Newbie in Wellington NZ - Page 2

jcarne · #11 11-04-2018, 07:03 AM

Yep I think a pneumatic squeezer is about the best thing since sliced bread. Especially since the advent of the longeron yolk.

gmcjetpilot · #12 11-08-2018, 04:29 PM

So your are south of equator, "down under". So does the propeller turn in the opposite direction in NZ? (or is that water circles down the drain opposite from Northern hemisphere)

Good luck.

Kiwi7 · #13 11-11-2018, 10:03 PM

yep and the electricity flows backwards!! The biggest disadvantage is the cost of postage of RV parts.

Kiwi7 · #14 12-01-2018, 02:58 PM

Well it had to happen - a stupid mistake. I went to mount the rudder to the tail and measured the bolts supplied in the kit. They were a ¼" so I happily drilled VS410,411 and 412 to ¼". Unfortunately the rod end bearings are only 3/16". I have asked vans if I can use bigger rod end bearings, but suspect I will be practicing drilling out lots of rivets and reinstalling new mounts! I also need to buy AN3-7A and 10A bolts as the ones that came with the kit I assume are AN4s. Darn.

Kiwi7 · #15 12-04-2018, 12:29 AM

The good folk at vans gave me the news I was expecting - replace the hinge brackets as the edge distance is too small. They gave me two options - either drill out all the rear spar to skin rivets and replace the brackets or drill out the hinge bracket rivets and replace with cherry rivets - dilemma!

dave4754 · #16 12-19-2018, 04:52 PM

reading, tons and tons of reading.

The 7 was a step better than the six for many things one expects in a kit.

However, i found i had to read and read again many of the plans and text before dong anything. After the first bit you do get more understanding of things such as AN descriptions but it is a task when you begin.

Hang in there we all had to order some "replacement parts" as we build on.

Love to travel to NZ someday many here in Canada love each time they go there.

Dave

Kiwi7 · #17 12-19-2018, 10:56 PM

Thanks Dave,

You know when you do something and have that "should I be doing this" feeling; its probably time to stop and reread/think. I had that feeling hence the gutted feeling. Never mind it is about learning and still great fun to be doing. I suspect by the third plane it will be perfect. Anyway I decided to go with the Cherrymax rivets and found the repair not too difficult - just costly due to the postage cost.

We're pretty happy to be living down this particular of the world but have to to Canada and was pretty impressed - despite it being November and cold!