglsang photos of load-testing his Cozy III for the German authorities. I suppose he passed 🙂

The regular fiberglass gear struts are sold by Aerocomposites Gregory Andronaco AeroComposites LLC KUKI 1327 South State Street Ukiah, CA 95482 707.462.2939o 707.462.3424f aerocomposites@pacific.net About a year ago a chap reported cracks in his Infinity gear weldments https://groups.google.com/g/cozy_builders/c/BHIV1WV5GrM/m/SxVUS45-AgAJ I don't recall what happened after that but this is more of the discussion https://groups.google.com/g/cozy_builders/c/Nhv-zVchpD4/m/LjY7wM0cAAAJ IMO, the Cozy fiberglass strut and wheel pant are pretty aerodynamic and the speed increase you'd get from retracts (5-6 kts?) is not justified by the expense, weight, and complexity. They might be worth it if you're cruising in the 300+ range but at the sub-200 range we cruise at, no. Six knots gains you 7-8 minutes on a 400 mile trip. Big whoop.

The post is over a year old and the OP only made one career post

The only place I know is on the TERF CD ($295). Said to have all the Rutan plans. http://www.dragonaero.com/RAFCDROM.htm There was a project for sale in October on this page near the bottom https://www.canardzone.com/forums/topic/21972-sales-ive-seen/page/26/ You might search the FAA Registry for Defiant and call around. Perhaps someone would make you a copy of a few pages. Plans come up for sale maybe once a year or two--pretty rare without being included in a project.

Ha! I presume you are mocking my wiring. 🙂 Ya know, you start off with good intentions to make everything as neat as a pin and then it goes downhill.

Wow! But sometimes a man can spread himself too thin. 🙂

This Vari today on B-stormers N44EZ. http://www.aviationdb.com/Aviation/Aircraft/4/N44EZ.shtm Maybe a little pricey for a non-flying de-registered airplane. More pics in the ad VARIEZE PROJECT • $11,500 • FOR SALE BY OWNER • Complete Varieze project minus the engine. 226HRS, Includes A/W, eng connections. Good logs, last inspection 2009. Certified C90-12 also available for $8500 (currently on the plane) or experimental O200 for $4500. • Contact Robert Perkins - AJAY ENTERPRISES LLC , Owner - located New Richmond, WI United States • Telephone: 715-222-0869 • Posted November 19, 2020