JTest

G'day

Has anybody looked into the Throttles built by AeroConversions?

Here is the link. I am thinking I may use one, but I wanted to ask you folks if anybody has any experience with them.

Oh, here is the link:

http://www.aeroconversions.com/products/throttles/index.html

They look good from this side of the WEB. Any feedback would be helpful!

Thanks;

Jeff

First off, I have a part that actually moves

 

See attached pix. The canard is level for test purposes.

I didn't put a level under the elevators at 0 degrees on the jig, I only have two hands. I think it can be inferred the NC12 bracket cants about 15 degrees though. At least for my canard/elevator unit

 

Did I mention I now have a part that really really moves?

 

Rick

G'day Rick

The prictures helped greatly thanks. The plans do not mention the angle and I was able to move my NC-12 about 70 degrees with the rod installed. I did not want to drill without getting more information.

I tried to shoot a laser through the guide pin holes to align the NC-12, but still was not happy with the results.

Thanks again. I know a few folks are looking in on this issue because they will be building the elevators soon. I think they wanted to get the canard mounted first....

Jeff

OK, it looks like they're canted rearward 15 degrees. I base this on nothing in particular

 

Attached pix should give you an idea, not like mine are the way they're supposed to be, or that they'll work (standard disclaimer).

 

The elevators are held to the canard in the jigs, which sets them for 15 degrees 'down' . The offsets appear to be vertical in the pix.

 

I set the spool piece such that the .190" hinge pin holes were at the bottom, and in alignment with the pin holes in the elevator inserts. I then wrapped a section of the torque tube with masking tape, then clamped a vice grip on it as a 'counter balance' (rest it on the table) so the torque tube didn't rotate as I was drilling the holes into the elevator spool piece. A couple of sandbags on the elevators as I drilled were part of the equation too.

 

Rick

G'day Rick

Thanks for the feedback and the pics. You say 15 degrees rearward, but when I look at your elevator on the bench it looks (15 degrees) forward...? Is this an optical thing or did I have one to many tonight (wait I haven't started yet, maybe I am behind)?

The plans I have don't mention or show any tilt. That is why I asked the question. These are my second set of elevators and I don't want to do a third set.

Thanks again;

Jeff

Other the last few months I have been fiddling around with the canard. Finally I have decided to put it away for a while and start the nose gear and nose.

 

Today I trial fitted the worm gear assy. ng-8 disks and ng-30 plates. I also cut, bent, welded and painted a crank.

 

More to come when I order the nose gear strut, ng-6 and ng-15 castings.

 

Cozy girrrl nose wheel is en rout....

 

 

Pictures of the progress at

 

 

 

http://flyingbackward.blogspot.com/

G'day MFryer

Looks very nice. I am about a month or so behind you.

Jeff

G’day

I have a question about the alignment of the elevators. Please look at the pictures and tell me if I have them correct. If you have a picture of yours please post so I can see.

Thanks in advance for your constructive feedback.

Jeff

G’day

I have a question about the CZNC-12A alignment and placement of the elevators. Please look at the pictures and tell me if I have them correct. Should the notches go on the outside or inside? The picture in the plans looks like outside.

If you have a picture of yours please post so I can see.

Thanks in advance for your constructive feedback.

Jeff

G'day TMann

It looks like you will have a 20 lb. canard when you finish the top.

I am glad you lost the ten pounds with the second build.

Jeff

G'day

I managed to get into the hanger and put the skins on the elevators. I took a couple of pictures.

I also made the canard wingtips. I also took a picture of the tips.

I have attached the pictures.

Does anybody have the target weight of the elevators?

I welcome constructive comments.

Thanks

Jeff

G'day

Here is what I have learned after cutting three sets....

TOP front to back

Inside bottom to top

Bottom front to back

Here is my process:

You will need two hotwire bows, a long one around 30 - 36 inches and a shorter one longer than 10 inches. 6 - 8 short 1 - 1 1/2 inch dry wall screws. 2 metal yard sticks with holes drilled every 5 inches.

Draw the level line on both sides of the foam with a sharpe.

Place the template on both ends with 1 - 1 1/2 inch dry wall screws (I used three in each. I also made the foam cores about 30 - 32 inches.)

Put several weights on the foam core to hold it in place.

Inset two nails, one on each side of the cores, at the level line. The nail should intersect the template at the top and inside (torque tube) cuts.

With a partner set up the long bow to cut the foam. Place the hotwire on top of the nails and enter the foam at the same time.

Cut the TOP First. Count the numbers and keep pace with each other. Remember the wire will lag so don't go to fast.

Move the nails so they align with the bottom of the template and the bottom of the torque tube circle.

Cut the INSIDE of the torque tube cirle Second. Place the hotwire on the newly placed nail and cut from BOTTOM to TOP. The numbers will be reversed, but this worked best for me. This method reduces the lag problem.

Cut the BOTTOM. Place the Hotwire on the bottom of the nail this time and then cut accross the bottom of the template.

Inspect the core for waves or if the wire burned through the thin sections if the cutting speed was to slow.

I found that measuring down 1 inch from the bottom of the elevator I could place the next Level line. Repeat above process until you have the desired number of cores.

After I cut five (5) cores (one spare). I then used masking or painter tape to tape the block(s) together. I then measured them for the 26.1 inch section. I marked the blocks with a sharpie.

Then I used the two metal rulers and several dry wall screws in the drilled holes to hold the rulers. I placed the rulers to align with the line and then cut with the short bow. This provides a very strait cut.

I then marked off the 26.1 inches at the other end of the foam block and repeated the hotwire cut above. This gave me 5 cores. I only needed 4 but if you damage one later you will need to make another and I didn't want to have to start over again.

Hope this helps.

Jeff

I have it on good authority that if you move the landing gear 2" aft the plane will stand on its gear rather than falling on its ass as soon as you step out of it. How about that?

G'day

A wise american president used to say "Trust but Verify". I see the words, but it is hard to verify who the "good authority" is.

If you post such a statement you should be willing to post the authority. I am sure they would not mind if they are a true authority.

In Rutan I trust.....(and the 1000 plus types currently flying over the last 30 years....)

Jeff

G'day

I spent most of the weekend in the hanger working on the elevators. Saturday I recut the cores with the hotwire again.

Sunday I trimmed the cores to fit the tubes. I have attached a couple of pictures of the left elevator. I can only layup one tube at a time because I only have two NC-7 jigs. I recommend new builders buy 4 so they can layup both elevators at the same time.

I also had some minor issues with the foam cores on the tubes. I trimmed the cores as suggested by Wayne Hicks on his web site, but discovered the NC-7s had a small lip that dug into the foam. I recommend the tip where the insert hole is get trimmed down closer to the hole. I will try it with the right side. With that said the damage was very minor, but it was not a happy feel good feeling to see the core being damaged as I slid it onto the tube.

I have a long steel that I placed the layup on and put a weight in place to hold it as the micro bonds to the tube.

Oh, if you see the left tube is a little different than the standard Long (Open) EZ tube. I purchased the CZNC-12A assemblies and the left tube gets cut the same length as the right tube. I placed the right tube and left tube next to each other then took out my very fine sharpie and rotated the left tube with the sharpie firmly placed against the right tube. I got a nice circle and then cut on the line. Both tubes are the same length now. The extra length is used to connect the CZNC-12A assemblies.

I welcome constructive comments.

Jeff

However the pitch trim bellcrank NC-5A will.

G'day

OK, explain and if you have pics please attach. I do not follow your comment....

Thanks in advance;

Jeff

Hello all. I recently posted in the Marketplace Section looking for plans for a Cozy Mk IV and am pleased to say I was able to purchase a set and I got M- drawings from ACS too.

 

I am planning on staying close to the plans as published...

 

5. I'm planning on using a scale for epoxy ratios. From what I've read a pump is nice but I thought this might be a place to save some $$. I know, I know, I'm looking at spending tens of thousands in the coming years, but no sense throwing it away.....we'll see how that pans out.

 

6. Tomorrow I get the lumber to build my worktable, a 4 x 12 footer using I-Joists and plywood and the car starts living outside.

 

Well, that's enough for now. Look forward to posting progress. I'll put together the obligatory web site to document my build and resist the temptation to start an aviation based business

 

 

Larry

Carnardiologist

G'day Larry

Just my 2 cents here...

5) Get the $265 pump from ACS. If you join EAA (as you should anyway) and get the Visa card you will get a discount. I have been building for just over a year and I use it almost every building day..... I went a year without the digital scale ($20 from Target (Save the TaTa's (Breast Cancer Awareness) Pink).

6) I built five of the EAA 100 standard work tables. I bolt them together as I need and level them with a great digital level you can get on Amazon.com for about $45 (about $100 savings put it towards the pump). The super large table will be to big for many parts and in the way.

Just my 2 cents .... Oh, you may wish to spend the next three months looking for a Cozy IV project for sale. You will save thousands of dollars and help the other guy free up space in the garage. You may even get them to help you with the build. Most people I know that sell their projects do want to see the plane fly. They often are happy to help with what was their dream come to life. I wish I had done it; now I have about $12,000 invested in what I could have purchased for under $6000.

Oh, get that signed agreement with your wife! Big Steve is right. When she comes out and starts to give the significant other opinion of the time investment; you can always point at the agreement. Or better yeat get her involved, cheaper than the lawyers later....

Good luck!

Jeff

Jeff:

 

 

 

Since I'll be starting my elevators shortly...

 

1) Don't forget to file a small slot in the tube, to match up with the inserts. This may not be clear now, but will be when you jig them to the table to bond them to the elevator cores... and later with the other half of the elevator hinges.

 

2) Do you think you'll need to lightly peen the head of the rivet over, in order to get the tube to slide easily into the cores?

 

Rick

G'day Rick

1) Thanks, I saw that. I was going to use my small square perma-grit file to sand the notch down.

2) I guess I could drill that 1' hole and then cut that scrap 2"X4" to make a small jig to hammer the rivet head round and smooth. I will get some pictures of the rivet before and after. I don't think the foam will be damaged. The insides get covered with micro anyway. I have doen the micro the tube into the foam once already (practice, Yeah! practice.... that's the ticket practice. I have a hanger full of practice parts.....).

Thanks

Jeff

G'day mfryer

Nope, did trow them out, but I did put them behind the Roncz and AeroCanard plans.... I think the AeroCanard plans are the best written, but if the Open EZ gets some plans written I would recommend a rewrite of Chapters 10 & 11.

Thanks again;

Jeff

Super-eze said:

Sounds like something Donald Rumsfeld said. "There are knowns and unknowns and there are known unknowns and unknown unknows" (Anyone remember that speech)

Glad you chimed in Marc.

Can anyone name one good safe mod that improves the type? Then can anyone second it?

Most certainly no one would go off and build based on hear say. But it is not impossible to totally and completely verify the viability of a mod. As Marc has said before, consulting an engineering professional would be a good first start.

Would it be possible to gain a consensus on one good mod?

G'day

Upgrade from the O230 engine to an O320 is almost always agreed on as a safe mod. The other is the Roncz Canard.... I think I will make the Roncz Canard the first mod (remember to remove Chapter 10 & 11 from the TERF CD or you will get to build two Canards and Elevators. One to swear at an the second from the suplimental plans.)

Just my 2 cents. Oh, I am now building the second elevators....

Jeff

The part of the plans for the wings and canard that is making me scratch my head is where you are putting the trailing edge peel ply on and holding it in place with small brads, tacks, or staples prior to glassing the lower skin. Maybe it's self-evident when you get to the point were you are cutting the fish tail off the upper surface but.... what do you do with the brads, tacks, or nails.... dig them out of the lower skin, shave the pin portion off flush with the fiberglass ply or what? What have you canard and wing veterans done about this? I'm prepping for wings and canards and this has got me wondering.

G'day

I used strait pins and they didn't all come out when I removed the peel ply. I just sanded them out or pulled them with needle nose.

Hope this is some help;

Jeff

G'day

Well, I have started to move forward again... I think. Last week the parts arrived and I started to rebuild the elevators with the correct plans this time. Oh, if you haven't figured it out; REMOVE Chapter 10 & 11 from the TERF CD plans.....or risk my mistake....

As I said, I am strting to make progress again. I have attached a couple of pictures. The inserts needed a little sizing to fit. I used my perma grit to sand/file a little off the four corners and they just managed to push in on the iron beam. I pushed from the back of the tube with my hand with the insert on the beam.

I then used the 1/8" drill bit to drill the holes in the tube and inserts. I then pop riveted with a 43 rivet the inserts into place. (Sorry I didn't get a picture of the rivet) I used a hand rivet gun and it worked very well.

I then used some 5 minute epoxy to seal the seams. After the epoxy hardened I sanded the extra epoxy off. I then alodined the tubes because the sanding had removed some of the treatment.

Here are a few pics. I welcome constructive comments.

Jeff

G'day

I recommend using an old refrigerator or freezer that doesn't work. I placed a 60 Watt light bulb in a 17 cu ft frig and it keeps my epoxy above 80 degrees when the hanger is around 35 degrees. The junk yard is a great source. If you cut the side out of two top load freezers and placed two 100 watt light bulbs in them you could have your own version of the Easy Bake Oven (EBO). I put a cheap digital weather station that gives inside and outside temp on my storage box. I put the outside probe in the frig. I get room and heatbox temp and time for about $10. You can very the temp by using bigger or smaller watt bulbs.

Just a crazy idea, but crazy is as crazy does....

Jeff

looks like the right thread for this question :-)

 

what is the lenght of the CS spar? i am getting a used LE and i wanna check if it will fit inside my garage. i dont have the plans here, if memory serves me well, is close to 10ft long or better, wide

 

thanks

G'day

If your building a Long EZ per plans it will be 113" long. Just under 9.5ft.

Hope this helps

Jeff

The bags are actually a tube laid out flat a then put on a roll. You cut them to length then you seal the end with a 'C' clip. (a long 'C' channel that accepts a plastic rod. The bag material goes between the two.)

 

The pressure is regulated by a vacuum swith that shuts off the pump when the desired level is reached.

G'day TMann

Thanks for the information...

"Mom, you can put the blankets back in the space bags and bring the kids out of the basement. I think it is safe again!"

Jeff

G'day TMann

The picture looks like you may have used a Large Space Bag. The vacuum section looks like one. Is that what you are using? If so how do you regulate / measure the internal vacuum pressure? Or do you? If not, is it important?

I know lots of questions, but the picture started me thinking. A very dangerous thing....usually. "MOM, lock the kids in the basement for their safety!"

Looks good. I hope to get some time this weekend on mine.

Jeff

..... but wait, THERE'S MORE!

It's a weight lifting volcano science project for the kids....

Operators are standy-bye...

Very nice!

Jeff

I was able to get my nose carved out last night. I'm working on my 'Hotwire Cheese Slicer' (only $19.95 but you have to call now!) which will allow me to slice the outside layer to a 1 inch thickness prior to glassing the exterior. I'll leave the internal waste in place to help maintain the shape while the outside cures.

 

I'm really enjoying this chapter!

Dude looks very nice. Oh, does the cheese slicer come with the bamboo steamer or ginsu knives?

Nice work.

Jeff

Brrrrr, yes I see what you mean.

...Christine

G'day

Oh dear, was it something I _fill in the blank_? I wasn't talking about you.

Jeff:bad: