Project Log - March, 2004 
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 February 3, 2021

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March, 2004

March 1, 2004 - 1.7 hours
I made the little bracket to mount the mixture cable to the fuel servo. Rerouted the mixture and throttle controls to try and get them to fit better. Ran the control cable for the AFP purge valve.

March 2, 2004 - 1.4 hours
Prepred the holes where the cowling hinges and firewall attach to the fuselage for riveting.

March 3, 2004 - 1.75 hours
Riveted the cowling attach hinges, forward fuselage and firewall flanges together. Also spent some time sanding on the cowling.

The forward fuselage is riveted to the cowling attach hinges

When I was home for Christmas I got my Dad to help me make this bucking bar. It made getting in that tight area between the hinges and the engine mount real easy. Thanks Pa, it worked GREAT!

March 9, 2004 - 3 hours
I can't believe it took me 3 hours to install a few nutplates but these things are a pain when they are on the firewall. I managed to get the nutplates for the inside cover, the oil pressure line and the crankcase vent line drilled I got most of them installed and I noticed that I had used nuts to install the sender manifold. That will never do, so I put some nutplates there too. I also put the pipe fittings in the sender manifold for the oil pressure and fuel pressure. I almost got it installed again when I realized that I had installed the wrong nutplate on one of them. One day I'll learn to go to bed when I get tired.

This is where the crankcase vent line attaches to the engine.

The vent tube runs down the firewall just to the pilots side of the governor recess

Here is the fuel pressure line attaching to the fuel pump.

March 11, 2004 - 0.7 hours
Replaced that nutplate behind the sender manifold, mounted the manifold and attached the hoses.

The manifold is mounted and the oil pressure (top) and fuel pressure (bottom) hoses are attached.

March 12, 2004 - 0.6 hours
Bondo'd the new piece of PVC pipe to a board for the new improved (read larger) cover for the fuel flow transducer.

March 13, 2004 - 3.5 hours
Today I put the cowling back on so that I could figure out how much room I had for the EGT probes and wires and I while it was there I decided to install the little brass tubes where the hinge pins are going to run to secure the top and bottom half of the cowling together. Mine is going to run back into the cabin through two small brass tubes (bought at the hobby store) to the forward bulkhead. I managed to get both tubes JB Welded to the fuselage side and it seems to work pretty well. It is tight but I expect that it'll loosen up over time.

Here is the small brass tube that will guide my cowling attach hinge pins through the firewall.

After the initial little spot was cured I marked and drilled the hole.

It's not pretty from the inside but you can't see any evidence of hinge pin anywhere on the outside.

March 13, 2004 - 0.4 hours
Layed a couple of layers of fiberglass on the mold for the cover.

March 14, 2004 - 4 hours
I pulled the exhaust and drilled the holes for the EGT probes. I installed the bayonet fittings for the CHT probes and then installed the the exhaust, EGT prbes and CHT probes. I also put the oil temperature sensor in oil filter adapter.

Here is a horrible picture of the bayonet fitting for one of the CHT probes.

This is a better picture of the CHT fitting after the thermocouple has been installed.

This is the EGT probe on the #2 cylinder.

March 14, 2004 - 0.5 hours
I pulled the cowling off and finished bolting the baffles to the engine.

This is how the bottom of the baffles are tied together. It's just 030 safety wire run through a couple of washers.

I added a little bit of support to the rear baffle in the hope that it would help keep the baffles from cracking around the oil cooler mount.

March 15, 2004 - 1.5 hours
Pulled the new piece out of the mold for the fuel flow transducer cover, and fit it between the firewall and the AFP pump cover.

March 27, 2004 - 3 hours
I finished the second cover for the fuel lines. It fits pretty good. I also made a template for the armrests. I want padded armrests so I am going to cut some model airplane plywood to fit the armrests so the upholster has something to staple / glue the fabric too.

Transducer cover number two. This one fits much better. I thought about making it bulge on the front to cover the small opening that I made for the fuel line, but when the thing is installed it is not nearly as noticeable as it is here.

March 27, 2004 - 1 hours
Started working on the little oir filler access door in the cowling.

Once I got the little oil filler access door to fit I duct taped it to the cowling so it wouldn't go anywhere.

March 28, 2004 - 2 hours
Finished working on the oil filler door. I think I will wait to rivet it, at least until I decide how best to paint the thing. After I got that done I went ahead and mixed some thinned microballons / epoxy and smeared it on the top cowling to help fill the pin holes.

I used some hinges from McMaster Carr that will stay hidden and a Hartwell latch for the oil filler door.

This is what the door looks like from the outside.

The thickness of the door is less than the cowling and it was causing the door to bulge a little bit. I needed a little bit more shim between the hinges and the door so I used this piece of angle. It should make the whole thing a little stiffer too.

March 28, 2004 - 2 hours
Started work on the spinner. The first step was to get the spark plugs out of the engine so I could turn it over safely. Then turning the prop over and over to check that the spinner turns true, with no wobble.

The high tech way to get the spinner true.

March 29, 2004 - 1 hours
I sanded on the cowling a little bit. Also did some more work on the spinner. Still trying to get it lined up just perfect. I have had to sand a little bit of the inside.

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This web site and the infomation contained within it are for entertainment purposes only. The opinions expressed on construction techniques are my opinions only and should not be confused with proper construction techniques. There is undoubtedly more than one way to build an airplane and some methods that I use may or may not work in any given circumstance. If there is any question please call the kit manufacturer. I love to help but I am not responsible for the misuse of any information contained on this web site.

 February 3, 2021
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