canopy latch & FWF kit
I spent plenty of time tinkering with the canopy latch mechanism fabrication. I made one of the latch angles three (ok, maybe four) times until I was very happy with it. Basically what ends up happening (not per plans) is that you should forget the plans for their pivot hole location and make what works. This means drill the lever pivot hole then drill the forward latch pivot hole wherever it needs to be for things to work right. The little z-bend in the lever spring assembly is kind of a joke. I thought about really cleaning up the mechanics of this with some model airplane parts but decided against it. I’m really starting to get into the mind set that there are many of these things happily flying that are built just like the plans. I received some UHMW tape with one of my recent orders, so I stuck that on the insides of the latch angles and drilled them to the rivet holes in the side skin. I machine countersunk the holes in the latch angles and dimpled the skin holes. I recently ordered a new dimpling tool from Avery that works with the rivet gun instead of using the pop-rivet puller dies. I love the new tool. It produces a much better dimple (by far) as long as you use much care not to get it out of alignment (which I did on my first couple of dimples). In a completely unrelated thing, I found that I needed to trim the forward bottom flange of the spar caps just a bit to clear the landing gear mounts.
Where I’ve really been spending most of my time recently is in electrical and panel planning, ordering, and inventory. I have been working with Fabian at Affordable Panels to have a custom panel cut. You might recognize the general design. I’m not the least bit afraid of stealing ideas that work and I like (thanks Walter). Fabian has been great to work with so far and has been very accommodating to my little revisions. He sent full size PDF output for review and I printed it on the plotter at work to get comfortable with in the airplane. He is also going to cut a removable engine control bracket for me with the holes already punched per my layout. I’m going to use a 7″ bracket with the controls spaced a little closer together than normal (2-1/4″ compared to 3″ centers). I’m doing this primarily to improve leg room below the panel. After many revisions back and forth, I have given the go-ahead to cut the panel. He says it will be cut very soon.
I have also placed and received orders from Vans, Stein, B&C, and Perihelion. I got the firewall forward kit from Vans and a bunch of electrical stuff from the others. I think I have most of the random electrical stuff on hand now that needs hard mounting provisions behind the panel (voltage regulators, fuse blocks, relays, dimmers, etc.). It took me the better part of two evenings to inventory all this stuff. I also had Vans cut some AS3-063 sheet 1-15/16″x48″ for making the firewall flange for the camlocks on the cowl. Not that I’m going to be doing that any time soon :).
Right now, I think I’m going to do a little more work on stuff at the firewall. Drill the holes for mounting the cabin heat selector, install the gascolator doubler bracket, and other little stuff like that. I’m still working on wiring harness lengths for a GRT and avionics order. I have also changed my mind (again) and am planning on ordering custom braided brake lines from Bonaco for connections in the cabin; apparently they don’t respond to email. Then I need to stop procrastinating and blast into canopy construction. After that, hopefully my TruTrak servos and AOA will have arrived and I can close up the wings and fit the wings. By then, the engine and avionics should be here…
