vmirv8bldr
Well Known Member
Ground Power connector. Let me save you some time.....
So we're all home builders. For one reason or another, we generally feel that if one person is capable of building something, so can we. I double or even triple that belief. I'm building an airplane, brew my own beer, occasionally build home audio gear, and generally like to at least attempt to build or repair whatever needs it around the house.
I decided to put the ground power connector on my RV-8 a la 'lectric Bob. The Aero-Electric quick schematic shows how to install the standard Piper plug directly onto the skin of your plane, it even tells you how to make a doubler with great electrical connectivity. Paul and others have done this with great success. However, I did not want that gigantic, ugly spring-loaded cover hanging out in the slipstream. (Emphasis on ugly.) So, I decided to cut a hole in the skin, build a box to recess the Piper jack about 2.5", and then construct a flush door and hidden hinge to really clean it up. I've built everything else, this'll be easy, right? Wrong.
Instead of buying the "Just RV Parts" hidden hinge, I wanted one with a removable hinge pin, so the door could be removed if necessary, and that feature would certainly make final assembly easier. Wrong again. I built and went through four iterations of the hidden hinge. I finally have one that works like I want it to. I had to abandon the removable hinge pin idea due to physics and geometry. Oh, and guess what my final, acceptable hidden hinge looks like. Yep, the "Just RV Parts" hidden hinge, except not as clean and professional.
Don't get me wrong, I got a tremendous sense of accomplishment out of this exercise, but that quickly subsided when I realized I could've spent $40 bucks and been done with it weeks ago.
So for anyone planning to make your own hidden hinge, spend the $40. Do I recommend the inset box for the Piper plug? You bet. Just don't reinvent the wheel when it comes to the hidden hinge.
For what it's worth, I still do not own a "Just RV Parts" hidden hinge, but when it comes time to do the oil door, I know where to get it.
I'm not affiliated in any way with the guy who makes those, just want to save you some time and sanity (and scrap aluminum!!)
If you still wish to make your own hinge, these are absolute musts.
- The hinge point (where the pin goes) must be as close to the skin as possible. Right up against it is best. This ensures the door swings out away from the skin instead of scraping up against it.
- The hinge point must also be on a line parallel to, and some distance further away from the door it will be attached to, than the edge of the door itself. This ensures the door actually opens, instead of trying to bend into an "L" shape. This is not as intuitive as it sounds because of the necessary doubler you will need to make the door flush when closed.
- The hinge cannot close on itself. When the door is fully open, the hinge needs to be at some angle greater than probably 45 degrees. Don't believe me? Try to get it open with rivets in there and see how far it goes. Having the hinge at about 180 degrees when the door is completely open is advised.
- 90 degrees is plenty open enough for the door. Any further and you're just getting closer to eventually damaging paint.
- There are lots of different Hartwell Latches. Buy the "same" latch from different places and you'll see what I mean. The best deal was $15 at OSH. Oh, and it's the one most fit for this application. $pruce sells them for $90.
I hope this has helped a few folks, and possible cheered a couple of you up. Learn from others' mistakes, in this case, mine.
Feel free to PM me if you want details on the ground power recess and door thingy. I know someone else did it, and I went to their website a couple times. Unfortunately, the site stopped working before I actually got started. I didn't take many pictures along the way, but can snap several now. Maybe tomorrow.
It'll fly someday. Someday.
So we're all home builders. For one reason or another, we generally feel that if one person is capable of building something, so can we. I double or even triple that belief. I'm building an airplane, brew my own beer, occasionally build home audio gear, and generally like to at least attempt to build or repair whatever needs it around the house.
I decided to put the ground power connector on my RV-8 a la 'lectric Bob. The Aero-Electric quick schematic shows how to install the standard Piper plug directly onto the skin of your plane, it even tells you how to make a doubler with great electrical connectivity. Paul and others have done this with great success. However, I did not want that gigantic, ugly spring-loaded cover hanging out in the slipstream. (Emphasis on ugly.) So, I decided to cut a hole in the skin, build a box to recess the Piper jack about 2.5", and then construct a flush door and hidden hinge to really clean it up. I've built everything else, this'll be easy, right? Wrong.
Instead of buying the "Just RV Parts" hidden hinge, I wanted one with a removable hinge pin, so the door could be removed if necessary, and that feature would certainly make final assembly easier. Wrong again. I built and went through four iterations of the hidden hinge. I finally have one that works like I want it to. I had to abandon the removable hinge pin idea due to physics and geometry. Oh, and guess what my final, acceptable hidden hinge looks like. Yep, the "Just RV Parts" hidden hinge, except not as clean and professional.
Don't get me wrong, I got a tremendous sense of accomplishment out of this exercise, but that quickly subsided when I realized I could've spent $40 bucks and been done with it weeks ago.
So for anyone planning to make your own hidden hinge, spend the $40. Do I recommend the inset box for the Piper plug? You bet. Just don't reinvent the wheel when it comes to the hidden hinge.
For what it's worth, I still do not own a "Just RV Parts" hidden hinge, but when it comes time to do the oil door, I know where to get it.
I'm not affiliated in any way with the guy who makes those, just want to save you some time and sanity (and scrap aluminum!!)
If you still wish to make your own hinge, these are absolute musts.
- The hinge point (where the pin goes) must be as close to the skin as possible. Right up against it is best. This ensures the door swings out away from the skin instead of scraping up against it.
- The hinge point must also be on a line parallel to, and some distance further away from the door it will be attached to, than the edge of the door itself. This ensures the door actually opens, instead of trying to bend into an "L" shape. This is not as intuitive as it sounds because of the necessary doubler you will need to make the door flush when closed.
- The hinge cannot close on itself. When the door is fully open, the hinge needs to be at some angle greater than probably 45 degrees. Don't believe me? Try to get it open with rivets in there and see how far it goes. Having the hinge at about 180 degrees when the door is completely open is advised.
- 90 degrees is plenty open enough for the door. Any further and you're just getting closer to eventually damaging paint.
- There are lots of different Hartwell Latches. Buy the "same" latch from different places and you'll see what I mean. The best deal was $15 at OSH. Oh, and it's the one most fit for this application. $pruce sells them for $90.
I hope this has helped a few folks, and possible cheered a couple of you up. Learn from others' mistakes, in this case, mine.
Feel free to PM me if you want details on the ground power recess and door thingy. I know someone else did it, and I went to their website a couple times. Unfortunately, the site stopped working before I actually got started. I didn't take many pictures along the way, but can snap several now. Maybe tomorrow.
It'll fly someday. Someday.
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