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Looks great! I am curious to know where you plan to put the fire extinguisher and which one you are going to use?

Thanks
Bird
 
Fire ext.

Looks great! I am curious to know where you plan to put the fire extinguisher and which one you are going to use?

Thanks
Bird

I plan on using an RT A400 mounted horizontally on the left side between pilot and passenger. I always brief my passengers that in the unlikely case we end up on the ground inverted, the fire extinguisher doubles as an emergency canopy breaker if required.
 
Interesting. What's the thinking behind using a T-handle throttle quadrant, but a vernier mixture control?

Ours is all on the throttle quadrant.
 
Simply personal preference. I like the precision of the vernier for mixture.
Steve,

I think your bracket and vernier mixture control is smart. I'm very unhappy with my "deluxe" throttle quadrant with one friction control for three levers.

Could you tell me the source and part number of your vernier cable so I could modify my RV-8A too, please? (I assume your engine is fuel injected.)

I don't see your heater control and alternate air pull cables. You might also want to consider one for an oil cooler door -- I'm finding that to be very necessary.

--
Joe
 
Friction

Joe, I was not happy with the friction either on my quadrant. After a little investigation it turns out the designed friction is not the best. It pushes on the side of the quadrant. I oversized the hole in side of quadrant and added a shim"al. Tubing" so the friction knob pushes on the plates only and not the side of quad. Works perfect now, also made a new friction lever. Pics on KITLOG, link below

Bird
 
Steve,

I think your bracket and vernier mixture control is smart. I'm very unhappy with my "deluxe" throttle quadrant with one friction control for three levers.

Could you tell me the source and part number of your vernier cable so I could modify my RV-8A too, please? (I assume your engine is fuel injected.)

I don't see your heater control and alternate air pull cables. You might also want to consider one for an oil cooler door -- I'm finding that to be very necessary.

--
Joe
Joe- my engine is carbureted. I did send back the 55" mixture cable that came with the FF kit and replaced it with the 51.5 inch length.

Re cabin heat and carb heat, the photo doesn't show it well but those controls are on he right console below the cb's and in front of the cup holder. Obviously the shiny piece of alclad there is not yet painted.
 
Joe- my engine is carbureted. replaced it with the 51.5 inch length.
Since mine is F.I., I'll most likely need a different length. Guess I need to measure.

Re cabin heat and carb heat, the photo doesn't show it well but those controls are on he right console below the cb's and in front of the cup holder.

That should be good (although my preference is to have the engine controls grouped together). I mounted mine too far forward on the left side (ahead of the quadrant) and need to slip out of one of my shoulder straps to reach it :-( Cupholder will be nice; I need to add one too.

After a little investigation it turns out the designed friction is not the best.

Agreed, but I can't use your solution. I need zero additional friction for the throttle and differing amounts for each of the mixture and prop controls. After flying this way for a year, I want to try a vernier, at least for the mixture.

Thanks,
Joe
 
Inspiration

Completing some tasks are just a relief. Paint buffed and canopy mounted is inspiring.

 
Status

Looks good. Mines red with some grey ,white and silver. After a few designs I painted the "hoop" around the canopy black instead of the red body color . I think it makes the canopy look like one piece and longer .

Can email you a pic if you like .
Tom
 
another milestone

Got the 8 to airport, and began assembly, wings on fairings done but not installed yet, gotta paint em. FWF next, hopefully before too long.
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bird
 
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Hey Bird,

Your plane looks great!

To post the photo here, go back to Photobucket, and click on the IMG box to the right of the image. It'll flash "copied" in the box for a second.

The go back to this post and when you type your message, go to "edit" in your browser and click "Paste." The image should appear, like magic!
 
Wings came off the stands and into the cart tonight. Next stop, aileron city. Fuse kit should be here in about three weeks!

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I remember when I cracked open the wing kit and thought to myself "Man, that's a lot of parts." That seems pretty funny in retrospect.

But hey, I got all my fuselage parts organized and put away tonight!

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Nothing too exciting....

Just a little box that arrived today.

It's a Superior TNIO-360! Precision airmotive silver hawk fuel injection, B&C alternator, slick mags, and so on.

It came off of a Lancair Legacy where the owner was not happy with the performance and decided to put an IO-540 on the front of the legacy instead of the TNIO-360. Everything firewall forward is in the box.

I will probably not use the turbo normalizer and end up selling it along with the exhaust and pick up an Vetterman's exhaust for the superior cold air sump. I don't need the extra boost and won't be flying above 12,000 where it's most happy. If anyone is interested in it, please let me know.

There's a total of 262 hours on the engine, and less than 50 hours on all four cylinders that were replaced.

The prop is a Hartzell C/S HC-F2YR-1F, which didn't arrive with the engine and is somewhere in Toronto.

352malh.jpg


Have to catch up with Steve R!!!
 
Good day today!

Another step closer today. Ross Ferguson from the MDRA attended my single car garage aircraft factory to conduct the last pre-close for the -8. I rolled it out in the driveway for him and away he went.

After his critical eye finished the inspection, he came into the house and signed off the paperwork and moved me to the final inspection stage! He made many posiitive comments about the build, didn"t find any deficiencies and gave me pointers and suggestion to prepare for the final inspection in relation to labeling and drilling a drain hole some where in the fuse.

Time to bust the hump and get this thing moving forward. I would love to get the -8 off the ground by next summer!

Have to find some help with my mediocre fibreglass skills!
 
Don, congrats on the inspection and arrival of the engine. It is truly a milestone when you get the engine hung. BTW, at the pace you're going, you'll catch me in no time. I hope to get mine in the air by next summer as well.

Cheers!

Steve
 
Well, the wings are as done as they're going to be for the foreseeable future. For the time being, I'm not going to bother riveting the bottom skins. Keep these things open until I've got all my plumbing and such finalized.

CaUyBNxl.jpg
 
Sure would be a great time to cut an access plate for the back of the instrument panel..

Looking good.
 
Yeah I've gone back and forth. Probably putting a single big display in the center so dawdling about the access. Don't want to pass up a chance to kick myself later.
 
The fuselage canoe briefly saw the light of day yesterday. In accordance with the instructions, we were moving it from the tall sawhorses it was on to some low units I built so I can work on inside stuff.

 
Philip,

While I didn't build a rotisserie for my project, I really wish I had. Makes interior work a whole lot easier. I had so many days with a sore chest from leaning on the longerons wile working on stuff in there. Rolling the fuse sideways makes things a whole lot easier.
 
Philip,

While I didn't build a rotisserie for my project, I really wish I had. Makes interior work a whole lot easier. I had so many days with a sore chest from leaning on the longerons wile working on stuff in there. Rolling the fuse sideways makes things a whole lot easier.

Yeah, once the fuse goes together for the second time, I intend to build a rotisserie for the extended interior work. For the moment, about all I'm doing in there is match-drilling through the lower center section flanges and fitting the center cabin brace (or whatever the weldment that goes between the seats is called), and in a week or two the whole thing will come apart for deburring/dimpling/countersinking/etc.

And of course, sometime in the near future I'm going to have to throw a couch cushion in this thing so I can climb in and make airplane noises.
 
C-FDTQ saw the light of day today. All taken apart and getting ready for paint.

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No Smoke

Powered up for the first time with the IBBS backup battery. No antennas connected and no calibrations run.

panel.jpg
 
Moving forward!

Big day today....brought the fuselage to the airport on Saturday and got the engine hung today. Sequence was top right, top left, bottom right and bottom left.

Some frustrating moments, but with a little help and persuasion, she's bolted on.

Now I have to figure out how to rotate the back of the prop governor about 180 degrees.

Cheers


Don

jr2vcn.jpg
 
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Big day today....brought the fuselage to the airport on Saturday and got the engine hung today. Sequence was top right, top left, bottom right and bottom left.

Some frustrating moments, but with a little help and persuasion, she's bolted on.

Now I have to figure out how to rotate the back of the prop governor about 180 degrees.

Cheers


Don

29e63hl.jpg


Cool! Already in training for inverted flight! ;-)
 
Prop Governor

I know it's scary to even consider taking apart a brand new $1500 dollar prop governor, but it really is simple. The rear plate can screw down in any orientation without changing its function. Cut the safety wire securing the screws, remove the screws while holding the rear plate in place. Then rotate the plate until the desired orientation is achieved and re-install the screws. Re-safety and you're done.
 
Just a thought. Before fitting the cowling to the engine in its current position, would it be smart to install a washer on the two top engine mounts to simulate engine mount sag. Later when the mounts do sag, one could then remove the washers.
 
Good question?

I have no idea. If it's helpful. Would the washer go to the firewall side of the mount or the prop side?
 
Good question?

I have no idea. If it's helpful. Would the washer go to the firewall side of the mount or the prop side?
 
fuselage canoe

Entered the canoe stage with the help of my son, who is becoming a good riveter.

6-CzYBf7N8OwXNHTbpoG9ykPZjCaG-D8DP7AsodTw7KCE1nKFxAr9i1vk8pc20nSWR5gw2i2HZBomNhrVZT05Hibo_pbb9B7TZImfWJotYbBlwXPrkA_sFWh6BnQKbo3aX2gItmyxANm4xFirwfDcWEua9bpcOcTc8fYwa_dBhs5geWjLD5n8Evl_IurXWy2rqTfQOZd3G-H03Z1R_JfaJaziD09Y4V17zBqGmvxaJJwmKP_6U6XHrwR-lX8LhsIU6BrGEEe8dZT8If1dgf6sj8pJ7golnH40kwYB5ASz7jnCjc64gyvrgp12UarWcGohwDrj_XUjoJgqgKWUbCi3In6WO5VWfeB_hzcStwk_LJfnDzpTAZ-sCswkW2e9DOTfESqnHoXgoh7xvuO3iavm4WJ62OJ5TMWZ_TAUKkBldE7pEtYS-JuIVUUbnl0jPz3sUw9L2-sqcx0KoTQZBkryQLDRrUa30fC12O--f95hV3RkrOPHLagRzGEsKymBKMeXZdrBgJjS_q3JV0AnscgFeML1_bk95rvP43gHB4J4fIL6laDqoLUsfiSbzmMwnzTyY9P=w469-h352-no


-dave
 
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Exterior Paint Has Begun

Finally started exterior paint. Process has been to scotchbrite, solvent wipe, acid etch, rinse, alodine, rinse, prime with AkzoNobel. First time using an HVLP gun. Still need to tune this a bit.

Alodining - new use for grandkids pool. To cold to do this outside.
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First Batch Primed
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Sharpie mark under prime on test panel. Hope this isn't to thick.
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Progress

Completing baffles seems to be one of those hurdles that reinforce "I'm getting close"
 
"Sierra Tango" is coming along very nicely Blain. At the rate you've been progressing, it shouldn't be much longer. She looks beautiful. Thanks for posting the pics!
 
Thanks for the encouragement

Building at home isolates the project from other experienced eyes. I've had a few visits over the last 3 years of RV builders. Each was a boost to the enthusiasm.
 
Finally finished shooting rivets on the bottom of the canoe and rolled it back upright again. I'm glad to not be spending any more time sitting under that thing sweating profusely all over my headlamp.

Less of this:
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More of this:
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A massive thanks to the guys at SteinAir for the quality work they have
done putting together my custom harness and supplying my Avionics!! I can't recommend them enough!!!
:D
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