Jon Matcho

On 11/10/2018 at 8:30 AM, CBarber said:

So, at around that time I had some money fall out of the sky, so before I did something stupid with it like invest or pay off bills, I bought an aircraft engine...

Ha -- that was good for a morning laugh!  Thanks for sharing Chris!

The Rough River fly-in made the news on AOPA Live this week.

20 hours ago, macleodm3 said:

I have added 1 layer of blue painter's tape (auto body painter's tape... not paper masking tape) and some protection film.

I'll definitely be making a trip to the automotive store!  Corners without the tape kinking up are the key. 

On 9/27/2018 at 10:27 AM, macleodm3 said:

Mine doesn't look as good in person.... I'll need to take a couple new photos this evening to show canopy / glass areas that need some attention. I was wondering if anyone had a great trim product... some sort of a adhesive backed rubber trim strip that worked well.  I did the painter's tape / micro around the inside of the rear windows and they turned out OK.. I suppose I could do that for the canopy too....

I took a closer look at your pictures.  Your inside shot is a touch blurry so that might be hiding some of what you're talking about, which I think is exactly what I am dealing with right now (see the pictures).

I built-up a "tape dam" using several layers of painter's tape.  The micro build-up is quite thick, and my plan now is to remove the thick "tape dam" and replace with just 1 layer of painters tape.  I am going to put down a final treatment of micro (just for edge aesthetics), wait until the micro gels up a touch so it's not running, then pull the tape so I have a clean line.  I'll put another layer of tape down after that, just for protecting the plexiglass so I can complete final sanding and whatnot.

14 hours ago, macleodm3 said:

And I think it kills bugs which like to crap on the plane.

You might be right!  Diatomaceous earth, which is tiny broken-up bits of fossilized diatoms, is used as an organic gardening material to prevent bugs.  I also just learned that it’s used as a stabilizer for dynamite.

So there you have it, our planes are “Organic” AND “dyn-o-mite”!

10 hours ago, Kent Ashton said:

Geez Andrew, some guys would love to have such a nice canopy joint.  

That was my first reaction as well.  I am now hesitant to show the quality of the joint I have come up with for the Glassair III door/window repair I've just done.  Back to the shop...

Andrew, consider that good and get some protective covering back on that canopy!  Seriously, at most you could put some thin painter's tape on the window for a straight edge, then put on some West until it gels up, then pull the tape and let it cure.

Another thing to keep in mind is that if you start sanding too early when the epoxy is in the "bubble gum" stage.  This will end up making a mess of your sandpaper and you won't get much done.  I just found this out after sanding on West's extra slow hardener (209) from a session last night (~9 hours ago -- my shop is getting cool these days so that didn't help).  I haven't had much of a problem when sanding after fully cured, but then again it's never fun sanding drips away.

In general I have been happy with the sandability of West 105 with glass micro-balloons.  Otherwise this foray into finish-sanding could have been thoroughly discouraging.

Terry Schubert, the editor of the Central States Association Newsletter and host of the Rough River Fly-in, has asked me to share this here with everyone:

Quote

One of the topics to be delivered at the CSA Rough River Tent Talks will feature Robert Harris conducting a Q&A on the Hooley Jet accident.  The event is scheduled for 7:30 PM Saturday, September 29.  I hope to see you there for an interesting presentation.

The purpose of the presentation is to dispel the internet rumors & speculation and to educate canard enthusiasts about high speed concerns of soft flutter, its identification and results.  The talk will also explain the major differences between JetGuys design airplanes and Lance's airplane.

That was a fast and low trip, actually from SMQ (Bedminster, NJ) a short ride from my house.

This past weekend I saw a canard go overhead but when I ran in to check Flightaware I could not find it.

5 hours ago, Steve Minion said:

Have never seen a canard fly over my location in Tannersville PA.

I love hearing that unique sound and getting confirmation when I see it above.  The Piaggio Avanti 180 makes a similar sound and is just as beautiful.

I feel like I have a chance at dealing with the Finishing process when I get to it (which I've been told is 33% of the entire build).

West is your friend and there are a lot of good guides out there, such as this one:  

On 9/11/2018 at 12:13 PM, macleodm3 said:

As mentioned by others.... you can do 3 hours worth of sanding in 1 hour if you catch the West 105 before it cures.... my timeframe is spread it out (better be quick), then try to get back to sand in 3 to 4 hours (using fast 205).

I'm actually using West 105 Resin with the 209 Extra Slow hardener.  The properties for 209 are slightly lower than the 205 Fast hardener, but the window before cure is MUCH longer.  I like going to bed sometimes. ?

On 9/11/2018 at 12:57 PM, Kent Ashton said:

A micro- (or West filler)-rich mixture is hard to spread but easier to sand.  

Ah, I just learned about the line of West Filler products.  Cool, I'll have to get some and try them out!  

On 9/11/2018 at 12:57 PM, Kent Ashton said:

When I have prominent low spots and defects on a glassed wing, will spot-fill and sand those first.   I buy a big box of West filler from boat supply dealers--an airplane will use most of it.  For the first full coat I usually start with a straight epoxy wipe followed by a stiff mixture and not-so-stiff for the next coats.

I try to get the mixture on the surface pretty quickly with the squeegee, then use a 6" dry-wall mud spreader that I heat up with a couple of passes with a propane torch.   The warm metal helps to move and level the mixture.

When the sanding has got things pretty flat, I use a stiff aluminum bar about 18-20" long, mark it up with a wide Sharpie and rub it perpendicular to the chord.  The bar will leave Sharpie and oxide smudges on the high spots which you can lightly sand.

When it looks good to prime, spray a light rattle-can guidecoat of sandable primer and sand it all off to see the defects you missed.  They are lurking there!  ?

Thanks for the tips -- my next question coming in here today was going to be about when/how to transition from epoxy/filler to primer.

On 9/10/2018 at 6:35 AM, Jon Matcho said:

As Keith points out it's most important to follow the layup schedule, but I am still concerned over the above and the source of your data.

I'll go out on a limb and say that Keith and I both meant "just follow the plans."  Where else would one "follow the layup schedule"?

On 9/11/2018 at 10:54 PM, Marc Zeitlin said:

Your point 1) above is exactly incorrect. It's MOST important to cut the cap troughs to the right dimensions and then fill them to the top with fiberglass, however many plies it takes. Since the tape thickness has varied substantially over the years, the overall thickness of the cap is what matters, not how many plies one put down to get there.

My point is not "exactly incorrect" and is not even "just" incorrect.  If anyone were to follow the plans exactly ("follow the layup schedule") their planes would build and fly as intended by the designers.

In the Cozy IV plans (not sure why we're discussing the Cozy in the Open-EZ topic, but OK) Section 14 Step 6 states (bolding and underlining is mine):

• Some deviation from theoretical is acceptable, if due to the tape being thinner or thicker than .025 after removing cross threads.
• It is acceptable to use one or two layers more, or one or two layers less, to fill up the trough.

For the Long-EZ Section 14 Step 7 is also clear on how to do this:

• Measure the depth of the spar -- if the layup is over-size, sand (maximum of .04) to size.

I have not checked the Canard Pushers, but in either case following the plans and incorporating all changes (Canard Pusher newsletters, or Cozy newsletters if we're talking about an Open-EZ 4!) will produce a good result.  Perhaps there are developments in the Cozy community post-Nat Puffer, and I would certainly research these tips and recommendations (notably from Marc -- the human center of the Cozy universe -- and several others such as @Kent Ashton).  

On 9/11/2018 at 10:54 PM, Marc Zeitlin said:

...Cameron believes that they are not identical. I don't have either OE or LE "M" drawings/templates, so I can't settle this debate.

I suspect Cameron does not have Long-EZ drawings so a methodology to link the Long-EZ plans in the plans-only TERF CD to the Open-EZ drawings (same measurements as Long-EZ drawings) is flawed from the onset.  My point is that the same confusion would have been produced in 1984 by doing the same thing with Long-EZ Plans and Long-EZ drawings.  Presently there are no Open-EZ plans per se; one needs to use Long-EZ plans.  

On 9/8/2018 at 10:29 PM, Voidhawk9 said:

I've been studying spar caps in various canards (for my own education), and I expected to find that the Open-Ez wing spar caps would be the same as in the Long-Ez plans - but they are not, they are substantially thicker.

Cameron, how specifically did you get your Open-EZ measurements?  If you are interpolating top/bottom trough sizes from the Open-EZ drawings, please do the same with actual Long-EZ drawings and I assure you that you will end up at the same place.

Seriously, where are we at with this?  Are we good, or am I still confused?

I was working on sand-and-fill using the West 205 105 epoxy system, which is just a mix of micro-balloons ("micro") and epoxy.  I can now confirm these statements:

• Sanding after the MGS epoxy system cures is like sanding a rock.
• Sanding after the West system cured is much easier.
• I still don't like finish-sanding.

I do believe you missed the side you wanted captured on that PDF -- it's blank.

Still putting the Cozy aside, no. ?

Ah, I think I see the issue:  comparing drawings to a layup schedule was never meant to be.  ?

In other words, and still putting the Cozy aside, given (a) and (b) below, the conclusion is true:

a) The layup schedule and tape thickness noted in the Long-EZ plans on the TERF CD matches the printed Long-EZ plans last published by the Rutan Aircraft Factory. 

b) The Open-EZ drawings Rev. 5 matches the printed drawings last published by the Rutan Aircraft Factory.

Conclusion:  You could compare your #1 and #2 using the original Rutan Aircraft Factory counterparts and produce your same results.

Now what?

On 9/8/2018 at 10:29 PM, Voidhawk9 said:

I've been studying spar caps in various canards (for my own education), and I expected to find that the Open-Ez wing spar caps would be the same as in the Long-Ez plans - but they are not, they are substantially thicker.

I suspect the source of your data is off (as Keith also suggests with scaling issues on your drawings).  Putting the Cozy drawings aside for now, I assume you must be comparing the following:

1. Long-EZ drawings that you have acquired from somewhere.
2. Open-EZ drawings that you have carefully printed and measured, or measured on the computer using a digital tool.

As Keith points out it's most important to follow the layup schedule, but I am still concerned over the above and the source of your data.  

Please share more about how you came to #1 and #2 above.  Are the Long-EZ drawings copies you received from somewhere?  I know I once received drawings from someone in Australia and ended up throwing them out suspecting they were copies of copies.  The Open-EZ drawings were taken from actual Long-EZ drawings and verified against other actual Long-EZ drawings, so I trust what's in the Open-EZ drawings but can't verify what you may be comparing to.

At the end of the day the Long-EZ and Open-EZ drawings should have identical measurements.

The Open-EZ does not introduce any new design changes.  The Open-EZ specifications are meant to be identical to those of the Long-EZ.

The TERF CD contains the Long-EZ plans, which require all applicable Canard Pusher updates to be accurate.  

Are comparing the TERF CD's Long-EZ plans with something else you have on hand?

I know the feeling -- opened an old box and found some more epoxy this past weekend!

How's the weather holding up?  Are you managing in your heat tent?

22 hours ago, Kent Ashton said:

A buddy of mine is rebuilding a Cozy and came up with a good idea for mounting avionics trays using sheets of BID.  I think I would rather use thin BID-foam-BID sandwiches versus the single layers but I like the idea.  It's quick to make and install.  If you ever want to change avionics, they'd be quick to cut away and build new supports.  I have generally used aluminum angles to make tray supports but it's fiddly.

That's great -- I think I will copy that design!  Coremat as a core material reminded me of the Mini-IMP and Molt Taylor's TPG (Taylor Paper-glass) which follows the same principle.  This is basically creating box structures; something we do all the time with foam, but in just a smaller scale here.  You could even use balsa wood for this application.

I missed the memo on "PVC wiring".  What exactly is it and what's wrong with it?

The NTSB had a press conference on it.  Apparently a wing departed the aircraft.

http://www.covingtonleader.com/news/police_fire/ntsb-pilot-crashed-after-wing-separated-from-jet-eze/article_5c57009a-afc2-11e8-a5db-0f8e921ec5cc.html

I spoke w/Lance last year about his passion for jet-powered canards.  He was quite the character and I could barely keep up with him even over the phone.  He will surely be missed.  RIP Lance.

Kirk, are you off on a dirt road from the highway of Canard Progress?  Were you able to convince your wife that you need a hangar?

On 8/26/2018 at 10:27 PM, Kent Ashton said:

Light airplanes are not sufficiently appreciated.

It's good to receive reminders as to why we chose to build a Rutan-designed/inspired plans-built aircraft.  These planes are cross country fuel efficient aircraft.  Sure, there's room to load them up and add weight, but at the expense of efficiency.  I am now more into watching GPH than MPH.

On 8/27/2018 at 11:02 PM, Mike Stevens said:

Currently building a Cozy MK4.  I love flying, but I also really enjoy the satisfaction of building.  My Cozy, I guess I will need a new name, is wider and longer since I prefer to not be quite as “cozy” as Nat made it.

Hi Mike.  I am building a Cozy Mark IV as well but with only a widened rear (following AeroCanard's lead) and not planning on deviating from the plans much at all beyond that.

I am looking forward to following your progress!