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  #11  
Old 08-06-2012, 10:02 AM
Randy Hooper Randy Hooper is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Nashville, TN
Posts: 227
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Junglepilot View Post
I bought a Rockwell SonicCrafter 2 years ago and found it amazing with plastics and fiberglass. Made my canopy cut, trimmed skirt, fairings, anything fiberglass or plastic I use this.

Three big advantages:
  1. No dust to speak of. As it oscillates to cut, nothing much thrown into air.
  2. It has never caused any melting what so ever
  3. Blades last forever and they're cheap ($20) when you want to replace. Have yet to need to do that though.

Several other brands as well. Not a super cheap tool ($125) but I found it the right tool for the job. Heavy duty construction as well.

Here's a link to Amazon that has more info.
Which blade do you use?
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  #12  
Old 08-06-2012, 10:20 AM
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Junglepilot Junglepilot is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Auburn, AL
Posts: 189
Default Blade type

Randy I use the semi-circular one (has teeth on about 270 degrees). This gives a significant advantage when working around irregular shapes like we have.

Also where the teeth end on the blade, I use that "corner" for cut-through when making precise cuts.

Another plus is that the blade mounts on an adjustable hex type mount, so you position the blade relative to your working angle holding the motor/handle. In other words the area you are cutting with can be perpendicular to how you are holding the tool or straight off the end; where ever you need it. Handy feature.

Also it doesn't tend to jump out of the cut like a die grinder style tool will occasionally.
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  #13  
Old 08-06-2012, 12:39 PM
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cfiidon cfiidon is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: California
Posts: 652
Default Dremel

I found that the diamond wheel for the Dremel cuts through the canopy and fiberglass like butter, smooth edge and minimal debris. I think I used heavy scissors on the lenses.
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  #14  
Old 10-29-2012, 05:44 PM
Berchmans Berchmans is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 457
Default Another lense question

I have noticed numerous installations of the plexy wing tip lense using more than the 2 screws suggested in the plans. I have also seen may flying RV's with only the two screws...is there an increased rate of failure in the RV's that use only two retention screws verses other methods?
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  #15  
Old 10-30-2012, 02:00 AM
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cdmiller cdmiller is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Battle Ground, Washington
Posts: 138
Default Two screws is enough

I used two screws to hold each wingtip lens on my RV-8--one in each corner. My plane has more than 1200 hours and the lenses are still perfect.

I cut and trimmed the lenses with tin snips and finish sanded the edges on a full sheet of sandpaper on a flat surface. Just slide the lens back and forth. Makes a nice flat edge.

Dan Miller
RV-8 IO-360M1 with WW200RV prop. 1220+ hours of fun
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  #16  
Old 10-30-2012, 09:02 AM
SHIPCHIEF SHIPCHIEF is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Seattle
Posts: 1,412
Default

Just a note of warning:
A lot of heat can build up in this area when the lights are on in there.
I used Kill-A-Watt LED position lights, and NOVA strobe tubes.
The strobe tubes get hot. I have heat dimples above the strobe tubes from ground testing. Perhaps the air flow during flight will keep mine cool enough, but prolonged ground running will be a problem.
Consider this when you mount your lights in there.
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  #17  
Old 10-30-2012, 12:03 PM
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Dbro172 Dbro172 is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: West Fargo, ND
Posts: 1,073
Default Tin Snips

I used a Tin Snips and it worked really well and fast. Followed up the edges on the scotchbrite wheel in the drill press... 10 minutes tops - both lenses.
Some photos in this post:

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...ght=click+bond
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